Hello and Happy Thursday!
I’ve blogged a few times about the financial journey my husband, Chris, and I are on (you can read them HERE and HERE). Since then I have had several people ask me how Chris and I are able to save the money that we’ve been putting towards paying off debt, such as car loans. In case you missed it, there are no more car payments in our house! Woo hoo! The first big piece of advice I have is to create a budget, which I wrote about HERE.
The next piece of advice I have is to start cutting your spending so that the money you’re saving can go towards debt. This is something Chris and I have really had to change our thinking on. We would love for any extra money to go towards vacations and fun outings, but we have learned that it’s a short term sacrifice so we can get to our long term goals. Over time I have found ways to save money without depriving us too much, so I am going to share those today!
Here are some quick and easy ways to start saving money:
- Cancel Cable: I know I know, it sounds awful. But it’s easier than you think I promise. This one was Chris’ idea and I was totally against canceling our cable, but to be honest, I haven’t missed it! We got an Amazon Firestick, which was a one-time expense of $40, and we stream Hulu and Netflix. This has allowed us to save about $70 a month which can add up in a hurry.
- Grocery Pick-Up: I was also against this at first because I thought it would make me lazy if I didn’t want to walk around a grocery store and pick out our food. But now I love grocery pick-up! Before you call me lazy on this one, hear me out. After Chris had his kidney transplant and we were quarantined at home, I was ordering our groceries online and doing the store pick-up to avoid coming in contact with people. (This might sound extreme but when all of your hopes for a healthy future are riding on avoiding sick people, you would do this too). I had every intention of going back to my normal grocery shopping routine after we passed the critical zone (3 months post-transplant) but I realized something: we were spending less on groceries! It turns out Grocery Pick-Up is great for the budget! I don’t get distracted in the aisles and end up buying things we don’t need. In fact, since the cart total is very obvious at the top of the screen, I am constantly asking myself if I really need the items I am putting in my cart, especially when I see the total increasing. It has made sticking to our grocery budget much easier.
- Happy Hour: Chris and I try to have date night once a week. It’s something that we really enjoy doing and it has been a constant over the course of our 7+ year relationship. But eating out can get expensive if we get drinks, an appetizer, and two meals. One way we keep the cost down is to go to happy hour. It’s still great quality time together and we save money in the process. Win-win!
- Thred Up: Lately I have been itching for some new clothes. I very rarely go shopping and when my clothes and shoes start getting holes in them from so much wear, I know it’s time to invest in a few pieces of clothing. But clothes can be expensive! I discovered ThredUp about a year ago and I love it. It’s basically an online thrift store with gently used clothing and accessories. I have been able to find my favorite brands and get clothes that look brand new, some of them even have the tags still on. I actually got a brand new Columbia fleece jacket with tags on for $6. I was very happy about that deal! This is a great way to get new clothes, shoes, and accessories without breaking the bank. You can go to local thrift stores too, of course, to save money, but I prefer online shopping. So ThredUp is right up my alley! If you haven’t tried ThredUp yet, you can use THIS link to get a $10 credit. (Full disclosure, I will also receive a $10 credit)
- Groupon: I love saving money, but I also want to live life. Who wants to sit at home all the time? That’s so boring. But typically if we’re leaving the house, we’re spending money on something. So how do you have your cake and eat it too? Groupon is my solution to that problem. I’m sure everyone has heard of it, but there are some seriously awesome deals on there. Restaurant savings, local things to do, massages, etc. It’s a great way to try out new things, get out of the house, and not go broke. Especially when Groupon is having a sale. You can really get some great savings when there’s an extra 20% off special going on.
I have lots of other ideas for ways to save money, but I thought I would start with these 5 today. They are quick and easy changes you can make to start saving money right away. And that money you’re saving can then be put towards debt! Let me know in the comments if you guys enjoy these financial posts and I will be sure to keep writing them!
Hope y’all have a great rest of the week!
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