No matter what goals or resolutions you set for this year, most people either wanted to save money to buy something new, go somewhere, or try a new experience! Did you have any of those on your list?
The big question is: how are you going to save enough money this year to be able to complete that goal?
Saving money doesn’t have to be hard, but it does take some work and discipline. With a few new habits you can easily be on your way to reaching your goals!
Here are 5 easy ways to save money this year that you can start today!
- Have a plan and set some goals! In order to be able to go on that vacation or pay of debt, you need to have a plan and be able to follow that plan.
- Do you have a budget?
- How much do you make each month? What are your fixed expenses (those that never change such as rent, car payment, etc.)
- The more organized you are, the easier it will be! If you need help with creating a budget I recommend Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
or Dave Ramsey’s Complete Guide to Money: The Handbook of Financial Peace University
.
- Grab your planner or calendar! It’s really important to know when you will be buying extra gifts for birthdays, holidays, or other special events. Holidays come whether your budget is ready or not, so does back to school time when you need school supplies and clothing
- .Valentine’s Day will be here soon! Do the kids need treats for school? Do you buy your sweetheart a gift? Can you pick up anything on clearance now to save money? This is a great time to stock up on red paper products for school parties such as paper plates and napkins!
- If you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day you might be able to find green paper products after Christmas at a great price!
- Know the difference between needs and wants. Water, shelter, and clothing are needs. Things you already have but want to upgrade are wants. If you really want to save money this year have you thought of a No Spend challenge? Use the money that you didn’t spend and apply that to your savings. It works great!
- Cook at home! My husband just showed me how much we spent in 2015 eating out and let me tell you it was ugly! (I definitely will be taking this point to heart this year!)
- By mastering meal planning and staying out of restaurants you will save money and eat healthier! An added bonus is that you actually know what is going into your body instead of having it just show up on a plate.
- By spending a little time prepping food on Saturday or Sunday, you will save lots of time throughout the week!
- Use a price book so you know when a sale is actually a sale. If you are really working on eating and cooking at home a price book is a great tool to help you not only save money but also to help your meal planning. By using the ingredients of what is really on sale at your local grocery store you will eat much more inexpensively than before. You can also stock up so you aren’t paying full price on the same item later (just watch expiration dates!) Put that savings into your savings account to use on your goals!
Which easy ways to save money will you be trying this year?
Have you enjoyed what you read here today? Do you have friends or other women you know that could benefit from this resource? If so, please do me a favor! I have included the links below to share with other intentional women! They’ll be glad you did!
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