When you are little, you think that money is something that comes out of a book or a card and that you can have as much as you want. Therefore, you do not understand when your parents begin to teach you how to save money. Until you understand that it "does not fall from the trees."
The 'lazy cows' are seasons that the human being goes through on many occasions. And having an inexpensive mattress or not having one can be the difference between getting a good night's sleep or not stopping tossing and turning to find out how you are going to make ends meet. If you are worried and want to know how to save money, Today we are going to talk to you about this topic in a practical way.
Why save money
Money does not give happiness. But don't see how it helps. Surely it is one of the phrases you have heard (especially the first one). The second, of our harvest, is what almost all the people of the world think.
And is that having money allows you to do many things. We are no longer talking about whims or indulging yourself such as travel, jewelry, material purchases ... but about something that calms your mind: having money to buy all month, to pay the expenses and bills of your house, car ...
But what if you have enough for that and the rest you get you spend? Well, you live in a dangerous way. Yes, you do not deprive yourself of anything, and your money allows you to do fun things. But the problem is that unforeseen events are always around the corner and, when they do arrive, if you don't have something saved, it can mean going through a bad streak until you pay off those expenses.
Therefore, one of the main reasons to save money is prevent unexpected expenses (that the car has to go to the mechanic, sick leave, need to buy a computer ...). Believe it or not, this is very important for your mental health since, knowing that you have something saved, you will worry less about that problem that has befallen you.
Another reason to save money is, without a doubt, who you are able to organize yourself with your income and consumption. If you are able to get money at the end of the month, even if it is fair with income and expenses, it will mean that you are doing well, and that you know exactly how to differentiate between what you need and what you don't. Also, you are able to buy things with discounts, offers, etc. that allow you to obtain savings (little or a lot).
Effective methods to avoid empty pockets
Now, how do we manage to save? Well, one of the premises that you must take into account is the following: The money that is part of the savings is not touched. And a bonus: the money from savings is forgotten.
Why do we tell you these two things? Very simple, because You cannot save the first exchange and take that money for anything. And you can't count on that money for anything either. Simply because it is "not available."
And how do I save? Here are some very effective methods:
The "small change" method
You must have gone shopping and paid with a ticket. That means you get coins back. Or coins and bills. If so, every day you get home, empty your pockets of the coins and put them away. That is a saving you have. Only when the jar (or where you put them) is full (and it is better that you take a large piggy bank), you will be able to count it and see how you have been saving.
At first, you can use it to treat yourself, but then you will see that if you let it, you will feel much better about what may happen.
The envelope method
This is one of the most used, and consists of distribute your income in different envelopes: one for telephone and internet expenses, another for shopping ... and one for savings. And that envelope is the one that you cannot touch (in fact, it is the one that you should close and save to forget about it).
The "applications" method
In the era of new technologies, another option is to launch some application that helps you manage income and expenses. And where the savings stay in the bank (because you don't spend everything you charge).
The problem is that it often involves using the card, and depending on which people it is not recommended. The good thing is that every time you buy it will be reflected in the app and you will see if the "account" is going well or if you enter "red numbers".
Tips to save money
Before finishing, we want to leave you some tips that can come in handy when saving money. Many will seem like a handicap, but the truth is that they work and, even if they are only a few cents, saving will allow you to have solvency and, above all, peace of mind. So take a look at all of them:
Always keep your budget in mind
Put in a column the income you have throughout a month. EVERYONE. If each month is different, then you will have to budget for each one. Now, in another column, put the expenses that you are going to have.
The goal is for you to see what is left over from your income. But, we do not recommend that you consider that as savings, not yet, at least. Allocate at least 50% of that surplus to unforeseen expenses. These may or may not occur, you never know. The other half, you can divide it in two and choose to spend one part (to indulge yourself), and save the other as savings. Or save it all.
At the end of the month, if there have been no unforeseen events, that money that you had reserved should go to the savings column. And so every month.
Look for offers, discounts, bargains ...
But think with your head. Sometimes the offers are not as good as expected, or the discounts are more expensive in the end. So take time to see if it is really worth it, where to buy cheaper (without losing quality or putting your health at risk).
Of course, even if you find cheaper places to buy, also think about the expense that they may entail: transport, time ... Because maybe and it doesn't make up for you either. In these cases, it is always better to make the "big" purchase, that is, once a week, every 15 days, or monthly. In this way, the savings will be more significant.
The bank card is a tempting devil
And it is for two reasons: one, that you don't realize what you're paying for, because you give the card and you think that it is not so much (but then when you see your bank account go down or get in the red, it will give you something); and secondly, because it involves indebtedness, especially if it is a credit card where expenses accumulate and then collect them all together.
So, as far as possible, always try to pay in cash. It is the easiest way to keep all your expenses to the letter.