how do you save?

[LazyHermitCrab]

I feel like I'm failing at being an adult. I work full time but I barely saved anything and everything around me is messy. (like my room) Last month I spent all day cleaning and now it's a tornado again. I live with my parents and i'm almost 25. My parents don't charge me rent but I'm paying for everything else. I work full time 9-5 and my income isn't great but it's not bad either. My job has no special benefits like health insurance so I'm on an independent one. If you saw my post before i'm going to find a new job but still ppl make less than me and save way more. My car is old and has to keep getting repaired. Last month it was $900 and it's broken again. I don't have enough money to buy a new car lol. Lol need advice... :/

 

[awkwardamanda]

Last month I spent all day cleaning and now it's a tornado again.

I lol'd. My bedroom is in a perpetual state of tornado aftermath. I never have enough time or energy to tackle it. Anytime I make any progress it looks like I've gotten nowhere. I'm failing at being an adult too. I'm 30 and I still live with my parents. I can't really move out cause I don't exactly work full time. But I've always been good at saving money. I don't like to spend on frivolous things. I'm not cheap though. I'll spend money if I think it's worth it. But I don't just blow money for nothing. It also helps that I don't drink and don't have a life. My entertainment costs are next to nothing. Just try not to waste money on things you don't need, look for deals, limit restaurant trips, etc. Pay attention to what you spend money on. You may notice there are some things you can easily cut down on. And if you don't have a savings account, get one set up, so at least what you do save can collect a little interest.:thinking:

 

[PugofCrydee]

Every time I go past Macca's or KFC and consider getting some, I resist the urge then go home and transfer what I would have spent on rubbish into my savings account.

Amazing how much money you can spend on that crap.

 

[peakwary]

Every time I get my pay I set aside a small amount for my savings. And then I have a piggy bank where save whatever spare coin/change I have. Plus, when I'm feeling the urge to spend on unnecessary things or when I've already spent some, I force myself to add it to my piggy bank as well.
My most recent piggy bank I only bought last month and it's already half full. I'm so happy when I add coins and I don't hear the coin's clanging. It means that I've added so many bills. :bigsmile:

 

[aw26]

One of the best things you can do is just start budgeting. At least then you can see exactly where your money goes. It really could surprise you (it does for most people). Just take how much money you expect to make next month, and plan it all out, how you would choose to spend it. Make sure you have some saving in there too. If you need to spend on anything outside of that, it's got to come from somewhere, so adjust. The first month or two are tough, then it slowly gets easier. It kind of comes down to making your money do what you want by plan. Over time, you get better control and can really put yourself in a better position.

 

[Odo]

I don't own a car or house, have no debts and groceries are probably my biggest expense. My clothes are cheap (I just buy simple clothing), my hobbies are cheap (hiking is free, running is free, writing is free), and I have investments that have paid off in the long term. Oh yeah, and I never/rarely go out.

I don't know if I have a 'good' salary (my new job probably doesn't pay as well as yours), but at my last job I could save half of my paycheck every month, and over time that adds up. I would have saved even more if I didn't like to travel... every year I took 2 trips that cost thousands and even though I didn't wallow in luxury the whole time I definitely could have been thriftier. Still, I ended up saving most of my salary every year.

I used to have a job where overtime alone would cover my living expenses so I could pocket my entire salary... and then there was even a point where overtime would cover MORE than my living expenses--THAT was sweet. I did buy some useless crap with it though. I regret that... I should have just donated to charity.

I get that not everyone can choose not to have a car, but if you're making a decent salary and living at home rent-free I have no idea what's going on. Maybe you go out to restaurants, have expensive hobbies or do a lot of online shopping or something... little things can add up. If you're taking supplements or expensive drugs or something, that can definitely do it.

My advice is to do whatever you can to live below your means... not at, and definitely not above. The biggest mistake people make when they start earning money is they start upgrading their lifestyles to match. I'm still basically living the way I did in university when I had just enough to live and that's it.

 

[Pacific_Loner]

I live in a small apartment in a cheap neighborhood, I bought an old car but good enough for it not to need much repairs over the years, I don't drink, smoke or spend much money on meds, I don't eat at the restaurant or order take out, I don't buy electronic crap, I don't go in stores, this way I'm not discovering new things that I "need", when I need clothing I usually go to thrift stores - or patch up what I already own.

If you have trouble seeing where all your money goes, where I live you can ask your bank to provide you with a monthly graphic showing you how you spend your money. It shows you which proportion of your money income goes into gas, food, shopping, etc. It seems like it could be useful in your case.

My advice is to do whatever you can to live below your means... not at, and definitely not above. The biggest mistake people make when they start earning money is they start upgrading their lifestyles to match. I'm still basically living the way I did in university when I had just enough to live and that's it.

I very much agree with this. I haven't upgraded my lifestyle since I was a student either.

 

[nicole1]

There's an article about how a woman saved money while earning minimum wage. Read on because she also offers services.