Spending money is as easy as opening a faucet of water till you realise too late that your tank is empty. But saving money is as easy and the best part is that you won’t have to downgrade your lifestyle for it. Here are 15 easy ways to up your savings this week:
1) Look out for money leaks
Get printouts of your debit and credit card statements and highlight the purchases that are sitting in your cupboard and hatching eggs. If you are going shopping this week, money smartly on things that you can use.
2) Put an end to automated subscriptions
Discontinue your subscription to that dating site since you now have a sweetheart and you are dating him. Insteads buy a nice dress with that money.
3) Get those rogue-floating cheques cashed
You haven’t opened up a charitable organisation that you can afford to let go of instances when you haven’t been paid for your work. Unless you are volunteering! You never know what doors of cash flow might open up.
4) Try local entertainment on-the-go
Stop those dinners and drinks at fancy restaurants. Try something new like gallery hopping or a local crafts fair, which can give you a good bargain.
5) Change of fitness routine
Workout without a price tag is possible if you turn to nature. You can always meet a hiking group or visit a local park. It will burn those calories and give you some much needed break from the humdrum.
6) Use tech to your advantage
Check your data plan and usage to see whether it matches. A pre-paid plan keeps a tab on costs or switching onto WhatsApp for messaging can cut down your phone bill. Make sure that you are getting your penny’s worth.
7) Always keep an eye out for promotional offers and discounts
Nowadays sale is not restricted to the end of a season; there are always promotional offers that you can avail of. The amount might seem as petty as Rs.50/ while ordering a meal, but over time it adds up.
8) Snack-it smart
Remember those nursery school days when our mom used to pack tiffin for us. You can stock-up your office drawer with healthy bites. This saves you from running to your office canteen.
9) Check with your bank
Your bank might waive off usage fee if you bother to call them or check in person. Banks want to retain your loyalty and more often than not they will pay heed to your requests.
10) Cut down on meal expenses
You don’t have to go to extremes like cutting down on eating out. Balance it out by bringing lunch from home on days when you have dinner plans, and ration your oversize dinners as leftovers, for the next day. Planning ahead cuts costs.
11) Change your socialising hours
You can always catch up during breakfast rather than heading for a fancy bistro after work hours, where one drink and then desserts could easily spill on to many. And it shows on the bill!
12) Service in exchange of discounts
Never be afraid to ask! Be on the lookout for bringing down the price by offering your services in exchange. Like signing on a few of your friends for a beauty course can probably get you a referral fee. There is always scope for bargain.
13) Go for local products
Local products and brands come a lot cheaper than imported ones. Unless you have developed a taste for a particular brand, local products are always more seasonal and fresher.
14) Learn to say no firmly, but gently
Often office gatherings and socializing opportunities can burn a hole in your pocket, in the form of gifts and picking the tab…Choose and pick smartly. You don’t always have to say ‘yes’ just to fit in.
15) Gifting to impress versus personal touch
You don’t always have to pick brands while gifting. A personalised touch by baking a cake or handcrafting a collage can add more value. If you are pressed for time to buy a gift, put yourself in the shoes of the person who you are gifting and you’ll know that he/she needs your care more than the purse.
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