By the time you enter middle age, you would have become more mature when it comes to keeping your finances in check. After all, going beyond 30 means becoming wiser with the way you invest your hard-earned money by looking at possible long-term investments.
Indeed, you can always feel secure with the fact that you’re investing in your future. But considering financial uncertainties along the way, we need to be extra cautious with our spending habits.
With that, here are some of the five best tips for saving money in your 30s.
Keep your bills low
The most basic method to save on cash is to control your consumption of basic needs. For a start, you should be able to invest in energy efficient light bulbs and electronics. What’s more, you should also make sure to turn off electronics around the house when not in use. That means pulling the plugs from the sockets; idle appliances that remain plugged in consume a tremendous amount of energy over time.
Aside from that, you should also limit your credit card purchases. This would involve avoiding unnecessary purchases that can leave you with a tremendous bill to shoulder.
Make use of rewards programs
People often ignore offers for rewards cards, calling them a complete waste of time. But what they don’t know is that these cards can help them save a great deal of money. Wherever you shop, ask if it’s possible to apply for a loyalty or rewards card. Once you have your hands on the card, you can swipe it every time you purchase something from the same store.
The points are not that hefty to begin with, but if you frequent the same store, you can rack up enough points to take advantage of discounts and freebies.
Use coupons
Aside from rewards cards, you can also search for coupons that enable you to get discounts for a variety of purposes. Is there a concert you really want to see but the tickets are just too expensive? You can visit online coupon sites and look for the best concert deals.
And it’s not just about concerts. You can also use coupons to get discounts in select restaurants. Anything that’s at least 10 percent off is a big help for your pocket.
Cook your own meals
There’s nothing wrong with buying convenience store food, other than the fact that it’s outright unhealthy and impractical. For sure, junk food should always be considered as a last resort when you’re pressed for time preparing your own meals. But most of the time, it’s best to be your own chef. Not only is it good practice for your culinary skills, but cooking for yourself also saves you a great deal on food expenses. Plus, it’s much healthier!
Cut down on vices
If you have bad habits like smoking and drinking, you might as well kick them out of your system. Besides, they slow your body down. If you’re going to calculate all your prior alcohol and cigarette purchases, you’ll be surprised with the amount of money you would have saved if you quit a long time ago!