10 Easy ways to save money this year

The year has started with a bang. Whether you believe in New Year’s resolutions or you don’t, everyone secretly hopes that this New Year will bring new change, new breakthroughs and new direction. Maybe you will meet the love of your life? Maybe you will find that dream job? Maybe you will pay off your car? Maybe you will travel more?

We all live very busy lives these days and with everything and everyone demanding our attention it is hard to remain focussed. This year I want to be more focussed. I want to have a few aims and focus on them. Less is definitely more! Quality has always weighed heavier than quantity. Money matters are one area you might want to focus on this year. Your money or lack thereof works exactly the same way your health does… You have to work at it! It requires discipline! It requires the right no’s to stuff that might easily get a yes from you at first. I have mentioned previously on radio interviews that Dave Ramsey’s 7 Baby Steps have played a vital part in our financial life. I can truly recommend his money-plan for anyone who wants to take their money matters seriously.

I want to share 10 easy ways to save money this year. They have been tried and tested and they have resulted in us reaching step 6.

• Move to a cheaper bank. Trust me, every bit counts. It is worth the hassle of setting up new debit orders and some banks arrange it for you! If you can save R200 a month on bank charges, it amounts to R2400 per year. If you take the R2400 and you invest it at 9% per annum for 10 years, it will amount to R36 463 in 10 years time!

• Don’t buy bottled water! You will not only save your bank account but you will also help the environment! Carry some water with you! Plan a little better. Have a glass bottle in your car with water!

• Go meatless a few times a week. I know as a South African that this is a very hard pill (or must I rather say carrot) to swallow. Meat is expensive, and by cutting on the chicken or beef at least twice a week you can really make a material impact on your food budget every month.

• Consider if you really need all your current forms of entertainment… Dstv, Netflix, Showmax, Amazon Prime, just to mention a few. Rather start reading or do an online course. You will make the best investment ever…. in yourself! Entertainment these days can easily add up to thousands a month. If you want to be serious about your money, you should start to seriously consider alternative entertainment streams.

• Cancel your gym contract if you don’t go to the gym at least 3 times a week. The exercise tracking devices have made it possible to still earn those points without having to go to an airconditioned gym. I have joined a running and walking club! I have met real people who talk back (for some reason people in the gym don’t talk to one another… at least never to me anyway). Now I can still exercise with new friends in the great outdoors and save money!

• Only eat out on special occasions or go to restaurants where it will be a real treat. If you can cook the food at home, then eat at home. Make it a family affair. I am so grateful my husband loves to cook when the inspiration strikes, and when it does, I sit down and enjoy the show. Easy, budget-friendly meals delivered more than 56 million results on a google search. I am sure you can find something for the weekends.

• Buy second-hand clothes from Thrift shops or second-hand shops. I can hear the groans, already! Trust me, once you get into it you won’t shop elsewhere. There are some beautiful clothes to be found in these shops. I know Cape Town has many and I recently stumbled on the first online one in South Africa: https://www.yaga.co.za/

• Negotiate better insurance! Your insurance premium will increase every year but the value of your goods hasn’t necessarily. Please phone the call centres and see if you can at least keep the premium the same. The one year my premium went up by R800 per month… still no idea why. Don’t worry I phoned them.

• Don’t upgrade that cell phone contract! Ask yourself if you really need that new smart phone. Swop with a family member or find a parent or grandparent who don’t want to learn all the latest features of their phone again and use their device.

• Always have nuts, dates, raisins or droë wors in your car. If you are starving because of this morning’s hard workout you can always grab them instead of a take-away or packet of chips. Not only are they healthy, they will take you a lot further than a packet of chips... literally!

There are hundreds of other ways you can work better with your money. Keep in mind Income less expenses = Surplus or Deficit and if you have a limited income you need to limit your expenses otherwise the math doesn’t add up. It is not rocket science! Your health works the same if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight. How do you keep the weight off, you remain disciplined or you do the hard stuff, you exercise! I have given you 10 easy exercises to make sure you stay money fit this year. I know you can do it! Go…go…go!

Rock your 2020!