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10 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO START SAVING MONEY

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10-things-you-can-do-to-start-saving-money

Let’s talk about money,

Hello Everyone, with the new year excitement winding down, it’s now time to focus and know what’s next when it comes to the future and all, which brings me to savings. We all need some extra cash to be able to do the things we love, buy stuff and to live a relaxed life, without going from paycheck to paycheck and having nothing left at the end. But did you know that by just changing a few things in your daily life you can have extra money at the end of the month? Well yes you can, it’s all about saving people, and for you to be able to do that, changes have to happen to get the yield you want to make your wishes happen. Here are 10 things you can do to start saving money;

10-things-you-can-do-to-start-saving-money

1. COOK YOUR MEALS

If you actually calculate how much you  spend from take outs every week or going out for meals, you will notice that you would have just bought the ingredients for less and make your own meal. By cooking your own meals, you know what’s in your food by making it healthier if you want, and you save the money you would have spent eating out anyway. Prepare your own meals and save your money.

2. DRINK MORE WATER

Some of us enjoy our evening glass of wine, but if you are serious about saving, you need to stop having that drink and just sip on some tea or water instead. You will not only feel better and healthier, but some money will be put aside. You don’t need alcohol everyday, treat yourself once a month then water it is.

3. STOP BUYING START SELLING

Am sure you want to shout right now, but it’s true. You will be surprised on how many things or items you have at home right now that are either in boxes, have been worn once and others are just in a suitcase somewhere waiting for you to lose that extra five pounds for you to squeeze in. But if you just take them and sell instead, your pocket would be smiling at you and you would have killed two birds with one stone, by decluttering and saving.

4. CARRY CASH ONLY

 This by far will be the best decision you will ever make. When you carry cash, you don’t have any room to buy that extra thing you think you need or a family member wants, because you will have to rely on budgeting and use every cent in the best way possible, for the essentials only. So try it out it will help you save extra.

5. COMPARE STORES

Don’t rely on only one store when it comes to your grocery shopping and other items. Go compare different stores and find the cheapest and one that suits you best. There are very many stores for different things, just choose the cheapest one for the particular item you need. It’s surprising how cheap some items can be.

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6. LISTS ARE YOUR BEST FRIEND

Writing down a list before going for any kind of shopping will not only make you save a lot of money, but since your carrying cash, you need to stick to a certain budget and buy only what’s on the list and nothing more. Make sure your lists are detailed enough for you not to try to compromise by buying something more expensive that it should be. Start writing a list now and watch your savings grow.To know on how I use lists and stay organised, find it here.

7. MINIMISE ON TOYS

 We all want the best for our children and I am guilty of this one. But ask yourself, do your kids really need all those toys? Having some is okay but once your child has outgrown them and no one else is playing with them, it’s time to sell them and accept that your child is fine with just a few and make sure not to buy anymore. Some toys can  really be expensive and your child may only play with it once or twice, save that money for a holiday instead.

8. BUY IN BULK

This is a very good way of saving money, when you go shopping and see that there’s a good sale happening, try buying some items in bulk to be able to have stock at home when you need without going back when the sale is over and the price has increased. Buying in bulk will save you money and time for shopping trips.

9. GYM AT HOME

Am sure there is that monthly gym subscription that you pay for, and only get to workout twice and waste the rest due to no time or something came up. Find yourself a workout routine you can do at home at your own time and save that monthly fee you pay.

10. QUIT IMPULSE BUYING

You don’t need that bag you just saw at a store coming home from work. Staying focused is the only way you will succeed. Impulse buying is usually like a spur of the moment type of thing but if you be honest with yourself, you would rather save that money and do something better with it later. More on impulse buying here.

So there you go start saving now, I hope these tips and ideas will be able to assist you when you find it difficult to save every month. If you have any other ideas, tips and questions for me, do tell me in the comments below. In case you missed my other posts do help yourself right here and here.

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103 Comments

  1. Great Tips ? I save a lot when I prep my meals and I also have my little gym at home of a weight and some resistant bands. But it works haha. Thanks for this xx

  2. Great tips, it just come back to the point, only buy what you really need. We buy so many stuff that we don’t need.

  3. I love saving money!!!! I cook all of my meals and do not allot myself any “dining out” money….if I spend money on food, I deduct it from my monthly “fun money”. It saves both my husband and I a ton of money in the long run! Also, we don’t buy any beverages for the household. Only almond milk for smoothies. We drink a lot of water as you can imagine. ?

    1. That’s great, I can’t remember the last time I dined out because if I can make the meals on my own why bother, plus it will save me time on putting on makeup and dressing up and lots of money too.

  5. These are great tips! I know I’m really guilty of not using lists…going to have to work on that one for sure!

  6. Spot on tips. I recently went through my apartment and sold clothes I hadn’t worn in a while on Threadup, as well as household items on craigslist and made a good bit of money!

  8. Great suggestions for money saving! I love keeping a list with me and forcing myself to stick to it!

  9. great list. Buying in bulk is a hard one for me I hate taking up space at home

  10. Cook your meals. Simple yet profound difference maker! It’s so easy to blow money eating out, I wish more people took this advice to heart.

    1. Yes, it does add up after a couple of nights out and the amount really becomes surprising, better to save that and enjoy home cooked meals.

  12. I agree with this list! Especially the part about carrying money to spend instead of your credit cards. I find that when I carry money, I’m more apt to want to hold onto it.

  15. Carrying cash is such a good idea! I actually went through a phase of going out WITHOUT any money, so I knew I couldn’t spend. It was hard (and annoying at times), but it worked! I mean, I couldn’t fail, right? So many good tips!

  18. Very helpful tips. I love the drinking water suggestions. It is amazing how fast the costs of tea, lemonade, soda, and alcohol adds up. Especially when dining out. Also, you very correct with the paying with cash versus a credit card. There is so much more emotion involved with handing over a $20 bill over a plastic card.

  19. Great suggestions! I find paying with cash and sticking to my list are life savers!

  20. All of these tips are great!!! I was just looking into the EBay Valet service yesterday. I have so much stuff I can sell, I just don’t have time to deal with it. And water. Yes! I need to break my coffee habit ?!

  21. Yup, I just love these tips. I always love to save money. We try to watch how many times we eat out because yes, it does add up. I always try to use coupons too!

  22. These are some really awesome tips! I’m absolutely terrible at saving money but I’ve been trying harder recently so I’m not completely broke by the end of the month! Taking cash out definitely helps a lot, especially when I’m going out with friends. That way, I’m not tempted to buy a drink or meal I don’t need! And impulse buys are my biggest fault for sure! I love instant gratification so buy something spontaneously always makes me so happy! That’s definitely I’m still working on though and hopefully I’ll get better at it in the near future!

  25. These are great tips. I have already implemented two of them — stop buying and start selling and work out at home. That last one was a biggie for me. I can’t tell you how many times I joined the gym, paid and did not go. So, I can relate. Thanks for sharing. I will be bookmarking this page.

  27. Great tips, may of these I do and I’m debt free. My home and cars are paid for, I pay cash for everything, I buy and resale goods, I cook at home, I don’t drink alcohol and I’m able to save money 🙂

  28. These are all great tips for budgeting. I think these tips one should follow to save. very nice tips

  29. Spending money on food can definitely add up, especially those daily Starbucks run! These are definitely some great tips for saving money 😉
    Xo, Sondra
    Cuisineandtravel.com

  30. Impulse buying is really able to add to your expenses, I experienced that.
    I do cook my own meals and I save a lot of money with this.

  32. I am pretty good at saving money for the most part, but MAN do I need to eat out less. I eat out like once a week.

  33. These tips are really great and practical too. I have taken notea. Thanks for sharing.

  34. These are all really great tips and very practical too. I have taken notes, thanks for sharing.

  35. I agree with all of these. When I bring my credit card with me, I feel rich. lol! I should start taking cash instead.

  37. Right off the bat I can see where if my buying would stop and my selling would start, I’d save a lot of money. I don’t ever carry cash but if it would help, I’ll put away my debit card and try cash instead.

  40. I think I should start with this one Drink more water! This hell true for me. I have to stop drinking soft drinks and alcoholic beverages! As well as Stop buying and start selling. I have to start investing on my own. Thanks for the tips above!

  41. These are all true. But I am still working on unspoiling my kids and impulse buying.

  42. These are very practical, I am grateful that you took time to help us make better money choices. These are some great tips. Money can be a stressful thing to deal with. Thanks for sharing!

  43. I’m definately going to start carrying cash and leaving my debit card home. I could also use your tips to save money in other ways. Especially if I cook at home and stay away from restaurants.

  44. I totally try to do #1,2,8, & 10! For #10, if I want something I write it down on a list. When I go back to that list, I find I still want some things and not others. This helps me not impulse buy.

  47. These are such great ideas for saving money this year. Impulse buying is a habit that can really bust a budget! I learned that once you pick up an object, touch it and have it in your hands, you’ve made a mental connection with it. This makes it much harder to walk away without heading to the register!

  48. To this day, I don’t understand how your top 2 – cooking and drinking water – are not on everyone’s list. It is definitely a culture thing but anyone wanting to better their finances should start with those 2 simple steps. They are so simple that they are the cultural way of living of nearly every other country!

  49. These are fantastic tips. One of my goals for the new year was to start saving more money. I sat down and figured out a budget for myself and my family which was great. I’m finding little ways to stick to it but carry cash is definitely a great option. It forces you to really see how much you have any not over spend.

  51. Making a list makes such a HUGE difference for me. I am a terrible impulse shopper, and will spend as much on non-planned items as I do on what I went to the store for. A list helps me keep myself in check!

  53. What some wonderful ideas, I think making sure you cook from home can really make a difference. As can implosive buying I am very bad at making such buys.

  55. I love reading tips on saving money because financial freedom is also my advocacy. These tips are so practical and easy to do.

  56. Carrying cash is what’s hard for me since direct deposit and internet banking is so popular now. It’s easier to swipe than to stop at the bank and sit or stand in a long line.

  57. oh yes awesome list. I hate toys and have purged too many times so finally we just stopped buying toys. lists are my bff!

  60. My biggest weakness is impulse buying. I really need to work on it this year. I have definitely minimized on eating out. Your tips are amazing, thank you.

  61. i do most of the things on your list but impulse buying is something i am planning to work on this year – to reduce it, i mean 🙂 i have started by spending less time on Amazon at this time (except to get affiliate links for my blog)

  63. great ideas! We are in the process of cutting the cord. There is so much content out there now on TV that one subscription service is all we need…until Disney launches their’s as least…

  64. Love this post! I particularly love the tip to make lists, this has always really helped me not buy items I don’t need at the grocery store.

  65. Selling things I don’t use or wear has been the #1 I have learned to make some side money in recent years. It is a great suggestion and something I think many people don’t realize is actually really simple and will free up so much of their life. Awesome ideas!

  67. These are all great ways to save money! I feel like I do most of them but I do need to quit eating out as much as I have been lately! Oops!

  69. Great tips. Ive started working out at home rather then the gym 100$ in my pockets per month!

  70. I agree with all of the items on this list. I rarely eat out, drink tons of water, and have a list in mind when I’m shopping — especially at Trader Joes or Whole Foods because otherwise I’ll walk out with way more than I intended!

  71. Cook your meals deserve to be in the number 1 spot! I am sure guilty of this! Thank you for the reminders!

  72. I’m a mom of 8 and I’ve used all of these strategies over the years. Some things just come very naturally now like making a list and buying in bulk. We have a Sam’s club membership and buy the huge packages of paper towels and toilet paper. Great tips!

  74. I love these simple and actionable tips! Drinking water instead of wine really hit home – can definitely see how much money that could save! Great post!

  76. So many good tips! We took January as a no spend month and though it was hard at first, we saved a lot and I know we can do it better going forward!

  77. Great tips! I’m getting my impulse buying, and selling/not buying under control! Consignment stores are my friends!

  78. I injured my knee this month, and several family members had the flu. It was surprising to see how much we saved by not going out to eat, random shopping, and too many grocery trips. It really worked out well and we saved more than 1k in a month.

  79. This is a great list! I do a few of these but I am guilty of not really keeping to them all of the time. I know I have stuff I could sell too. That’s a great idea!