It’s a topic everyone wants to know about. Everyone is always looking for ways to save a few extra bucks. Here are 5 things on what I have found works. It may not be much at the start but over time it does add up.

1. Do a budget sheet.
   1. Look at how much you spend each month vs. how much you get paid. Are you spending more money than what you are making? If so, where are some areas that you could cut back on?
2. Weekly saving
   1. Start by putting a couple of dollars each pay check into a separate savings account that you don’t touch. I know that this is silly but it does add up over time. I started out by saving only $2 each pay check( I got paid every other week). I know that it isn’t much but it was all I could afford at the time. That year I saved $52. That was enough for me to buy at least one tank of gas, a few groceries, or an extra months worth of utility bills. I could have used that money toward whatever I needed to help me, but I ended up saving it so that if an emergency ever came up I would have some extra cash handy. Just think even if you could save at least $5 a week that’s over $200 in a year.
3. Coupons
   1. I know how hard it can be to find coupons that you need, but when you do find them use them. Even if it is for $0.25, it adds up over time. A lot of stores now have an app that you can use that give you coupons. Side note: a lot of times I will go to the self check out area because people will leave coupons that they didn’t want. sometimes I get lucky and find one I needed.
4. Save what you can.
   1. I know it’s obviously easier said than done but start being very aware of what you are spending your money on. Are you eating out a lot? Buying a lot of things you don’t need? I know how hard this is. I lived alone for a while and it was difficult and expensive to eat for only just me. I would eat out a lot or make something and have a lot of food left over. When I first lived on my own I very quickly noticed how everything was so much cheaper in bulk. It was way more expensive to buy one of something than to buy it in bulk. My advice, buy in bulk. Freeze what you don’t/can’t use now. Make a meal and make enough for you to have again for the next day at lunch or for supper. Not only will this save you the stress of grocery shopping but it will also save you money. I know it is not as much fun as eating out but I promise it will save you money. I also started buying snacks like almonds, granola bars, crackers, etc to keep in my purse and car so if I got hungry I wouldn’t go spend money at the drive through.
5. Invest your money.
   1. Don’t let your money sit at home of your table or in your secret hidden stash. Open a checking/savings account at a local bank, invest it with the stock market. Do something with it so that it will earn interest every month. If you do invest it with a company or in stocks make sure you keep a close eye on what the economy and what that company is doing. You don’t want to lose everything that you have saved.