7 Ways to Spend Less and Enjoy Life More

We've all been told that saving money versus spending is much better in the long run. But of course spending money is much easier than saving it. Well, maybe that doesn't always have to be the case. Here are seven tips that can help you make saving money easier.  

1. Make a Budget

Ok, so budgeting is nobody’s favorite thing to do. But it can be much less painful if you use the right tools. There are hundreds of ways to budget, and you can try as many as you want until you find the one that fits your family perfectly.

If you can’t stand the thought of working on a boring Excel spreadsheet, look for other programs and apps that you can handle and enjoy. There are hundreds on the market, both free and subscription based. There are some fabulous, easy-to-use interactive programs that require a one-time fee, which may seem high in the beginning. However, if you try the free trial and the program works for you, the fee will be nothing at all compared to the amount of money you’ll save using it.

2. Shop Smart to Save Money

How can shopping save you money? It’s actually very simple: Take advantage of sales. You can get almost everything on sale if you wait for the right time. For example, around labor day and early fall, you can stock up on summer clothing and supplies for the next year at up to 75 percent off.

Likewise, wait to buy Christmas decor until the week after Christmas. Prices are slashed to the bone as stores rush to clear the Christmas merchandise to make space for new items. It might mean sacrificing a little this Christmas, but your budget will certainly thank you for it, and next year’s Christmas decor will be stunning. So, don’t feel guilty about going on a shopping spree if you buy only things you know you will need during end-of-season sales.

3. Get Started with Couponing

If you’re willing to put some work into couponing, you can cut your grocery budget up to 50 percent. (Some have reported savings up to 90 percent!) You've probably heard all about couponing and how great it is, but it can still seem daunting. Here are a few easy tips to get you started:

• Plan your weekly menu based on what’s on sale.
• Browse Coupons.com, Facebook, Pinterest, and other online sources for coupons.
• Buy only items you use and buy them in bulk if it’s a great deal.
• If possible, cash in coupons when the item goes on sale in stores.
• Subscribe to your local newspaper to get the coupon inserts.
• Organize your coupons so that you can check out hassle-free at the checkout stand.

You’ll be surprised how exciting couponing can be, especially when you watch the savings roll in.

4. Attach Reminders to Credit Cards

It’s always difficult to focus on long-term saving when the chance for instant gratification is at hand. So, remind yourself of your long term goals by attaching a photo or catchy reminder to your charge cards. For example, you could tape a picture of the vacation you are saving for or your dream car to your credit card or stick a slogan that says “A penny a day keeps the debt collectors away” on your debit card. With this help, you’ll be reminded to save rather than spend every time you pull out your charge cards.

5. Recognize Real Sales—Don’t Be Duped

As a marketing tool, restaurants and companies will mark up the price of one item to make another item look more affordable. You might think you are getting a deal at a restaurant because you ordered the $50 wine rather than the $100 one. In department stores, you will often see neon-colored signs that claim the price is reduced by 25%. But if you are a savvy shopper, you’ll obtain a general knowledge of what items generally cost and compare those prices to other stores. You might find that the “sale price” is the same or more than the regular price.

6. Buy a Used Car Over a New One

If you need a new car, don’t sweat it. You can find a like-new, low-mileage, perfectly functioning luxury car without breaking the bank—if you buy it used. So, if you have your eye on a 2015 Acura, why not dial back a little and look into a 2010 model instead. You’ll save thousands of dollars while keeping the quality you want. Some dealers specialize exclusively in used luxury cars and sell them for a fraction of the cost, like this one.

7. Find New Recipes

Cooking rather than eating out is an excellent way to save money. It can be a blast to look for and try tons of new recipes. If you aren't very talented in the kitchen, there are hundreds of blogs and tips and tricks to help you get started. Just spend a few minutes on Pinterest and you’ll get your fill of great recipes and informative articles. With a little time and intuition, you can learn to make gourmet meals in less than an hour. You might even discover that you prefer home cooked meals to eating out.

Stop living your life worrying about how you are going to make ends meet. The secret to enjoying life is spending less. So try these tips and watch your savings grow!  

**Author: Amber Brubaker**

10 Ways to Prepare Your Finances Before the Holidays Arrive

It's now October which means the holiday expenses are about to roll in. October means Halloween costumes, decorations, and candy. November means a 20-pound turkey and travel costs, and December means gifts for your family and friends. It’s amazing how quickly it adds up! Though the holidays are meant to be a time of peace, joy, and relaxation, the season often leads to stress, anxiety, and fear.

Start a new trend for your holiday season and consider these 10 tips for financially preparing now for the upcoming holidays.

1. Make Budgeting Easier

Budgeting (and keeping on track with your budget) is not easy, but budget-savvy tools can help. Look for a free download of an Excel spreadsheet formulated to do all of the adding and subtracting for you. If you are willing to spend a little, there is also budgeting software that boasts features that not only do the math for you, but also help you stay on top of your budget. Many programs track your spending and offer free financial classes and lessons. The one-time fee for a budgeting program may be worth it for financial stability.

2. Build Savings Now

Your biggest holiday expenses will most likely come at the end of the year. If you begin now, you have approximately two and a half months to save. Assess your budget and determine the maximum amount you can set aside until then. Put some of each paycheck into a savings account, and don’t touch it. That savings account is your ticket to a stress-free holiday.

3. Create a Plan to Pay off Debt

Although eliminating your debt before the holidays is virtually impossible for most people, a solid strategy for eliminating financial obligations can renew your hope this holiday season. You could consider the ideology of a financial guru, or you might look into a debt consolidation plan if your obligations are simply too many to handle.

4. Shop for Better Insurance Premiums

Too often Americans fall into the routine of paying a monthly expense and then forgetting about it. While it may seem convenient to stick with the same insurance premium, in reality, you could be losing hundreds of dollars a year. Car, health, home, life, and other insurances often change rates, meaning that your current plan might not be the best deal anymore. Take the opportunity to compare rates and prices to ensure you are paying the least amount possible for your premium.

5. Examine Your Spending

Online banking and apps make it easier than ever to track your spending. Take a look at your accounts and add up how much you have spent on certain categories, such as food. Once you are aware of how much your little purchases are affecting your budget, you can plan to cut them down. Pack a lunch every day rather than heading to the nearest restaurant, or get as much out of that tube of toothpaste as you possibly can before buying more. You’ll be surprised how much you save when you make small changes.

6. Avoid Impulse Spending

It probably doesn’t seem like it could hurt your budget to spontaneously take your family out for dinner on the way home from a sporting event. And maybe such a whim wouldn’t hurt just once. However, repeated impulsive spending can quickly become a financially damaging habit. In regards to shopping in general, remember that you can often find certain products online or at other stores for a better price. Instead of purchasing the first bicycle you see at the first store you visit, shop around before making a calculated purchasing decision.

7. Reevaluate Your Mortgage

If your current interest rate on your mortgage is doubling your payments, now’s the time to review your options. You might find a new mortgage with low enough interest that your monthly payments decrease and you can put some of the extra into savings.

8. Consider the Necessity of Each Monthly Expense

Take a good, hard look at such things as gym memberships, cable and phone bills, and other consecutive monthly expenses. If you are only visiting the gym once a week or less, your costly membership is probably not worth it. Likewise, you might not need unlimited talk and text on your cell phone if you are using less than 1500 minutes a month. For more information about cutting such expenses, see this article.

9. Don’t Underestimate Couponing

Couponing often has a negative connotation, since nobody likes to be in the checkout line with someone fumbling through ten different coupons for the cashier to scan. However, collecting coupons can cut some purchase costs in half, which will show in the long-run.

10. Set Goals for Next Year

If you plan months in advance for the holidays, your finances can be in tip-top shape. Take a minute to set some realistic goals for the following year. You might consider opening a high-interest savings account dedicated solely for the holidays. Then, plan to set aside a small portion of every paycheck to help make next year’s holiday season the best yet.

(Author: Amber Brubaker)