Sunday, March 16, 2008

Simplest ways to save money

Saving money lately has not been easy for most. The more people I talk to the more I realize that no one can save money for themselves and most people are driving themselves further into debt with credit cards and loans. Being able to save money for various things is key to lowering stress and increasing your quality of life.

The first step to saving is to evaluate where all your money goes. If you stop at Starbucks everyday for that coffee or like to shop, there is an easy way to cut back expenses. Most people have habits whether they like to admit it or not. Personally, I buy myself an energy drink everyday and found that I spend $60 a month on them. So instead of stopping at the corner store everyday, I started buying them in bulk and save a about a dollar a day. This may not seem like much but if you can do this with three items, it comes out to over $1000 a year.

Also, 90% of the people out there plan on saving but never get the chance because they spend all of their paycheck before they put money aside. It is crucial to PAY YOURSELF FIRST! Even if you just put $25 aside per paycheck you are on your way to creating a very nice buffer of money to be used how you see fit. Don't wait till after everything is paid to save. Save before and you will find that it is much easier to be diligent.

Next, to avoid using that ominous credit card or cards, leave them at home and hide them from yourself. If you have to, have your spouse hide it so you do not use it on a regular basis. I don't know how many times I have gone and seen something I want but not had the money to buy it so I use credit. The problem is you don't have the money so why spend it. Use your savings plan to do so, it may take longer but in the end it is worth it. You will not have to pay interest and you will save even more by doing so.

Finally, the easiest way to save a large amount of money at a time for those who get paid every two weeks is to realize that you have two extra pay check a year. So if you make $2000 a paycheck, plan ahead and figure out which paycheck goes to which bills and you will find that two months out of the year the is an extra $2000 to save. So in the end you have $4000 extra dollars a year.

These are very basic but simple ways to save and if you look at your expenses and income on a personal level you will find many areas you can save money in. Don't fall behind and stay as regular on your bills as possible and pay them off as quick as you can. Hopefully if you follow some of these tips you will find yourself saving $2000 - $10000 a year without changing much in your lifestyle. DON'T BE AFRAID TO LET THAT SAVINGS ACCOUNT BUILD. Forget what is in there and check it only a few times a year so you don't get the urge to spend it.

Check out more simple ways to save money

for even more ideas.

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