10 Easy Ways To Save Money and Simplify Your Life

Do you ever feel like it's almost impossible to find ways to save money? No matter how hard you try to spend less but something always gets in the way or you want to save more but don't know where to start. Well, I've seen this film before (please tell me you understood the reference). It's something that most of us can relate to, yea?

The truth is, you don't really need everything to be under control before you start saving money. You can start whenever you want. You don't have to wait for that job promotion to come by or have a stable income. The best time to start saving is right now. 

Take it from me, who makes money from being a freelancer, whose income undoubtedly fluctuates from month to month. That doesn't stop me to save money and simplify my life. Yes, it's possible to save as a freelancer. Nothing that a little organization and preparation can't fix. Once everything started to become familiar to me, I was able to manage my money without having to feel so overwhelmed by the uncertainty. 

Why it's essential to save money?

When I first quit my 9-5 job, I don't have enough savings that could cover up to 10 months' worth of expenses. It's such a risky decision but I rolled with it and freelanced all the way. Those "should I apply for another full-time job?" whispers kept on coming a few times but glad I never really listened to them. Although I wasn't doing too bad, I was pretty particular about living within my means, how much to save and considering what was worth spending.

Having cash on hand to spend on the things we want and need is always a good idea for our own peace of mind. In case of unforeseen circumstances such as medical emergencies or home and car repairs, having some cash set aside that we can rely on instead of going into heavy debt is such a big sigh of relief, isn't it?

How to save money 

Other than it's crucial for emergencies, setting aside a set amount of money can also help us reach our financial goals sooner: the problem is how? How do we go about doing it? How do we make it work and how do we maintain the momentum?

Everybody has their own way of saving money. From my own experience, most financial problems can be solved by creating opportunities to expand our income and scaling down our expenses. These two always go hand in hand. Here are a few money-saving tips I do so that you can try to grow your savings as well as simplify your life. 

Create a passive income

Most people think of income as something they have to trade their time and money for. However, passive income is the money you earn with little to no effort at all. You'll be surprised at the ways you can make money while you sleep. In my case, I have enabled ads on my blog and I'm also a member of a few affiliate programs. Although the earnings are still minuscule, it still adds to my earnings without any additional work required.

Take up a side hustle

If you want to seriously boost your earnings, it's worth considering taking up a side hustle. If you have what it takes to make money out of your talents and skills that provide value, then go for it. In my case, I run a small business with my sister and I also accept content creation and writing jobs for business, beauty and lifestyle. While I earn good money from them, I also get to sharpen my skills as a content creator. It's a win-win situation. 

Cancel any unused or over-the-top subscription

It's one of the things I no longer care about. Subscriptions are thriving nowadays for a lot of companies because of the trend. In general, only a few of us ever fully use our subscription services to the fullest. Although paying $10 or $15 a month may not seem like a lot of money, they add up to hundreds of dollars a year and that's only going toward entertainment. Go through the list of subscriptions you have and cancel the ones you don't use regularly.

Have a no-spend day

Nominate a few days in a month where you will spend absolutely nothing. Ever since I made the first move to embark on a low-buy year in 2021, this habit has been a no-brainer for me. I cook and eat at home more and I opt for a less luxurious me-time at home. It makes me appreciate all the simplest and littlest things.

Track everything

One of the essential steps to saving money is to figure out how much you spend. Keep track of all your expenses — even that $3 cup of cold brew. I'm an old-fashioned kind of gal. Every day, I sit and track all my spending in my journal and calculate how much I use up. You can go digital with this one if it's more convenient for you, plus there are so many handy-dandy apps to track your spending. 

Sell unused possessions

Honestly, there are a lot of possessions we have that we don't really need in life. The answer is, just sell everything that doesn't bring you joy anymore. Decluttering your space can bring so much peace of mind while helping you save more money. I've sold probably half of my clothes, and my unused makeup products online and trust me, there's always someone out there that might need it. 

Shop smarter: only buy what you really need

I used to be a "wing it" kinda person when it comes to shopping and it never failed to shock me with how much I spent each month. If this is you, maybe it's time to plan it out and start shopping with a list. The idea behind a "to-buy-list" is that it makes it easier for you to analyze the things you already have versus the things you need and it also minimizes unnecessary wastage. 

Learn DIY skills

Thanks to YouTube and the internet, you can now find out how to fix pretty much anything online without the need to pay someone else to do it. Simple home improvements, repairs and maintenance work that you can DIY are fixing leaky pipes, patching a hole in drywall, hanging wallpapers, repainting a room, replacing bulbs, etc. 

Limit the frequency of self-indulgences

Do it for the sake of your mental health, they say. Sure, but prioritize those self-rewards. You may feel like indulging yourself in a daily cup of an overpriced handcrafted beverage or getting a weekly massage but these little expenses do add up. Maybe you can try to schedule them all for once or twice a month; not only will you save money but the anticipation of getting the rewards will be much more special, don't you think?

Adopt a minimalist lifestyle

Adopting a minimalist lifestyle can do wonders. Put simply, adopting a minimalist lifestyle means owning fewer things. You only buy things that are essential so you can save more money for your college or rainy-day fund. Ever since being an advocate of intentional living, I'm so much more particular about my purchases and owning stuff. I always plan ahead so I can see where my money is going and find out how much I can actually save each month. 

Start saving small amounts often. If you can do this, you should have no problem seeing a sizeable pot of savings. You can do this! Starting today, you can save more and spend less by doing these 10 easy money-saving tips. Your future self will thank you for it!

Which tips would you take up and try? Do you have any secret to save money easily?