So in addition to about 69,000 dollars of student loans, I also have worked up some pretty good credit card debt that I"m (finally) starting to pay down. In addition to this, I know that I need about 6 months of savings for emergency money. All this saving and paying back past me means that present me NEEEEEEEDS to stop spending money!
I have been trying a few approaches with mixed success.
One: Spending Diet. Much like a food diet, I make a pact with myself to spend NO money during the week. No lunches, fancy coffee, random CVS trips for whatever I think I might need (usually 1/2 an hour later I don't "need" it anymore). This usually works pretty well except, downfall: I go CRAZY on the weekends. I have a bunch of down time and I think, why not pop over to the shops 'just to look'. yeah right jeanine.
Two: Checking Receipts. I used to be a server in a restaurant and I rang up the wrong amounts, gave people other peoples' check ALL THE TIME! Check you receipts to make sure you didn't get double charged, the thing on sale was actually on sale ect. This is super effective, but you're still doing it WHILE spending money. Not exactly saving.
Three: Bye bye booze. Super effective, great for weight loss and saves me money win all around. Downfall: no booze forever makes jeanine sad. So special occasions, ONE weekend day I allow a booze drink. I could get better at making this a drink at home rather than one out. Why is a beer $10? That's crazy. 6 beers at the store is $10.
Four: Something I want to get better at, no cost activities. I live in Washington DC. There are things to do here that don't cost money. I should do them. Pictures are free.
So those are my thoughts for today. I've got to confess, I've been watching A LOT of the financial diet on the youtubes. I also see this as a personal improvement channel that helps me focus on my goals. Check it out, I would recommend it.
If anyone reads this, what are some of your tricks for saving money?
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