Are you finding your dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to? You’re not alone. Many people are feeling the pinch. Even though incomes have held steady over the past few years, the price of goods keeps going up.
And the prices are rising even if you don’t think they are. Many companies have started to keep prices steady but offer smaller packages. It’s so subtle that you don’t notice the 64 ounce container of orange juice is now only 54 ounces.
So what can you do to slash your spending and keep more of your hard earned money? One option would be to look for a job that pays more.
Over the long term, this is a good idea. The more you earn, the more you can save. This will allow you to get ahead in the financial game of life. The only problem is that this will take time. You might need to learn new skills. You might have to go back to school. You won’t be able to increase your income overnight.
Even if you don’t need new skills or more education, getting a higher paying job isn’t easy. If it were, no one would be working at McDonald’s.
There has to be another way. There has to be something you can do, starting today, that will help your finances. That something is saving money. I know, you’ve heard this story before. But I am going to tell you 3 simple ways to save money that you can start doing today and see results immediately.
3 Ways To Save Money Today
#1. Go Cash Only
This one is simple but tough to pull off. We’ve been conditioned to just charge things on our credit cards and deal with the carnage later. Break the cycle. Start buying things with cash. You save money doing this because there is an emotional connection watching money leave your wallet.
When you swipe a card, it’s just a piece of plastic. But when you see $20 leave your wallet and see you only have $3 left, it hurts.
You will begin to question purchases. You will pass on things you really don’t need. And you will save money along the way.
#2. Clean Out Your Email
What does this have to do with saving money? Every time you bought something online, you had to give your email address. Now you get tons of emails every day telling you about the “40% off sale” or the “entire store on clearance” sale.
Take a few minutes and unsubscribe from these emails. Yes you will miss out on the sale, but most times you didn’t need anything in the first place. They are just sucking you in to buy something.
When you really need something, then you can shop online and see what sales they offer. And trust me, there is ALWAYS some sale going on. You aren’t super special when you get the sale emails. Everyone gets the same deal.
#3. Turn Off The TV
Doing this offers two benefits. First, it saves you on your electricity costs. The less you power that 50 inch LCD the more money you save. Second, you stop seeing the endless ads on television trying to get you to buy something.
It’s the same idea with the emails only here the commercials use music and moving images to lure you in.
There is a third benefit to turning off the TV too. You have more free time. Time you waste watching mindless reality shows you can now use to read. Or spend that time with your family. Or polish that resume so you can start looking for a better paying job.
Final Thots
If you can follow these 3 steps, you will start saving money right away. This will motivate you to take more steps towards saving money down the road. And the more you save, the more you can invest. This will help you to reach your financial goals.
So stop doing nothing and take action. Saving money can be easy, if you just take the time to figure out some easy ways to save.
Jon writes at Penny Thots, a personal finance blog that helps readers improve their finances one day at a time.