Instead of constantly charging your purchases to your credit or debit cards, choose to pay in cash instead for all those non-‐bil spending such as gas, eating out and the groceries. Why? Paying in cash makes the experience of spending more real. There is also the fact that in choosing to spend cash, you have better control of your expenses instead of ending up spending more than you earn.
66 Make some minimal weekly savings transfers.
Try to deduct a few dollars off your disposable cash every week. You can start by transferring $20 or $40 per week and transfer it to your savings. It’s a relatively small amount that you maybe barely notice but end up saving a large sum of money over a period of time.
67 Choose to stay home instead of going out.
Going out wil encourage you to spend unnecessarily since you wil be tempted to eat at restaurants, stop at the gas station, go to the mal , etc. It is difficult, almost impossible to avoid spending when you are on the road so stay at home instead and seek other free entertainment. You can also use this free time to spend with your family.
68 Avoid getting catalogs or any other emailed announcements.
All these emails and newsletters are all designed by companies to sel you stuff.
When you frequently receive announcements of cool new products or
upcoming sales, it can be very tempting to make a purchase on luxury items or service. Choose to stop all those catalog and newsletter subscriptions so you don’t have to deal with trying to resist temptation.
69 Choose to cook at home instead of eating out.
This may be difficult to do especial y if you are too tired to cook after a grueling day at work. Instead of expensive dinners or ordering deliveries and takeout fast food that are not exactly healthy, throw in a quick stir fry using fresh or frozen veggies. You can also research ahead of time some no-‐fuss and 10-‐
minute recipes, so cooking homemade and healthier dishes doesn’t have to be a real burden.
70 Use the envelope system when segregating your money.
This is following the same concept of paying cash. Use envelopes in order to split your disposable cash into the different categories. If you empty one envelope, then that means you have completely spent your al otment.
71 Learn the spreadsheet tracker hack.
There are a lot of expensive programs out there like Quicken, MS Money, etc.
that can help you better manage your finances. However, you don’t exactly need to invest in any of those fancy software, especial y if you don’t have a real need for all the bel s and whistles that only cost you more. Instead, you can use Google Docs and Spreadsheets, which you can use to keep track of your bank account. You can indicate dates for every transaction, including titles and amounts, along with a little field for notes or memos and your running balance.
72 Choose to pay debt and savings first.
Every time you sit down to go through all your bil s, choose to pay or allocate money first for your savings then make your debt payments. If you constantly choose to allocate money for your savings for whatever is left, you wil frequently end up shortchanging it. So choose to pay for your savings first. This wil help you effectively cut back on your expenses.
73 Get rid of cable TV.
A lot of people spend too much time in front of the television, a pastime that is not exactly productive. Instead of spending on cable subscription, you can choose to download or rent DVDs online and only watch the movies worth watching and not spend time scanning useless shows you find on TV most of the time.
74 Choose to use online savings instead of traditional bank savings accounts.
There are a number of online banks that offer twice as much interest than the normal banks. However, you wil not get an ATM account or be provided with a convenient way to withdraw funds. This of course can work to your advantage since you can effectively curb the inclination to purchase things on impulse.
75 Choose to find happiness in life and not in spending.
A lot of people choose to buy stuff thinking subconsciously that it wil help them find lasting happiness. These are the consumers who always feel the need to have the latest gadget, the fanciest car or the most popular pair of shoes. Truth is, when you buy stuff, you wil be happy with your purchase for
about a day or two at most. After that, you wil again feel the need to buy some more, which becomes a never-‐ending vicious cycle. Instead, choose to love and enjoy life. You can choose to find joy in nature and the people around you or perhaps in doing things that you really love. There are so many things in life that can provide you more happiness, al without the need to spend.
76 Turn your hobby into a profitable venture.
The thought of doing something you are extremely passionate about and making profit out of it is too good of an idea to pass up. If you love dabbling with web design, hone your craft and consider monetizing your creativity by taking on logo projects and web design projects on the side. If you love cycling, you can earn extra income by repairing and maintaining bikes. People who love to bake are making a smal fortune sel ing their creations or some high-‐end cookware sets.
77 Learn to use your credit cards strategically.
Choose the right credit card to complement your spending habits so you can make the most of using credit cards. Choose cards that give reward points for purchasing things that you normally spend on. So before merely using a card because it’s available, make an effort to study what card to best use to purchase what.
78 Consider engaging in paid testing.
Become a paid tester. There are a lot of medical companies as well as cosmetic developers that pay testers to personally try their treatments and products. In order to become eligible, you wil need to meet a certain set of requirements.