How to Save Money without Feeling Deprived

Saving money and not feeling rundown

Most of us are always trying to strike the right balance between the need to save money and our affordability to save money. We want to save money for a rainy day, but we also want to be able to save without feeling deprived of our wants in any way.

One of the best methods to begin the process of saving is by setting some easy goals. Such goals can be for the short term and for the long term. The best way to begin the process of saving is just by starting to save regularly. You may begin by saving $20 each week. Thus, within 4 to 5 months you will have enough savings that can act as your emergency fund. In the long-term, your savings goals can be creating a fund for retirement or getting rid of all credit card debt.

Listed below are some easy ways that you can employ and save money without feeling the pinch of having deprived yourself of your desires.

• Prepare your own lunch: Instead of eating a lunch out every day, you can carry your own lunch from home every other day. This can help you save 10 to 20 dollars each week. Once you have gotten into the groove, you may carry lunch every day to work, thereby increasing the savings.
• Make your own coffee: Coffee from a café can be quite expensive. You may invest in a coffee maker and brew your coffee at home and in office. This way you will not only drink good flavorful coffee, but also save lots of money in the process.
• Purchase groceries and other items in bulk: Buy all the essentials in bulk and stock them up when they are available for purchase in sale. These can be groceries, medicines, clothes, etc. For example, if your favorite cereal is on sale, then you can purchase 2 to 3 months of cereals during the sale and stock it up. This can result in significant savings.
• Cut down or avoid soda: A can of soda can cost anywhere between 60 to 90 cents. You can cut down on it or avoid it altogether to save money. The extra benefit is improved dental and physical health. Sodas are known to be detrimental to the teeth and glucose levels.
• Avoid bottled water: Different surveys have shown that over 50 percent of bottled water is nothing more than just bottled water. If you like bottled water instead of tap water, you can slowly cut down on bottled water and opt for tap water. If you are skeptical about tap water, you may invest in a water filter at home.
• Prepare your own meals: Studies have shown that Americans spend a large chunk of their paycheck in eating out. Dining out is an activity that cannot be completely ruled out. However, you can opt for home-cooked meals one week and then eating out during the second week. Gradually, you can confine eating out to only date nights.