Happy New Year!

2020 was an avoidably rough year financially. Too many take out meals and impulsive Amazon buys have left me leaving 2020 with my head held low. I need a massive change in 2021. My goals are bigger and so is my acknowledgement of how much life costs.

Saving money and spending less of it is a struggle for so many in a world of swirling consumerism and paralyzing debt. If you’re like me, you take in as many pointers as possible to get on the right track. Money is no different. The savings are in the small changes.

So, why should you trust me? Because I’ve been good before. And by “good” I don’t mean swimming in extra income and eating steak every night. I mean secure. It’s the most luxurious feeling in the world. I slept better. I ate better. I felt better about myself because I was being responsible. I knew that if there was a reasonably priced emergency, I could handle it. If I needed to buy a new car, I could, because my credit score was spectacular.

The following tips are intended to help you enter 2021 with some hope and exit with more money in the bank.

1. Do a no spend week or a no spend month! I’m doing no spend January, that means if it’s not food from the grocery store, a bill or an absolute necessity, I’m not paying for it this month. There are plenty of ideas on Pinterest on how to have a no spend weekend or date night! This’ll help you separate the needs from the wants.
2.  Stop waiting for “big” amounts to deposit into savings. Instead of telling yourself that you’ll make a deposit when you have $100 or $500 extra dollars, deposit what you have today. $17.96? Great. $1.46 you found on the floor of your car? Awesome. I always used to wait until I hit a certain amount to save. Now, I make going to the bank a weekly habit, and deposit as much as I can, even if it’s a few dollars.
3. Sell what you don’t use! You can use eBay, Craigslist, Facebook, or Poshmark!  Not only will you make some extra cash, but it’ll really make you think about what you bring into your space.
4. Bring your own lunch. In fact, make all your own meals. I love these glass food storage containers.
5. Write down your goals. Stay on track by writing yearly, monthly, and weekly goals.
6. Curate your stimuli. I got this one from The Financial Diet. Simply put, you are what you eat. If you consume endless HGTV renovation shows, you’ll want to redo your backyard. If you follow all luxury fashion bloggers, you’ll be tempted by the online Gucci sale section at 3 am.
7. Leave your entitlement in 2020. I had to teach myself that I’m not entitled to go shopping because I have a party coming up. I don’t need to go out to dinner because “Monday’s are rough”. The world doesn’t owe me anything. What I do deserve, however, is a break every once in awhile. So, instead of shopping I’ll stay in and watch a trashy TV show or read blogs.
8. Spend after saving. This one is such a simple concept but leads to accountability and stability.
9. Find a “why”. Whether it’s to retire early, take a big trip, or for peace of mind. Develop and write down your “why” when it comes to saving money.
10. Say no! If you have FOMO (fear of missing out) or any people-pleasing traits, you might have trouble with this one. Saying no to a fancy dinner or declining a weekend trip can lead to a little extra change in your account this month.

I hope you, too, will take advantage of this fresh new year and get your financial house in order. It’s never too late to start. At the end of the day, nothing money can buy feels better than being able to cover an emergency.

What are your money saving tips? Do you have financial goals for 2021? Let me know below?

O.