If my budget were real it would be screaming at me to stop shopping. I may have splurged a little too much recently from books to Funkos. Now is probably a good time to start cutting back a bit. While looking for money saving tips, I found this SELF magazine article "15 Clever Ways to Save Money Every Month Without Even Noticing". I think I may give some of the tips a try, they seem easy enough.
I posted the tips below:
15 Clever Ways to Save Money Every Month Without Even Noticing by Anna Davies
It doesn't have to be painful!
1. Don’t use autofill for your credit card info when you’re buying things online.
So simple—and so easy to buy without thinking. Actually having to pull out your credit card to online shop is the first defense against impulse purchases.
2. Delete the cookies on your browser.
Ever noticed how you’ll look at something online—cute shoes, or a blender you’ve been thinking about buying—and then you start seeing that exact thing on ads on basically every website you visit for the next week? Those cute shoes were only mildly tempting first time you glanced at them—but the more you see them, the more likely you are to give in and buy them. Regularly deleting cookies on your browser means that you can put those things truly out of sight (and out of mind).
3. Pay for coffee with a gift card.
Coffee turns into a pretty significant yearly expense—a $5 cup a day adds up to more than $1,000 a year. If you love your coffee run, experts say loading up a gift card with $25 at the beginning of each week will help you stay on budget. Once you’ve run through that cash, you’re cut off. This helps prevent picking up a just-because sandwich or a second cup of java in the afternoon.
4. Make breakfast at home.
Buying on your way to the office is oh-so-easy, but wake up five minutes earlier and get it done at home and you’re saving nearly $100 a month.
5. Survive on your lowest paycheck.
You got a new job! Awesome. But try living on your old paycheck, having the remainder automatically sent to a savings account you won’t touch, suggests says Joe Duran, author of The Money Code. When you do decide to upgrade your lifestyle, give yourself a more modest raise than your employer—if you got a 20 percent raise, allow yourself to enjoy a 5 percent lifestyle upgrade.
6. Cut the subscription services.
Yes, you need Netflix. But do you need cable as well? Taking a look at all the subscription services you have—and cutting out the ones you barely use—can save you major money, says Manisha Thakor, financial advisor and author of Get Financially Naked.
7. Go through your automatic payments really carefully to find anything you don’t actually need to be paying for anymore.
Print out (on paper!) your monthly debit card statement and highlight any automatic payments you make. Not only will you be surprised at just how much is going out from your account, you may find charges that are no longer relevant to your life. For example, you’re happily in a relationship, but are still being auto-charged for that online dating service from your single spell last year.
8. Pay for things with cash.
It’s a classic trick because it works: When you actually see your money, you’re less likely to impulse buy five extra just-because items on your way to the cash register, says Duran.
9. Try to negotiate a lower rate for your auto insurance.
This is one place where people often pay more than they should for a policy, says Duran. If you haven’t had to make a claim, it’s worth it to call and see if your auto insurance can be renegotiated to a lower rate.
10. Hide Uber on your phone.
When the app is just a touch away, it makes it super simple to order a ride just because you don’t feel like walking or taking public transportation. Putting it somewhere slightly hard to find gives your brain that break it needs to determine whether or not you need a ride (PS: research has shown that in gridlocked traffic, a regular cab can be cheaper!)
11. Splurge a little.
Indulging in the things you love, whether it’s a boutique boot camp class or a favorite glass of red at a cozy corner bar is absolutely allowed. The trick to enjoying is not allowing the indulgences to become routine. On a night out, don’t open a tab so you have to actually pull out your card or cash each time you order a drink.
12. Ignore the bespoke cocktails.
The watermelon-basil margarita is likely a few bucks more expensive than your plain old on the rocks with salt. In general, drinks and menu items with “fun” names tend to be more expensive than their less-trendy seeming counterparts, so stick with your favorites, suggests Duran.
13. Be gender neutral in the drugstore.
Certain products, such as razors, can cost 30 percent more when they’re marketed to women. Avoid the so-called “pink tax” by going by price, rather than aisle.
14. Wear a sweater.
The financial experts agree that Grandma is on to something: A two-degree difference on the thermostat translates into major savings.
15. Have one no-cost hangout a week.
Meeting friends for lunch, dinner, or wine adds up each week. To save, commit to making at least one of these hangouts free (or under $5). Meet for a run in the park or head over to one another’s house for a Netflix night and you’re saving the $20 plus you’d otherwise be spending. Plus, when you’re not at a crowded bar, you can actually hear each other talk.
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