Thinking about saving money can be difficult, especially if you’re already having to budget for the month. It can be stressful and sometimes disappointing. The easiest way to save is when you don’t have to worry about it or if you have a target set in mind. There are several ways to cut down on daily spending which is money that can then be put towards your savings account, so it doesn’t have to feel like you’re putting chunks away each month. Here’s 6 ideas on ways to save.
1. The Target.
With a target set in mind, saving becomes a lot easier. Every time you think about spending money on something that may be unnecessary or won’t kill you to live without, you can remind yourself why you should save the money instead. Draw up a chart so you can track how far along you are and maybe have check-off points with small (very small!) rewards so you’re not totally giving up on life’s little luxuries.
2. The Half-Diet.
One method to try is the half diet – and we don’t mean halving how much you eat! This method is best explained by example: if you buy a coffee every day on your way to work, limit this to a coffee every other day. If a coffee costs £2.50, you could save between £7.50 and £10 per week. If you buy lunch each day, try making it at home and bringing it in to work: instead of spending £5 a day on lunch, you could spend £10 at the weekend on ingredients for home-made salads/sandwiches and put the £15 you’re not spending into your savings. Saving £15 a week adds up to £780 a year!
3. Check Elsewhere.
Something to consider when shopping is whether you can get it cheaper elsewhere. It’s always worth having a look on Amazon or eBay before purchasing something in store as the same items can be up to half price online. If you’re looking for something like a rabbit hutch, or golf-clubs, put out a plea to your friends and neighbours (as we all hoard things we no longer need) as it might just be that they are willing to give it to you for free! Or at least at a much reduced price than brand new.
4. Days Out.
This may seem like an adverse idea at first, but instead of planning a lunch, or trip to the cinema, plan a walk or a trip to a free museum or national park. There are hundreds of things to do for free – no matter where you live, and even if at first some ideas may seem boring, the right people will make anything fun! Then, simply put the money you would have spent on your day out into your savings. At the time, it might not feel great because you’re limiting your expenses without an immediate reward – but we guarantee your future self will thank you for it!
5. Two for one.
Two for one offers are the easiest way of halving how much you spend: if you’re meeting up with friends for a social evening or even just a casual lunch, go to a bar that offers two for one on drinks (often known as happy hour and we can understand why!) or a restaurant that has set menus – most places have two-course set menus for weekdays so mid-week may be a good time to book in for that all-important catch up. Signing up to receive restaurant offers will also come in handy when you’re planning a dinner date – especially if you’re celebrating your birthday as many restaurants do special deals if you dine with them in your birthday month.
6. Keep the change.
Another way to save a little each day is to keep your change. When you break into a note (as heart-breaking as it is), put the coins you receive back as change aside and let them slowly build up. A good place to keep them is a glass jar so you can see your savings building, however if you think temptation might get the better of you, a good, old-fashioned piggy bank will do the trick! Once your jar is full, don’t take the change to coin machines which converts your coppers into notes as they can often charge a fee. Instead, take them to your local bank as they will deposit the change straight into your savings account for free – the only catch is that you have to sort the coins yourself!
Saving always seems easy in principle but at cashasap.co.uk, we know that sometimes life can present a door you didn’t necessarily want to open. We understand that you can be short of cash at an inconvenient time. That’s why we offer payday loans and multi-month loans to give you the helping hand you need for life’s small financial troubles, just in case you haven’t got your savings started yet!
