As new year’s resolutions are still at a high, people are still striving to lose weight, have a more positive attitude, and, of course, save money. Saving money isn’t an easy task for anyone, as we all spend money every day.
Saving money and living on a budget is something all college students away from home have to do in order live comfortably.
Who better to receive money saving information from than a new adult, learning the strings of budgeting? Contributed by a University of Iowa college student, here are some tips on how you can save a little cash to keep your new year’s resolution strong!
- Save all of one bill. Chose a bill amount: ones, fives, or tens. If you pick 5’s, anytime you get a $5 bill back, whether it’s from a restaurant or change at the grocery store, put it in a jar and never spend those five! Every month, empty the jar into your savings account until an emergency strikes.
- Browse apps for different coupons. Apps such as RetailMeNot, Grocery IQ, or Ibotta offer coupons and notify you of deals and savings going on at different stores. You can also check ads in papers as well as searching online for coupons for the stores you shop at.
- If you’re going out to eat, look for specials. Before deciding on a place to dine, call the store and look online to see if they have any specials going on that day. Another restaurant hack is, always order water! Ordering pop, tea, or lemonade is guaranteed to bring your bill up $2-$3.
- Cash in your cans and bottles. Don’t throw your cans or bottles away! Turn them in for five cents an item for not only some extra cash, but also recycling product.
- Put a portion of each paycheck in savings. Every time you get a paycheck, take a portion of it–whether it be half, a fourth, or even an eighth–put it in savings, and don’t touch it.
Another great tip, provided by Muscatine Members Community Credit Union, is to use surcharge-free ATM’s.
Some ATMs charge a fee for every use, but if you use ATMs such as Shazam’s, you can keep yourself from spending unnecessary money.
If you use these tips, money saving should come a lot easier and should make your new year’s savings goals easier to reach.