These days, many of us struggle with the question, “How can we save up some money for the holiday season?” Some people suggest to give up that daily coffee, opt for a less-costly lunch, and spare one or two bus tickets. The suggestions may seem reasonable at first, but before you know it, you find yourself picking up those old habits again. The cycle continues, making it more and more difficult to halt every month.
Then, you realize that money just flies out of your wallet. But no matter how hard you try to stay on track, the dollars continue to pile up. Budgeting is an art as well as science that not many of us have mastered, but just like any other subject, there are leeways. If you want to know five methods of saving some cash, read on.
1. Order a larger size drink instead of reordering smaller sizes throughout the whole day.
Usually, people order coffee two to three times a day. Once in the morning, another in the afternoon, and a final one to devour when the day ends. Completing tasks consumes energy, but continuously lining up to grab a coffee during break adds more to the already strenuous tasks. However, to eliminate time and cost, you can opt to order a larger-sized coffee in the morning, which can energize you and spare you money.
2. Order a larger dish and split it up on girls’ night out.
Going to the restaurant is fun, but as you guessed — expensive. Especially when you’re living in a big city, those McDonald’s combos do tend to haunt your credit card bill. There’s a secret hack to combat this issue though. Instead of ordering two distinct dishes separately, choose a bigger one, and split the bill after. You’ll still fill your appetite, and your wallet will remain full.
3. Spend fun nights at your friend’s places instead of restaurants.
We all know that we’re in the middle of a pandemic, so social distancing measures still apply. Regardless of that, inviting your friend over or going to their place can save everyone a lot of expenses. No food or drinks need to be purchased from restaurants or bars, and even if you are staying over for dinner, you will spend less money together.
4. Buy clothes only when you need to.
Okay, this may sound like a change or restriction, but eventually, you’ll realize how beneficial the change is. No matter if you’re purchasing clothes online or in-store, we can all agree that shopping can waste your energy as prices continue to increase. Also, don’t forget how environmentally draining those new fashion collections are to Mother Earth!
5. Use coupons.
Before making a dreaded trip to the local grocery store, try to snag a brochure and some coupons that come along with it. Those coupons will help you shop for groceries even for large, holiday dinners!
6. Use loyalty programs wisely.
Many companies have created these loyalty programs for customers to earn points and win a gift. I mean, who doesn’t like free prizes? As soon as you find out about your local store’s loyalty program, try to join as quickly as possible. However, it’s best to also know that these loyalty programs are part of a marketing strategy. So, aim to keep a safe balance between earning prizes and spending money.
With the holiday season coming up, many people are making budgets and schedules to get ahead of the game. Such tactics do help, but other strategies can just be as effective. Next time you are heading out to eat with a friend, try one of these strategies, and enjoy the results. After all, budgeting is a process — if you save a little today, you can save a lot of money in the long run.
Featured image via Annie Spratt on Unsplash
