Save Money Fast: Emergencies
Whether you were laid off from your job, lost a high stakes bet, were robbed on the train, had your identity stolen, or mismanaged your cash; we get stuck in situations requiring us to save money fast. Here are a few things you can do RIGHT NOW to save money fast and dig yourself out of the nasty hole you find yourself in.
- Cut Off Your Cable
Seriously cancel it right now. I pay 128$ a month for cable (split four ways) and its a serious downer every time I see the envelop from Comcast in the mail . Cut off your cable and pick up a free book at your local library. Not only will you be saving one hundred or more dollars a month but you will give your brain some exercise.
- Eliminate All Entertainment Costs
If you absolutely need to save money fast it is crucial to remove all entertainment costs. Yes I know this stinks. It is however, absolutely necessary and only temporary if you follow all of the tips offered on this page. You can easily save 100-300 dollars a month by skipping out on the movies, taking a rain check on an invite to the bar, and opting out of the hot new video game all your friends picked up.
- Hit the Pawn Shop
A dire circumstance is a dire circumstance. If you need to not only save money fast, but come up with quick cash this is your best bet. Dig around your place a little bit and I am sure you will find at least something with a little value. Yeah of course this is no fun; but its still better than hitting up friends or relatives.
P.S Not all pawn shops are like the shop on Pawn Stars. Do a little research on appropriate interest rates, fees, and the history of the business. Here is a good reference to help you separate the shady shops from the legitimate businesses.
Save Money Fast: For Tomorrow
So now that we’ve covered a few ways to save money fast, we can move on to establishing a more financially secure tomorrow. Here we go;
- Eat the Food You Buy: All of It
My dad never allowed me to leave the dinner table until my plate was clean. What a great lesson, the average american family feeds the garbage can to the tune of 2,275 dollars per year. Feed yourself, your kids, your spouse, even your dog, before you feed the trash can. If you have left overs, throw some foil over it and heat it up for lunch tomorrow.
This Is What the Fridge Needs To Look Like
- Make a Budget (And Stick to It)
When you want to save money fast, creating a budget is an excellent idea to make life easier the future. The hardest part of making a budget is….making it. Sit down, grab a pen and paper, get the mental gears grinding, and have a tangible budget you can see and hold. Hang it on your refrigerator, look at it every morning and stick to it. Behavior experts say it takes two weeks to establish a habit, stick to your budget for fourteen days and you’re golden.
- Unplug Appliances When You’re Not Home
I won’t bore you with the numbers but do yourself a huge favor and unplug your appliances. My girlfriend and I started doing this and we have noticed substantial savings when the electric bill rolls around.
- Hang At the House
Laying low at your place, especially on the weekends, makes it much easier to keep your wallet or purse sealed. Instead of eating out, get creative and see what you can whip up with the food you have at home. Instead of hitting the bar, invite some friends over (or invite yourself to their place) for drinks and avoid waking up with a wiped out checking account.
- Save Money on Transportation
Carpool, ride your bike, walk, jog, take public transportation. Whatever you can do to avoid wasting gas money driving to and from town three times a day. Figure out the local bus schedule, the bus will get you somewhere almost as fast as car. Read the paper, make calls, or text while your riding the bus and save money fast.
- Create Something Cool
This is a personal favorite of mine. Create something. Flex your innovation muscle and create something nifty with all the worthless stuff we love to accumulate. Make art work with house hold items, Take apart an old computer and rebuild it. Picking up an engaging hobby like this is a fun, challenging, rewarding, and most importantly cheap way to have fun around the house and save money. Pinterest is a great resource to get you started, you would be surprised how inspiring creating something with household items can be, give it a shot!
Now that You’ve Saved Some Money, Put It to Work With These Basic investing tips
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