If things are a little tight at the end of the month, or you need a little more margin in your spending, chances are you might need to work on saving a bit more.
No matter how much you make, we all need to learn self-control around money. Even as you earn more, it’s easy for your spending to sneak up on you.
I remember the first time I started making $100K a year. I figured I was rich now. And to my surprise, it was just as easy to burn through $100K as it was to burn through $70k as it was to burn through $40k.
In this article, we’re going to talk about some money-saving tips. I want to share with you things that have actually revolutionized my spending and saving, not just to save nickels and dimes, but to reorient your attitude towards money.
Here are my top 10 brilliant money-saving tips.
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1. Thrift
You know that Macklemore song, thrift shop? It went huge when it was released.
“I’m gonna pop some tags, only got $20 in my pocket.”
Since most people spend most of their money on shelter, food, and transportation, heading down to the thrift store for pretty much anything else you need is a definite possibility.
Obviously you got to figure out what you’re willing to thrift. Are you going to wear other people’s shoes and underwear?
No judgment, you do you 😃
But, the truth is, you can get everything from clothing to household items at a thrift shop. So it might be a great way to save some money.
2. Cut stuff you’re not using
One of the top 10 brilliant money saving tips I know is to cut stuff you’re not using.
It’s hugely underrated.
When you sign up for something that will charge you on a monthly basis, it’s easy to forget about the impact that has on your finances.
So from streaming services to phone plans to a premium app, dig through your monthly expenses and figure out where your money is going.
It’s best just to check your bank statements. You can usually find stuff in there you’re not using.
And make sure to look for savings within your bills too. You might need to pay for your phone, but you need the extra features you’re paying for every month?
Dive deep and see what you can cut. Opening up some savings each month will make a huge difference.
3. Work with cash
Working in cash has been a relatively new thing for me.
And while it feels like an overkill to pay for everything in cash, there’s one thing that’s been a game changer.
Having spending money in cash.
I don’t care if I pay for bills or groceries with cash, although some people swear by it.
But having spending money in cash every week makes me feel so rich. There’s something about the tangible feel of bills.
And my spouse and I gave ourselves enough of an allowance that we have a good chunk of money.
I worry that some budgeting things are bad for your money mindset. But having spending money in cash always makes me feel rich, while simultaneously also helping me track my spending.
4. Learn to cook
Learning to cook can obviously be a money saver because you’re not going to restaurants.
But it’s more than this.
Over the years, I’ve met so many people who can’t cook. And it costs them so much money.
They end up buying expensive, prepackaged food. They buy overpriced cuts of meat that they don’t know how to cook. And it still goes bad.
They buy produce they don’t know how to use. And it rots in the fridge.
So that’s why I say, learning to cook is one of my top ten brilliant money saving tips!
5. Share accounts
There’s been a bit of a crackdown lately, but you can still share a lot of streaming accounts.
So instead of paying independently, you can split things like Netflix or Disney plus with friends or family members. And share the password.
6. Use money saving apps
Forget couponing. How about money saving apps?
Money saving apps have made it way easier to save on stuff. Maybe it’s buying stuff second hand. Maybe it’s cashing in digital coupons.
One money saving app that I think is really cool is Flashfoods. Basically, if a grocery store is getting rid of stuff, they will post it on the app. You can buy produce at a steep discount.
7. Save on vacations
One of the places a lot of people blow money is on vacations. Now, I’m a huge fan of taking a vacation when you get a chance. So this isn’t saying you shouldn’t take vacations.
But, paying less for a great vacation is a life skill you can develop.
For example, you can save points or miles with your everyday spending to make your vacation dollars go further. Be careful, some of these points programs are basically scams. But some are really great.
One of the ways I’ve saved on vacations is by booking my own. I usually try to take at least a month, which gives a huge discount with Airbnb. I’ve stayed in several European cities for at least a month, paying no more than I paid for rent at home. I’ve had epic travels and live like a local, and it’s cost me way less than the stupid package vacations that people all right putting on their credit cards.
And psst – You could always find a job that pays you to travel and get paid to explore the world!
8. Wait to buy
It might be one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it works. A lot of the money we waste is impulse buying. Stores take advantage of our psychology of I WANT THIS NOW!
One of the best solutions to buying without thinking about it is…think about it.
Delaying gratification is great for so many reasons – but this one is practical!
If you struggle with impulse buying, try waiting a while before you buy something. And if you really can’t control, leave your wallet at home when you go out. Adding some space in between seeing something and buying something will make you more likely to consider the purchase. And you might realize in the time elapsed that you don’t want it.
The other thing is – like I said in the intro – stores play with your psychology all the time. Often that thing that looks like a steal of a deal might not really be that great of a price after all, it might just be fancy sales work.
Being patient with your buying also means you can go home and do some research, discovering whether that great deal is actually the steel you think it is.
9. Do the deep work
Do the deep work.
How did this make it on a list of top 10 brilliant money saving tips?
Because a lot of our spending comes from psychology.
Figure out why you spend money.
- Do you shop when you’re sad?
- Do you shop when you’re happy?
- Do you spend money to celebrate or to make yourself feel better?
If you can do the work to understand the psychology behind why you buy what you buy, you can work to fix your mind set around money. And that makes a big difference to your bottom line.
Read: The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness
10. Pay less tax
One of the best money tips I know, is one that very few people pay attention to.
Pay less taxes.
I believe in paying my fair share, and I’m not talking about hiding money in offshore bank accounts.
I’m guessing if you knew how to do that you wouldn’t be here. Don’t worry, I don’t know how to do it either.
When I started a business, many things I bought anyways became a tax write-off.
My monthly phone bill? Tax write-off. The new computer I need? Tax write-off. Heck, lots of my meals out are even tax write-offs now when we’re dealing with business stuff.
When you start a business, you get taxed in the money you have left – after you buy what you need.
When you have an income, you get taxed first and then you try to buy the things you need with what’s left over.
This means that having a business has been a huge tax savings for me. And, inadvertently, the ultimate money saving tip.
Even if you don’t plan on launching a business anytime soon, are there ways that you could save on taxes?
Get familiar with your local tax codes, and talk to an accountant to find out how you could save more.
Conclusion
So these top 10 brilliant money saving tips will have you keeping more of your money. Which is great.
But at the end of the day, building real wealth goes beyond just saving money. So don’t stop there. Make sure you also work hard to figure out how to earn more money.
It’s one of the things we care a lot about at Roostervane, which is why we publish so much on fixing your money mindset and building high income skills. Saving can only take you so far. Figure out how to make more. Good luck!
Now Read:
17 AWESOME & Creative Savings Ideas
