With the economy not doing so well , many people are looking for methods to save money and get on more solid money ground. While its great to chop out small things, for example lattes and Gucci bags, what the majority need are gigantic savings. You know, thousands of greenbacks in savings, not $50 a month.
But you can not slash your budget for items such as food, gas and utilities. While you are able to save some money in these areas, the savings are generally pretty little in comparison to some of the items below. So I have assembled a listing of ways in which you can make gigantic changes, at least for a while and who knows, maybe over the long term.
There will be some challenges from folks who don't think they can change their lives this much, or who do not want to. That is fine. I am not saying these changes are for everybody. But I do think we can live with less, and with the right attitude, you will find happiness right now, without any need to spend cash. That's the secret to finding contentment while existing with less.
1. Move to a smaller home. For many of us, the mortgage is the biggest expense in their budget. Thus it represents the biggest chance to save if you live in a smaller, less expensive home, you are able to save lots of money in one go. Obviously this is not a change you can implement overnite, but it is worth keeping your eye open for a chance to make the change. Start looking around for smaller homes, especially ones that are closer to the places you have to go, for example work, the grocery, etc, so you can save on transport costs too. If you get rid of lots of excess stuff, you don't need as much space. This change alone can save thousands annually.
2. Sell a car. If you have 2 (or even more) vehicles, consider selling one of them to save money. Frequently we can get away with one vehicle if we conscientiously prepare our schedules. My other half and I (and our six children) did this, and we may be able to survive with one wagon. Sure, often it'd be cool to have two cars, but it is not a necessity. We probably did this even if we were both working and all 6 kids had college, day care, football practice and games, music lessons, and so on. Take any cash you get from selling your car and use it to pay down some of the loan for the vehicle you keep or use it to repay higher interest debt.
3. Get a smaller, used car. Whether you already have only one auto, or you decide you completely need several autos, you can downgrade your car so it costs less. Sell your car, and look for a smaller, used model that runs well (ideally only 2-3 years old) and costs less than the one that you own now. Again, potential savings of thousands annually.
4. Stop paying interest. A few individuals pay thousands of greenbacks in interest each year. I’m happy to say that I now pay zero in interest, after becoming debt-free last year. That is not always possible for everybody, but this is a very big potential savings for many people. The trick is to stop getting into new debt, and to pay off your old debt as quickly as practicable. Paying down my mastercards was the concern, but we also paid off our auto loans and acquired our last 2 cars on cash. Again, this is not for everybody, but I seriously recommend it for those that can manage it.
5. Stop buying unnecessary items. This is a toughie, but if you’re really serious about saving, you can at least consider it. Try tracking your expenditure for a month, and next to each expense item mark the ones that are pure necessities: groceries, gas, utility bills, medicine, doctor’s visits, etc. The rest are needless clothes and shoes you did not really need, electronics, mags, connoisseur coffee, and so on. If you stopped buying these things, at least for a short while, you’ll notice a pretty sizable savings.
6. Stop traveling. If you travel several times per year, or even just every year, you could save thousands by not traveling. Before last year, I did not travel for 7 years, and it didn't hurt me one bit. You can relax and take 5 from work without needing to leave home, if you learn to enjoy yourself from where you are. I do not say you shouldn't travel again, but if earnings is dropping, you could consider a pause for a year or two. Each trip can cost thousands, depending on how far and long you travel, so this is a big potential savings for some of the people.
7. Chop entertaining/entertainment. Many folks do plenty of entertaining parties with buddies, family or co-workers and those costs can actually add up. Stop entertaining so much, or at a minimum save money by making them potluck or during non-meal instances when. It is possible to get away with serving appetisers. Likewise, if you spend a lot of cash going out to entertainment pictures, theater, eating out, drinking, clubbing, and so on. You can curb this habit and save a ton of cash. Learn that you do not have to spend cash to have fun!
8. Cut out all subscriptions. Each little subscription you have is a small-ticket item a magazine subscription might be $15-25 a year, as an example, and subscribing to a web service might only be $5-20 a month. But if you subscribe to 3 magazines, and 4 web services, and cut out one of your mobile plans or Sky Television subscription (if you do not need one of those services), you might save $1,000 a year. Some have even more subscriptions and can save thousands. Not much compared to a couple of the items above, but worth considering.