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4 Tips for Saving Money and Time

Money and time are two of the most valuable commodities, and most of us tend to feel as though we never have enough of either. Part of this is a matter of perspective. How much money would feel like enough to you? However, there are also steps you can take to make more of each.

Cut Your Monthly Expenses

A budget can help you cut back on impulse buys and expenses that you don’t notice, like spending too much on clothes or groceries. You could also consider taking bigger steps, like trading in your car for a cheaper one or moving to a less costly apartment. If you are paying off your student loans, you may want to explore consolidating them with a private lender. You can combine multiple balances into one payment and potentially pay less each month plus less over the long run.

Think Philosophically

Maybe it sounds a little out there, but one of the best things you could do in terms of making more time is to change how you think about it. More specifically, you need to value it more. You might assume that you already do—after all, you wouldn’t be worried about how to manage it otherwise, would you? In fact, though, when you really think about it, you might be surprised to realize how much of it you waste.

Scrolling through social media, slumping in front of streaming shows you don’t really care about or even spending time with people that don’t add anything positive to your life can all take up a lot of your time. If you begin to think of time as something that is finite, you may naturally start to monitor how you are spending it. However, don’t make the mistake of confusing time wasted with down time. Sometimes, you really do just need to daydream or crash in front of your favorite show for a while.

Automate

Automating as many things as possible can help you save both money and time. If you set up all your bills to be automatically paid, you don’t have to worry about missing any payments and accumulating late fees. Setting up your direct deposit from work so that part of automatically goes into a savings account helps you put money away instead of spending. There are even apps that can help you automatically invest. Consider having things that you use often, like pet food or toilet paper, delivered regularly and in bulk. If you dislike cooking but don’t want to waste money eating out, having meal kits delivered can be an efficient and cost-effective compromise.

Say No

This is another one that will save you both money and time. Learn to say no when you can’t afford to do something in terms of time or money or when you just don’t want to. This can be hard because you want to be nice and helpful to people, but if you’ve ever wondered why you felt exhausted going in to work on Monday morning, there’s a good chance it’s because you agreed to do too much over the weekend. Protect your time and your money with the word “no” and remember that it’s okay to do so.

Written by Eric

37-year-old who enjoys ferret racing, binge-watching boxed sets and praying. He is exciting and entertaining, but can also be very boring and a bit grumpy.