7 practical tips to save money and get a financial break at the end of the month

This practice helps not only to make your dreams come true, but also to lead a more peaceful life financially. Nobody deserves the worry of not being able to pay the bills, right? Having a reserve is important to turn around in the middle of an unforeseen event and stay out of debt.

If these are among your fears, read on. We’ve listed the top tips to help you save money and not have any problems with it. Check out!

1. Know earnings and expenses

You know that story that we need to know where our money comes from and where it goes? That’s the idea. When you know your income, you can predict what you can spend during the month so that your bills don’t go into the red. As for expenses, there are two possibilities:

• fixed: those that cannot be avoided, such as electricity, water, internet, college tuition and so on;
• superfluous: as the name implies, it is everything you spend beyond what is necessary, from a loaf of bread from the bakery to a piece of clothing bought on impulse.

You might think you can keep all this in your head without getting lost, but think about this: with the rush of everyday life, we already have too many details to worry about, don’t you think? The best strategy is to visualize this information. Therefore, adopt the habit of writing down this data in a digital or physical worksheet. Thus, it is even possible to understand at what point it is possible to cut expenses –– which leads us to the next topic.

2. Reduce bills

Have you ever thought that even fixed bills can be reduced? As much as you have to pay for energy every month, you can save a few reais with very simple changes: turn off the light whenever you leave a room, don’t leave appliances charging more than necessary, use the electric shower less, and so on.

But there comes a point where there is nothing left to cut in fixed accounts. This is the time to keep an eye on the superfluous. Before buying, think about whether you really need the product or service at that moment. If you’re going to order food through the app, for example, why not choose to eat at home? Your spreadsheet will be the basis of your financial planning.

3. Buy with conscience

Conscious consumption is much less debated in society than it should be. With so many elaborate advertisements and marketing strategies, we get the impression that shopping is always essential –– when, in fact, it may not even make a difference in your routine. To understand in practice, think about how many items of clothing are in your wardrobe. Do you use all of them or have some of them been sitting for months? And the shoes?

The secret of how to save money is to adopt awareness when buying. Consider whether there really is a need or just a desire to purchase. If you really need it, can you wait until you get the full amount? Is there an alternative way, like thrift stores for clothes?

4. Have an extra income

What you earn is just enough to pay the bills and you can’t save even a few coins? Then consider getting an extra income . Some jobs are very simple to get, especially if you have an efficient network. An example is freelance work. Professionals from different areas can do it, such as communication, marketing, technology, etc.

Home sales are another good opportunity and they need good logistics strategies more than investment in themselves. You can even make sweets and advertise on social networks to your friends in the same city, agreeing on a delivery location. If you prefer, you can work with an affiliate program and promote branded products, with a commission in return.

But not only that. See other ways to earn that extra income and awaken your entrepreneurial side :

• rent an object, such as a camera, video games, bicycle or anything else possible on partner sites;
• give tutoring to classmates in college or even to elementary or high school students. If you have mastery of any area, you can act as an online teacher ;
• take care of a pet, taking daily walks or receiving it at home while the owner travels;
• advertise your garage for rent;
• answer paid questionnaires;
• be a tour guide, even via the internet, through video conferences;
• invest in your artistic gifts, making crafts to sell.

5. Set goals

You can save money for the most diverse purposes: achieving financial independence , buying a property, doing an exchange program or even those simple ones, changing the mattress in the bedroom. So that they are not just dreams in your head, make them goals. What does that mean? Basically, list priorities and give them deadlines.

Let’s assume that your goal is to change your computer to improve your performance in studies and work with it from home. The value is not low, but it does not reach the prices of a property either. So put a medium term label and think about how long you want to make it a reality. 6 months? 1 year? Remember, it needs to be attainable and realistic to avoid frustration.

Even if you have priorities, one of your “reserve funds” should be earmarked for the unforeseen. After all, nobody knows how much a shower will burn or a pipe burst at home, right? When you have this emergency money, it’s hardly difficult and you don’t have to leave accounts open to cover these expenses. In addition, they collaborate with the motivation for savings.

6. Look for cheaper options

If you stop to think about it, there are plenty of savings opportunities just waiting for someone to notice them. A good example happens at work: if you have lunch outside the house, you end up spending much more than if you packed a lunchbox to go. In the same way, a trip with an app driver can be more expensive than the public transport route.

It may not seem like much, but these small actions add up to big savings, which can be invested in something more profitable –– like professional training . Note that it is not always necessary to break certain habits; the key is knowing how to balance. This means that, on some day of the weekend, it is possible to order food via delivery, as long as it does not become a recurring practice.

7. Try to buy in cash

We’ve already talked about conscious shopping and this has everything to do with this tip. The credit card seems to be a great friend, but you have to be very careful with the installments. Relying only on those small numbers and not considering the total amount with possible interest is a big trap. Therefore, paying in cash is the best option.

But if your card has a points and discount program, an interesting strategy is to spend the purchase on it –– in cash, of course. It’s just not worth spending the payment money on other things and forgetting that amount, agreed? Write it down on the spreadsheet!

Now that you know how to save money and, more importantly, that this practice is possible, it’s time to put together your strategies. Think about your goals, take notes of everything, make different reservations and don’t get discouraged. Be sure to consider some investments that will make a difference in your career, such as studies. With a diploma in hand and financial discipline, changing your life is beyond possible!