17 Ways To Save More Money For The Things You Want

/ Saving & Budgeting / By Jason

1. Make lunch at home

Ok so Visa did a survey that stated the average person spends about $2746.00 a year on lunch. If we just brought a lunch from home half the time. That would be an extra $1376.00 each year.

2. Spend Less On Coffee

The average 25- to 34-year-old reported spending $2,008 per year at coffee shops, and according to a survey by the money app Acorns, 41% of millennial's admitted to spending more on coffee than on saving for retirement. No matter our age we can set a limit on how much we spend on buying coffee buy making it at home

3. Lower cell phone bill

Americans aged 25-64, paid $114 a month on average for cell phone service in 2018, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's a staggering annual cost of $1,368 per person! By comparison, the average UK phone bill is just $47 per month. This means Americans are paying $67 a month, or $804 a year more for the same service! Did you know that there are over 50 low-cost carriers in the US? See if switching your phone bill will save you money

4. Take advantage of free entertainment

Many cities and towns offer free entertainment over the summer or opportunities to do fun things at a reduced price. Some activities you may look for include movies out on the lawn, free concerts, and festivals.

5. Get rid of cable

Cable prices are rising each year and more increases are on te way. The average household is paying $217.42 a month for cable.

6. Stop smoking

According to the National Cancer Institute, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is $6.28, which means a pack-a-day habit sets you back $188 per month or $2,292 per year.

7. Use credit cards wisely.

Try to pay off your credit card balance each month to avoid the interest. If you have a habit of overspending with credit cards, try leaving them at home, not in your wallet. Keeping your card “out of sight and out of mind” might help reduce temptation while you’re out and about. Already in trouble with bad credit? You can rebuild your credit through slow, consistent spending on essentials with a credit card with a bad credit lender.

8. Try the 30-day rule.

Often instant gratification is a major reason we can end up in debt. If you see a major purchase you want try waiting 30 days to see if you still want it Quite often, after a month has passed, you’ll find that the urge to buy has passed and you’ll have saved yourself some money simply by waiting.

9. Negotiate your credit card interest rate

If your paying a lot of interest on your credit cards, it’s important to know that you do have some power as long as you’ve been making your payments. Not only do you have the right to negotiate your current interest rate with your credit card issuer, but you have the right to transfer your balance to an entirely different card as well. (In fact, that is perhaps your biggest bargaining chip.) Start by calling your card issuer at the number on the back of your card and explaining your request. If you don’t make any progress with them, check out these balance transfer credit cards to find one with an introductory 0% APR that could help you save hundreds of dollars in interest over time.

10. Avoid stress spending

It's easy to find ourselves spending money as a way to wind down from a stressful day at work. However, it’s rarely a good idea. Instead of buying things you don’t need to make yourself feel better, it might be wise to find other ways to de-stress instead. Try exercising, reading a book, watching movies, or working in your yard if you’re stressed out. Spending money will only increase stress in the long run

11. Cancel unused membership

Have you ever had that gym membership you kept paying for long after you use it? We all have. Maybe you are keeping it because you think you might use it. If you’re on the fence about any of your memberships or find that you’re not using them very often, cancel them. Remember, you can always renew the membership at a later date if it turns out that you actually do miss it.

12. Remove your credit card from your online account

It's easy to spend online when you have your card information stored in an account – just click and buy. The best way to break this habit is to simply delete your card from the account. That way, when you’re tempted to spend, you’ll be forced to spend the time to dig out your card – and really think about why you’re spending this money. Sometimes being forced to take that extra step is all it takes to convince yourself you don’t need the item after all.

14. Rent unused space in your home

Do you have an extra bedroom or in-law suite that’s not being used? Rent it out on a site like Airbnb.com. If you live near a popular or tourist area, doing so could bring in a lot of extra money. Just make sure you know the risks and are willing to take the steps required to protect your family and your possessions.

15. Design your debt snowball

Everyone needs a plan to help them get out of debt, so sit down and plot out which debts you’re going to pay off and in what order. Simply having a plan goes a long way toward putting that plan into action, and paying off debts early is one of the surest ways to put money in your pocket over the long run.

16. Don't speed

speeding is inefficient in terms of gasoline usage, but it also can get you pulled over and cost you a bundle between a ticket and higher insurance premiums because they will view you as more risky It’s far more cost-efficient to just drive the speed limit, keep that gas in the tank, and keep the cops off your trail.

17. Use Online bill pay

This saves you money in two ways. First, it keeps you in much closer contact with your money, as you can keep a very close eye on your balance and be that much less likely to overdraft. Second, it saves you money on stamps, paper checks or paying a fee to pay the bill over the phone. With online bill pay all you do is fill in an online form, click submit, and have your bill paid.