To help you end the next year with more money in the bank, we’ve collected a few interesting and unique ways to go about saving a little extra coin in 2020. They may not all work for everyone, but at least one should work for each of you.

Start a coin jar

We’ve all got change hidden throughout our lives. In car consoles, sock drawers, pen holders at the office, under couch cushions and car seats. 

Instead of haphazardly tossing that change aside, collect it with purpose. It may seem like a small amount, but those pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters can quickly add up to some real money.

Divide your paycheck

Got automatic deposit at work? Take it one step further and divide your paycheck(s) between your checking and savings accounts. It’s a lot easier to not spend that money if you never put it in your checking account in the first place.

Another reason to do this? Interest rates are generally higher for savings accounts than they are for checking, meaning you’ll make more from what you’re saving.

Pay it off, but keep paying in

Finally, will you be paying off a credit card, student loan or car loan this year? Don’t use those now free funds as spending cash. Take whatever amount you were paying and divert them to savings. Think of it as paying off your retirement early!

Find little places to cut back

Can you keep yourself cool in the summer and warm in the winter without using the AC and heater? Do you have to buy the name brand foods over the “saver” brands? Can you go to the movie at 1 pm instead of 8 pm?

There are plenty of places we can easily penny-pinch without causing major disruption to our lives. It just requires you to think about it. Make it a habit in January to keep an eye out for places to save a few cents here and there.

If you don’t use it, lose it

A lot of us have subscriptions to things we don’t use. Whether that’s magazines, gyms, apps and games, or something else, those little “$1.99 and up” charges add up. Don’t pay for things you don’t use. Take a few minutes to look over your credit card or checking account statements and see if you have any monthly subscriptions you can cut out.

Empty the closets

Stop collecting things and start selling them. Whether it’s sending them to consignment or holding a garage sale and getting cold hard cash, or donating your items for a tax break at the end of the year, stuff you don’t care about or use anymore can be worth something.

Install a programmable thermostat

Sometimes you have to spend a little money to save a little. With a programmable thermostat, you can heat or cool your home at certain times and ensure that your utilities aren’t being wasted while you’re at work or asleep. You’ll save money in the process.

Check with your energy company or local AC companies; many offer discounts on programmable thermostats, or in some cases, free ones!

Inflate your tires

Yeah, seriously. For every two PSI of air pressure under the recommended level in your tires, you lose 1% on your gas mileage. Most people’s car tires are five to 10 PSI below the normal level, so that means by just inflating your tires, you can improve your gas mileage by up to 5%. That means fueling up less often!

Play host more often

Instead of going out with friends and family, invite them over. Go potluck and have everyone bring a dish then break out a deck of cards or board games. If the point is to spend time with each other, it shouldn’t matter where it happens!

Don’t buy it online

It’s so easy to hit a couple of buttons and make a purchase online, that we’re almost more incentivized to do it. Instead, force yourself to go to the store. Getting up and physically driving to wherever the item is can make a big difference.  You’ll find that a lot of things that seemed “must-have” are suddenly less vital to our happiness.

Occupy your mind

Want to know when we tend to make the most impulse purchases? When we’re bored. Take up some hobbies to occupy your downtime. Journal, start a blog, sew or crochet, do some woodworking. A lot of “hobbies” can turn into a side hustle and extra money in your pocket.

RiverWind Roundup Savings Account

 You’re already using your debit card, why not save while you do? With the Roundup Savings Account, every time you use your RiverWind debit card, we round up the amount of each purchase to the next dollar and put the extra change into your Roundup Savings account.



References:
https://www.thesimpledollar.com/little-steps-100-great-tips-for-saving-money-for-those-just-getting-started/
https://www.rd.com/advice/saving-money/creative-ways-to-save-money/
https://greatist.com/happiness/ways-save-money
https://travelsofadam.com/2019/01/creative-ways-to-save-money/