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If you’ve not done so already, download our Free Budget Planner below and give your finances a once over. You might be surprised what crops up on your bank statements. Use our article Budgeting for Beginners in 4 Simple Steps to figure out exactly where you’re at. If you find you’re short of cash, then following these simple steps will help you stop spending and save you a small fortune.
1. Keep track of your money.
Many banking apps now have handy budgeting tools built in. Revolut have really great budgeting and analytics tools in their app which helps you track your spending habits by week, month or year. Their vaults allow you to automatically set money aside for a specific goal, so you don’t spend it first. They also give you the best cash back offers – just don’t let that temp you into impulse buys you don’t actually need.
2. Ditch the cards and carry cash.
Leave your cards at home if you think you’re in danger of splashing out. Take enough to buy just what you need for the day and leave the rest where it is. You’ll also find that handing over cash keeps your mind much more focussed on what you’re actually spending.
3. Take time out.
Before you buy or order anything, give yourself 24 hours to think about it. Sometimes the urge to purchase may not be so strong once you’ve slept on it. Would you feel better knowing you’re one step closer to paying off those debts?
For larger purchases, take 3-5 days to consider if you actually need it. Once you have decided to buy, do some research and shop around for sales, deals and special offers. You might find you can buy something with just as many features for a lot less.
4. Unsubscribe from marketing emails.
This might be time consuming but it’s well worth your time. Look closely and you’ll find a link to unsubscribe at the very bottom of each email. This will clear your inbox of tempting offers or sales that might have been your spending triggers in the past.
5. Subscriptions.
Review your bank statements and budget planner and cut out any unnecessary subscriptions you no longer use. Premium bank account monthly fees are a classic – very few people take advantage of the offers which these enhanced accounts provide. Others include unused gym memberships and media subscriptions such as Netflix or Amazon Prime.
We welcome your feedback, if you found this article useful, please let us know. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us and we’ll try our best to help.