HOW I SAVE $18K A YEAR AND HOW YOU CAN DO IT, TOO!
I know you scoffed and raised an eyebrow when you read the title, but you clicked anyway just to have a laugh and maybe leave a sarcastic comment. I have my own reasons to laugh, about 18 thousand of them!
Follow these tips and with some discipline you can save up for that down payment on your first home or that trip around the world or whatever big thing you want to do in your life!
Weekdays:
DON'T get coffee to go, that's $3 a day, Monday through Friday. DO wake up 5 minutes early and make your own at home, you'll save $780 a year.
DON'T order lunch- that lunch special is delicious and convenient, but it's $10 a day, Monday through Friday. DO pack up lunch the night before or the morning of, you'll save $2600.
DON'T use vending machines. I know you're thirsty, but $1.75 for a small bottle of water when you can buy the 2 liter bottle at the market for the same price? Just use the water fountain! And that $2 candy bar? You can get the King size for less than that at the dollar store! DO invest in a travel mug so you can bring your coffee to work, then wash it and refill it with water throughout the day. There are some cold-brew teabags on the market if water is too plain for you. Also, get cheap candy in bulk or from the dollar store and carry some in your bag at all times instead of wasting cash at the vending machines. This bring your own water and candy trick will save you $975 yearly if you can stay away from the vending machines for 5 days a week.
DON'T get take out for dinner and don't order in : you're too tired to start cooking and you're too hungry to wait, but that $15 dinner adds up. DO eat a snack as soon as you get home and start cooking right away. You can prep your meals on your days off so you have them ready to warm up after work. So forget about ordering in 3 nights a week, that's $2340 a year you could be saving instead! Not to mention what you cook at home is very likely healthier than what you order in.
DON'T get a personal trainer! I won't say DON'T get a gym membership, even though you could technically work out at home, find a place to jog or go as a free guest with a friend or family member who has a gym membership...But if you can afford a gym, by all means invest in your health, just don't get a personal trainer if you live on a budget.Yes, they'll show you a few exercises that target the areas you want to work on, but in the end, it's you who has to hop on that treadmill or elliptical and lift those weights, not the trainer. The trainer is there to get his or her $60/ hr. One training session a week will cost you $3120 at the end of the year. DO get your information watching trainers on YouTube and do your research on fitness blogs when you are looking for specifics.
DON'T buy groceries in the spur of the moment, especially when you're hungry. So you're on your way home and you decide to stop by the market, assuming that once you're there you'll magically have an idea what to make for dinner. Chances are you're going to rush through the aisles because you just want to get home already and cook the damn dinner. A few items are going to catch your eye: the unhealthy frozen pizza and TV dinners, the expensive salad in a plastic box, the pastry section because what's wrong with having only cake for dinner? I can't tell how much you'll spend but take my word for it, shopping when you're hungry and in a rush is not likely to save you money.
DO plan your meals and make a list of the ingredients you need. Stick to your list. Buy in bulk when possible. Use coupons. Choose quality over quantity. In the long run, healthy eating will prevent you from spending thousands of dollars years later to treat affections caused by bad eating habits or poor quality food.
Weekends: DON'T go out for drinks. Yes, it's been a long week and you deserve that cold beer or that Mojito, but having 2 drinks every Friday or Saturday night for a whole year will set you back $1560, tips not included. DO call your friends over. You'll get the beer, they get the wine, you can even split a bottle of liquor between all of you. Plus, you're already home, so you won't have to call a taxi or have someone give you a ride home. I'm not saying it won't cost you a bit, but you'll be getting a lot more than 2 drinks per night for this money.
DON'T dine at restaurants. No, not even Sunday brunch! Sure, home-cooked meals can get boring, especially if the fanciest dish you can make is lasagna. But a meal out at a restaurant- and we're talking popular chains, not fine dining- will cost you somewhere in the $50 range ( $10 cocktail, $10 appetizer, $15 entree $10 dessert, plus tax and tips). So don't go out to eat every weekend and at the end of the year you'll have saved $2600.
DO dine at restaurants on special occasions. Dining out only on special occasions really makes going out to eat an event you look forward to. It's what marks the occasion as special! But if you really want to save, browse through the online menus of fancy restaurants and then find the recipe online and make it at home. Serve it in your fine china, add a mini candle in a jar or two, or go all out and put flowers as the centerpiece.
DON'T go to the Mall because...what else is there to do? Going to the mall means impulse buying because yes, this world is full of beautiful things and guess what, they're on sale this weekend only! This one's especially hard for the ladies. Having something new to wear, whether it's a pair of jeans, a pair or earrings or that divine new body lotion- these are the things that make us feel like we can take on the world like the fabulous superwomen we all are. But life will soon feel anything but fabulous when you realize every trip to the mall costs you $20 at the very least (even if you found a great top at 75% off for only $10, you'll most likely spend another $10 on snacks and drinks because all that sale hunting got you hungry. So skip the weekly impulse buying and sale hunting and save $1040 yearly at the very least.
DO research fashion blogs. I know, we all have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear...Waste a little time on fashion blogs and you'll learn about contrasting or coordinating fabrics, patterns, colors and accessories. So instead of always wearing the white cotton shirt with the navy suit pants, try those stretch marigold skinny jeans you regret buying because they don't really go with anything. A little research and creativity can get you a new outfit with a $0.00 price tag.
DON'T go to the movies! So you're paying $200 a month for your Cable bundle and you can't find anything to watch on TV? I guess paying $12 for a movie ticket and another $10 for popcorn and soda in addition to your cable bill will satisfy your desire to be entertained. But if your financial needs hold priority over your entertainment whims, skip the monthly trip to the movie theater and in a year you'll save $1144.
DO check out what's new on your favorite cable channels, use Netflix and other cheap subscriptions. Now, if you are really frugal, cancel your cable subscription, get a library pass at your local library- it's free- and check out their DVD/ Blu ray section and ask for the new releases! Why, of course they have the last season of Game of Thrones, glad you asked!
DON'T get a manicure, pedicure or haircut too often. I know, every time I pass by a window that says "Manicure+Pedicure = $ 50 ONLY!" my mind goes "Treat Yo Self". But $50 on nails every two weeks plus a monthly trip to the hair salon will cost me $1900 a year.
DO get high quality gel nail polish and LITERALLY treat yo self. Also, avoid going to the hair salon too often by having healthy hair. If your hair is fully hydrated and shiny it usually sits well and not many will notice that it's not styled. But good hair means buying high quality hair products. Sure, it will cost you a pretty penny but it won't cost you $1900, guaranteed.
So there you have it, a lot of DON'Ts will get you to save $18,059 in a year. But it's all very doable, notice how for every don't there's also a DO! So what will it be for you? A year of Don'ts or a year of Do's?
