Saving money is easier said than done. I found the best way to actually save money is to minimize the pain and hassle involved with it. In this article, I’ll be giving you a bunch of tips on how to save money. But you could also consider these savings hacks since most of these ideas are definitely out of the box.
“Out of Sight, Out of Mind”
Most of the tips in this article adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” mindset. We usually desire things when we see them often (like through advertisements or newsletters in our email inbox). But it’s easy to not get tempted when you don’t get exposed to all that temptation.
I found that the easiest, most painless way to save money is to avoid getting drawn in the first place. And with that said, let’s get to my first tip:
Unsubscribe from Shopping Newsletters
Remember what I said about out of sight, out of mind? It’s practically impossible to avoid online advertising these days. But you can minimize your exposure to temptation somewhat. And one of the best measures you can take is to unsubscribe from any brand newsletters you’ve signed up for. A lot of these newsletters are specifically designed to get you to buy their products, so unsubscribing will help make saving money more painless.
Install Ad Blockers
In line with the above saving method, you can also install an ad blocker on your browser. An ad blocker does just that – it “blocks” any banner or pop-up ads from appearing while you surf the net. Since online ads are now targeted based on your interests and browsing history, seeing them can be a big lure. So install an ad blocker and browse the web without temptation!
Un-Link Your Credit Card from Online Shops
Shopping online is now easier than ever, especially with one-click checkouts. That also means it’s easier than ever to succumb to the temptations of retail therapy. And since most online purchases are paid for using your credit card, it’s easy to get carried away and overspend.
To minimize the chances of me making impulse buys, I’ve removed my credit card from most of my online shop accounts. I even took the extreme measure of removing my credit card from my iTunes and Google Play accounts.
Now, whenever I want to make an online purchase, I’ll have to go to my home office and dig out my credit card. By the time I finally get my card, the desire to make that purchase would most likely have passed, This is one of my favorite ways to save money.
“Forget” Your Credit Card Info
Of course, removing your credit card info from your accounts won’t be useful if you could just easily re-enter your info without looking at your physical card. And that’s why I never bothered to remember my credit card details. If you do have your credit card info memorized, stop trying to recall the info. Eventually, you will forget your credit card info – and that’s a good thing!
Leave Your Credit Card at Home
As mentioned above, I keep my credit card in my home office. To be more specific, I keep it locked up in my file cabinet. That way, I won’t be tempted to use it in real-world establishments. These days, I only use my credit card for pre-planned or emergency purchases.
Use Cash Instead of Credit Cards
One of the reasons why it’s so easy to overspend when using credit cards is that doing so doesn’t feel like you’re spending real money. You pick an item, then either swipe or check out online. No real cash changes hands. So everything feels more abstract.
But when you pay in cash, you literally see the money leaving your money. And I found that causes one’s saving instincts to kick in. After all, nobody wants to see their money physically dwindling. So use cash whenever you can. Even in this day and age, cash is still convenient to use.
And if you have to make an online purchase, use a debit card instead of a credit card. A debit card still doesn’t feel like you’re spending real money. But it’s still better than a credit card because you’re not spending money you don’t have. So use a debit card whenever you can. This will lessen impulse buys, resulting in increased savings.
Go Dutch
This might be a bit controversial if you’re newly married, or just got into a new relationship. But going dutch on dates is a great way to save money. It may not seem romantic initially, but I actually think it is. When you go dutch, you and your partner both agree to work towards a financial goal instead of trying to put up appearances with each other. And I don’t know about you, but I think that’s actually pretty romantic. The key is communication and understanding.
Embrace the Couponing Lifestyle
One of the best ways to save money…. is to do just that. And I save tons of money by using coupons whenever I go shopping. You can get coupons the old-fashioned way – by cutting them from the pages of newspapers and magazines – but coupons have also gone digital. If you’re serious about taking your coupon use to the next level, digital is the way to go. People even have a word for next-level coupon use: “Couponing.”
There are lots of couponing sites online, such as Hip2Save and the Krazy Coupon Lady. These sites offer you info on new and upcoming deals. Knowing what’s coming up is a vital part of couponing. Give it a try! You’ll thank me for it, once you see your savings pile up.
Focus on Just One Hobby
As important as it is to save money, I also think it’s important to indulge (within reason) on a hobby. Doing so will ease the pain of saving a bit since you’ll be rewarding yourself from time to time.
The trick is to have just one hobby to focus your resources on. For me, that was collecting old baseball cards. I still had other hobbies, but that was my main focus. Since it was my focus, I could “excel” in the hobby, so to speak. And that felt good! And that, in turn, made it easier for me to set aside more money for savings. In effect, I was giving myself these small distractions to help myself save money.
“Out of Sight, Out of Mind”
Most of the tips in this article adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” mindset. We usually desire things when we see them often (like through advertisements or newsletters in our email inbox). But it’s easy to not get tempted when you don’t get exposed to all that temptation.
I found that the easiest, most painless way to save money is to avoid getting drawn in the first place. And with that said, let’s get to my first tip:
Unsubscribe from Shopping Newsletters
Remember what I said about out of sight, out of mind? It’s practically impossible to avoid online advertising these days. But you can minimize your exposure to temptation somewhat. And one of the best measures you can take is to unsubscribe from any brand newsletters you’ve signed up for. A lot of these newsletters are specifically designed to get you to buy their products, so unsubscribing will help make saving money more painless.
Install Ad Blockers
In line with the above saving method, you can also install an ad blocker on your browser. An ad blocker does just that – it “blocks” any banner or pop-up ads from appearing while you surf the net. Since online ads are now targeted based on your interests and browsing history, seeing them can be a big lure. So install an ad blocker and browse the web without temptation!
Un-Link Your Credit Card from Online Shops
Shopping online is now easier than ever, especially with one-click checkouts. That also means it’s easier than ever to succumb to the temptations of retail therapy. And since most online purchases are paid for using your credit card, it’s easy to get carried away and overspend.
To minimize the chances of me making impulse buys, I’ve removed my credit card from most of my online shop accounts. I even took the extreme measure of removing my credit card from my iTunes and Google Play accounts.
Now, whenever I want to make an online purchase, I’ll have to go to my home office and dig out my credit card. By the time I finally get my card, the desire to make that purchase would most likely have passed, This is one of my favorite ways to save money.
“Forget” Your Credit Card Info
Of course, removing your credit card info from your accounts won’t be useful if you could just easily re-enter your info without looking at your physical card. And that’s why I never bothered to remember my credit card details. If you do have your credit card info memorized, stop trying to recall the info. Eventually, you will forget your credit card info – and that’s a good thing!
Leave Your Credit Card at Home
As mentioned above, I keep my credit card in my home office. To be more specific, I keep it locked up in my file cabinet. That way, I won’t be tempted to use it in real-world establishments. These days, I only use my credit card for pre-planned or emergency purchases.
Use Cash Instead of Credit Cards
One of the reasons why it’s so easy to overspend when using credit cards is that doing so doesn’t feel like you’re spending real money. You pick an item, then either swipe or check out online. No real cash changes hands. So everything feels more abstract.
But when you pay in cash, you literally see the money leaving your money. And I found that causes one’s saving instincts to kick in. After all, nobody wants to see their money physically dwindling. So use cash whenever you can. Even in this day and age, cash is still convenient to use.
And if you have to make an online purchase, use a debit card instead of a credit card. A debit card still doesn’t feel like you’re spending real money. But it’s still better than a credit card because you’re not spending money you don’t have. So use a debit card whenever you can. This will lessen impulse buys, resulting in increased savings.
Go Dutch
This might be a bit controversial if you’re newly married, or just got into a new relationship. But going dutch on dates is a great way to save money. It may not seem romantic initially, but I actually think it is. When you go dutch, you and your partner both agree to work towards a financial goal instead of trying to put up appearances with each other. And I don’t know about you, but I think that’s actually pretty romantic. The key is communication and understanding.
Embrace the Couponing Lifestyle
One of the best ways to save money…. is to do just that. And I save tons of money by using coupons whenever I go shopping. You can get coupons the old-fashioned way – by cutting them from the pages of newspapers and magazines – but coupons have also gone digital. If you’re serious about taking your coupon use to the next level, digital is the way to go. People even have a word for next-level coupon use: “Couponing.”
There are lots of couponing sites online, such as Hip2Save and the Krazy Coupon Lady. These sites offer you info on new and upcoming deals. Knowing what’s coming up is a vital part of couponing. Give it a try! You’ll thank me for it, once you see your savings pile up.
Focus on Just One Hobby
As important as it is to save money, I also think it’s important to indulge (within reason) on a hobby. Doing so will ease the pain of saving a bit since you’ll be rewarding yourself from time to time.
The trick is to have just one hobby to focus your resources on. For me, that was collecting old baseball cards. I still had other hobbies, but that was my main focus. Since it was my focus, I could “excel” in the hobby, so to speak. And that felt good! And that, in turn, made it easier for me to set aside more money for savings. In effect, I was giving myself these small distractions to help myself save money.
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