Developing Savvy Saving Tips

By: Maddie Boyer

My family has a tradition of eating grapes on the strike of midnight New Year’s Eve to bring prosperity in the New Year. You probably have hopes and resolutions for the new year, so why not make developing good saving habits one of them? Here are our tips for how to improve your financial wellbeing and keep your wallet happy. 

Track Your Spending

Yes, even that impulse Dunkin trip. It’s really easy to lose track of where your money is going and have the expenses add up. “Oh it’s just a few dollars” adds up really quickly. So while tracking your spending may be painful at first, it will give you significant freedom in the long term and help you identify patterns. You may be surprised at where your money is going and where your extra financial wiggle room could be. 

Save!

You’d be surprised how committing to saving some of every paycheck could add up. Even if it’s just consistently a few dollars, the money you’re putting away could generate valuable interest. Putting money into a savings account also keeps you from losing track of it and spending it! Make paying yourself and putting money into your savings account a regular expense just like rent or phone payments. 

Set Goals

Like any habit, putting aside money regularly is much easier if you have something you’re working towards! Whatever your motivator, whether it’s saving for a big purchase or working towards financial freedom, setting goals to save will give you greater control over your expenses.

Actually Go Through Your Bills

You know that Apple Music subscription you signed up for and then forgot about? Yeah, it’s time to cut that cord. I know it’s not always fun to look through your bills and see how much you’re actually spending, but by cutting out things you don’t need or don’t use and becoming aware of any fluctuations in your bills, you can eliminate unnecessary spending.

Develop an Eye for Deals

Keep in mind, this does not mean spending solely for the sake of a deal. However, taking advantage of rewards programs or coupons could save up here and there in the long run. So if you’re going to spend anyway, take advantage of that group discount or that free reward! Student discounts are also a great way to save some money; many places like Lowes food or Qdoba have special discounts just for students!

With a little dedication and accountability, you will be well on your way to financial well-being and more flexibility! Happy saving!

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