To build savings look at ways to both reduce expenses and increase income.
By Laureen Miles Brunelli, About.com Guide
Building savings is an important financial goal for many people today. Often when we think about saving money, though, the first thing that comes to mind is cutting back. And while that is important, the key to building savings is twofold: reduce expenses and increase income.
Reduce Expenses
Creating a budget and sticking to it is a first step in reducing expenses. But a budget is just numbers on paper. Actually reducing expense is done in our everyday lives. And it's not easy but here are some ideas for reducing expenses:- Review monthly expenses and see what can be eliminated or reduced.
- Shop around; find deals on everyday items.
- Working from home saves money on everything from child care to clothes.
- Reduce your debt or better yet avoid debt in the first place.
Increase Income
Pairing reduced expenses with increased income will grow your nest egg much faster. Try these ways to increase your income include:
- Get a raise at your current job
- Find a new job that pays more
- Get a second job outside the home
- Make extra money moonlighting in a work at home job
- Start a work at home business
Build Your Savings
And as you make you the effort to reduce expenses and increase income, you must, of course, actually save the money these efforts yield. Build savings by having a certain amount automatically deposited into a savings or investment account. If you pay off a debt or are able to decrease your spending on an item already in your budget, have the money in the budgeted deposited into savings regularly.If your strategy for building savings involves making extra money, try depositing your earnings from all or some your work at home endeavors into a savings account. if this is new income for you, then you won't miss it, and you will see your nest egg grow.
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