Note: this post builds on yesterday’s post about having a meaningful reason to save.
Once you have a reason why you want to save, or save more, the next step is to “find” money to save. That generally means either increasing income or reducing expenses, which means something will need to change. Change can be hard, but most of us can succeed if we have a good enough reason.
To reduce expenses, you can make several small changes; for example, eat out one less time per week, drink one less can of pop each day, or stop buying magazines and read them at the library instead. OR, you could make one big change that saves money; for example, you could find a roommate to share housing expenses or move to a smaller (less expensive) apartment. To increase income, you could ask for more hours at work, get an extra part-time job, collect cans and bottles for the 5-cent deposit, or have a garage sale.
Once you have “found” some money by reducing expenses, increasing income, or both, the next key is to MOVE that money to a savings account or to some location where you are unlikely to touch it.
This seems like an obvious step, but it can be overlooked.
Imagine a scenario where you exercised self-discipline by skipping your morning coffee shop stop, bringing your lunch to work, and stuck to a limit at the grocery store! You’re proud of yourself! But if you don’t actually MOVE the money to your savings account, it will just end up getting spent on something else.
To make sure the money gets moved to savings, one helpful strategy is to treat savings like a bill you pay each month. If you’ve decided you can save $50/month by making some changes in spending, then “pay” that saving bill just like you pay your utility bill and your car payment. That approach increases your chance to be successful with saving. Even if you are saving small amounts, building the habit of saving each month is a way to reach your goals, whatever they may be.
