In light of the changing face of the economy, many people could benefit from acting on creative ways to save money – especially families. Having a family and raising kids is expensive. Between childcare, education, housing, healthcare, and food, you can imagine all the dollar signs that are flying out each month.
If you’re looking for ways to put extra money back in your pocket or are in need of a bit of extra cash, finding hidden savings each month isn't as hard as you might think
Painless Ways to Spend Less Money
A key to saving money each month is being mindful of how you’re spending your hard-earned money. Finding creative ways to spend money wisely will help to keep more of it in your pocket.
Cut Back on Nonessential Purchases
This is the classic need versus want comparison and one of the more realistic ways to save money. If you have unused subscriptions, memberships, unnecessary cosmetics and clothes, or even household goods, your family may benefit from cutting out these types of non-essential spending (at least temporarily).
Use What You Already Have
Whether it’s food, clothing, or other items your family needs, take inventory of what you already have so you’re not buying things you currently have on hand. Try to stick to only buying items that are truly needed, and use or repurpose things you already have to cut down expenses.
Another way to make good use of items that you already have is to go through what isn’t being used and get rid of them. You can sell gently used items which works two-fold – it’s a way to earn extra cash and de-clutter your home at the same time.
Reduce Unnecessary Daily Expenses
Grabbing coffee on your way to work or ordering food every day can add up after a while. Try making your coffee at home and packing lunch a few times a week instead of buying it every day. One of the hidden benefits of packing your own lunch is that you’ll likely feel more energetic because home cooked meals are much healthier for you than fast-food. While it can take a little bit more time and effort to plan and prepare, you’ll see the savings and health benefits add up.
The next time you head out to do your grocery shopping, be sure to plan meals ahead of time and make a list (and stick to it). This will help keep your spending in control because you’re only buying the things you need. You can also food prep meals in advance and freeze them for later, saving you time and money!
Practical Ways to Save
In addition to being more mindful of how you’re spending, finding innovative ways to tuck away extra cash can seem intimidating and challenging to achieve. But if you’ve already cut back your spending, tucking away the dollars you’ve saved each month isn’t as hard as you think.
Build and Use a Budget
What comes to mind when someone says the word “budget”? Dread and discontent, right? Building and using a budget doesn’t have to be a bad thing – in fact, it’s much like writing a grocery list and sticking to it. When you create a budget, you’re simply tracking your spending habits. By laying out all your expenses and cutting out the unnecessary ones, you may find a few hidden dollars leftover! This is a practical way to set aside anything extra as if it didn’t exist in the first place. Since you were used to spending it, you can now put it away in a savings account and watch your nest egg grow into a rainy-day fund.
Turn Your Skills into a Side Hustle
If you want to reach a savings goal or just add some breathing room into your budget, side gigs are a great way to make extra money. You can look for part-time or full-time work that fits in your current schedule and life. From pet care to delivery services, or even starting an online business venture of your own, there are a variety of ways you can boost your income.
A Smarter Way to Save, with Our Visa Round Up Program
When you participate in our Debit Card Round Up Program , you’ll be taking advantage of an easy and smarter way to save. Every purchase made with your Visa Debit Card will be rounded to the nearest dollar and the excess funds are transferred to your Round Up Savings Account overnight.1 Shop as usual and save as you go without putting in any extra effort. We’ll do the math for you and set aside those extra funds for when you need it.
Have a Strong Money-Saving Purpose
Whatever you do in life, you have a strong reason for doing it, right? In the same way, you should also have a strong purpose to save money. Whether it’s cutting back on spending or finding creative ways to boost your income, whatever you decide, be sure you do it with determination and intent.
At Peach State, we not only want to help you reach your financial goals, we want to help you exceed them. If you’d like to explore other ways we can help you save money, reduce debt, and build up your savings, contact us today! We’d be happy to work with you one on one to find the best solution that meets your needs.
1 A separate club account will automatically be opened when signing up for and using the Visa Debit Card Round Up program.
