Money flies. This universal truth is as accurate as it is painful. Considering how hard it is to earn (for most mortals) and how quickly it disappears, right? And although it’s hard to tighten the belt, it is necessary if we want to get through the end of the month comfortably.
That said, we can always tighten it a little less if we have a good cushion or our expenses are reduced. The idea appeals to you, doesn’t it? Then don’t miss the details in our article today, as we are going to present you the best tricks to save money day by day.
11 foolproof tricks to save at home without realizing it
We are going to suggest a bunch of tricks, but don’t worry, it’s not necessary to follow absolutely all of them to achieve save a good amount of money.
Compare prices and take advantage of offers
It is not a waste of time, it is an investment. We can save a lot of money (much more than you imagine) if we compare prices in several stores. Many of them, especially supermarkets, usually have offers periodically, so the best thing is to thoroughly check all their websites before going shopping. If you feel a bit lazy to go web by web, you can resort to online price comparison sites.
And it is also very important to know the market well, seeing which products satisfy the same need and opting for the one that has a much more affordable price. For example, in the case of original perfumes vs. dupe perfumes (if you don't know what they are, look here what dupe perfumes are). You can save a lot of money by buying an item very, very similar to the original but at a much lower price.
Block an amount of your income in a savings account
If you have fixed income, the best way to save is to open a savings account in which you put a percentage of the money you earn day by day. That way you make sure you won't spend it. 10%, 20%, 30%... the more the better, obviously, but the important thing is that you take the step.
We recommend that you don't start by blocking large amounts of money that later make you tight and end up having to resort to them, since it is discouraging. It's better to start by blocking a small amount and increase it as you see what your expenses and needs are.
Check your bank's conditions carefully
Not all banks have the same conditions, so we recommend that you get very, very well informed at several before opening your savings account, and if you already have one, go back to read the fine print (no matter how lazy it makes you). You might discover clauses you don't agree with and it might be more beneficial for you to take your money elsewhere.
If you decide to open a savings account like the one we mentioned in the previous point, make sure that they don't penalize you if you need to withdraw money for any unforeseen event. Even if you have to have more willpower not to resort to it for any reason, it will give you peace of mind. It is well known that expenses come at the worst and most unexpected moments.
Before spending, think it over
Overthinking things is usually not very advisable, but there is always an exception that breaks the rule. And in the realm of household economy, there is nothing like think a lot before buying something. Think carefully if you really need it, if you will give it continued use, if it is a priority object or service or, on the contrary, you can survive without it. In short: before spending, keep a cool head. Only this way will you truly save.
Eat before going to do the weekly shopping
It seems silly, but it isn't. When we go to the supermarket hungry, everything appeals to us and it is more likely that we buy foods that we will not really consume later. It is full stomach must be your a faithful companion when going to do the weekly shopping.
Take it as a challenge
Although one of the best tricks to save is to take it as a challenge. And really, who doesn't like to surpass themselves? You can be more or less competitive but the feeling of being better today than yesterday is unbeatable.
Start setting savings goals, but watch out, always realistic so you don't get frustrated. For example, "from now until six months from now I want to have saved X euros" or "each month I will set aside X amount from my account."
Be careful with the credit card
The credit card is a double-edged sword. Now you can pay for almost anything with it, even the smallest amounts, so we use cash less and less, since the card is much more convenient. But everything that is convenient is also dangerous, since with it we don't control everything we spend as well.
We are not telling you to stop using it, but you should check the statements every day you have used it, so you can keep a thorough expense control, avoiding lack of control and waste.
Think long term
If you are a bit spendthrift, love to spend, and can't wait to stop doing it, think about the future. Although things may be going well for you now (hopefully they are), you never know what might happen, since life is a lottery, both for better and for worse.
And since you will surely want to retire as soon as possible, the best thing you can do to achieve it is to have a good cushion so that living with less income is not a problem. Save. Your future self will be eternally grateful.
Watch out for light, water, and gas
Controlling a household's variable expenses is one of the best ways to save. Here's a list of actions you can take to achieve it:
- Change normal bulbs to LED.
- Turn off the lights when you are not in the room.
- Unplug appliances or electronic devices when you are not using them (when they are on stand-by or plugged in they still consume quite a bit of energy).
- Take advantage of cooking more than one dish when you have to turn on the oven, as it is one of the appliances that consumes the most energy. Also avoid opening the door so heat doesn't escape, unless it is strictly necessary.
- Control the thermostat. Make sure it doesn't go above 20º in winter and doesn't go below 25º in summer. Every degree matters, because for each one more, the bill can increase by up to 8%!
As you can see, these are small gestures, but they make a difference. And besides saving, you will be doing a good deed for the planet since you will be using fewer resources and energy. All advantages.
Become a member of the stores where you shop the most
We know it's a hassle to have a thousand and one customer cards, since they end up getting lost or you end up having so many that in the end you don't know where you are a member and where you are not. But really, if you visit a store regularly, it will be very profitable to accumulate points for each purchase. You'll be so happy when you see you have enough to redeem for free products.
Visualize prices as units of product
Let us explain. When you want to buy pants for 30 euros, don't think that 30 euros go nowhere, but that for that same amount you can buy almost 30 packages of rice or pasta.
Making these equivalences will help you realize the real value of things and help you control your expenses much better.
Write down every single one of your expenses
No matter how small the amount, every bit counts. Write down all your expenses and divide them by categories to identify where your money goes at the end of the month. This way, you can more easily determine which types of expenses you should cut back on.
If you follow these tips to save at home, you will see how, step by step, little by little and without realizing it, you manage to reduce your monthly expenses incredibly. A small effort that will be worth it, since there is nothing like sleeping peacefully without being troubled by economic worries.
And if you are a lover of perfumes, don't worry; you already know that thanks to divain Having to save doesn't mean having to give them up.
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