There are many reasons people struggle with saving money. Many factors that we are sometimes are unaware of. In this article we will discuss some of these reasons. 11 reasons you are struggling to save money 1.Cost of living It would be an injustice to talk about saving money without acknowledging the cost of living. The inflation rate keeps rising which means prices are hiking while our income remains the same. High costs of living, such as housing, healthcare, and education, leave little room for saving after meeting essential needs. 2. You don't Budget (or stick to it) A budget is to your finances what water is to your body. You might survive a day or two without it but in a long term you will feel the effects. Without a clear budget, it's challenging to track income, expenses, and savings. Overspending becomes common, making it difficult to save 3. You live beyond your means Spending more than you earn will leave you with nothing to save. Spending more than what you ear
Minimalism is a lifestyle centred around living below your means and owning only what you need. While you do not need to be minimalistic to save money, there are minimalistic habits that can help you start saving money.
In this article we will explore those habits and how they can help you get started on your money saving lifestyle.
6 EASY minimalistic habits to start saving money
1. Determine your need
Often time we get sucked into the habit of buying items that we do not really need. Consumerism is the disease of the society. We get encouraged to spend money at every turn. From our social media ads to our television screens.
You need to make a conscious decision to spend on things that you need and that hold value to you. You have to review your bank statements to evaluate how and where you spend your money. Unnecesarry expenditure lead to brokeness.
2. Budgeting
Failing to plan is a plan to fail.
Budgeting is taking responsibility for your money. It is accounting for every cent spent. When you budget, you avoid over spending and ant expenses.
There are apps such as Mint have made it easy to start a budget. You can also go old school with a notepad and a list of your incime less expenses. It is that easy. You can learn more about budgeting here
3. Sell items you don't need
Decluttering may be an answer to some of your financial problems.
Disclaimer: THIS WILL NOT MAKE YOU MILLIONS.
Now that is out of the way, let’s get into it. You can get a few bucks by selling items you don't necessary need or use. You can sell them on facebook market, amazon, or craig list.
The other benefits of decluttering is that when you have less, you appreciate what you have and are more likely to not spend on unnecessary stuff.
You can also donate the things you don’t use. This will not earn you money but you will feel good to have done something good for someone else.
4. Meal planning
Planning your meals in advance and having ready made meals each day is one of the easiest ways to save money. When you batch cook your meals, you avoid having spoiled produce and impulse spending on take outs.
No one wants to come home and cook after a long day at work. Most of us just want to spend the rest of the day relaxing or catching up with family and friends. Meal prepping will help you avoid decision fatigue and just enjoying healthy meals without over spending.
5. Enjoy simplicity
Pure joy is found in the simplest things. There is no amount of money that can buy you happiness. Yet you are sold dreams everyday that certain items will bring you happiness galore. You can avoid falling prey to this by appreciating the little things life has to offer.
6. Repair and take care
Some items do not need to be replaced but fixed. Yes you will still spend money but it might cost less to repair them than to buy a new item. You should also get into a habit of buying pre-loved items.
Some things you need to buy them brand new. If it can still function properly then why not get it instead of buying new. Thos will also impact the environment at a larger scale by reducing waste. So you’ll actually be saving the environment.
Conclusion
The habits listed above will not make you a millionaire but I can assure you that they will get you started on your personal finance route. They will assist you save money.