35 ways to teach you how to save money

Savings, rational consumption and financial planning are part of a comfortable position and confidence in the future. You can learn to save quickly, but it is better to change the approach to your expenses gradually. How to learn to save money? 1. Take control of income and expenses To do this, plan a weekly or monthly budget and regularly check how well you are following it. Divide it into mandatory and optional expenses. Try to shorten the last one. Do it manually on paper, computer or mobile apps. Home online accounting optimizes personal finances and shows problems. Calculate how much you earn per month. Any of your income should fall here: salary, bonuses, cash gifts, part-time work. This will give you an idea of ​​how much money you have. 2. Save some money To make it easier to save, use strategies that are clear and workable, such as the five-envelope technique. The “pay yourself first” method is also suitable, when you regularly save 10% of any income. So you gradually form a “safety cushion”. It will help to cope with unforeseen expenses: breakdown of equipment, medical needs and other difficult life situations. Determine in advance and prepare for irregular expenses (insurance, taxes, or changing tires on a car). 3. Set a goal Saving without a specific dream is difficult: you succumb to momentary desires. When there is a goal and deadlines (for a trip in six months or a car for a year), it is psychologically easier to save. You know why you give up certain things. 4. Open a bank account Do not put money under the mattress, where inflation will “eat” it. Finance must work. There are many ways to do this, but the safest is to open a bank account. To choose the best conditions, look at the Sravni.ru service. How to save money with a small salary 5. Don’t go shopping on payday When you get your paycheck, there is a risk of spending it right away to reward yourself. However, it is necessary to spend only after the distribution of money. Set aside 10% of your income (if that’s a lot, then at least 5% or even 1%). Pay the mandatory monthly expenses (utilities, phone bills, internet, groceries), and then try to spend on useful things that will last you a long time. Avoid everything cheap and disposable. 6. Shut down your credit cards High interest on debt makes it difficult for you to save, and it will also be tempting to spend more than you earn. Find out how much you have to give to the bank every month and budget so that paying off your debt is a priority. When you close the loan, send even more money to the piggy bank. 7. Give up bad habits Regular purchase of alcohol and cigarettes wastes not only health, but also the budget. Go to bars less often. Rest actively, spend time in parks and sports grounds. 8. Trust sales less Black Fridays and Cyber ​​Mondays of all kinds are more often marketing ploys than real benefits. In addition, people are led to daily offers in the spirit of “1 + 1” and take the goods they do not need out of greed. Do not buy everything in a row and do not pay attention to the advertising hype. Take what you really need. 9. Plan for large purchases This will help you to ask the price of the product (find out its price in different stores) and save the right amount on time. Set a purchase date and determine how much you need to save per month. The same approach can be applied to New Year gifts for loved ones or to preparing a child for September 1st. If there are 6 months left before the New Year, and you plan to spend 10,000 rubles on gifts for your relatives, it will be easier to save one and a half thousand a month than to lay out the entire amount at once on the eve of the holiday. 10. Refuse fast food and business lunches in cafes. Instead, look for canteens near work – it’s cheaper and more useful. To make it easier to search, look at Yandex.Map. A more budget-friendly option is to cook food at home and carry it around with you. 11. Issue transport subscriptions If you buy a ticket for the metro or train every time, it will be much more expensive than subscriptions in terms of a month. Just compare the price of a subscription and a one-time trip in your city. How to save money by spending money 12. Use cashback Cashback is a return of a percentage (usually from 1 to 10%) of the money spent on purchases. It can be obtained through cash-back services, for example, Letyshops or the banking application that you use. Therefore, before buying any product or going to a restaurant, check if there is a cashback on it. 13. Go to Coupon Sites Coupon sites were popular in Russia in the early 2000s. But over time, the “big three” of the largest and most reliable ones have settled down: These services sell discount coupons for restaurants, fitness clubs, bowling, go-karting, concerts, vacations in country hotels, medical examinations and much more. Discounts reach up to 90%. 14. Track cheap flights In high season, catch last minute tickets on charter flights. They are cheaper because travel agencies could not sell them completely. You can find such tickets on the websites: How to save money on food 15. Don’t go to the store hungry On an empty stomach, any food seems more attractive, so the basket will be filled with unnecessary products. 16. Organize supermarket trips according to the schedule Before this, make a rough menu for the week and a list of products. This will make it easier to stay on track and stick to your budget. 17. Download discount apps Many mobile services help you monitor promotions in grocery stores. Popular applications – “Edadil”, “Promotions of all stores in Russia.” 18. Find out the addresses of wholesale stores. For example, METRO Cash and Carry. Go there for goods that you cannot do without in the kitchen (cereals, flour, sugar). For meat, vegetables, fruits, go to the market – there you can bargain and bring down the price. 19. Buy groceries online In order not to go to several points, comparing the prices of products, use the online stores of these retail chains. It’s easier to find out about promotions there. 20. Buy analogues Famous brands make you pay more. Products that the store makes itself will cost less (Red Price for Pyaterochka, D for Dixy, 365 Days for Lenta). How to save on clothes 21. Plan your wardrobe properly When you go to the mall to buy clothes, write a list too. It will help you not be distracted by cute sneakers if you only need jeans and a T-shirt. Basic things should be of high quality and durable. Check clothes for defects, look at seams and spools. Try on even if you are sure that the size is yours. If you think to take or not to take, do not buy. Consider lifestyle: when you work in a bank, you can not do without a pair of business shirts, and for fitness, one sports kit is enough. 22. Dress in outlets, thrift stores and second-hand stores Fashion is cyclical, so don’t be shy about second-hand stores, there are really interesting things there. There are also swaps, free markets and dress-crossing places where you can exchange clothes for free. Bring your own and take what you like. 23. Register on store websites and subscribe to their news Brands and online clothing stores often give promotional codes for the first purchase (for example, Befree, Lamoda, Wildberries). This way you can save 5-15%, which is especially beneficial when you buy an expensive item (winter jacket, suit, shoes). Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with sales or promotions. 24. Buy clothes while traveling This applies to designer items that cost less in their home country than here. Also, do not bypass Duty Free at airports if you want to take original jewelry, accessories or perfumes. In some countries, you can make Tax Free for purchases (return VAT). In order not to travel abroad yourself, use the Grabr.io service: it unites buyers and travelers and helps to get goods that cost more in Russia. There you can order clothes, gadgets, nutritional supplements and other things. 25. Become a member of bonus programs Do not be lazy to draw up cards for stores that are offered at the checkout. They will give you benefits the next time you visit the store. 26. Learn how to take care of things If you take good care of your clothes, they will last longer. Sew up holes, remove stains, periodically dry-clean outerwear, clean shoes every day. When the thing is tired, do customization – alteration and updating. You can make a T-shirt from a sweater, a topic from a T-shirt, a hat from a sweater, and shorts from jeans. How to save money on your car 27. Keep it in good condition By performing maintenance on time, you save on major repairs. Study the manual for the car or the service book in order to change spare parts according to the plan, for example, the timing belt. 28. Do some of the work yourself You can check the fluid level in the car, change the engine oil or change the wheels yourself. 29. Reduce fuel consumption Checking the air filter and tire pressure frequently will help. Avoid idling and use cruise control to avoid sudden acceleration and braking. 30. Get discounts at gas stations Gas stations encourage their customers. Lukoil, Tatneft, Gazpromneft, Rosneft, Shell and others have bonus, discount, fuel cards. Check if there is a cashback at the gas station where you refuel in your banking application. Do not buy food or coffee at gas stations yet: the prices there are much higher than in stores. 31. Plan your route Doing more than one thing on the same trip will save you fuel, wear and tear on your car, and save time. Assess the situation on the roads through the navigator. Sometimes it is better to take public transport, take a car sharing or a taxi, so as not to burn gasoline in traffic jams. If you have a dacha, then leave there before everyone else does. How to save money when repairing 32. Draw up the correct sequence of work Make a repair plan. You can not lay finishing floors if you do not have wall decoration ready. Take measurements of the rooms to accurately calculate the area and material to be purchased. When you need a lot of building material, it is better to take everything at once to save on shipping. 33. Choose simple building materials Don’t go after brand names for interior or exterior decoration. Instead of tiles in the kitchen or in the toilet, lay linoleum, and replace stretch ceilings with foam plates. 34. Choose the style of the interior wisely. Choose those styles where floor, ceiling or wall finishing is not required at all, for example, loft or industrial. 35. Do-It-Yourself Part of the Repair This goes for cosmetic repairs when you have a little skill as a painter or plasterer. And sticking wallpaper, laying down laminate or assembling furniture is not difficult if you watch a few lessons on Youtube. Read: The main thing is accounting: how to form a personal budget Read: “The richest man in Babylon” – the main theses and rules that will make money work for you