As much as I enjoy dining out with friends, seeing the latest blockbuster film, updating to the newest tech gadget, and of course, traveling to the most exotic locations, I am not impervious to the fact that all these things cost money! Unfortunately for me, I don’t have a wealthy aunt somewhere, or a hefty trust fund, and therefore I have to make-do with my precious hard-earned cash.
It would be safe for me to say I’ve tried it all- from the self-help books, to the "instantly- double- your- cash" schemes! You name it, I can bet you I’ve experimented with it in some shape or form! Through the years, I’ve found what stuff works for me, and what should be thrown out the window. So for those of you who have some goal in mind, listen up as I share my "infinite knowledge" on saving tips that have really worked
1. Set a goal and make it visible! Are you dreaming of owning the latest mobile phone or laptop, or maybe that Safari to Africa? Find a huge picture of your elephants, or your dream mac, or whatever it is that makes you tick, and stick it up to where you will ALWAYS ALWAYS see it! You won’t easily blow your money away if you are constantly reminded of what you’re losing if you do so.
As the old adage goes, "Eyes on the prize".
2. Set little financial goals that equals your big financial goal.- Chances are, if you get it in your head that you need to save say $10,000 right away, you’ll get frustrated and never even start on it, but if you set your mind to a more attainable, and approachable goal, like a thousand bucks at a time, it’ll seem more reasonable to put that extra hundred bucks into your savings.
3. DO NOT GO to the mall if you have no real purpose of being there! Boredom is most people’s downfall! You have nothing better to do, so you go into stores, just to harmlessly check out stuff, but then you find something you "just have to" get, and there goes your hard earned cash! Not only that, when you’re at the mall, you can’t help but eat a snack, drink a latte and this adds up to even more spending! If you have a real legitimate reason of going, get in there, buy the stuff and zip out as quickly as you can! Out of site, out of mind, right?!
4. Keep your eyes (as well as your ears) OPEN- There are tons of deals that link to anyone’s interest that are available ANYWHERE, be it online or your local community. Personally, I’m really into traveling and it’s probably my biggest expense, that’s why I subscribe to this newsletter that lets me in on great travel deals, and can even allow for 70% savings! How’s that for cool?!A friend who’s an APPLE and MAC die-hard swears by this site site to save on his latest toys. Another friend, who lives for the latest cellphone models check for online deals at sites like these As you can see, the options are endless!
5. Don’t forget to reward yourself! If you scrimp and only scrimp all the time, you may crash and burn in a moment of weakness. So enjoy little pats on the back for a job well done! Had to give up your daily Starbucks in the interest of saving? Get a small frappucino come Saturday, and it’ll be just the right boost to get you going for another week of cutting back!
 
These are my tried-and-tested, swear-by tips, and based on the things I’ve been able to enjoy, I don’t think I’m doin' too bad. There are other things you can do too, which are a bit on the extreme side, such as letting your mother keep your money (Whoa!Good luck on getting cash for petty things now!), staying off the porn and online gambling sites that unsuspectingly eat up your moolah, or maybe subsisting on a Spaghetti-O diet a few times in a week! Want to get insanely extreme? Quit smoking, or drinking, or what about BOTH?!?! C'mon, I dare you to! Hey whatever floats your boat! Whichever route you do decide to take though, let me know how you do with them- preferably through a chat from your new Macbook Air, or a call from your latest Blackberry, or maybe even a postcard from exotic Bali!