This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nationwide. I purchased my own insurance at normal prices. All opinions are 100% mine.

Nationwide provided me with information regarding its SmartRide program.

I’m in major saving money mode over here (and no, this is not my new Jeep in these pics… it’s my sis-in-law’s and it’s gorgeous) and with good reason: Nic and I know we need and want a few big-ticket items that will be coming up for purchase in the very near future.

After re-examining our budget, we’ve come up with a few things that should really help expedite our savings. While I’m absolutely no financial expert (my mom is probably smiling about the fact I even wrote this post), I thought I’d share this list with you and maybe it will help you save some bucks this holiday season, too! This season, I plan to…

1. Order my groceries online for pick-up. I read something recently that said people that enjoy shopping (that would most definitely be me) should always make a list before they go into a grocery store to avoid over-shopping. I couldn’t agree more. But, making a list is sometimes the last thing I want to do! I would rather sit down at my computer and order my groceries to pick up at the local store. That way, I can check my actual kitchen pantry/fridge/cabinets to make sure I’m not over-buying or missing anything. Plus, the pick-up is so easy… after work just swinging by for a few minutes is such a time-saver… and hopefully a money saver for me too!

2. Sign up for Nationwide’s SmartRide program. Ever since I started driving, I’ve been a Nationwide auto insurance customer but I just recently learned about their SmartRide program that will instantly save me 10% just by signing up! Immediately, I thought of how much we could save on our policy. My second thought was centered around the fact that having the device in my car would subconsciously remind me to drive safer.  Basically, it’s a free program that rewards safe driving – the safer you drive, the higher discount you can receive on your rates (up to 40%!) – and I think that since Ava has been in the picture, my driving has become even safer, so I’m interested to see what Nationwide thinks! 🙂 Via an easy-to-install device, SmartRide looks at things like mileage, time of driving, fast accelerations, hard brakes and idle time. Even if I turn out to be not-as-safe-as-I-thought, my rates/premiums will not go up by joining the program, so, what’s to lose? My husband and I have already taken the first step by contacting our agent to enroll in the program. I’ll be sure to share more about our experience in the near future!

3. Unsubscribe from ALL marketing emails. I’m such a sucker for all those sale alert emails… I love sales, of course… and I love sharing when my favorite companies are having sales… buuut, I don’t need to know about every.single.sale from every.single.store I’ve ever purchased from online. I click on those emails and the next thing you know, I’ve got something new to add to my wish list! Just unsubscribing from those emails should help my bank account… and my inbox! 🙂

4. Cut the cord. We’ve gone without cable for nearly two years and I’m happy to report… we don’t miss it. We don’t watch enough TV to get our money’s worth. Sure, there are times, especially during the winter months, that I miss a Cavs game or KUWTK but Netflix and Hulu have taken the place of cable are much cheaper! Definitely money well-saved.

5. Take out cash for spending money. Oh man… why does it hurt so much more to spend cash for something instead of using your card? We’ve tried this cash strategy before and it definitely helps us to know how much money we really are spending. Another addition we could tie in? Once we’re done with spending the allotted cash, no more spending (except for groceries and gas) until the next paycheck.

Wish me luck! 🙂 I hope one of these tips will help you too!

Nationwide asked that I include this information about the product: Products underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliates. Columbus, Ohio. Availability varies. Discounts do not apply to all coverage elements; actual savings vary by state, coverage selections, rating factors and policy changes. Enrollment discount applies during data collection; final discount is calculated on driving behavior and could be zero. Final discount applies at the next policy renewal and remains until drivers or vehicles on the policy change.