What would you like to buy this year? Is there a new car or a trip to Ibiza on your radar? Or perhaps you simply want to make personal savings go further.
Regardless of your aim, the simple strategies outlined in this post can stretch your budget, and help you end the year with much more savings than you started with. Here are 4 money saving hacks to put you ahead regardless of the economic situation.
Top 4 Money Saving Hacks For 2015
Consider an online savings account
When it comes to putting your rainy-day funds in an account, the requirements are 1) it must be liquid 2) free of investment risk 3) the holder must earn a return so that the account holder’s buying power remains intact against the effects of inflation.
The money market deposits and top-yielding savings accounts meet two of the requirements and though the returns trail inflation rate, they do eclipse inflation at a point, should the interest rates rise or the price pace falls. Online savings accounts have a minimum to zero deposit requirements and are available to open in 50 states.
Save money on broadband, phone and cable TV
Many people neglect searching for coupons and deals when subscribing or paying for existing subscriptions on cable TV, phone and broadband, which is a mistake. Many top companies such as Verizon, AT&T and Comcast offer bundle deals for the three services which have a reasonable subscription price than taking these services separately.
Everyone knows that buying a new phone is pricey and likely to set you back hundreds of dollars. Trouble is we all know now that phones & tech are essential to our everyday life and as such we can't do without them. All family members including kids are now requesting a smartphone for Birthdays and Christmas. So how can we find a quality phone without breaking the bank? This is where SellCell.com works really hard for you. Not only is SellCell the USA's No1 site for trading in old phones, but they also find and compare the best deals across the whole market for refurbished phones and pre-owned tech. Refurbished phones are simply a used device that has been reconditioned back to full working order, so you have a great quality smartphone at a much cheaper price than a new phone. SellCell finds you the very best deals for refurbished & pre-owned phones and tech, so you are always guaranteed to save money and find the best deal.
Additionally, you can save money by using these coupons from Uverse when searching for the best entertainment value. The good news is that most companies still advertise such amazing deals online without the requirement to enter any cryptic and cumbersome codes. Most of these coupon and promo deals give consumers a reward card to allow for savings when they sign up for the offer.
Look for a reward-based credit card
Did you spend 2014 paying your credit card balances in full? That makes you a candidate for a reward-based credit card. With this credit card type, you increase savings when you get compensated when you receive cash backs, airline miles or another reward every time you make a purchase.
Before signing up for a reward-based credit card, compare a few offers based on what percentage of the purchases are given out in rewards. While a 1 percent reward ratio is the rule of thumb, some cards have a higher payout above a certain spending limit, or on certain categories of spending. Finding the best fit can allow you to save hundreds of dollars a year from your pocket expenses.
Be smart with meals
Getting an idea about what’s going on the lunch and dinner table a week in advance can result in huge savings. Leftovers often go to waste, so meal planning can also include consumption of leftover portions to prevent wastage. Advance planning will also make your grocery trips quick, and you won’t end up buying food that doesn’t become a part of your meals.
Also, cooking meals at home rather than dining out will keep you healthy and in control over your expenses. Look for a big crock-pot so you can make a big batch of tasty meals and enjoy several portions throughout the day.
How do you plan to save money this year? Feel free to leave comments!
Stephie Smith
This is good advice. My husband and I recently started to track how much we were spending on eating out, and it shocked us how much money we were wasting. Now that I've started making a plan for our meals and shopping with a list, it's saved us a lot of money already! Thanks for sharing your finance tips.