Last year was, according to the wisest brain in the world, Kylie Jenner, the year of ‘realizing things’ and considering what happened in global politics, it would appear that a lot of people felt the same way as her. What was 2016 for you? If it was a year of spending money on things you didn’t really need to get away from the horrible strain of realizing things, you’re definitely not alone. But 2017 is a fresh new start, away from the credit card bills that are still giving you nightmares. The nice thing about a new year – and it is still relatively new – is the chance to start over and to start being a little more financially responsible. Here are some tips on how to make and save more money in 2017.
Cut Back On Non Essentials
Image source
The first thing to cut out here is, sadly, gym membership – but luckily there are plenty of ways to keep fit on a budget. If you prefer exercise that really gets your heartbeat pumping then you could try running – just make sure that you buy supportive running shoes. If you’ve never gone running before then you could start with a brisk walk, or you could even try out Couch To 5K which will help you get up and running in no time at all. If you prefer exercise that’s a little more gentle then you could try hiking at your nearest beauty spot, or you could try out some yoga videos on YouTube at home. Not only will this help out your spiritual health, but it’ll also help to increase your core strength and help you become more flexible and balanced.
Start Eating Fresh
Image source
One of the best ways that you can save a little money is to learn to cook. Not only is fresh food much better for you but it’s also a lot more reasonably priced – and you’ll be gratified when you remember that your money’s paid for food that’s free of all the extra sugar and salt that goes into convenience food! Look online for cheap and healthy recipes that are easy to make and make sure that you stock up on essentials like a good rack of a variation of spices, rice and flour. Make some great chicken stock to freeze so you always have the basis of good healthy warming food for winter, and when summer comes remember that you can throw together incredible salads without having to break the bank and your wallet in order to do so.
Go Second Hand
Image source
Luckily for us all, vintage clothes are more in now than ever before, no matter what era you’re into. Eighties power shoulders can look great, and so can nineties grunge and seventies punk. No matter what your style is, you’ll be able to find some items to suit it online on sites like eBay and in second hand and thrift stores. Chances are, they’ll be much better condition than all the wannabe vintage clothes in high street fashion stores and they’ll last you a long time no matter how often you wear them.
Get A New Job – And Make Sure You Negotiate
Image source
If you’re having cash flow problems and you’re not even particularly keen on the job that pays you what little money you do have, then maybe it’s time to move on and look for something new. The thing about job hunting when you already have a job is that you have to be extremely strict with yourself in terms of setting some time aside to look for and then apply to jobs. You might have to cut back on socialising for a while – but that’ll help you save money too, so in the long term it isn’t the worst thing. If you really want to get a new job then it’s important to prioritise that in your life. Once you get a new job it’s important to make sure that you get the wage that you feel you deserve. A lot of the time, women don’t take chances when they apply to jobs – and they also don’t make sure that they get the pay that they deserve, so it’s important to make sure that you get paid what you should get. Remember that your experience is worth money, and that if you don’t ask for what you feel you should get, there’s no chance that you’ll get it. It’s better to be too assertive than not assertive enough. In this world and current climate, we should all do our best to be ‘nasty women’ – aka women who know what they want and who go after it.
Look For Deals
Image source
If you want to save money then it’s important that you start looking for deals – and just as important that you make sure that you don’t buy things just because they’re on offer. If your regular soap is in a three for two deal then great – but if not, pass it over. Remember to look online on sites like DontPayFull for great deals and coupons that can help you get a good chunk of money off your grocery shopping.
Make A Budget
Image source
Make sure that you budget your cash carefully – make an Excel spreadsheet so you can clearly see what your incomings and outgoings are every month. Although you may not think you spend much on your daily Starbucks, by the end of the month you might be stunned at how much you end up spending there. Making a budget can help you figure out what you need to change and give you the impetus to stick to it. One fantastic way to save money is to pay with cash every time. Somehow when you pay with card it doesn’t feel as though you’re parting with real money – until you look at your bank account with utter horror later that day. At the beginning of each week, take the amount of money that you want to spend over the next few days out, and make sure that you stick to your budget very rigorously without resorting to using your credit card and racking up any debt.