The motto behind the vast majority of saving advice articles is the same, cut down your costs as much as humanly possible and you’ll be able to save some money. Whilst there’s no doubting that this does work in the short term, in the long term this constant fear of spending anything more than the bare minimum does no good for your mental health. Living in constant fear of being charged extra for oat milk in your coffee, or trickling over into the next dollar at the gas station is downright dismal and also, unnecessary. It’s possible to make savings without totally sucking the fun out of your life, you just need to think a little smarter about it. These are some tips for ensuring you save a little money, whilst still enjoying yourself fully.
Hit Your Hobbies
Your hobbies are often the first things to get struck off the list when you’re saving, but within reason, they needn’t be. Unless you own a string of polo ponies or collect sports cars, you probably don’t need to scrap your hobbies altogether, just think of ways to tweak them. If you’re a golfer, instead of having a full membership to your local course, why not just tag along once a week with friends. Instead of paying to borrow clubs each time, you could make a one-time investment in some cheap secondhand ones. Sports aren’t the only place where you can save money though! One of the easiest hobbies to save money on is gaming and within that, online gaming. There is so much competition for online game companies that they will almost always have an offer available to entice new customers. Those who enjoy arcade and casino-style gaming can make the most of some of the best casino bonuses available at the moment by simply signing up to play on a new site. Sites such as Asiabet research and rank each casino provider for you. They spend time checking which ones offer the largest variety of games, the sorts of bonuses you can expect to find and how prompt customer services responses are. Not only does taking on a bonus directly save you money, but first reading the review saves you money that you might have spent on a site that wouldn’t fit your needs quite right.
Thrifty Gifts
The joy of giving a really great gift to somebody is a feeling that’s hard to recreate, so when you’re thinking about your budget, don’t cut out birthdays. Instead, think of how you could make them a little more wallet-friendly. Thrifting items can be a great way to give a gift that’s thoughtful, inexpensive and totally unique. Whilst some people might turn their noses up at thrifted gifts, you could instead rebrand them as vintage. Make a day of heading out to all of the secondhand shops in your neighbourhood and really getting stuck into all of the little trinkets that you can find. Not only will you make huge savings on buying new, you’ll also make some time savings too. Thrift shops are full of all kinds of different things, meaning that you might be able to find several thoughtful gifts all under one roof. Once you’ve found your items, spend that time you saved on wrapping them beautifully. Whilst there’s no huge secret to wrapping presents, there are a few tips that can take your skills from a little scrappy to absolutely stunning. Brown paper is about as affordable as it gets and pairs perfectly with jute twine, another super cheap option. To elevate this from parcel to gift, collect some natural decorations to tie into the bow. During winter, a couple of sprigs of pine or even some holly make a beautiful addition. In the spring or summer you can find flowers and frondy ferns to attach, and in autumn, make the most of ripe ears of wheat. Use your imagination and get creative in your natural wrapping style, the extra effort won’t go unnoticed.
Simple Swaps
One of the reasons why extreme budgeting fails is that it doesn’t fit easily into our daily lives. Just as a total diet overhaul will likely result in a midnight chocolate binge, a budget that requires a huge change in lifestyle is destined for failure. Instead of deciding to live like a pauper, make small changes to aspects of your life that already exist. For example, switching canned beans for dried beans is a super simple swap and whilst it may only save you a dollar or so each time, over the course of a year that’s the kind of saving that will really add up, plus, it won’t affect your quality of life. Swap out your Tuesday and Thursday morning takeaway coffees for ones that you bring from home and put that money into savings. Stop buying ice cubes and instead freeze your own. Lots of these little actions will have a great cumulative effect on your bank balance without being detrimental to the enjoyment of your life.
