Credit to image used in pin goes to Dave Dugdale. – Changes were made to the original image.
Whether its’ the new year and you want to get your finances back on track or you’re just motivated to start getting better with money, there’s are plenty of tips and tricks to help you. Many people have come up with great ideas to easily save money and make sure that you stay on budget.
And thankfully, they’re simple to implement and can save you a lot of money. Who say’s budgeting and saving has to be hard? So check these tips out and let me know what you think!
1. Use the Cash Envelope System
As explained by Dave Ramsey, the cash envelope system is a way to keep track of your spending by putting cash in envelopes. Each envelope is given a category for your spending. So for instance, gas, food, car maintenance, fun, etc. That way, you know exactly how much you have and there’s no over spending. And the great thing about the envelope system is that you can literally start today!
2. When Select Items Go on Sale, Stockpile
Whenever you head to the grocery store and see certain items on sale, buy in bulk and pay for the much cheaper price. You’ll have enough to last until the product goes on sale again. Just be sure to double check the expiration date of the products before buying in bulk and freeze if needed.
3. Buy Generic Products
Why buy branded products when you can have a much cheaper and nearly identical product that costs less? You may not notice the difference in buying generic, but your budget will!
4. Shop Smarter with Coupons
There are a lot of money saving apps that you can download for free that can save you a ton of money. I think these are the easiest and quickest ways to save money at grocery stores, retail stores, and restaurants. They’re simple and not a single coupon to clip!
Here are some of the sites where you can get free discount coupons:
5. Avoid Eating Out
Ditch all the restaurants, fast food joints, and dine in at your home. Seriously, cooking at home can save you a lot of money, make sure that you’re eating healthy, and give you bonding time with your family.
6. Execute the 50/20/30 Rule
The 50/20/30 rule is a useful guide that helps you monitor your spending in a way that matches your saving goals. To begin, the 50% (or half of your income) is focused on all of your absolute necessities. These are your expenses for your food, housing, transportation cost, and all utility bills. The percentage enables you to adjust while still having a budget that is sensible and balanced.
Your 20% is dedicated on your savings. This includes savings plans, debt payments, and emergency funds. Lastly, the 30% is focused on your personal needs. And naturally, the fewer the costs incurred in this segment, the more savings you’ll generate for the future.
7. Journal All Your Expenses
The simple act of journaling and writing out all your expenses can help you keep track of your spending. In this way, you can easily figure out where your money goes and stop the bad spending habits. You can do it using an ordinary notebook and pen, or just print some free budget printables. Whichever way you want, they’ll both help you keep an eye on your finances.
8. Plan Your Meals for the Week
Having a meal plan can help ensure that you only buy food that you need that week, avoid wasting food, and stop overspending. There’s a lot of available meal programs online making your task a bit easier. Not to mention, creating a simple and healthy meal plan can benefit your health as well.
9. Sell Your Old and Unused Things
If you have old items just collecting dust, why not turn them into some extra cash? From furniture to used electronics, up to jewelry and clothing, you can turn these unused items into money. There’s a lot of online websites and apps where you can sell them and add more cash to your savings. You’re decluttering your home while making money which is definitely a win win.
Here are some of the apps where you can sell your unused belongings:
10. Buying Things When They are Out of Season
Due to low demands, buying things when they’re out of season is so much cheaper than buying when they’re in season. Let’s say for example, summer just ended. Right now many stores are clearing out their summer merchandise super cheap. Buy your shorts, t-shirts, summer dresses, or flip-flops now and store them for next spring and summer. It’s definitely a money saver!
11. Have a No-Spend Day
Make a commitment not to spend even $1 for one whole day. Prepare your coffee at home, bring your lunch, bike to work, and eat one of your pre-planned home-cooked meals for dinner. This can help increase your savings over time.
It can be hard to get your finances on track when you keeping to a budget isn’t your strong suit. But with some simple tips and tricks, you can build a budget and stick to it while watching your savings grow. It’s the small steps that lead to big results. So choose one or more of these money hacks, implement them, and let me know how it goes!
Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.
Haven’t heard of 5 Miles before this post. Interesting list. I can’t avoid eating out a bit, but that’s because kids make it so hard to clean up and prepare and all that. Still, we’re cooking a bit more and there’s a skill to grow there!
I’m glad my post was able to help you out Todd! 🙂
Excellent article i think this is so helpful for me to manage my money in proper way and thank you so much.