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7 Easy Ways to Save Money

Saving Money isn’t always easy, especially if you’re living paycheck to paycheck — and no matter what the media would have you believe, millennials aren’t in debt because of coffee or avocado toast. If you’re planning on saving money, you’re probably thinking of all the things you’ll have to give up to save a few dollars here and there — but if you do it right, you don’t have to give up anything. Here are seven easy ways to save money without giving up any of the things you love.

1. Be Mindful of Your Bank Account

Your bank Account could be costing you more money than you realize. Even basic checking accounts often come with hidden fees that could quickly empty your account and leave you with nothing to save. An overdrawn account could set you back $32 to 35 per transaction, and the account itself might have monthly maintenance fees unless you meet specific criteria. Do some research and find a fee-free checking account to help you save some money you can later transfer to your savings account.

2. Manage Your Student Loans

If you’ve obtained a college degree, chances are you have student loans to contend with — and those loans are probably the biggest bill you pay every month. If you haven’t yet, look into refinancing your student loans at a lower interest rate. You might save yourself quite a bit of money on interest and monthly payments. If your income is low, contact your loan servicer and inquire about an income-based repayment plan — you could find yourself paying as little as $0 every month while your account remains in good standing.

3. Cut the Cord

Cable is expensive, especially if you never really have time to watch it. Instead, why not cut the cord and opt for streaming services that are infinitely cheaper? You can subscribe to:

  • Netflix — $10.99/month
  • Hulu — $7.99/month with commercials
  • Amazon Prime — $12.99/month
  • HBO Now — $14.99/month
  • SlingTV — $19.99/month

With any of the above services, you’ll still pay less than half of what the average American household spends on cable each month.

4. Save at the Pump

Filling up your car is expensive, even if gas hasn’t quite reached the $4/gallon peak it attained in 2011. Taking care of your car — keeping the tires properly inflated and the oil at the right levels, for example — can help your car run better and use less fuel. The less fuel you burn, the less money you’re spending at the gas pump when it’s time to fill up again. You might even be able to go longer between fill-ups.

5. Round Down

Most banks offer automatic transfer from your checking to your savings account — they’ll move a set amount of money to the savings account every month. If you don’t have enough money to transfer, though, it could leave you scrambling for pennies. Instead, try rounding down your account — look at your current balance and round it down to the nearest whole number. Then, transfer the difference to your savings account. You might not always have enough money to transfer, but every little bit adds up.

6. Mind Your Data

We all use the data on our phones every day — watching videos, sending photos and uploading status updates on social media all eat up our data, and those data overages can cost you a lot of money. Take a closer look at your phone bill and see how much data you really use during the month. If you need more data, consider upgrading your plan. It might cost a bit more in the short term, but it can save you a lot of money in overage charges in the long run.

7. Schedule a No-Spend Day

Once a week — or more often if you can swing it — schedule a no-spend day. These are days where you don’t spend any money — or, if you have to spend money, you only spend it on essentials like bills or transportation. You can transition this into savings as well — you can transfer any money you might have spent on your no-spend day right into your savings account!

You don’t have to give up your favorite coffee or avocado toast to save money. Just taking care of your car or paying attention to your phone bill can help you save money in the long run.

Scott Huntington is a writer from central Pennsylvania. He enjoys working on his home and garden with his wife and 2 kids. Follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington



This post first appeared on Frugal Village - Living A Frugal Lifestyle, please read the originial post: here

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7 Easy Ways to Save Money

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