Make a saving rule.
This is a very simple trick, you make a rule and you stick to it. The rules can be about anything, and if they can help you improve in any other way, then even better! A very good example of this is the typical swear jar (every time you swear leave a dollar inside the jar).
Other examples:
Empty wallet Thursdays: Every Thursday before going to work you empty your wallet and put all your cash in the piggy bank.
Don’t eat the pig, feed it: Every time you eat fast food you have to pay to the piggy bank as much as you spent at the restaurant.
No filler words: Every time you say “uhmm” or “like” when you shouldn’t, feed that pig.
The savings gamble.
This is a fun little game to help you save. Every week you have to roll 2 dice and depending on the resulting number you have to save a given amount of money at the end of the week. This is probably the only kind of gambling that is good for you.
Master the 30-day rule.
This rule is about self-control and mastering instant gratification. It’s made to avoid spending money on things we don’t really need and it has made me save thousands of dollars.
How? Whenever you are going to make a big purchase go home and write it on a piece of paper with that day’s date. A month later when you go back to it you will see if you still want it, If you still do, go for it. If not, you will have saved some money!
Make a list of your groceries… and stick to it.
If we don’t take control of it, our groceries can be an absolute black hole for our finances. Grocery stores want to sell you every product - the ones you need and the ones you don’t.
The only way to avoid impulse buying is by being conscious about it and making a list. But don’t be foolish; just by making the list you are not saved from this, you will need to stick to it!
Quit smoking.
If you are still a smoker, you must know by now that your addiction is not only potentially deadly, but also expensive.
In the U.S. a regular smoker will spend an average of $4.600 per year on cigarettes! Do you really need this? I see it as spending $4.600 on a lottery where the price is lung cancer, I am sure you can find a better investment. (Link to article)
Make some room and make some cash.
Go to your room and take some time going through every single item in it. I am confident that you will find stuff that you haven’t even touched in years!
If you can find stuff you can get rid of, do it. It will make your room more organized, it will save you time when cleaning, and it may make you some cash. Some people may find value in the stuff you don’t use.
You can sell second hand stuff in various apps like Depop, Poshmark, Gumtree, eBay, Facebook or Amazon.
If you feel too attached to your clothes to sell them just go to the back of your closet and put those ones that you haven’t worn in ages back at the top. It will feel like you will have a new closet and you won’t feel the need to buy any more!
Prepare some meals at home.
Eating at home is way cheaper and healthier than eating outside. You can make this a part of your family routine and cook with your partner or kids. You will save money, develop a healthy habit and save some cash.
If you are an inexperienced cook (like myself) I recommend you to check “How to cook everything”, “Super easy cookbook for beginners” or any other free video on Youtube, after all practice makes perfect.
Remember to plan ahead of time so you have a list to stick to at the store.
Create a visual reminder of your goals.
Why do you want to save? Do you want to pay off debt? Print a screenshot of your debt and make sure you see it every day. Do you want to go to Paris? Print a picture of the tour Eiffel and stick it to a piggy bank.
Keep your eyes on the prize. Having a visual reminder of our goals helps a lot to make them happen.
You may be interested in:
The 50-30-20 rule, how to manage your money
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Thanks for your time and remember, keep growing.