Many people regularly face the problem of savings: some just want to learn how to save a certain amount regularly, while others save up for a holiday, car, or home renovation. And for some reason, it is often believed that saving implies that you should deny yourself all the pleasures and put all the money you earn into a piggy bank.
But this is far from the case, so catch our selection of methods to save the necessary amount without stress and negative emotions.
Analyse All Your Expenses
And you will surely see that many of them can be avoided! Of course, you should not deny yourself all the pleasures: for example, if you prefer to buy a cup of coffee on the way to work, do not remove this ritual. But consider excluding those points you can easily live without.
We hardly notice small expenses: a taxi ride instead of a bus, lunch at a café, or a new T-shirt bought on sale. Before buying, carefully analyse whether you can do without these costs: most likely, you will conclude that you can.
Properly Allocate Your Budget
Of course, this is a bit of standard advice, but it really works. Divide your income into several categories and think over how much cash you can spend for each:
1. 50% – obligatory expenses that usually include rent, utilities, expenses for transport, groceries, and so on
2. 30% – unexpected expenses (such as going to the cinema and restaurants, gifts for friends, etc.) and entertainment (for example, if you like to spin slots at a bet online casino, allocate a specific amount per month and do not exceed it)
3. 20% should become savings: a bank deposit is an adequate alternative if you want this money to be truly untouchable
Of course, it’s a perfect scheme where deviations are possible: 30% of your income are unpredictable expenses, and the less you spend, the more you could put into your piggy bank. Here you can return to the first point and consider which things could be avoided.
Don’t Limit Yourself in Everything
If you save cash all the time and avoid any additional purchases, life loses its colours. Here, it works almost like weight loss: if you severely restrict yourself in food, you risk breaking loose and eating the biggest pizza in the city. Allow yourself small, pleasant purchases that cheer you up, but make sure they fit into a pre-planned budget.
Consider It a Game
If you are a game lover, you will like this method. Come up with challenges for yourself to finally delight yourself with the desired purchase. This is effortless and exciting: for example, you can try for a month not to go to a café for business lunches but to cook at home: the budget will say “thank you,” and the amount of money saved will pleasantly surprise you!