Tag: how-to-save-money

5 Ways to Save Money Without Really Trying

Saving money doesn’t come naturally for some, and there are certainly people who are much better at it than others. While some of us our frugal/thrifty types always in search of a bargain, others spend money like water and burn through it quickly like a bad drug habit.

Living comfortably is always nice, and drowning in debt or the feeling of being constantly broke is not good for one’s mental wellbeing. And if you’re a college-aged kid, then you already know the feeling of being broke all too well.

1. Establish the big difference between your wants and your needs

This step is a major. Establishing the difference between things you really want and things you actually need is huge. Yes, Starbucks is amazing. But at $4 a pop that adds up quick if you’re making daily coffee runs to fulfill your caffeine urge to splurge. Including the gas it takes to get you there if it’s not within walking distance. Although the old-fashioned 99 cent coffee might not be your favorite it’s still coffee and can satisfy your need for it. $4 a day adds up quick, and in a matter of 30 days that’s roughly $120 a month spent on luxury coffee that you don’t actually need.

2. Online shopping can be your worst enemy

The convenience of online shopping is almost too easy. With the superbly simple one-click techniques à la Amazon, online shopping can open a world of pleasure and excite us with the packages we receive at our door as a result. But with ultimate convenience comes a price. Online shopping is particularly sneaky by how it draws us in and zaps our bank account/credit card with the click of a button. And why we are thrilled with our new items, we aren’t too thrilled when that credit card statement comes in the mail soon after… or your parents who handle the bill for you while “your off applying yourself at school”. Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away.

3. Don’t try and live beyond your means

If you don’t have a ton of extra money there’s nothing wrong with that. By being realistic about your financial situation, whether your employed or not, this will help for your idea of proper budgeting. Buying something on credit that you really can’t afford isn’t the best idea. And it’s really going to suck when you realize living like a 20k millionare is going to come back and bite you in the ass once you’ve maxed out your available funds and credit cards to pretend to be something that you’re not.

4. Remember, you have legs

Okay, while taking a cab to get to and fro is nice, if something is within walking distance then remember those two things that hold you upright and get you from Point A to Point B just fine. As a result you’ll burn some extra calories and save yourself some change in the meantime.

5. Ramen Noodles really aren’t that bad

Going out to eat on a regular basis is a huge spending habit for most people. If you’re not crazy about the idea of cooking that’s fine, but be smart about where it is that you go out to eat. Think ahead by hitting up the grocery store at the beginning of the week so you’re not stuck in a crunch with no food options to whip up. And those 20 cent Ramen Noodles aren’t going to wreck your stomach the way that Taco Bell value menu food will.

21 Must-Have Apps for Saving and Budgeting

Ah, the wonderful world of apps. There are so many great apps on the market that can help you shop smarter, budget better, and save save mucho dinero.

Here are some greats apps that do just that:

  1. Mint – Mint is an all-encompassing personal finance app that keeps track of your checking, savings, and credit card accounts. It basically tracks all of your financial movements. This handy site lets you keep it all in one place and gives you tools to budget. It also provides graphs and charts of where you are spending your hard earned dollar. It’s like your own personal finance advisor!
  2. BillTracker – It’s the worst getting a late charge for a bill you simply forgot to pay. Not anymore! BillTracker does exactly what it says – tracks your bills. This app from SnapTap keeps a calendar view of all your bills due dates and sends you notifications when a bill is due or pending. Say goodbye to late fees!
  3. Check – Check is awesome for a few reasons. First off, it helps you manage all your accounts and finances. Secondly, it helps you to avoid late fees through reminders. And lastly, you can pay bills directly through the app – check!
  4. Shopkick – Browse by area, store, products to find the best local deals. Shopkick has reached over six million since 2009, making it the most used shopping app. You can earn points by making purchases, inviting friends to join, and by physically walking into certain stores. Points can be redeemed through a gift cards at partnering stores. The easy and beautiful interface makes shopping a breeze.
  5. Ibotta – It’s everyone’s dream to get paid to shop. Ibotta makes that dream a reality. Look through their product gallery and choose the items you are interested in. When you complete a “task” like sharing via social networks, writing a review or watching a video you can accrue cash that can be used to after you purchase a product. Once the item is purchased, Ibotta puts the money directly into your paypal account or on a gift card to one of their participating stores.
  6. RetailMeNot – This is a coupon haven. With stores like J. Crew, Victoria’s Secret, Starbucks, Target, Sephora, Bed Bath & Beyond, Forever 21, Bloomingdale’s and many more participating. It’s like having filing cabinets of coupons all on one tiny interface. You can save coupons for later use and get notifications for coupon expiration dates, so you don’t miss the deal.  Chose the stores that you love to get direct updates of deals and sales too.
  7. SnipSnap – This coupon app is similar to RetailMeNot, but also lets you snap photos of printed coupons from various stores and turns them into digital mobile coupons. SnipSnap allows you to search through coupons that your friends have liked or “snipped”.
  8. Grocery iQ – For the ultimate grocery shopping app, try Grocery iQ. This app helps you avoid impulse purchases with detailed grocery lists. Browse through the millions of products also find stores with coupons offers. Grocery iQ makes budgeting super easy and keeps you
  9. SavingStar – Save at thousands of grocery and drugstores through this app that connects to your individual store loyalty cards. You can select the digital coupons you want and they are applied to your loyalty cards. After you reach $5 in savings, you earn cash!
  10. Groupon – Groupon deals are a great way to say money with promotions that are as much as 50-90% off! Groupon has deals on just about everything, from products to events and even restaurants. Groupon will even make suggestions to you based on what you’re interested in and help you save a fortune!
  11. LivingSocial – This site, similar to Groupon gets you great deals and discounts on local events, restaurants, gifts, and hotels. An awesome perk of LivingSocial is that if you share your deal with 3 friends or family members and they purchase that same deal – you get yours for FREE!
  12. Amazon Local – This app is a great local discount digital app that shows you recommended deals based on your likes and interests. Amazon local can help you save up to 75% in your city on any given day.
  13. Scoutmob – For those living in a big city, Scoutmob is a great app to have. Scoutmob is available only in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC, but worth mentioning, because it’s continually expanding. You can find great deals for restaurants, cafe’s, shops and local events.
  14. DebtTracker Pro – Get yourself out of a financial rutt with DebtTracker Pro. This app helps you devise a strategy to get out of debt and sends you reminders when payments are due. There are alerts and reminders when you are close to your goal for incentive and encouragement. Even if you’re not in debt, this app is a great way to encourage saving and will serve as a financial advisor to help you stay debt-free.
  15. Credit Karma – Credit Karma is an app that allows you to see your credit report and delinquent accounts. Stay on top of your credit score to keep your account in good standing.
  16. GasBuddy – The price of gas can really add up and put a hole in your wallet. Gasbuddy app searches for the best prices on gas in your vicinity. If you take an extra initiative to report gas prices for gas stations you visit or drive by, GasBuddy will give you points towards winning the weekly $250 gas prize!
  17. Best Parking – Finding parking can be highly annoying. Parking garages can be expensive if you are unfarmiliar with an area. Best Parking will find you the cheapest or closest free parking space. They guarantee their parking app so much that is the fee is incorrect, they will hand you over a $5 Starbucks gift card.
  18. Campus Special – College students rejoice! Campus Special gives you great deals on restaurants and cafes around your college or university. Order directly from your smartphone for take-out or delivery too. Rewards add up the more you use this app,. Rewards can be used towards buying food at participating eateries.
  19. Coupon Sherpa – Coupon Sherpa can be used as an app or via their website. Get connected to online deals from retailers and get access to coupons for shops and even for grocery stores. This is a great digital coupons app that allows your to browse coupons by category or by product you are interested in.
  20. Restaurant.com – Many great restaurants are participating in this app. Search for restaurant by types of cuisine you fancy and get deals like a $40 meal for only $20. Sounds good to me!
  21. ShopSavvy/RedLaser – They are not the same apps, but they are very similar. You can scan items and check where the best deals are on that product. Ingenious!
    Once you get your saving game perfected, consider starting to invest via an app such as Betterment.
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