It’s happened to everyone before…you’re in line ready to buy your groceries when BAM! Your card gets declined. A wave of panic spreads over you as you retrace your spending steps. How much coffee did I really buy last week? When was the last time I checked my account? Why don’t I carry cash with me? The cashier stares at you as the lady behind you in line begins to tap her foot. What do you do? The hard truth is you simply need to stop spending. Save your money and choose when to buy the right things.
The first thing to do is cut out any small purchases; those coffees from Starbucks throughout the day definitely add up. Often, we don’t realize how much we spend on the little things because they don’t seem expensive at the time. In fact, buying a coffee every morning can add up to $140 a month! Break time snacks can also add up to equally as much or even more depending on what you get.
Your best bet is to prepare your snacks at home. Brew coffee and bring it with you in a to-go cup, buy granola bars or fruit in bulk for snacks and prepare your lunch at home. Not only does this help you save money, but it also leads to more delicious, healthy and diverse meals each week!
You really don’t need that new shirt. Trust me, I know how hard it can be to resist the new trends. What if they don’t have it in store next month? But this is the last one in my size! You’ll survive. The best way to know if you should buy those new clothes is to ask yourself three simple questions: How often will you wear it? Do you have something like it? Can you find this somewhere else for cheaper? If the answer is yes to any of these, then don’t buy it. If you still absolutely need it, wait a couple of days to think it over and make a decision. More than likely, you will get over its initial appeal and move on.
Set a weekly or monthly budget. Think about how much you can afford to spend in a certain amount of time. Set aside money for gas and groceries and then a little bit more for extra spending. When you set these budgets, think about how long and hard it took you to earn that money, and ask yourself if it is really worth it to spend on things that are not necessities. Be wary of spending with credit and debit cards because chances are you’ll be inclined to spend more money without even realizing it since you can’t physically see how much money you are losing.
Hopefully, these small actions will help you save up for the future! Whether it’s for a vacation, schooling or rent, it will be worth it to save the money now rather than to stress later.