6 Quick Mom-Approved Saving Tips
We all know how tough saving money can be.
Although many of us have financial goals, like buying a new car or paying for an upcoming vacation, we’ve also got bills that we need to pay, and everyday expenses to deal with, like food and travel. Put all the costs of living together, and it’s hard to find anything left for your savings strategy.
The good news? As difficult as it may be to achieve your savings targets, there are always new ways out there to scrimp and save. Here, we’re going to introduce you to some quick mom-approved tips that could help you to get more out of your money.
1. Sell Stuff Online
Stop hoarding the things that you no longer need in your life. Rather than letting piles of belongings gather dust in your cupboards, go through what you have and list them for sale on eBay. You can also try selling items on Facebook Marketplace groups and other online sites too. While you might not make a fortune this way, you could make a significant dent in the amount of money you need for a big ticket purchase. You might even find that you can reduce the amount of your emergency loan you need to buy something important, like a new kitchen or car.
2. Be Your Own Barista
Coffee is something that many of us spend way too much money on, often on the way to work. However, to save cash, you really need to cut down. Fortunately, nobody is asking you to give up the caffeine completely. Instead, try being your own barista and learning how to make the drinks that you love at home. Even if you end up buying your own coffee machine for $100, you could save anywhere up to $1,825 a year if you’re spending $5 on coffee from a café each day.
3. Be a Glutton for Coupons
Coupons and voucher are a must-have for any frugal shopper. While it can seem exhausting to have to search through coupons for a good deal before you go shopping, just one or two deals could save you a few dollars every day on your most essential items. There are even tools online today that can help you with your coupon search. For instance, you can download a free plugin into your Chrome browser that will automatically apply discount codes to your checkout basket until it finds the one that gives you the best deal.
4. Go on a Big Family Vacation
Feel like you need a break from the grind for a little while? We all get that way sometimes. Unfortunately, paying for just you and your partner to go somewhere special can cost a fortune. On the other hand, if you can find a package deal for a larger group of people, then you might all be able to save some money on a huge family vacation. Although it means you won’t have the intimate vacation you were considering, you might end up with some amazing memories all the same.
5. Work on your Retirement Savings
As terrifying as it can be to think about the future – you’re going to have to do it some time. The next time you have an opportunity to increase your retirement savings, take a look at your finances and ask yourself whether it’s a possibility. Even if you just turn your saving strategy up a degree or two, you could end up having a lot more cash to play with by the time that you get into your golden years. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of all the offers that your employers can give you too! Try bumping the 5% of your salary that you put away each month to 6% next month and see what happens.
6. Plan Ahead
The next time you go grocery shopping, don’t just buy the items that you think you want – get only what you know you need. Check through your cupboards and your freezer to find the food that you need for the meals that you’re going to make in the week ahead. Once you know what you’re going to be cooking, make a list of the items that you want to buy and how much they’re going to cost. If you’re worried that you won’t stick to your list, take only enough cash for what you think you’re going to need to spend. That way, if you want anything else, you’ll have to come back home for more money.
