What if you could find 18 Ways to achieve financial blessings in 2018?
When you can get as much joy out of saving as you do out of spending, you’ll be well on your way to financial success.[1]
How successful do you want to be in 2018?
Now is the perfect time of year to strategize, or reestablish, a family’s financial goals. Below are eighteen smart money habits well worth contemplating; each has the potential to deliver financial blessings.
- Scrutinize the cell phone bill. I did, and found I was paying for a service I no longer needed—a separate Wi-Fi hotspot. I learned my iPhone is capable of becoming a Wi-Fi hotspot whenever I need one. $240 a year saved.
- Compare the current mobile phone, home phone, cable TV, or internet provider with similar companies. Who’s the best deal?
- Open a savings account if you don’t have one. Decide how much to contribute monthly. Unless you are disciplined, it helps to utilize automatic withdrawal options to directly fund a savings account.
- Put coupons to work. If a grocery store offers $10 off a $50 purchase, shop there. Take along product coupons and stock up on groceries in budget-friendly ways.
- Big step: Buy only necessities for an entire month. Concentrate on savings and paying down debt.
- Join sites like Groupon who offer a wide variety of discounted deals: restaurants, fitness, travel, eye or dental exams, and more.
- Take advantage of credit cards with rewards benefits.
- Pay off credit cards monthly and timely. Late fees and interest are costly. You may need to transfer the balance to an interest free card—but work to pay off the amount owed before the 0% period ends.
- Work a second job a few hours a week to increase earnings. Some things can be done from home: get paid to take surveys or test websites. Become a dog sitter. Every dollar adds up.
- Don’t give in to impulse shopping.
- Travel differently. Instead of a pricey hotel, try Airbnb or experience a yurt in a campground.
- Plug the money drain by giving up a bad habit. Smoking, gambling, shopaholic . . . whatever the vice might be.
- Make use of your talents. If you sing, sing at weddings, celebrations, or funerals.
- Keep the car longer. Mine is 15 years old, runs good and is paid for.
- Inflate tires properly and save over a $100 a year in gas.
- Rent out a room in your house to lower expenses. But thoroughly investigate potential renters.
- Choose to participate in your company’s 401(k) matching program and accumulate more savings.
- Potty train at age 2 instead of 3. This used to be the norm. And enjoy saving about a $1,000.
Take the Challenge
Will you take a few of these to heart, accept the challenge, and do something to better your bottom line in 2018? Where desire aligns with determination, financial blessings are close by.
[1] Adam Auriemma, Want to Be Richer in 2018? Learn to Love Saving Money, Money.com, December 2017, p. 4
