It’s no secret that times are tough and many Americans are struggling financially. Finding ways to save money is always challenging, but there are some practical tips and tricks that can help you save without taking the fun out of life. Whether you want to save for that special summer vacation or pay off credit card bills, every little bit saved will help you achieve your goal.
Saving Money Made Easy
Go Green(er)
Jeannette Bezinque, a lifestyle blogger at Eco Incognito, is dedicated to an eco-friendly lifestyle. She suggests taking a look at the things that lead to wasteful spending in order to save money. Those paper towels for example? Try switching to dish towels instead. “I finally realized that eliminating wasteful costs could open opportunities that would have taken us much longer to attain,” she said.
Know When to Buy
Let’s face it, sometimes you need to shop – even when you are trying to pinch pennies. If you need a new gas grill or absolutely have to replace your camera, February is the perfect time to shop for one according to Kelly Kincaid, Personal Finance Staff Writer at the Centsible Life. Check out the great tips for what to buy in order to get the best deals all year long in the Best Time to Buy Everything series.
Destination Savings
DisneyWorld and DisneyLand can cost a pretty penny and take a large chunk out of any family’s budget. If you are searching for ways to afford the vacation of your dreams, consider a few simple alternatives. Denise Ruggieri from Couponing 4 a Difference shares some great tips for saving money at these popular vacation spots. One of her suggestions is to stay outside of the park. By staying at a non-Disney hotel, her family was able to get an $89 King Suite, breakfast for each of the seven days they were there, and complimentary transportation to and from the parks.
Look for Savings Everywhere
Alissa Boyle of Fun Finds for Families encourages others to look for savings everywhere. Whether it is choosing a night of the week that offers free kid meals to eat out or switching to Netflix and ditching cable, there is money to be saved in daily living. “I love to save money,” she says. “And I want to spend as little time and energy on it as possible.” Check out her Small Steps to Major Savings series for more practical money-saving solutions.
Take it to the Cloud
Instead of being tied to a desktop version of your budgeting or accounting software, Chrissie DiAngelus from Piccadilly Arts suggests taking your accounting to the cloud. She says that switching from her desktop software to the online Mint.com program not only makes tracking expenses easier, but she also gets a notification each time she goes over her limit on a budget category. If keeping track of your spending is something that you have not done well, you might want to try a service that will help you do it.
What are some of your favorite ways to save money? Share them with us below!