Six Ways to Easily Save Money

Start saving today

Financial experts today recommend having at least six months of living expenses squirreled away in a savings account to help you cope with an unexpected change in your financial situation. However, if you’re already pinching pennies just to make ends meet, coming up with that much money may seem impossible. It will take time and financial discipline, but you can do it. Consider some of following tips to help get you started.

Coupons, coupons, coupons

For years, coupon-clipping moms were mocked in the media for their penny-pinching ways. Today, the media is running back and asking for money saving tips! You too can take a page from their books and start saving money with the coupons that you find online or in local publications. Remember the golden rule of clipping coupons – only clip them for stuff you’ll actually use. Saving $ 10 on a case of baby food isn’t a great deal if you don’t have any children!

Switch to home brew

You’ve probably heard this one before — trading the Starbucks habit for a home-brewed cup of Joe — but for some reason, it’s a budgetary step that few people are willing to take. Consider it this way, though. A cup of coffee from Starbucks can cost upwards of $ 4– over $ 1,000 a year if you drink 5 cups a week. Coffee brewed at home or at the office costs just a fraction of this, which means more money in your pocket.

Take advantage of free events

Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you have to cut all of the fun out of your life. Plenty of museums, colleges, and other organizations offer free events that are open to the public, including everything from art gallery openings to free cake-tastings to book readings. Check community websites and local newspapers to find free events in your area.

Split an entrée

When you go out to eat, opt to share an entrée with your dining companion instead of ordering separate dishes. The posrtions served by most restaurants are enough to feed two people well, saving money and cutting calories.

Round down at the bank

Some banks offer a service that rounds deposits down to the nearest dollar and re-routes the remaining change into a separate checking account. Say if you were to deposit a check for $ 85.12 into a qualified account, your bank would put $ 85 into checking and the remainder of $ .12 into your savings account. If you’re bank doesn’t offer this option, you can do it yourself by dividing checks into separate checking and savings accounts.

Right-size your service bills

When was the last time you looked at your monthly cell phone bill? Have you even looked at all since you set up the account? You should take a look if you haven’t, as you might be overpaying for a plan with more minutes than you need. Take a critical look at your cable and interent bills as well. If you’re paying for premium services that you don’t really need, cut them out and redirect the extra money to your savings account.