It’s the new year now, and if you’re anything like me, you’re dreading looking at your bank accounts. You don’t want to acknowledge the turmoil that has struck your wallet in the last month or so, and you never want to think about swiping your debit card ever again, Unfortunately, that’s not how it works, and you’re going to be back to your old spending ways again super soon. But I have some relief for your spending habits this year to help make saving money a little more manageable.
1. Reduce expenses
This seems self explanatory. It should go without saying that in order to save money easier, you should cut back on some of the intense spending you were participating in last month. However, it’s not always so easy. Instead of saying you’re going to stop spending entirely, which is not feasible, give yourself set lists for shopping. Go out to eat less, and eat at home more. Buy things all in one shot. Look for sales and college discounts, which can be your best friend.
2. Keeping a budget is a game changer
Personally, I love the app Mint to help maintain a healthy budget. It helps track all your spending’s from all your accounts in one place, and you can set budgets for different categories to ensure you’re staying on track. It’s important to budget for fun and entertaining, so you don’t feel like you’re breaking the bank when your friends want you to go to the movies or out to dinner with them. It’s also important to budget for gas and travel, especially if you go away to school. Using a proper budgeting system makes sure you’re on track with spending, or if you’re not on track, at least you can see where you went wrong and make a change in that area for next time.
3. Savings jars
I always see those savings challenges that are like “dollar a week challenge” where you increase how much you save in a jar by one dollar per week and end the year with over a thousand dollars in savings. Now this may be a little harder of a challenge by the ened of the year, but you could start small. Keep a sealed jar in your living room or bedroom, where you will see it daily. Start by saving your spare change from your pockets, wallet, or car cup holders. Spare change adds up quicker than you think! Then if you’re feeling really ambitious, save your cash too. I'm terrible at keeping cash on me because I’ll spend it way too quickly. So I started keeping any cash I was given in a jar. Of course you could put it in your bank account too, but I like to see the physical growth of the money in the jar.
4. Separate your bank accounts
I used to only get my paychecks in one bank account, and then when it was all gone, I would have nothing left in case of an emergency. Recently, I opened a savings account, which I began to deposit a small amount of each paycheck into. I also made sure that this savings account was not linked to my debit card, so I couldn’t endless transfer funds to my checking account. This makes a big difference because one of the accounts can continue to grow, even if the checking account is being used often. This allows me to have a back up fund in case of emergency, or if I decide I want to save for something big, I know I’ve been putting money away for it to be used specifically for that. Saving is easier when you delegate specific things you want to save for in the future.
I know being a college student and saving money don’t always go hand in hand, but it doesn’t have to be that you have $50,000 in your savings account for your future, because that’s a lot of pressure. You can start with small adjustments to your spending habits, as well as your saving habits. Little changes make all the difference in the long run. Happy saving!
