We all want to save money for the future, an emergency or to go on vacation but the bills keep flowing in and we can barely keep up. More people have this issue than not but below are some ways that can eases the financial strain and get you back on track to a comfortable way of life.

Carpool
If you have the opportunity to carpool to work or school, this will save a lot of money on not only gas but wear and tear on your vehicle. When you can keep your car from seeing more miles, it’s worth more in the long run and makes it less likely to start having unseen problems you have to pay to get fixed.

Debt
Everyone has debt but it’s debt that can be the thing that snowballs into a much higher amount of money the longer it is not paid off. Try a balance transfer with your bank. Taking advantage of a 0% APR offer can help you pay down your debt and save quite a bit of money on interest.

Change the Light Bulbs
Switching out your old light bulbs in your home from whatever you have now to LED bulbs will save you big bucks. LED bulbs are 4 times more efficient than other bulbs and can last for years.

Food
Stop going out to lunch and dinner every day! Go to a grocery store every week, or as needed, and prepare your meals for the week. Better yet, use coupons to save further! You can buy a pasta dinner from a restaurant for $15 or make the same thing at home (and a larger amount – hello leftovers) for about $4. These little expenses add up very quickly.

Clothing
Many people over do it when it comes to buying clothes. If you can’t help it, do not go to name brand stores or even outlets. Try T.J. Max, Ross or even thrift shops. You would be shocked at the name brands, price reduction and quality that these places provide at a quarter of the cost. If you can help it, ask yourself every time you are tempted, “Do I really need this?”


Grooming
If you get your hair done every week, try for every other week. Getting your nails done? Try to stretch it out longer or get a kit to do it yourself at home. You can even have a party with your friends so it feels like a spa day. Expensive shower products and creams are just as good as less expensive ones, just do a little research and you can save tons of money per month on this alone.

Cancel Memberships
Gym, country clubs and Netflix are a couple things  that people purchase and rarely use. What’s the point of having a membership if you don’t use them for what their worth? Buy your own workout equipment, find a different club that takes guest passes and cancel Netflix. Or you can cancel your cable bill and stick with Netflix alone. Do it according to your lifestyle so that later on in life you never have to worry about living frivolously!

Babbling B