5 Changes You Can Make to Save Money
1. Ditch one bad habit
Do you smoke? Maybe it’s time to quit. The average pack of cigarettes cost $7. Being generous, half a pack a day will build up to $196 a month. Money that could be put to things that don’t kill you.
Do you buy at least one coffee a day? Start bringing it from home or making it in the office, rather than paying a small fortune for each one.
Are you a fan of designer brands? Hit the vintage stores and find a chic bargain.
Stop paying ATM fees because its closer than your bank’s ATM. Food shop with a full stomach so your eyes don’t buy food your stomach won’t eat later. Unplug your electrics when you aren’t using them, saving as much as $100 a year on electricity you’re not using.
Pick one and focus on that. Once that’s under control, you can revisit another.
2. Review your finances
Did you just go with that health insurance company because a parent told you? Maybe it’s time to rethink that and have a health switch. Take some time finding health insurance quotes online. Home insurance, car insurance, and life insurance are all things we need, but if you look around you might find a better deal.
Take a look at what you’re spending. Is there anything you’re underusing enough that you can get by without it? Are you still using that magazine subscription or streaming service? Are you only using the treadmill at the gym? Maybe start running outside instead?
3. Invest now to save later vs “A la carte”
The “a la carte” way of looking at this is to cancel any subscription you have and replace it with one off buys. For example, you don’t need that streaming service, just buy the episodes you want to watch on iTunes for $1.99 each. It’s tempting but five episodes would already cover the cost of a basic Netflix subscription. If you have a subscription where the cost of it doesn’t or only just covers what you’re watching, rethink your options. Learn to be alright with ditching a streaming service you only really want to watch it for that one show.
On the other hand, invest in what you will need in the future, be it a programmable thermostat or an online qualification.
4. Find free or cheap things to do with your friends
We all became experts in having fun while inside for a year, so let’s take that knowledge and add to it that there are free and cheap things to do outside we can enjoy.
Have a picnic in the park, or garden. Jump off piers, hike or bike in the woods, visit yard sales, find small events in your town like charity events or open mic nights.
With people finally able to enter homes, you can now share in what you were doing in lockdown, because making dinner alone is a task, making dinner for/with friends is a party. Bring books and start a book club, or video games or board games, or movies or pamper each other. The possibilities are vast and don’t land you with the heart attack of looking at the bill at the end of the night.
