1. Getting a roommate
Depending on what unit we end up with, this will save me anywhere from approximately $120-$230/mo on rent & utilities
Depending on what unit we end up with, this will save me anywhere from approximately $120-$230/mo on rent & utilities
2. Living closer to my job
I was previously driving 30 miles to work, ONE WAY! While I'll still have a drive to work, I'll essentially be cutting it in half. This will save me about $35-50/mo
3. Suspend/Cancel Audible
Currently it's just suspended for 3 months but I may end up just canceling it all together. Between the purchased books & the free books, I have 12 unfinished books in my library. I know there are ways to listen to books for free through public libraries, & because I have Amazon Prime, there are also some free books on there. I do have actual hard copy books that I still need to read too. Not paying for Audible will save me about $15/mo
4. Groceries
In theory I was setting aside $200/mo for groceries (more on this in a minute). In reality I was spending $35-$50/week on groceries. When I move back down I'm going to challenge myself to $25/week. I plan on doing that for at least the first month & then seeing how it goes. I definitely don't need to be spending $50/week though when it's just me. This will save me $40-100/mo
5. "Fun" Money
So as I stated above I was setting aside $200/mo for groceries. Without paying strict attention to what I was actually spending my hypothetical plan for post bills spending was $200 for gas, $200 for groceries, & $400 for fun. As you read above I was spending $140-200 on groceries & my gas was really only $100-150. And yet I was almost always left with $150 or less at the end of the month in my checking AND putting stuff on credit cards. So credit cards aside that means I was spending closer to $400-500/mo on fun & unnecessary things. That's absurd! My new goal... no credit cards & $300 for "fun." This will save me AT MINIMUM $100/mo
6. Cell Phone
I'll be done paying for my current cell phone in September & I don't have any intention of getting a new one until I absolutely have to. That will save me $26.77/mo once it's paid off
I'll be done paying for my current cell phone in September & I don't have any intention of getting a new one until I absolutely have to. That will save me $26.77/mo once it's paid off
Just these 6 things should save me anywhere from $336-522+/mo
I should also mention though that I will most likely be taking a pay cut because I will no longer be coaching. I will hopefully soon be finding out just what my new annual salary is once I sign my paperwork for my new district. Either way, saving money is necessary. Even if I don't take a pay cut equal to my savings, I do have debt that I need to take care of!
I should also mention though that I will most likely be taking a pay cut because I will no longer be coaching. I will hopefully soon be finding out just what my new annual salary is once I sign my paperwork for my new district. Either way, saving money is necessary. Even if I don't take a pay cut equal to my savings, I do have debt that I need to take care of!
What are different things that you do to save money each month?
We are going to switch all direct TV boxes to streaming and it will save us $120 a month!
ReplyDeleteI paid off my phone last October and it's been nice to not have that extra $28 flowing out of my account. As much as I want to upgrade I plan to keep this thing for as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I cut cable last month. That's been glorious!
DeleteYESSSSSS! This makes me so happy!
DeleteI'm always looking for ways to save! At first I had NO idea where to start, and no idea where my money was even going. SO for 3 months, I tracked it- I literally wrote down every penny spent and where. This helped me figure out where I could and was willing to cut expenses. Like, I'm never going to stop eating out. I love friend dinners and take-out in general. But I started meal-planning, therefore spending only on things that I would actually be eating that week, which saved a lot (and helped with waste reduction as well). I also cut cable, but I do have a Roku with Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime,... as well as a friend's HBO account. It just didn't make sense for me to have cable though because I rarely watch TV at all, let alone in real time. Good luck with your savings goals!
ReplyDeleteWe definitely cut cable and it's been great to not have that expense. I don't do a lot of discretionary spending so I'm the worst person to ask... If you can get on an intermittent fasting diet, I think it can help on food costs, if you wanted to get that done. I think that's been a game changer for us.
ReplyDeletedaily naps are the best. i work from home and i take a 10min pick-me-up nap errday at 2pm LOL
ReplyDeleteYesss, I hear you on the cell phone thing, I just paid mine off too. I also recently stopped Amazon Prime. I didn't have it last year and was fine, but I got it back again to watch a few shows annnnd started ordering things I didn't need. So away it went again!
ReplyDelete