Unless your income greatly exceeds your expenditure or you’re expecting a windfall, the best way to save money is little and often. What might start as a regular trickle will soon turn into a puddle, and before you know, you’ll have a pool of money that you can use to help you achieve your long-term financial goals, whatever they may be.
Here are seven simple techniques you can use to save more money each month. And, if you need a little extra help sharpening your saving skills, this online guide should help. So let’s get started!
Track your expenses
Save all the receipts for the purchases you make in a month and gather your monthly bills together to get an accurate idea of what you’re spending. You should then split your costs into two categories: needs and wants, to see which expenses you could do reduce or completely do without.
Delay impulse decisions
Are you a sucker for a sale? Rather than splashing the cash, always delay impulse decisions that you might make online or in-store until the next day. If the purchase is still one you really want to make, that’s fine, as long as you don’t break your budget.
Reduce your energy bills
Energy is one of the largest monthly expenses for many people. You can do your wallet and the environment a favour by being more mindful of the energy you’re using. Turn off appliances at the mains when they’re not in use, cut down on your shower time and wear more clothes around the house to reduce your heating costs.Here’s a few additional bonus tips to help you reduce your energy bills.
Get a cheaper phone and broadband deal
Has it been a while since you changed your broadband or mobile phone contract? Then you’re almost certainly paying too much. Mobile phone and broadband providers do not reward loyalty, so it’s well worth shopping around for a new deal to see how much you could save. You can also watch free TV on Infinity Dish instead of having a big monthly cable bill and save tons of extra money per month.
Be smarter about spending on food
Many people overspend on food by eating out too often, having regular takeaways or buying food during the day while they’re at work. Taking the time to prepare your meals at home can help you make a significant saving over the month while improving the nutritional value of the food you eat.
Cancel subscription services you don’t need
Many people have gym memberships or Netflix subscriptions they don’t use nearly enough to justify the expense. Break it down by cost per use and if it doesn’t make good financial sense, cancel it right now. There are plenty of cheaper options out there such as free streaming services or going for a run in the great outdoors.
Negotiate everything
Consumers are just waking up to the fact that prices for many products and services can be negotiated. Many people don’t feel comfortable negotiating initially, but it’s a habit that’ll quickly become second nature when you realise how much you can save. You can haggle on everything from car insurance to utilities and products brought in stores.
Share your tips with our readers
Do you have any money-saving tips of your own? Please share your experiences with our readers in the comments section below.
To read more on topics like this, check out the budget category
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