A lot of people assume that if they want to make a big change to their bank account, they have to do something drastic, like sell their house or work multiple jobs. While it’s true that significant changes can help you to reach your goals faster, that doesn’t mean that everything you do for your budget needs to be huge. Even the smallest everyday activities can transform the way you think about and use money over time.
Collaborative post, written by Grace
In fact, the little tweaks that you make to your daily routine can actually have more of an impact on your future in the long-term, because they change the way that you interact with money, rather than just fixing immediate problems. Here are our top tips for life-changing solutions that will help you save money every day.
1. Find Tools that Help
We’re living in an age of technology. On one hand, that means that we’re more plagued by advertisements and shopping options than ever before. On the other hand, it also means that if you have trouble with your spending habits, you can find tools and apps that are available to help you. An automated tool that tracks your spending on a daily basis will help you to see where you’re most likely to over-spend.
You can even begin to analyse your spending habits to search for potential triggers that you might need to avoid when you’re learning how to cut down.
2. Prep for Each Shopping Trip
A trip to the supermarket might not be the most exciting part of your weekly routine, but it can be an important step in changing your spending habits. Taking a little extra time out to prepare for the hour or two you’ll be shopping is a great way to reduce your risk of impulse spending. Write a list of the items that you’re going to need for your meals through the week, and make sure you check your kitchen for anything you already have.
For an extra budget-boosting bonus, try only taking the exact cash that you need with you to the supermarket. That way, you’re less likely to be tempted by something at the checkout.
3. Look for Free Fun
When the week is over and you’re looking for a way to relax on the weekend it’s tempting to blow cash on things like meals at fast-food restaurants and trips to the cinema. However, this is a quick way to lose out on your hard-earned money. Instead of over-spending on entertainment, look for free ways to spend your time instead. For instance, there are plenty of museums and galleries that have free open days.
You can also consider taking packed lunches and picnics with you on your day trips so that you can at least avoid spending extra cash on an overly-priced sandwich that you could have made at home.
4. Deal with your Debts
Every day, you should be making progress in your plans to deal with any debts that might be holding you back. Debt isn’t just a strain on your financial health, it can also harm your mental health too, by
leaving you with a feeling of constant stress and panic. Think about how you can put a little extra cash towards your debts each day, even if it means saving your spare change in a jar.
At the same time, remember to approach debt with caution too. You should never sign up for a loan until you’ve made sure that you’re getting the best deal in terms of APR and fees. Use comparison websites to check interest rates.
5. Cut Back on Online Shopping
It seems as though more people are struggling with poor spending habits today than ever before. One of the reasons for this trend is that it’s so easy to spend your cash today. Thanks to contactless cards and online shopping you can buy something without even having to remember your pin number. On websites like Amazon, a single click is enough to confirm your purchase of a new pair of shoes or a toaster you don’t need.
To reduce your risk of falling victim to the threat of impulse spending, try unchecking the option to save your billing information on any of the stores that you use. This way, you’ll need to find your card and enter your details before you can make a purchase, which at least gives you a bit more time to think about what you’re buying!
