In a time like the one we are experiencing, with inflation at historic levels and prices for everything, from bills to flights, on the rise, it is essential to know how to manage your money, dividing it fairly between expenses and savings. But how can you save when your salary is equal to or lower than what you spend every month?
Learning the art of saving is not easy, and it takes tenacity and determination. Sometimes, however, the most challenging part is just starting and knowing where you can cut back without making sacrifices that you can’t sustain.
So here’s a step-by-step guide with a simple and realistic strategy that will teach you how to save in the short and long term.
How to Save? 6 Practical Tricks to Try Right Away
1. Keep Track of All Expenses
The first step to start saving is to understand how much you spend. Begin by keeping track of all your expenditures; that is, every coffee, household item, and grocery shopping.
Once you’ve collected all your data, organize the numbers by categories. For example, essential expenses like pharmacy, groceries, and the mortgage, or non-essential expenses like dining out or cultural expenses if you’ve bought a new book, for example.
Total the amounts every weekend and reflect on your habits.
2. Set a Budget
Once you have an idea of how much you spend a month, you can start organizing your finances by cutting some extra costs and setting a precise budget.
This budget should be calculated based on your income and essential fixed expenses. This way, you can plan your spending and limit unnecessary costs. Make sure to take into account expenses that occur regularly but not every month, such as car maintenance.
3. Try to Cut Something
If your expenses are so high that you can’t save as much as you’d like, it might be the right time to cut some costs. Identifying non-essential things for which you could spend less (like gasoline or eating out) will help you keep your expenses in check.
But not only that; look for ways to save on monthly fixed expenses, such as your mobile phone plan, or cancel subscriptions you don’t use, especially if they renew automatically.
4. Set Savings Goals
One of the best ways to learn how to save money is to set a goal. Start by thinking about why you might want to save: do you need to buy a car, plan a vacation, or save for a new coat? Once you’ve figured out what you want to save for, determine how much money you’ll need and how long it might take to set it aside.
At the beginning, it’s best to set a small, short-term achievable goal for something you can’t afford right now, such as a day at the spa with a massage, a new bag, or a weekend getaway.
Reaching smaller goals and enjoying the reward you’ve saved for can provide a psychological boost that makes saving easier and reinforces this habit.
5. Bring Your Lunch from Home
Will you be out all day and only return home for dinner?
Make an effort to pack your lunch, saving the money you would otherwise spend on eating out.
Consider that even just 10 dollars for a quick lunch three times a week means you could have saved 120 dollars each month! These savings can quickly increase if you start reducing your occasional coffees and snacks expenses.
Do this at work as well (unless you have a company cafeteria, of course).
Likewise, limit dinners with friends (meet them for a drink, perhaps).
6. Sell What You No Longer Need
That beautiful kaftan you bought in Marrakech, which has been unused in your closet for years?
Forget the rule of “it might come in handy.” If you don’t use it regularly, it’s time to sell it.
The same goes for accessories, outdated bags, accessories and clothes that no longer fit.
Where? In thrift markets, on social media, on apps like Vinted, Depop, or Vestiaire Collective.
**Laura Dern: There’s more shame talking about money than there is about sex**
