7 Ways to Save More $$$
Your true happiness does not have to revolve around spending money. It’s actually the people you get to enjoy life with.
Growing up in a family where money is never really discussed across the dining table has forced me to learn the importance of saving for a rainy day. Swiping credit cards, piling up debt, and having poor credit scores were the norm.
Proverbs 13:22 says “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”
Thankfully I have an older brother who taught me in the early stages of my life how money does not grow from trees, and how it’s very crucial to implement a habit of saving rather than spending on unnecessary things.
During my college years, I also grew fond of learning more about finance and how to cultivate wealth. I refuse to see my future generation living with the burden of debt behind their back.
If you are open to a journey of living debt free and changing your life history, so you and your family can win and prosper, then let’s do this together!
Here are 7 simple ways you can save more money:
1.) Tracking Your Expenses (Budgeting)
It is important to know where your money is going each month. Categorize each spending for groceries, rent, utilities, transportation (for gas, car repairment), debt, entertainment, giving, etc.
Before making a purchase ask yourself if this is a need or a want. “Have I looked around to compare prices? Could I wait one more month to make this purchase?”
Know the difference between instant gratification vs. delayed gratification. Often time short-term gratification only leads to temporary joy.
“When we weigh what we want now against what we really want later, we realize how temporary satisfaction pales in comparison to a legacy of purpose and generational fulfillment.” (Ramsey Solutions)
In addition to budgeting, prevent and avoid lifestyle creep as a barrier to building long-term wealth. Proverbs 21:20 says “The wise have wealth & luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.”
2.) Forming Real & Accountable Friendships
Learn to surround yourself with friends who have similar goals and habits of living a debt-free life. Proverbs 13:20 tells us “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”
Close proximity is the key. Ultimately you become more of who you spend most of your time with. If you want to have a neat, productive, successful, and positive life, make yourself available to learn from those types of people and watch how you will achieve greatness just by being around them.
Be open to correction whenever someone is trying to help you become a better person. True friends will always see the best in you and provide honest feedback. “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Proverbs 27:5-6
Quick Sharing: This past week I was in the middle of purchasing a concert ticket, that would cost me approximately $180+. However as I was debating if I should buy it or not, I decided to consult with two of my closest friends. I asked them if this was a good idea, to which they said it’s better if I save instead of spending that much money on a one-night event. I'm glad I listened to them because it made me realize how regretful I would be if I did buy that ticket hastily.
3.) Minimize Your Intake of Social Media and Phone Usage
Have you ever realized how many marketing ads are bombarding your phone through Youtube, Instagram, email, and web browsers? Mass Marketing entices you to spend more than you need to. Our culture of consumerism and superficiality has convinced us that buying more, better things could make us happier. This is not true.
Furthermore, scrolling on Instagram habitually provokes the comparison game from seeing other people’s picture-perfect high reels of life. This type of habit stimulates discontentment and ungratefulness. You start to question how your life is not as great as the people you follow on social media. You become discontent seeing how mundane your day is compared to theirs.
Unfortunately spending money we don’t have while paying off debt with high interest is the norm here in America.
Let’s make a change!
Let us not be a part of the mass population, and instead learn to save more so that we can live a life free from borrowing money. We shall be a lender and not the borrower. Deuteronomy 15:6 states “For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.”
4.) Find Inexpensive Ways to Have Fun
Google free activities around your community, there are always exciting things to do for free. Be comfortable & happy with being by yourself. Spend time reading, learning new skills, and accumulating knowledge that would improve you as an individual.
Have one on one heart conversations with friends or family in person or through video calls. Listen to them, empathize, and offer any encouragement that may help them win in life. Host a potluck and dine at home together.
Choose hobbies like exercising at home, cleaning your house, and decluttering. By doing so you get to even sell your items online and make extra cash.
& Yes, I admit now I enjoy cleaning (thanks to my big brother who’s a clean freak). A clean home is always nice to come home to anyway. 😉
5.) Swap the Credit Card with Cash
Having limited cash on hand will automatically limit your expenses. When you are down to $20 left to spend before your next paycheck, you won’t be so quick to order uber eats for dinner.
There is something tangible about spending cash that makes you think twice about letting go of your hard-earned money. Is it really worth it? Whereas using a credit card, you won’t realize the damage it’s doing until you see the total bill accumulating in your next bank statement.
Credit cards were created to make transactions more efficient for its users. It feels so painless to swipe a card or have it scanned through your phone now. But with all those mindless swiping and buying, credit cards can become a dangerous trap for millions of Americans. Instead of saving, they live their life from paycheck to paycheck because they are late on making credit card payments.
Therefore, be careful and intentional when spending. Avoid mindless shopping online, especially on Amazon or other stores that would easily tempt you to spend.
Using cash also teaches you to practice self-control and discipline you from having bad habits of impulse buying. Other habits to implement are practicing frugality and minimalism. More of these two topics in my future blog post!
6.) Cultivate a Heart of Contentment
Practice gratitude wherever you are. At your home, at work, in your car, in the bathroom…you know what I mean.
Declare statements out loud like: “I thank God I get to wake up, eat, breathe, sing, work, have a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food on the table. I am thankful I have a healthy body, I get to exercise daily, get to love and spend time with my family.”
Truth be told: your true happiness does not have to revolve around spending money. It’s actually the people you get to enjoy life with. It comes from simple moments of saying “I love you, I am thankful for you, You make my life so much better and sweeter each day.”
Some words I’ve been declaring out loud daily are this “I have what I need, I am content with what I have, & ALL that I have comes from the LORD.” This has helped shift my heart and mind to be grateful at all times.
7.) Continue to Give Generously (Not Just Money)
Did you know God wants to promote and bless you tremendously? When you are responsible with the small, you will be given much more. How you handle what you got right now greatly determines how much more you will receive in the days to come.
The Bible tells us God loves a cheerful giver. “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
May our life be an overflowing well that never runs dry. If Jesus is the source of it all, and we are His vessels, then shouldn’t we be able to pour into others as well?
Proverbs 11:25 tells us “The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.”
We operate in the principle of Kingdom Multiplication. Indeed you cannot reap more than what you sow. You are most effective where you’re most committed & invested. Change your investment then you will see a change of return.
Little investment >>> little return
Much investment >>> more return
What are you willing to be faithful to?
If giving generously makes you a good steward over what God has entrusted you with, then have we applied this principle in our everyday life yet?
Do not expect to receive God’s blessing when we ourselves have not done our part to be a blessing for someone else.
Philippians 2:3,4 reminds us by saying “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.”
Giving extravagantly is an antidote to hoarding and spending, aka focusing on your own self. Let us not be selfish, instead, let’s learn together from Jesus who is completely selfless and generous.
Let's live a rich & content life, one day at a time.
With Love,
Sharon
SUMMARY
7 Simple Ways to Save More Money
1.) Tracking Your Expenses (Budgeting)
2.) Forming Real & Accountable Friendships
3.) Minimize Your Intake of Social Media and Phone Usage
4.) Find Inexpensive Ways to Have Fun
5.) Swap the Credit Card with Cash
6.) Cultivate a Heart of Contentment
7.) Continue to Give Generously (Not Just Money)
We may not be where we want to be yet financially, living absolute debt-free. But by doing the baby steps to pay off our debts and becoming more disciplined in choosing to save rather than spend lavishly, we will reach our destination and leave a generational inheritance and legacy to our children's children.
Ramsey Solutions, "3 Bible Verses That Will Help You Leave a Legacy" November 16, 2021, accessed July 30, 2022, https://www.ramseysolutions.com/personal-growth/3-bible-verses-legacy#:~:text=When%20we%20weigh%20what%20we,qualities%20like%20integrity%20and%20trustworthiness.