You went on vacation, splurged on some wardrobe essentials and dinners out became the new normal. Sure, you knew you’d have more expenses than you accounted for. But now it seems that all those smoothies and iced coffees really added up. The summer season is drawing to a close and it may be time to do the same to your purse strings.
Here are 6 tips to help you save money and put your spending in perspective:
Stop using a credit card.
Credit cards are great for big purchases and monthly bills but having it easily accessible makes spending more money a lot easier. The same goes for cash. It can feel like it’s burning a hole in your pocket regardless of the amount you’re holding. Opt to use a debit card instead and leave the credit card at home.
Being able to see real time balances and usage via banking apps should help you think twice about that “must have” pair of shoes that you can really live without.
Start bringing your lunch to work.
This is one of the more widely given bits of advice when it comes to tightening your purse strings. But with your average lunch in the city costing at least 10 dollars, you can see why. You’ll be saving a minimum of $200 a month if you start bringing your lunch. That’s a lot of savings, not to mention you’ll probably be eating better too! Need some healthy lunch ideas? Check out our healthy lunch Pinterest board.
Cut out your coffee, sort of.
Well fine don’t cut out the coffee, just the coffee spending habit. Make your coffee at home, and if you can’t stand the coffee at the office, invest in a small French press to keep at work. Afraid you can’t live without your fancy coffee froth and foam? Get one of these too!
Separate your wants from your needs.
Of course we want to enjoy the money we make. Just start asking yourself this question before you purchase anything: Do I want it, or do I need it? Even if it’s a flat out “want” and you still go for it anyway, you’ll start becoming less impulsive with your spending.
Beauty pick-me-up DYIs.
While we’d never suggest cutting your own hair, perfecting your ability to give yourself a manicure may be worth your while when trying to spend less. Also, learning to love drugstore brand makeup may be a game changer for those with an addiction to splurging at Sephora. Take your favorite colors and find the drug store version. It is possible!
Save for something specific.
Saving will become more fun if you have a goal in mind. For example, let’s say you want to buy a new winter coat. If you wait 2 months, instead of buying it immediately, you could have the $400 dollars you saved from bringing your lunch to work that you can put towards the coat! When you have a goal or a reward to work towards, saving becomes a little easier and hopefully will keep you motivated to stay on track.
Other tips include opting to cancel cable and relying solely on streaming services, making sure you put your gym memberships on hold if you’re not going to be using it as much in the fall. Have any great tips? We’d love to hear them!
