5 Lifestyle Changes To Help You Save Money
A lot of us have habits that are costing us a big chunk of our bank accounts. But that is all it is, a habit. We are so accustomed to doing certain things in our lives that we don’t even think there are actually 5 lifestyle changes to help you save money, let alone 10 or 20 lifestyle changes. There are several things you can do in your every day life that will keep you from wasting all of your money on materialistic things and start having money in your pocket. Keep on reading and prepare yourself to save money!
1. Stop eating out!!!
If you are anything like me, eating out probably consumes a large lump sum of your paycheck. It is so much easier to have food instantly at your fingertips rather than having to buy the ingredients, prepare the meal and give it time to cook. The other thing that really drains our wallets when it comes to eating out is spending time with friends, family, or your S/O. One of the biggest causes of gaining weight is being in a relationship. You’re going to dinner, snacking at the movies, or just hanging out, you’re probably eating. The same goes for friendships. It seems that when there is nothing to do we just go eat. It gets you out of the house and interacting in public which is much more entertaining than sitting at home, and the biggest trick is it does not seem like you are spending much money. The problem here is it accumulates over time. The same goes for drinking with friends. Try to buy a bottle and drink at home before you go to the bars or a sporting event if your end goal is getting drunk. That way it will help you along in the process without having to spend to much on drinks once you’re out. So save money! Bring your lunch to work or school and stop finding every excuse to eat out! Once in awhile is fine of course, but you should not be eating every meal at a different restaurant.
2. You don’t always need to drive
This is a great way to save money that a lot of us vehicle owners don’t even try to consider. Having a car is definitely a privilege we take for granted. We are driving ourselves and our friends everywhere we want to go! Why wouldn’t you? As with eating out, when we have something right at our fingertips we seem to just grab it and go. We don’t even think of the unreasonable amounts of money we are spending on gas, let alone car repairs for all of the wear and tear we are putting onto our cars! There are a couple solutions. More than likely the people in your life have a car. They can drive too! You don’t always have to be the chauffeur. Next time the group says “So who’s driving?” sit back, close your mouth and save money. Someone else will offer! Another way to do this is these wonderful transportation devices we have built right into our own bodies. Our legs! If you are going somewhere close by, you can walk! You need to get a couple things from the store? Attach a basket to your bike or sling a reusable bag over your shoulder and ride up there! You will be helping the environment and your bank account!
3. Make your own coffee
This is a minimal thing in your everyday life that can really save money! Some of us literally need coffee to function. Our eyes won’t open without it. Now one way to save money when it comes to coffee is kick that unhealthy habit cold turkey and stop relying on your caffeine addiction to wake up every morning. However, there are worse addictions you could have and you just like having that warm cup of coffee each morning. So, if you want to save money while drinking your coffee you need to be making your coffee at home! You can buy coffee grounds in bulk and, depending how much coffee you drink, it could last you a pretty long time! Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, the coffee shop outside your school or work, wherever you stop and buy you coffee each morning knock it off! You need your money more than they do. You can make any type of coffee you want at home! Look up your favorite iced coffee recipe online! You will save money and you will be happy you did!
4. Find entertainment that is free!!
This is more common than you may think depending on where you live! A lot of places have days that you can go for free! Zoo’s, museums, you name it! There are free days at a lot of the places that would typically cost you money. Just look it up! Chicago even has movies in the park that you can bring a blanket, set up camp on the grass, and lay back and watch a movie! The only thing you have to pay for is the transportation to get out there and, bam! You save money and you’ve got yourself a cute little date or a fun night with friends. There a several things you can do that are fun and you don’t have to spend money. Go play a game of tennis at your neighborhood playground or go to the beach. Save money and look up fun stuff to do near you for free or low cost!
5. Cancel cable
This is a lifestyle change that seems unreasonable, but when you step back and think about it, do you really need cable all that bad? We have Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, and any other website you may use to watch movies and television shows. So are you really watching that much television? Now if you are really into sports, this might not be the best option for you. But, if you really think about it and you are not someone who watches that much T.V. or spends the majority of their time watching shows that can be found on Netflix, why are you spending all of that money just to have cable? Just because it seems unreasonable to not have T.V.? Stop paying for it! Save money and start spending it on what you actually can’t live without, rather than what you think you can’t live without. It’s better for you to not watch that much T.V. anyways! Trust me, it is not as crucial in your everyday life as you may think!
