Do you often find yourself spending more than you anticipated? Are there times where you’ve experienced buyer’s remorse? Is your personal savings account not where it should be? In this blog post we will explore how to effectively save for what you’re wishing for the most.
Food for thought
One of the biggest culprits of budget-blowing is how we buy food, especially while grocery shopping in the store. Getting a handle on how you plan out your food budget will help you save hundreds per month.
The first step in controlling this habit is to plan your meals for the week, especially dinner. If you know what you’re cooking from Monday to Friday you purchase everything you need during one trip to the grocery store where you’ll likely buy less than if you were to make several stops throughout the week.
Your next step would be to create a list. If you’re familiar with the store you shop in, organize it by aisle so you don’t find yourself wandering, searching for necessities. If you restrict your shopping experience to only the aisles that contain what you need, you’ll be less likely to grab those impulse items that cause your grocery bill to skyrocket.
Another great option to maintain that you’re only purchasing what you need is to shop online. It may sound like it would cause you to spend more, but if you stick to your list you’ll wind up spending less than during a visit to the store because those impulse buys are “out of sight, out of mind!”
Track your Spending
With the wonders of the Internet, it’s easy to lose track of how and where you spend your money. The easiest way to stay on top of your finances is to keep a running total each month; by doing so, you will be able to see where you overspend. Simply laying it all out is sometimes the reality check we need to kick bad spending habits.
Tracking your daily spending is relatively easy, and you don’t even need a fancy app or computer program to do so; pen and paper is all you need. Create columns for the various types of expenses you incur during the month: Food, Gas, Health, Monthly Payments (such as mortgage/rent, car payments, insurance premiums), Miscellaneous, etc.
Every time you make a purchase, jot down the total in the appropriate column. If you notice the amount in the column rising, evaluate what you’re spending money on and how you can remedy it. (For example, if your Food column is rising, ask yourself if you’re buying more than you need at the grocery store, or if you’re ordering takeout too frequently.)
Follow the 30-Day Rule
Separate from impulse purchases, buyer’s remorse is often felt after you make a big purchase on something you don’t necessarily need but want anyway, such as the latest iPhone or a new car. It’s easy to make excuses to purchase something new and shiny without seeing the whole financial picture.
The cure for Buyer’s Remorse to follow the 30-Day Rule. If there is something you want to purchase that has a bigger price tag than most, jot it down along with the cost. Once you do that, ignore it for 30 days. You may be surprised by how quickly you may forget how “badly” you needed something! If at the end of those 30 days you’re still finding that you need to make that purchase, then it’s time to assess your finances and make the final decision.
Don’t be Discouraged
At Speedy Cash, we understand that the unexpected can happen that makes it tough to save money. That’s why whenever you’re in need of a little extra help, we invite you to visit us in-person or online to discuss a payday loan. There’s no need to dip into your savings when Speedy Cash has your back! Visit us online to find the Speedy Cash location nearest to you, or apply for a loan any time!
