How do you save money?

[Anonymous]

I’m trying to save up to visit my friend in England, in a year from now, staying for two weeks. I want to find a balance between being overly generous and being stingy with gift giving. What should I do to save money next year?

Are little differences, like buying flowers in person instead of online orders, cheaper chocolates, for special occasions, posting fewer gifts per birthday, in smaller parcels; and waiting until next year on Christmas to buy cards and gifts for friends and relatives, postponing any other big expenses, a good way to save money?

[WindAtMyBack]

You save money by not spending it. I know this is stating the obvious, but it's the only real answer. Just don't spend it.

And YES, little differences really add up to a big difference. As a mater of fact, small things are usually the bulk of it for most people. I think the reason is that people scrutinize larger purchases more, and buy little things without thinking.

With literally everything you buy, ask yourself if you REALLY need it, or just want it. One trick I used until I got naturally better at saving, was to NEVER buy ANYTHING that I did not go to the store specifically to buy. Even if I saw the greatest sale, I would not buy it. I would go home first, then I was allowed to go back and get it if I still wanted it. Guess what? No matter how much I wanted it, I never bothered to go back. So I didn't want it as much as I thought I did.

Another trick is when the sending itch hits you, satisfy that itch by buying something really small and cheap. Buying a small thing satisfies the itch almost as much as buying the big thing. Plus it almost never ends with buyer's remorse.

[Oliverlogan263]

Girl, those are all great tips for saving money without being too stingy! Little changes like that will definitely add up over time. Here are a few more ideas:

- Meal prep on your days off so you're not tempted by fast food or cafes during the week. Cooking at home is waaay cheaper.

- Cut back on frivolous coffee shop/eating out trips and pack your lunch more. Even skipping just 1-2 times a week will save.

- Downgrade your phone/internet plan if possible once your contract is up. No need for the top tier.

- Look for free or cheap things to do like hiking, picnics in the park, movies at the library instead of theaters.

- Sell things you never use on Depop or FB Marketplace for extra cash. Old clothes, books, etc all add up.

- Set a strict monthly savings goal and put it away as soon as you get paid, not what's leftover at the end.

Stuff like that adds up way more than you'd think! And your friend will understand saving for the trip. With some cuts in the right places you'll be sipping tea with her in no time, hun!

[Nikki1989]

Earn more than you can spend if possible. Work out much you need to live comfortably and then double it. That is the kind of wage you should be aiming for.

[jshm2]

Check your bills, switch to cheaper contracts on phone, electricity, gas etc.

On gifts, just stick with gift cards instead of actual gifts. So instead of a 10 bucks T-shirt, you give a 5 bucks Amazon card.

[jahaims]

By making more than I spend