The art of saving money takes practice and creativity, but most importantly, it takes the drive to want to start saving.
Saving money can help you reach financial goals like becoming debt free or buying a home.
While many people struggle to save money, there are clever ways that everyone can save money in their daily life. It’s hard to cut high areas of spending like your housing, transportation, and grocery bill, but there are other areas in your life where you can find economical solutions to save money.
Here are some clever tips to help you start saving.
Saving money doesn’t have to be extreme, boring, or tedious. There are clever ways to save money that make saving easy for everyone to do.
One of the easiest ways to save is to automatically have a percentage of your income going towards a savings account.
Many people don’t plan for savings but intend to save from their paycheck. If you automatically have part of your paycheck going straight towards savings, you will be able to save more than if you do it yourself.
If you have ever given your email to a retail company for a discount on a purchase, you most likely receive daily emails from them.
Marketing experts create these emails to make you buy more. If you are tempted by “BOGO” or “50% off” sales, unsubscribe from those emails You can always sign up for a discount when you need something.
Most people have phones and use them for entertainment purposes.
There are so many FinTech apps from Mint, Credit Karma, and banking apps to help make your finances better. Using apps like Mint can help you to create a budget and track your spending - these two things can help you see your spending habit and set financial boundaries for yourself.
If you are a responsible credit card user, you can use cash-back rewards as a way to increase your savings.
If you do most of your shopping online, find a credit card that gives you 5% back on your purchase. For every $1,000 you spend, you will get $50 back. That $50 can be seen as a discount on your purchases, and the money you budgeted for your spending can go right into your savings with that cash back.
Subscriptions are easy to set up and just as easy to forget to delete.
If you want to save money, look at the subscriptions you are paying for. Find out which subscriptions you need to have, and cancel the rest. Americans spend about $219 a month on subscriptions, and this area can easily be reduced.
Apps like GasBuddy will give you money back for using their app when you fill up your tank of gas.
If you drive a car, you have to spend money on gas. Why not save as much as you can and use that savings towards your savings?
Having debt that collects interest means that you are spending more money on that purchase.
If you have any outstanding debt, pay off what you can. This will help you save money over time.
The library has great resources, from books, movies, and music to apps that let you download Ebooks and audiobooks.
If you enjoy reading or listening to books, you know that the cost of these books can add up.
Eating out can quickly add up, especially if you are also getting your food delivered.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that a household spends $3,000 a year just on dining out. Start by cooking one meal at home and find easy recipes you can do during the week. If you don’t know how to cook, watch YouTube cooking videos.
Using cold water to wash your clothes or when you shower can help you cut back on your utility bill.
These small changes can also be applied to other utilities, like unplugging appliances and turning off the lights to lower your electric bill.
Many people, especially single people or couples, find bulk to be wasteful.
With proper planning, you can buy the things you eat and often use at a lower price without wasting that thing. Look at the cost of your favorite foods from the grocery store versus a wholesale store to see the real cost savings.
Cash is a great way to save more money.
It’s known that when you use cash, you are more careful with your spending, because you can physically see that money. If you only use cash, it may help you think twice about impulse purchases.
You can use rules when purchasing something outside your everyday living costs.
If you are planning to buy something over $100, wait three days before that purchase. Your decision may change in the days that you wait.
Influencers get their name because they can influence their audience.
So much of what you see on social media is a paid sponsorship. It’s easy to think everyone has the newest kitchen item, but you are just being marketed to buy this.
Find a local 'Buy Nothing' group where you can find great items for free.
You can also offer up the things you don’t use to someone else.
Everyone’s finances are different, so it’s important to discover ways that you can spend less money.
The best way to do this is by tracking your spending for a month. Doing this lets you see exactly where you are spending your money. From there, you can cut out unnecessary expenses.
Some examples of unnecessary spending are:
If you are able to shop smarter and make smart swaps, you will be able to save more money. For example, you can make coffee at home and cook at home to save money.
If you are struggling to save money with a standard salary, there are ways that you can find money you didn’t realize you had.
One of the best ways to save money from your salary is to create a budget. If you are not creating a budget, you may not realize the unnecessary daily spending.
Budgeting allows you to have enough money for your daily costs as well as save for financial goals. In addition, financial goals can give you the motivation to save and stick to a budget.
Another way to save money from your income if you are not able to cut back is to negotiate your salary.
If you have recently finished a large project for your job, this is a great time to ask for a salary increase. Make sure to keep track of major accomplishments to help make your case. Increasing your salary can allow you to use the extra income to put towards savings.
If you have a limited income, you may already be applying these tips and tricks into your life.
You may have to go beyond these and look at ways to save on your everyday living expenses from groceries, housing, and clothes.
This is how to save money fast on a low income:
Coupons can allow you to buy everyday samples for a lower price.
Saving a few dollars on each item can add up over time. If you plan appropriately, you can buy all of your cereal one week for $1 off each and the following week coffee for $2.50 off each to maximize your savings.
Store brand items are generally cheaper than name brand items.
For example, you can buy name-brand toilet paper for $29.99 at Costco versus $23.99 for the Kirkland brand toilet paper. Let’s say you buy this once a month; the $6 savings turns into $72 just on one item.
Buying second-hand or used items is another great way to save money.
There are great stores that have second-hand items like clothing, but you can also use Facebook Marketplace to get a great deal on a lightly used kitchen appliance.
Saving money goes beyond a restrictive budget.
If you can find clever and creative ways to save money, you can continue living your current lifestyle. You can save more money by cutting unnecessary expenses, factoring in financial goals to save in your budget, and making frugal swaps.
Finding key ways to save can add up and help you find more ways to save. Every small saving adds up to help you reach your goals.
Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash
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