As summer quickly rounds the corner, there are many things we can think of that we wish to buy. Whether it be a new bathing suit, a new handbag, or that vacation you’ve been dreaming of all winter, the problem we all share is actually saving the money. Most of the money Americans spend throughout the year is for convenience purposes. Why cook dinner when I can just go out to eat? Wrong. Not only is that bad for your health, but bad for your wallet, too. Here are some simple switches you can make throughout the year to save up for that new bag or vacation. Think long-term, is the $5 coffee really worth it? The only energy it will provide you in three months is the strength to walk away from that bag you can’t afford.
Stop buying coffee- Yeah, yeah, yeah it’s convenient, but just think: $5 on coffee every morning, and one on the way home from work. That’s $10 a day. If you work 5 days a week, you spend $50 on coffee in one week. For that, you can buy a case of k-cups to last you a month. K-cups take about a minute to brew, so there goes your convenience excuse.
Limit the amount of times you eat at restaurants- It’s not the healthiest option and definitely not the most frugal. Even if you limit going out to dinner to once a week, it will cut down the cost and make it more of a special evening.
Buy groceries once a month- Instead of going each night or once a week when you tend to pick up things spontaneously, plan a trip to the grocery store once a month. Know what is on sale and know what you need in the house for the month. This is also a good way to keep you on track with healthy eating. If you only go once a month, you won’t be stopping at the grocery store after a long day at work and picking up junk.
Stop hoarding junk- We are all guilty of it: you may need it some day, but today is not that day, get rid of it. Collect all the stuff that you don’t need or use anymore and sell it! Ebay, Amazon, Etsy, Thrift Store, or a good old-fashioned yard sale!
Ask yourself: do I really need this?- Shopping is all about choices. If you buy one thing, you may not be able to afford another thing you really want. Which do you want more? Is there something that you need first? A good rule of thumb: just because something is on sale, does not mean that you need it. If you wouldn’t buy it full price, you don’t need it on sale.
