10 Ways to Save Money Without Kissing Your Lifestyle Goodbye
A lot of people planning to save tend to do it half-heartedly over fear that the lifestyle they’re currently enjoying will have to be sacrificed for a less exciting, less fulfilling life, and they’d no longer be able to get to do the things they love doing.
However, there are lots of ways to save money without having to adjust certain lifestyle habits you have grown accustomed to. Let’s take a look at how you can start saving without feeling deprived:
1. Downsize your meals
If you can’t stop yourself from eating out even though you know how expensive it gets, you should at least try to downsize your meals. Share a big order between you and a pal. Skip dessert or order a smaller size for your drinks or meals, rather than always upgrading to a larger size.
2. Stop subscribing to cable TV
Instead of paying monthly for cable TV subscription, just go online and stream videos from the sites of TV networks. You can also watch from Netflix or Hulu. This saves you hundreds of dollars in a year, without you missing out on the latest movies or any of your favorite programs.
3. Refrain from buying at retail stores
Before purchasing anything at retail outlets, check out daily deal sites, comparison sites, and online stores because these are usually the best places to get discounts and find the best deals on offer—whatever it is you’re looking for. Compare prices, do your own research, and check out other options to be sure that you’re getting the best value for your money.
4. Downgrade your mobile phone plan
Another good tip for saving money is to change you monthly mobile plan to a cheaper plan. See if you can use fewer minutes for calling, or maybe, less additional services including decreased text message benefits or Internet connection access, if any of these turn out to be things you don’t use often.
Most mobile subscribers actually aren’t able to maximize their phone plans. If this applies to you, it would be better to just reduce your monthly bill and change your plan to a cheaper one.
5. Cancel your gym membership
There are many other ways to get in shape without having to pay a monthly subscription for it. And be honest, are you really making good use of your gym membership?
If not, then better cancel that and opt for other ways to stay fit—ones that don’t require too much time because of your busy schedule and which you won’t have to spend lots of money on.
6. Switch to a VoIP-based service like Skype
Stop using landline and paying monthly bills for it; switch to a VoIP-based service like Skype instead. After the switch, you will be amazed at how much money you are saving every month with your telephone bill.
If you use a smartphone, several apps like WhatsApp, Viber etc. are great options for staying in touch, as well.
7. Look for freeware
If you truly want to save, every penny counts, and this includes what you save from your expenses on software.
Research and ask around for free software versions (freeware) before you buy software programs that are too costly. Some of these popular free software include OpenOffice.org, FreeConference.com, and so forth.
8. Follow your financial goals
All of us have financial goals—the only problem is, most of us don’t know how to follow them. You may want to go on a holiday, buy a new car, or something simpler, like buy your first camera or pair of designer shoes.
One effective way to do it is to set aside a certain percentage of your income every payday until you achieve your goal.
It doesn’t have to be a big amount, it can be a small portion of your income say 10%, and then you can move up as you learn to hone your self-discipline. You don’t have to stop all your other savings and expenses, you can set aside this budget while at the same time paying off debts and saving money for your emergency fund.
9. Pay your credit card bills on time
Not paying your credit card bills on time, or paying less than the minimum amount, can result in additional charges that can pile up and eat away money that would have helped you in buying the things you want.
Pay your monthly dues on time and make sure to only use your credit card when absolutely necessary to avoid having to pay exorbitant interest rates.
10. Walk more
Instead of always driving your car to go to places, try walking more, especially when the weather outside is good. You not only save more money on gas by walking instead of riding, but you also save the earth by reducing carbon foot print, and you also help yourself get in shape. Biking or using public transport are also workable ideas.
Saving money doesn’t have to equate to drastic lifestyle changes. As with everything, remember that gradual changes is key to establishing a more permanent and effective way of saving money.