Lets talk about short term and long term goals. Like I said before planning is the best thing you can do for most anything. When planning for short and long term goals you need to make a time frame for when you want to accomplish these goals. Short term goals can be to save up and take the family on a nice vacation or buy something that you have really wanted. Long term goals can range from saving up for a down payment to a house or how much you want to retire with. Either way there needs to be a plan with time frames. Sit down and figure out, based on if you get paid weekly, Bi weekly or monthly, how much you need to save every time you get payed and how much needs to be put away for these goals. This will help you figure out how much you can afford to put away and when you will be able to meet your goals.
When it comes to expenses that you have to pay every month or choose to pay every month, you need to shop around. Call your cable company and see if they can lower your bill. Same goes for the phone bill, insurance, gym membership and subscriptions. Things that can help on utility's can range from just unplugging appliances when you aren't using them, to remember to turn off your lights, and a big one is to check your thermostat, if you can find other ways to warm your house instead of turning the furnace on, then try it. Same goes for the summer, open up some windows and let the breeze come in. You could also look into refinancing your house or car. Banks tend to run specials through out the year and when you see a good interest rate then hop on it.
If you love to go out and watch every new movie or feel that you have some connection to that movie, think twice, it will come out on DVD or it seems that most people just order movies from their TV now. To go to the movies today can cost a lot of money and everyone know that a bag of popcorn and a medium drink shouldn't cost $22. It also might be time to give up those $4 lattes you love so much. Drinking these drinks, no matter how delicious they are can add up very quickly if you go on a regular bases. Try to carpool to work or use the bus. Doing this can help you meet new people and change up your daily schedule, as gross as some public transportation buses are, it is a good way to save money. Try to avoid cabs, I have been to NY City and in one day of traveling spent over $100 in just cab fares. But if you do drive to work, find the cheapest gas prices you can. Most news stations post the gas prices from lowest to highest in the area on their website so check it out.
When you do save up for that vacation or plan on taking a trip to see the family for the holidays, don't book the flight the last minute. The airlines know when you book a flight for Sunday and its Friday that you need to get there and you will pay more just to be on that plane. So plan ahead, look into taking a train ride to where you are going. Trains are much cheaper and if you get the window seat, they are the scenic route.
When you go out on the town with your friends, those nights can get really expensive. When you start to drink, you start to say to yourself, I just want to have a good time so I can spend a little more to do that. We all need to have a good time its what makes memories and great stories for later, not to mention the things we will tell our kids not to do. Well if you are not driving then drink a little at home before you go out this on average can save $20 to $40 when you go and pay that final bill.
I know these things are obvious, and easier said than done. But take the time to try some out, you never know who you might run across taking the train or bus.
If you have any questions please Email me at Thetightdollar@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter @Thetightdollar
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