Is saving more money at the top of your to-do list? If not, you might want to reconsider. Not only do smart money habits save you stress but it also\u00a0helps you do away with debt and build up a fund for those unexpected circumstances.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, spending less and saving more doesn\u2019t need to be difficult. Here are five easy ways to keep your finances in check this year.<\/p>\n
Ditch your budget<\/strong> Automate your savings<\/strong> Drink smarter<\/strong> Shop online<\/strong> Take inventory<\/strong>
\nIf the word budget makes you cringe, it\u2019s time to reframe how you think about spending and saving. “Budgets are created around the idea of not purchasing things. The budget is the enemy,\u201d says Ashley Gerstley of Fiscal Femme and The 30-Day Money Cleanse<\/a>. \u201cA \u2018happiness allocation\u2019 is a different term. It\u2019s really just an honest look at what’s going in and what’s going out so we can allocate our money in ways that are going to make us the happiest both short and long term.”<\/p>\n
\nSaving just 10 percent per paycheck can help you build a fund to save for long-term financial\u00a0expenditures like a new car, a mortgage, or even starting a small business. Pull this off by setting it up with your bank or tap into an app like Chime<\/a> or Digit<\/a> to tackle your transfers with mobile banking.<\/p>\n
\nDropping cash on coffee and water every day really adds up. To put it into perspective, spending just $4 each weekday will cost you over $700 this year. Instead, use reusable bottles and thermal mugs that you can refill on the go \u2013 it’s a surefire way to cut costs!<\/p>\n
\nLove shopping online? So do we. To\u00a0help you resist the urge to click “checkout,” sign up for Ebates<\/a> to claim cash back from your favorite retailers,\u00a0add the Honey<\/a> extension on your browser to automatically search sites for discount codes, and utilize\u00a0Paribus<\/a> to stay on top of any price adjustments.<\/p>\n
\nNot knowing what you already have is an easy way to spend money on things you don\u2019t need, so take a quick inventory of what you already own. It\u2019ll stop you from buying duplicate houseware items or filling your closet with five of basically the same shirt.<\/p>\n