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It’s tough to save money.
Each time you swipe your credit card, you feel guilty. You know you’re digging into debt–or missing the opportunity to save.
But it’s hard. You work hard for your money, and life isn’t only about saving it. The problem is that you’ll sabotage your financial future if you don’t save enough money.
So how can you stop this vicious cycle?
Save money in a way that doesn’t feel like saving.
There are no shortcuts. But, by using these tactics, you’ll also save money.
Let’s jump right in.
Create your north start to save more
What’s the point of saving money if there’s no real purpose behind it?
Most people fail to save because they lack a clear purpose.
Are you saving for a house? Are you saving for retirement?
But, even setting clear goals isn’t enough—they must mean something. If they don’t, you’ll likely quit along the way.
For example, having an emergency fund is a worthy goal if you value security. You’ll be less worried about losing your job and more committed.
Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many goals. Instead, pick 1–2 meaningful goals. Then, break them down into smaller goals.
After you’ve broken them down, write them in a journal to keep track of them daily. Once you’ve reached your goals, set new ones. This will help you save more and build your confidence with money.
Stop trusting yourself to save money
As mentioned before, I still have financial setbacks.
I purchase things I don’t need, and my Amazon Prime account has dozens of monthly orders. Despite my bad financial habits, I can still save a fair amount of money.
How?
By setting up automatic transfers.
Most banks offer a way to do automatic transfers. But before you set up automatic transfers, you need to know your cash flow. Otherwise, you’ll have negative balances or transfer money out of your savings account.
Even if you’re only able to save even $50 each month, you will save $600 annually. This is money that’s wasted on subscriptions or at restaurants.
You must create an external savings account, this way, you won’t be able to view your money. Before you know it, you’ll have been saving hundreds each year without much effort. Start saving a small amount of money to adjust your spending.
Eliminate things you don’t need
Search your house for items you don’t need.
There are thousands of items in your house that only take space–sell them instead. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
- Jewelry
- Unused
- Gift Cards
- Empty boxes
Selling things you no longer need isn’t rocket science but will require a time commitment. Figure out when you have the most time during the week to list your items on websites like eBay or Letgo. Soon you’ll have a cleaner house and more money to save.
Save your extra money in an external savings account. Use some of this extra money to spend as you, please.
Negotiate your way to more money
Are you paying the least amount possible for your expenses?
If you haven’t negotiated your expenses in the last six months, the odds are that you aren’t.
Subscriptions like Netflix or Amazon Prime are almost impossible to negotiate. But, get creative with how you save by sharing services with family and friends. You should also negotiate your cell phone, car insurance, and other monthly expenses.
How?
Call your service providers. Start small if you’re nervous about calling your service providers for a discount. For example, call them up to ensure your account is in good standing. Then, work your way up by asking your service provider for tips on saving money.
Slowly building your confidence works because you won’t let fear stop you from taking action.
But, even if you’re a terrible negotiator, you can still get discounts without calling. Use services like Trim to negotiate your expenses on your behalf. Set a quarterly reminder in your calendar to remind yourself to negotiate your bills
Who knows, within the next 10 minutes, you could save over $100 or more from your services.
Be the minority with how you eat at work
There’s nothing wrong with eating at restaurants.
The problem is doing this many times per week. Suddenly, $15-$20 meals can cost you over $100 weekly!
Instead, prep your food beforehand.
Americans spend $3000 each year on eating out–that’s $250 per month. If you’d cut the times you go out to eat in half, you’d save about $100 each month.
But you still need to eat.
Spend one day a week prepping your meal for the entire time you’ll be at the office. You’ll be healthier and be able to save more money.
Spend more money on these things
Spend more to save more.
But spending your money on toys isn’t the answer. Spend more money on yourself instead.
Here’s how:
1. Read books
Spend most of your time reading non-fiction books. Don’t only read books about money. Choose from other topics such as health, business, and psychology.
You’re bound to make more money if you’re constantly learning something new. Best of all, you’ll shift your focus away from spending and save more money through the process.
2. Listen to Podcasts
Like reading, you can learn a lot from Podcasts. Here you’ll learn from experts who share their knowledge on various topics. The Podcast types will vary.
For example, some experts will share their knowledge themselves. While others will interview other experts. With Podcasts, you can turn your commute to and from work into an educational experience.
Podcasts are free, but most of the hosts will have a product or service they’ll offer. If you’re getting value from their Podcast, the odds are that you’ll enjoy their product or service.
3. Hire coaches
Reading is a great way to learn, but sometimes another person can see things you can’t. Good coaches aren’t cheap, but they can be worth every penny.
If you hire the right coach, they’ll be in the position you’d want to be in one day. Because of this, they’ll be able to help you avoid their mistakes and reach your goals faster.
4. Attend conferences
Going to conferences allows you to connect with like-minded people. Often, the experts who write the books, or produce the Podcasts you listen to, show up at these conferences. The odds are there’s a conference for whatever you’re interested in.
Most people get too “busy” to attend conferences, which makes them more valuable. At conferences, you’ll build meaningful relationships and have new ideas.
Create another way to make money
Odds are you’ve heard of a side hustle.
Aside from that, starting one is a great way to pay down debt and save more money–a side hustle is a great distraction.
Like how you can be mad and happy simultaneously, you can’t be busy and spending at the same time. At the very least, you’ll be less likely to spend money on things you don’t need.
After starting a side hustle, you may not have extra time to watch TV. Services like Netflix would only distract you from the goals you’re looking to reach.
The best side hustles to start are the most challenging ones to build. These include
- Freelance Writing
- Building a blog
- Affiliate Marketing
Choose the best side hustle that works for you. Figure out your skills and what people are willing to pay for. Then get to work.
Save more money than you’d thought possible
You now know a few tricks to help you save more money.
Financial setbacks are inevitable, but if you have systems in place, you’ll still be able to save more. Start by setting meaningful goals and work towards them.
It’s hard to spend your money when you’re busy. But, if you spend your time productively, you’ll earn and save more. Best of all, you’ll stop feeling guilty for buying nice things.
Work your way down the list and master each strategy. If these strategies have worked for me, I’m confident they can work for you.
