Personalfinance tips
Plan Your Meals
This one's an easy money saving tip that will not only save you money but also time and stress. The concept is simple: Instead of planning your meals all willy-nilly, set a specific day to plan your meals and stick to it. For example, each Sunday you could plan your next weeks worth of meals. By doing so, you'll save yourself time & money. Here's how:
- You're saving money, time, and headaches by taking fewer trips to the grocery store
- You're saving more money because you'll be throwing out less food
- You're saving more time because you'll get all your meals planned in one day and you won't have to think about it again for another week. Just think about all the things you can do with that extra time & money. Now, I understand this whole meal planning thing can seem exhausting. That's why there's an easy solution for those who don't want to go through the hassle of meal planning themselves: The $5 Meal Plan was created to provide you with an easy weekly grocery list and inexpensive dinners for every day of the week.
Pay Yourself First
This is a basic personal finance tip that is super important. It's also super simple: Whenever you get a paycheck, take a bit off to pay yourself. You can start by taking 10% off, and then you can try taking off more as you get more comfortable with saving. Fun fact: The term “pay yourself first” was coined by George S. Clason, who wrote one of the most popular personal finance books of all time, The Richest Man In Babylon.
Visit the Library
The library is full of surprising ways to save money, besides the obvious fact that you can read books for free. Here are some unexpected ways the library can save you money.
Fix Things Yourself
You may not be the fixer-upper type but that doesn't mean you can't learn. Luckily with Google and Youtube, it's a lot easier than you might think. You can learn how to fix electronics, repair clothing, and more. If something breaks, look for a quick fix on the web before you toss it.
Refinance Your Student Loans
If your student loan interest rate is anywhere above 6%, you might want to look into refinancing. Otherwise, you could end up paying outrageous amounts of interest, like, over $10,000 worth. If by reading this you've just realized you got a raw deal on your student loan, try refinancing with Credible. They save students an average of $218 a month.
Eat Out Less
Going out to restaurants to eat is one of my favorite things to do. You get an amazing meal served to you, and you don't have to do any of the work. However, there's a problem with eating out: It fills your belly, but it empties your wallet. That's why I rarely do it. If you want to save some money, try eating out one less time per month. If you're feeling feisty you can try going an entire month without eating out.
Get a Programmable Thermostat
If you don't already have a programmable thermostat – get excited – this is an awesome money saving tip that could save you 15% or more on your energy bills. If that doesn't seem like much, think about it this way: Let's say you spend $1,500 a year on gas and electricity. If your programmable thermostat saves you 15%, that's $225 per year in savings!
Work From Home
Working from home isn't possible for everyone, but if you can make it happen, it can equal significant savings. Here are three ways working from home will save you money:
- No more commuting = less spent on gas and car maintenance. You'll also save time.
- No need to go out for lunch
- No need to go out for coffee The downside of working from home is that it's lonely. If you love being around people, working from home may not be for you. However, if you love working alone (or with your cat), check out these 20 work from home hustles.
Birthday Freebies
Your birthday is a special day. It's also a day for you to take advantage of freebies! Lot's of companies will give you something for free if it's your birthday, so grab a document that proves it's your birthday, and start getting those freebies! Here are 31 Birthday Freebies.
Drink Your H2O
Not only is water great for your health, it's also great for your wallet. If you're out at a restaurant, avoid the soda or alcoholic beverages and opt-in for a refreshing, money-saving glass of water. Also, if you're drinking water at home, try to avoid those big packs of plastic bottles they sell at grocery stores. They're more expensive and bad for the environment. Instead, buy a nice water filter and use a reusable water bottle.