Have you thought about the amount of money you’d like to save before the holidays roll around again? Or maybe for your emergency fund or a vacation? It doesn’t matter what your savings goal is, the number might seem a bit overwhelming. Attempting to determine where a few thousand extra dollars might appear can be tough. It can be easier when you break it down and find ways for you to save a bit at a time. Here are a few to get you started.
With Your Car
A car is a great thing to have, but it can also be expensive when you consider things like gas, insurance, maintenance, and repairs. You can save money on these things though. When it comes to gas, try using apps like GasBuddy that can show you where the cheapest gas near you is. You can save money on insurance when you get quotes from an online car insurance provider or two and make sure that you’re only paying for the coverage you need.
Coffee and Groceries
How much do you have in the budget for food and coffee? The chances are good that you might spend at least $5 – $10 each week at the local coffee shop. While that might not seem like much, over the course of a year at $10 each week, that’s $520…for coffee. Now, consider how much it would cost to make it at home.
When it comes to groceries, it can help to make a weekly written menu and then make your grocery list from that. Be sure to clip coupons, pay in cash so you don’t end up with interest for it on your credit cards, and only buy what’s on your list. The chances are good that your food budget doesn’t need to be as large as it is.
Save Online
Think about all of the money you spend online. There are browser add-ons like Ebates and BeFrugal that can get you cash back on your purchases. They’ll send you a check or pay you through PayPal each quarter for the things you’ve bought online. There’s another program named Paribus that scans your emails for any online purchases and when it finds lower prices, it will get you a refund for you for the difference. Also, if you’re an Amazon Prime customer, it can get you a refund when your orders arrive late.
Automatically Invest
Have you heard of Acorns? This is an app that allows you to make an investment – anything as little as $5 – a week, and even by rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar. They then take that money and invests it for you. You can save as little or as much as you like, and this can really add up over the course of a year. This app is fully customizable so that you can set your own pace with saving and investing.
Some of these you’ve probably heard of and done but hopefully, you’ve found at least one that can help you on your saving journey.
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