New year, new you? With 2018 just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about your saving goals. If you didn’t meet your goals this year, it’s time to make a plan so you can meet them next year- after all, it can feel impossible to save unless you have a strategy that will help you through months watching your pennies.
It can be difficult to turn your financial life around- one study found that 69% of adults in the United States have less than $1000 in their bank account, while 34% have no savings at all.
While accumulating a nest egg isn’t going to happen overnight, you can easily start small with a few of these tips:
Ditch your vehicle
While it’s convenient to have a vehicle, if you’re lucky enough to live in a city with great public transportation, you should definitely be making the most of it. If you get rid of your car and switch to the bus or train, you could save serious money. According to AAA, it costs an average of $725 to own a vehicle every month. Washington D.C has the most expensive public transport in the U.S, and it would cost approximately $237 for a monthly commute. Subtract that from $725, and you can see how you could easily begin building that nest egg.
Sell your diamonds
Most of us have jewellery that we don’t wear on a day-to-day basis. Maybe it was given to you by an ex boyfriend and comes with too many bad memories (or too much bad juju). Maybe you inherited it but it simply doesn’t fit your style. Whatever the reason, you could make a serious chunk of change by visiting Diamond Whisperer. Check out the site and take a look at your jewellery to see if there’s anything you wouldn’t miss.
Side hustle
If you’re finding that your expenses and earnings simply aren’t adding up or allowing you to save, it may time to find a side hustle. Whether it’s a second job, driving an Uber, or freelancing, if you’re willing to work a few more hours you could save some serious money each month (just be sure to put it straight into your savings).
Refinance
While it does cost to refinance your mortgage, you could end up with hundreds of dollars back in your pocket each month. If you originally got your mortgage when your credit rating wasn’t good, you may be able to slash your interest rate in half. You can also refinance your student loans, and even a 1% lower rate could make a massive difference to your savings account.
If you have credit card debt, it’s worth seeing if you can consolidate this into one loan with a lower interest rate. Credit cards have some of the highest interest rates around, and it’s tempting to use them when they’re in your back pocket. By switching to a loan, you’ll be able to pay more of it off and won’t be tempted to keep spending.