Saving money 101.
I
hear a lot of people around me saying that they spend too much and that they don't manage to save up money. As someone who used to spend all
my pocket money on random stuff when I was a teenager, I totally get
it. Now that I'm an adult who has to pay bills and feed myself, not
so much. Over the years I've found many tips and tricks to save money
without feeling at all deprived in my day-to-day life. No need to cut down on your social life or stop online shopping - my approach is to
rethink the way we consume anything that can be bought, and find
some alternatives around you. I've divided my tips into three
categories: beauty, fashion and lifestyle. Here we go... How to effortlessly save money!
THE BEAUTY TIPS
-
Only buy a beauty product when you run out of something. No one
really needs five foundations, three black eyeliners and
three palettes of neutral eyeshadows. Yes, new releases are exciting,
but if saving money is your current goal, then keep your trustworthy
staples and ditch the news-in.
-
Cut up old t-shirts to make makeup remover cloths, or get a couple
reusable cloths to stop buying cotton pads. I give this tip to
everyone because of its ecological value, but it also is a savvy
habit that will save you money.
- If you want good quality products for less, look into stores like TK Maxx, where they will sell brands for very good prices. I'm thinking shampoo, skincare, soap... It's a gold mine!
- Don't buy shaving cream, and instead just rub some shower gel on your skin and the razor will glide just as well.
- Take short showers, and cut on baths - I know a bath feels great, but you will save the money you spent on those Lush bathbombs (which are unreasonably priced these days) and on the water bill.
THE FASHION TIPS
-
Learn to sew so that you can sew back buttons on your tops and little
holes on socks - or any other clothes that have holes in them. It may
seem a little 1800's, but isn't it silly to throw away a pair of socks
because one of them has a hole in it? This will avoid you having togo buy, buy, buy again.
-
Don't buy something because you need it there and then. We've all
been in this scenario: you're out in the cold and you didn't think of
wearing a jumper, so you just run into the first shop you see and get
one. Or maybe you're out for the day, it's raining and you forgot
your umbrella, so you buy one from a random cheap shop. You will end
up with multiples of the same accessory (that you only need one of)
and spend your money unecessarily. Instead, just live through it and
maybe next time, you'll remember to bring that damn umbrella!
-
If you need an outfit, costume or accessory for a party, ask a friend
if they have something you can borrow instead of buying it
to wear it only once. Need a witch's hat for a Halloween party? I'm
pretty sure at least one of your friends, or family, or colleagues
will have one in their house somewhere. Never buy anything you plan
on wearing for a specific occasion. Make do with what you have, and
what you can borrow from others.
THE LIFESTYLE TIPS
-
When you leave the house, make sure you have a reusable bottle ofwater so you don't end up spending a few coins to buy one. Also, don't
be scared to ask for refills in cafés and restaurants: if you run
out of water during the day, someone will happily fill your reusable
bottle for you.
-
Make your own lunch boxes for work instead of buying food on the go.
You don't have to make it complicated; even sandwiches are cheaper if
you make them at home. Bring your own tea bags or coffee to work
instead of stopping at Starbucks at the beginning of the day.
-
Reuse whatever you can at home to avoid buying some specifc things:
old jam jars can be turned into those fancy mason jars everyone
loves, you can use biscuit boxes as storage, etc.
- Stop buying magazines and read articles online instead. (Though I think most people do this already nowadays!)
- In the same idea, stop buying books and get yourself a membership at the library. Buying books at the bookshop is expensive, and even though it is great to support them, if you are looking into saving money for now, borrow the books instead. Especially great if you end up don't liking the book so much - you'll be glad you haven't bought it.
- For your food shopping, don't be scared to buy from lower store brands (for products like pasta, cereal, yogurt etc.) - their food probably comes from the same producer, but one gets double the price because of the brand name.
What are your tips to save money easily?
Lots of love,
Julia x
Lots of love,
Julia x
