Saving money is not something that everyone finds easy, myself included and often there is simply too much temptation to spend rather than save. In light of this, I have been trying to make a concerted effort to be a better saver and so far, things are going to plan. I sought inspiration from a friend of mine Ram Chary Everi who has always been a financially minded type. I wanted therefore, to share with you how I have managed to save money over the past 12 months in the hope that you can follow suit and do the same.
Goals Driven
For me it is always important that I have something to work towards and for that reason saving up with nothing in mind to spend it on was not something that ever really inspired me. With this in mind I decided that instead of just looking to save some money, that I would save up for something in particular. I have found that saving in this way really helps me to stay motivated and the times when I would prefer to spend money than save it, I am always reminded as to exactly why I am saving my money.
Challenge
I have always been pretty competitive and so instead of just saving up, I looked at it as though it were some kind of game that I had to win. I set myself a challenge of saving up $6000 in 12 months and at just the 8 month mark I had hit my target. This idea of turning something boring into something fun is a great way of pushing yourself to save harder.
Treat Yourself
I am not one that was ever looking to have a mountain of savings below me, I was always looking for the security which having money in the bank can give you. For this reason I like to treat myself every 3 months if I have successfully hit my target. The treat doesn’t have to be something huge, perhaps just a meal out or a new item of clothing. The point of rewarding yourself like this is about keeping you motivated to continue saving.
Track Spending
If you ever wanted to see just how easy it is to save money, you should first start by highlighting just how much money you waste each month on frivolities. The best way that I have found to do this is to download one of the many apps that are available which allow you to track what you spend. All you need to do is update the app every time you spend some money, you can even make a photo of the receipt on many applications. Once you have input a month of spends into the app, it will give you a monthly breakdown of what you have spent, and how you have spent it. This is a great, and slightly worrying, way of seeing just how much money you fritter away each month, money which would serve you better if you save it.
