I learned so many life lessons from my elder siblings while growing up. I learned how to share, help with chores, and work as a team. They also taught me valuable lessons about saving money.
Now that I’m older, I’m still applying money-saving strategies that can help me to achieve my personal financial goals. Learning how to save money is more important now than ever, especially during these tough, stressful economic times. Due to the terrible effects of the pandemic and increasing food and gas prices, we have to figure out clever ways to save money. Here are a few simple tips that you can follow to keep more money in your pocket!
Meal Prep
We all love to dine out and treat our loved ones to delicious meals at a fancy restaurant. You can also feel tempted to dine out if you’re not in the mood to cook. However, you must keep in mind that dining at expensive restaurants can take a huge toll on your budget. It’s more practical for you to cut down on your expenses by preparing your meals. With meal prepping, you can buy your grocery supplies in bulk, store away or freeze extra food for later use, and save more money in your wallet!
Pay Debts
The best way to start saving money is to first pay off your debts. During inflation, you might have a strong urge to use your credit cards to pay for your expenses. However, you must be aware that paying off your debt is a sensible way for you to avoid additional interest and falling into a deeper debt hole.
Try to come up with a debt reduction plan that helps you to keep your debt under control. What’s the fastest way for you to eliminate debt?
Be sure to pay more than the minimum amount.
Make more than one payment per month.
Consider paying off your most expensive loan first.
Keep track of all your monthly bills and pay them on time.
With a sound plan in place, you can pay off your debt over time and establish a strategy that makes it easier for you to start building your savings.
Invest in Certificate of Deposit Accounts
In contrast to other types of investments that I’ve heard about, I find that using Certificates of Deposits or CDs is a less risky way for me to save money. I love that CDs come with different maturity rates and have fixed rates for a specific period.
Fortunately I discovered a useful CD Rate calculator that helps me to calculate interest earned on my CDs. This calculator has a growth table feature that helps me to figure out my future savings. For example, you can input the CD amount that you want to invest, annual interest rate, months until maturity, compounding intervals, and other entry descriptions. I like the convenience of using a CD calculator to provide me with the accuracy of my calculations.
Conclusion
High inflation can cause headaches, anxiety, depression, and other issues when you feel your life is out of control. You can easily become overwhelmed when you’re dealing with the cost of living increases.
When prices are constantly increasing, we should all focus on being more vigilant with our money. Using the best money-saving techniques that apply to your daily life could help you to have a better time dealing with your financial situation.