Small Steps to Save Big Bucks
Saving money is often a difficult task. However, if you take baby steps, change your life bit by bit, and implement small improvements to your habits you will see results.
With changing your spending habits and adding the new ones, you will start filling up your bank account without even realizing it. The key is not at making big changes and turning up with tons of money (well, for some people it is) but in adding up small things in large numbers that help you save money.
[su_quote class=”cust-pagination”] “Money is an opportunity for happiness, but it is an opportunity that people routinely squander because the things they think will make them happy often don’t.” — Elizabeth Dunn [/su_quote]
This is our list of small ways to save up big money.
Africa Studio/Shutterstock
Deep freeze groceries
Fevziie/Shutterstock
If you have a deep freezer, you should start buying items in bulk or when they are on sale. This habit will let you save a lot of money over time. If you do not own one, however, buy it. It will pay off in the long run.
Automate savings
It is very common for people to overspend and completely “forget” about their savings. Therefore, it is much easier for you to make the process automatic and set aside a percentage of your paycheck BEFORE you start spending it.
Bring your lunch to work
You do not have to be Gordon Ramsay to make your own lunch. Just think about how much money you could save if you ate food you made on your own while you are at work instead of ordering delivery.
Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock
Use public transportation
We know that using a taxi has its allure, It is a lot more comfortable, it is private, and it almost never really stinks. However, it also costs a lot of money. Even if you only take it occasionally, it tends to add up to hundreds of dollars each month.
Learn to cook
Not only will you benefit from not having to pay others to make your meals, but you will also gain access to an entire world of affordable recipes. You will be at surprised the little amount of money you need to make a perfect lunch.
Always take the change
It sounds silly, but it has been tried and tested over time and it does work. Simply by saving up the change from going to the stores, you will have a lot of money at the end of each year. Try it. You will not regret it.
Use a grocery list
A lot of people just go to the store and look for things they need. This leads to them spending a lot more money than they should be. Make a list of things that you need and simply stick to it.
Exercise at home
Gym memberships can be quite steep as people tend to spend upwards of a thousand dollars a year on a gym. However, bear in mind that you can do most of the exercise at home. For cardio, you can simply go running outside.
Arturs Budkevics/Shutterstock
Learn a bit of handiwork
Learning to repair your own stuff will save you tons of money. Believe it or not, there are people who pay to have their light bulbs replaced. Not to mention that there are many other insanely simple fixes that would save you hundreds of dollars every single time.
Avoid overpaying for drinks
Sometimes you simply want to eat out, but that can be a lot cheaper if you stick to drinking water with your meal.
Do not buy tech on impulse
Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock
We know that you want the latest model of the phone that just got ou. However, remember that a year from now, a better model will be released and people will be selling their old phones for half the price or less. Using a phone that is only a year old is still not a bad thing in any way.
Use phone apps that let you communicate for free
You could seriously cut down your phone bills if you used free apps to talk to your friends instead.
Throw a dish party
If you have to make a party, try organizing a potluck to cut down on your own expenses. For those who do not know what it is: A potluck is a party where every guest brings a dish to a meal.
Travel outside of season
Believe it or not, the same trip can be three times cheaper if you simply take it off-season. And, if you do not plan on going to the seaside and bathe, it really does not make that much of a difference.