If there’s anything we love around here it’s finding easy ways to save money. It’s amazing how much you can save if you simply make a few changes to your daily spending habits. Here are several things you can do TODAY to help your savings account grow!
- Pay yourself first. This is something people forget to do. They see pay day come and immediately start paying bills and spending their money before they’ve paid themselves by putting a percentage of their earnings in a savings account. You are more likely to miss out on saving for your future if you wait until you’ve paid everyone else before you’ve paid yourself. Put money into savings as soon as you get paid so you don’t forget later.
- Eat (and drink) at home. Eating out literally eats your budget. It’s that simple. This goes for the $2-$6 coffee drink you are grabbing on the way to work, too. Prepare a shopping list each week based on what you plan to eat and drink the following week. Buy your groceries and have the food you need at home to avoid going out to a restaurant. Make your coffee or tea at home and save the few extra dollars each day…they add up quick! It’s sad how much money we waste on food.
- Stop buying things you don’t NEED. Spending money just to spend obviously means you have less to save. It also means you will probably end up with lots of clutter. Something to keep in mind is the more items you bring into your home, the more you have to manage. Just because there is a sale going on or you see an item on clearance doesn’t mean you need it! Save that money instead for things you actually need and for your future.
- Don’t buy things you can’t afford. If it doesn’t fit within your budget and you don’t have the cash for it either, don’t buy it. This can only mean one thing: you plan to charge it on a credit card. How can you meet your financial goals if you are accustomed to buying things you can’t afford on credit? If you need something but can’t afford it, make a plan to save for that item until you can!
- Keep a budget. If you aren’t sure how you have no money left over at the end of every month, maybe you aren’t tracking your bills and spending. Do you have a budget? I created a FREE budget template for you to use and trust me, everyone needs a budget. If you don’t tell your money what to do, it will disappear right before your eyes. It’s the only way to know how much you have and how much you are able to save.
If you found any of these ideas helpful, or if you have an idea you’d like to share about saving money, please leave me a comment below!