Sometimes, maybe, you find it hard to save money, for one reason or another. You would ask yourself, can I really do it all this on my own? Or do you need someone to keep you from spending too much, a sort of financial guardian or counsel to guard your every spending moment?
Maybe you do not have the know-how and discipline, even the right mindset, when it comes to saving money, so you usually end up spending it carelessly. When you try to do your own budget, you still cannot figure out what you are doing wrong. It’s hopeless, you tell yourself. Better to just find someone else.
But do you really need an accountant or a financial expert in order to help you save? It’s a good idea, but it could also be an added expense, one you could do without.Do you have other options? Well, the next best option is you—if you have the right training and mindset.
Here are some do-it-yourself ways you can do to train yourself on how to save money without help from any financial professional:
Take Care of Your Belongings
We all buy things. Be it big or basic items, items we like and got on a whim, items that cost an arm and a leg. And we all know how important it is to take care of what we own. A car, shoes, clothes, appliances, gadgets, and other things—the better you take care of them, the longer they work. And the longer you can go without having to pay for repairs or a new unit. That saves you money right there.
Purchase When Shops Go on Sale
It is, of course, inevitable: sometimes, you will go and buy new stuff for yourself for the sheer fun of doing it. If you love shopping for clothes and mid-range gadgets like mobile phones, then wait until they go on sale. You do not have to get the latest phone fresh off the iMac store. Waiting can give you good deals.
Save Energy
Did you know that fully turning off your TV could save you on a lot of energy costs? Check if you’re really turning off your TV. You could just be turning it on standby. Even on standby mode, your TV is still consuming energy. You have to unplug it. Another way to save is to turn off the air-con if the room temperature is already cold or unplug your charger when your mobile phone’s full. You could also choose energy-saving settings for all your devices.
Come Up with a Shopping or Grocery list
It is never advisable to shop or do your groceries by just picking up everything you see and dropping them in the cart. Always, always come up with a list. Sometimes, you might even get too excited with all the new items displayed on the rack and just grab some of these even when your budget cannot handle the additional groceries. A list would help you concentrate on buying only what you need.
Purchase Using Cash as Much as Possible
Owning a credit card can really be tempting, especially if you have more than one. Whenever you shop, you tend to get things that are not friendly to your budget since these items are just a swipe away. Try to practice bringing just enough cash for everything on your shopping list. Calculate the total and bring only that amount. This way, you cannot buy just anything because you only have enough for the basics on your list.
Check Other Shops
This applies to both online and physical shops. Whenever you shop, do not focus on the first item you see. The shop is too big to be limited to options. Always look for a better deal. Take advantage of the discounts and the buy-one-take-one deals. If it’s September and you see a nice denim at your favorite shop, why not get that during the end-of-season sale? Might be a little late, yes, but you get what you want at a better deal.
Do Not Miss Out on Your Monthly Bills
Settling your fees late is really a waste of money. The monthly interest charge on every late payment of your credit card balance is a huge waste—no matter how small it is. You could have already spent that amount on other things.
Maximize Your Employer’s Benefits
Some employers offer perks especially custom-made for their employees. One of these is the employer benefits. Employers could tie up with some establishments to get discounts on products and services like groceries, gym, and health clinics. Employees could take advantage of these discounts.
All these do not sound all that difficult, right? You can save. You can start small. Some things we think are hard prove easy just because we try and give it our best. You do that and it would not matter if you are not a financial advisor or accountant. Try hard enough to save and you might just end up with a payload of savings shiny enough to put any leprechaun to shame.