1040 Reasons to Start This New Practice

January is a great time of the year to start some new practices, so let’s tackle one of them, saving. In June of 2012, CBS did a story about Americans and savings where they shared that 25% of American people had no savings at all, and about half of the people didn’t have enough savings. This economy has been challenging for most people. Some people lost jobs and are living on less than they are used to, others are underemployed, and then there is this new reality that all of us are facing that the things we need to buy are just more expensive. If we can figure out some creative ways to save money, perhaps we can decide to put more money away in savings.

Looking at savings differently. Can you find $2.85 cents a day, or can you make an extra $2.85 a day? Everyone has different buying and spending habits, so look at what you normally spend money on, and then look for creative ways to either stretch your existing money, or ways you can earn an additional $20 a week. For some, finding $2.85 a day can be as easy as deciding not to buy lunch for a few days and packing leftovers, or taking a couple hours a week and babysitting for a couple who needs a night out, or some down time. For each of you, you, this will be a personal decision, just be willing to think about it creatively. For some, this goal may be a stretch, so you may need to start even smaller, but let’s start with this as a goal. Saving $2.85 cents a day, will allow us to save $20 a week, or $1040 a year, and in my experience once you start it is easy to find new and creative ways to do even more.

Some suggestions that can help you make saving that $20 a week a reality. As you go through your day, keep $2.85 in your mind. Think about going for a higher goal, for instance $5.00 that way you can either save more, or make up for days when you may fall behind. Can you skip the $0.89 candy bar, or the $1.25 soda from the vending machine? If you go somewhere for lunch, decide not to get two slices of pizza, go for just one. Don’t super size it, or just say no to the extras. If you go out for lunch, get water instead of a special drink or beverage, that alone could save you $2.85 a day. Be creative, your weekly goal is $20, and your monthly goal is $80 so focus on that. If you want to save more that’s great, it’s an easy formula if you want to double your savings at the end of the year to $2080 your number is $5.70 a day, or $40 a week.

If you haven’t been a saver, concentrate on getting to $2.85 a day if that is easy for you please, increase it. For instance, saving an extra $5,000 a year will require you to either save $14 a day, $96 a week, or $400 a month. Start where you are, and be willing to stretch yourself. This is not a contest, this is about helping you put more of your money away, so you have a larger emergency fund, larger savings, or so you can just be a better steward over what you have. Every little bit helps!