I know that saving money is something I struggle with (and something I’d like to learn to be better at), so I often click on articles that contain suggestions on how to do just that. While the amounts put forth in this article would be a bit of stretch for me, the theory still applies – and it’s one I feel like I could put into practice.
The idea is to save different amounts every week to coincide with your paycheck, ie: you save more the first and third week, when you’re likely to have gotten paid, and less in weeks two and four. Though the original challenge suggests saving $200 in week one, $100 in week two, $150 in week three, and just $50 in week four (which would save you $1,000 every other month), you could adjust the amounts however you see fit.
Photo Credit: Primary Intelligence
The most important thing about saving is to do something every month, even if it’s a little bit – it adds up!
Along with the initial saving practices, we can also suggest the following ways to potentially reduce your monthly living expenses if (like me) you’re a bit of an impulsive spender.
Stay Home More Often
Photo Credit: Brokelyn
Sure, you need a social life, but try scheduling things like dinner, drinks, movies, etc. for a single day each week instead of wandering about on weeknights. In addition, we all know that eating in costs less than doing takeout or a sit-down meal, and the fewer trips you can make to places like Target (that sweet, sweet devil), the less money you’ll spend on unnecessary or unplanned items.
Have A Garage Sale (Tag Sale, Etc.)
Photo Credit: The Fun Times Guide
Minimalism is all the rage – if you’ve got extras of things, or just items that sit around not getting much use, try selling them. You can save the brief infusion of cash, or you can use it to pay down some debt.
Do Things The Old Fashioned Way
Photo Credit: The Subway Diaries
Convenience apps like Grubhub, Uber, et al are super nice and tempting to use more than you need to. Driving yourself or taking public transportation is cheaper and well, we already talked about not eating out quite so often.
There you go! Good luck saving a little cash, and maybe getting to experience a little getaway this summer (or just enjoy some breathing room in your bank account)!
h/t: My Domaine
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