4 Ways to Replenish Your Savings After the Holidays
Even with a plan in place it always feels like the holidays hit your bank account a little extra hard. Whether you dip into savings or stop saving, it can be hard to get back into the swing of things. It usually doesn’t take drastic measures to get back on track. It just takes a few consistent adjustments to your habits. Here are 4 ways to replenish your saving after the holidays.
Use an App
Luckily these days there are plenty of apps on the market to help us make smarter financial choices. On Wednesday I talked about how to automate your life with one of my favorite apps, Digit. It takes the guesswork out of saving. Another app I’d suggest is Acorns. It functions in a similar fashion but instead of just leaving the money in a savings account, it takes that money and invests it. You can choose how aggressive or conservative you want to be and it does the rest. It also lets you sign up for IRA. If you don’t have one already, you should! Mint is another great tool to utilize. You can access it through your browser or download the app. It’s a budget tracker and planner. It does take a bit of time to set up. I find it’s easier to spend less once you see exactly how much you’re making and spending.
Get a Deal
Who doesn’t love a deal? I was so lucky to have partnered with retailmenot.com in the past. When I shop online, this is my first stop. If you do have to spend money, make sure you’re not spending more than you have to by using this site. You’d be surprised at the savings you can find. Coupons and deals are your friend!
Hit Cancel
One thing I realized when I took a closer look at my finances (thank you Mint!) is that I subscribe to a lot of different services. The second thing I realized is that I really don’t use a lot of them very frequently. I was shocked by how much I was able to save each month by cutting out $5 here and $10 there. At the time when you sign up for a service, it doesn’t seem like much. However, after 3,4,5 or 6 services a month over the course of a year, that’s a significant amount of money.
Meal Planning
By taking the time to sit down on a Sunday and plan out meals for the week I’m able to avoid wasteful spending at the grocery store. I can go in with my list, check off my items, and get out. The savings add up over time. Also, during the week when I have a plan, I’m less likely to cave last minute and order in or go out. It’s not to say we don’t enjoy these things, we just do so in moderation and we plan for it. It makes the experience more enjoyable. I’m not spending excess money on last-minute dinners nearly as often this way.
What are some of your money saving tricks?
xo, Olivia
Meal planning for sure — less eating out is both good for your savings and for shedding the holiday pounds!
— Tillie
http://mystilettolife.com/