Jul 8, 2022

5 Ways You Can Save Money Today

Sometimes the hardest thing about saving money is just getting started. Here are some ways you can develop a simple and realistic strategy, so that you can save for all your short- and long-term goals.

5 Ways You Can Save Money Today

The vast majority of consumers are looking for ways to cut costs. Little savings can up over time, particularly if you routinely set aside small amounts. If you make a few little compromises in several areas at once, you might be able to save a significant amount of money each month. Unhealthy financial practices can have a big influence even if they're just a little bit present

Here are five simple adjustments that will enable you to start saving right away.

1. Increase the Deductible on Your Car Insurance

Statistics show that the likelihood of you being involved in an accident is relatively low. Even if they are involved in a car accident, the majority of people have very low deductibles and do not want to spend more than $500. By raising your deductible to $1,500 or $1,000, you can significantly reduce the cost of your auto insurance. Additionally, you are probably going to pay yourself back and simply set away that sum in an emergency fund. Due to your planning, you wouldn't need to worry about having a higher deductible. Once you have emergency funds, there is no practical need for a higher deductible, and you are essentially just spending money on unnecessary expenses.

By changing providers every few years, you can frequently lower the cost of your home and car insurance policies. Insurance firms provide the lowest prices to new customers. If you recently turned 25 or had recent tickets expunged from your record, you might be eligible to save even more. Ask your current employer if you qualify for cheaper rates, then browse around for the best deal.

2. Make Coffee at Home

Coffee prices are out of control. Starbucks now basically charges the same as buying a kidney for a cup of coffee and they have been discussing raising their prices. You can save a lot by brewing yourself a cup of coffee. This $200 investment will make the difference between this 60 cent cup of coffee at home and something like a $5 cup of coffee at Starbucks. You can get a grinder and a decent coffee pot. You'll quickly recoup the cost of the coffee maker and grinder and you can utilize the same bean for more use. By literally purchasing Starbucks beans, you can save a significant amount of money compared to what you would have spent there if you only needed a home coffee maker and grinder.

Starbucks vs. Homemade Coffee

Does this mean you have to stop buying your Starbucks entirely? Definitely not, but to save money starting today, you can brew your coffee at home, and save the lattes for a treat. 

Try out some coffee recipes from around the world that you can get creative with!

3. Bring Your Own Lunch

Finding regular savings is a clear money-saving technique. If purchasing lunch at work costs $7 but bringing lunch from home only costs $2, you can accumulate a $1250 emergency fund or significantly increase your commitment to a retirement or college savings plan over the course of a year. Since everything was shut down during the pandemic, we were all forced to figure out how to prepare our favorite dishes. It provided an opportunity to learn how to prepare foods that we previously believed could only be purchased. We have seen that there are numerous items that can be prepared for less money than you would spend at a restaurant.

Cooking may save you a ton of money, especially now that prices are rising due to inflation. Restaurants and other establishments are only increasing in price. You most likely already recognize this and can feel it in your pocketbook. There are many lessons on YouTube where you may learn to cook if you don't know how. If you're short on time, you can always create a tasty and healthy sandwich; it's really not that difficult, and over time, it will save you a ton of money.

Do you similarly spend $20 each week on snacks at the workplace vending machine? Did you know that you deduct $1,000 from your budget each year for soda and snacks. That habit now comes at a hefty price. Visit your neighborhood grocery store and purchase some snacks, which are generally on sale or make some cheap healthy snack alternatives. Despite their seeming simplicity, coupons are among the finest ways to consistently save money. You can utilize extreme couponing strategies, such as clipping coupons, looking for coupons online, and shopping during deals, to dramatically increase your savings. This allows people to significantly reduce their grocery bill, but coupons also have other purposes. There are so many coupons available for your favorite restaurants and other services. Go through your mail and register for newsletters and rewards programs at your chosen merchants to receive the best deals.

4. Setting Up Automatic Transfers

One of the things that people should be doing but don't is this. Save automatically, meaning set up an arrangement with your bank to pull that payment as soon as you get paid, otherwise known as "paying yourself first". If the money is in your account, you'll spend it. Therefore, you should ensure that part of your money is automatically put into savings rather than being just kept in your account. Doing this will be a lot simpler than you anticipate. There are many amazing platforms available, such Acorns, which allows you to save each time you use a credit card. Although I'm not trying to get you to use your credit card, it is a simple way to save and set up automatic transfers. If you are into cryptocurrency there are places like  Swan Bitcoin or Coinbase that allow automatic savings each month so make sure you are just saving automatically.

To achieve your savings goal, decide how much you want to save each pay period, and then set up an automated transfer to your accounts. In this manner, you avoid missing the funds that are transferred automatically to your account and avoid having to consider saving each month. It will just happen.

5. Shop Knockoff Brands

T-shirts from Target and Gucci are equally comfy and believe it or not, most times are of the same quality. You don't truly need to buy goods you don't need to impress people you don't like. This concept has served as my life's compass. The only reason I may wear branded clothing is due to the tax advantages that can come with some but you actually don't need to, though. This is blunt but so honest: nobody really cares about your clothing because everyone is really concerned with themselves. That being said, wear what YOU  like to wear and whatever YOU can realistically afford. It is useless to buy expensive things just because of the brand name.

Do not limit this strategy just to clothing. Try out the store brands as one strategy to save money in the grocery store or even on household goods. Nevertheless, use some trial and error scenarios where you purchase single items, for example, buy one box of store-brand cereal before you give it a try! The quality of store brands can vary from product to product, with some being superior to others. There are some high quality store brands out there! For instance, you might discover that the canned items are excellent but the cereal is not. Choosing a brand that is on sale or offering a coupon deal that week might also help you save money. Saving money enables you to deal with challenging circumstances, fulfill financial commitments, and build wealth. Saving cash is essential. It gives you independence and financial security, and it protects you in times of need. Saving money enables debt avoidance, which reduces stress. Safe to say saving should always, always be a part of smart financial planning.

Start saving for those plans today so you can start building your wealth through investing.

Goals You Can Save For vs. Goals You Can Invest In

The quicker you see results, the simpler it is to stay committed to a goal. By sticking to a plan and exercising discipline, you may increase your savings fast. You will have more money at the end of the week, month, and eventually the year! What are some ways you can save money today?

Let me know in the comments! 

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