WHAT
Neon Sweater (similar) | Midi Skirt | Ray Bans | Ankle Booties
The only thing new about this outfit are these sunglasses, which I snagged ON SALE (duh!) for less than $100. Sure, I may blog what I wear, but that doesn’t mean that I wear something NEW each time I do. The main reason for that is because I am trying to save money.. as much money as I can! Why? So, I can live comfortably forever.
Listen to Dave Ramsey.
Have you heard of him? He’s a financial guru & has a podcast that I love to listen to because of it’s Q&A format. He is best known for his 7 Baby Steps to “Financial Freedom” & I think they’re a great way to kick set yourself up for success.
- Save $1,000.
- Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball.
- Save 3-6 months worth of expenses.
- Contribute 15% to your retirement.
- Save for your children’s college funds.
- Pay off your mortgage.
- Grow your wealth while giving!
He gave me the motivation to prepare for my future & in less than 6 months, I was able to cross off Steps 1-3 & start Step 4 which makes my 60-year-old self very happy. It’s interesting listening to people call in with real-world problems
Cancel subscriptions.
Do you know how many subscriptions you have? I dare you to write them all down. Here are a few of mine:
- Amazon Prime
Thrive Market- Elle Magazine
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Microsoft Office
- Netflix
Spotify- Gym Membership
They add up, don’t they? So, to save some money, I canceled my cable & signed up for Netflix, saving almost $400 a year. I also canceled my Spotify subscription to use the free version (yes, the one with ads) & saved myself $120 a year. I also vowed to buy my products in-person or on Amazon Prime instead of Thrive Market, saving myself the annual fee. Write everything down & see which ones you can live without!
Use EBates + Honey.
You guys know I love my Ebates & there’s a reason why. In the last 4 months alone, I made $140 from enabling the EBates plug-in while I shopped online. Honey also pops up coupons on every retailer’s site that you visit, saving you even more money. They are both free Chrome plug-ins that you can install within minutes. Every few months they deposit what you earned into your PayPal account, which I quickly transfer right into Savings. It’s free money, people!
Create a budget.
Similar to writing down your subscription services, creating a budget is key to seeing the money that flows in vs. out. Sure, you may take home $4,000 a month, but chances are that after you pay your rent, bills, etc. & then buy the necessities like groceries & gas, you don’t have a lot remaining which is why it’s so hard to save or invest the money that IS remaining. Creating a budget allocates every dollar to a category (like food, fashion, entertainment) & keeps you honest. I like the free EveryDollar app but you can also easily create one in Excel.
Don’t eat out.
Eating & drinking go hand-in-hand. When I was participating in Whole30, I saved so much money from not eating out or going out. When Ryan & I eat out, our meal can be anywhere from $20 to $60, depending on where we eat & what we order. Add in a Friday night with girlfriends & that’s $50 for a round of drinks. That is a lot of money for convenience & a good deed. Instead, we take that money & put it towards a delicious home-cooked Pinterest-inspired meal & really limit our alcohol. Instead of our waistlines getting fatter, our wallets do.
Make more money.
This is a given but, find a way to increase your income! Ryan & I dogsit which is a great & EASY way to make more money. We signed up for Rover.com last summer & have made an extra $1,000+ just dogsitting every few weekends. It’s free to register & all you really need is a few good reviews. Whether you have a skill you can utilize or just have the time, find a quick, easy way to generate more income. Here are some ideas: Rover, Wags, Uber, Lyft, Postmates, Airbnb,
I could talk about saving money all day. For some reason, it excites me… weird, I know! I also wrote a blog post last year on How to Save Money While You Shop, tips I put into practice every-time I do shop. If you have any, I’d love to hear them.
Shop my outfit below!
