You’ve finally done it this year. You’ve successfully built a budget and made your target savings this year. But here comes the holidays and the temptation to quit and splurge is intense, what of the zero percent discounts, sale here and there and the oh-so-easy ways to buy online. But remember, the holidays and special occassions will keep on coming, but your hard-earned and hardly saved money will be quickly gone in a few minutes if you won’t be able to resist the urge to splurge.
So here are 3 quick tips that might help you keep your savings intact and reach your money goal by the end of the year:
- Make a list and check it twice
Gift giving is one of the main reasons why we give ourselves an allowance by this time of the year, even when the prices of commodities are surging in price. And sometimes, when we are able to hit big or earn big, we think that we also need to give bigger. But most of the time, we think of giving materially. When you have a budget to keep and savings goal to reach, making a list of people to give and checking what and how much to give them twice, while keeping in mind why you are trying to keep your money goals, will really help to keep in you in the right mindset. Remember, it’s not the monetary value that counts. It’s the thought and the spirit of giving. Be creative and more resourceful in finding the perfect gift without breaking your budget.
- Trick your mind
When you are having the urge to splurge or go to a shopping spree, try tricking your mind out of it. Go to the store where your much-desired items are and go put them all in your cart. Get one small item that you still like but not as expensive as the one you crave for and leave out the rest of the items before you hit the cashier. It’s like filling up yourself with all the wonderful smell of food when you are on a diet and then filling up with your self with just a spoonful. Sometimes we just need that feeling of being able to buy and we can already feel satisfied without buying. Try this trick one of these days when you shop.
- Keep your eyes on the prize
At this moment in time, keeping your eyes on the prize can be the most powerful way to motivate you to go on. The best way to do this is to keep the numbers visible to you as often as you need it. But better yet, use a savings goal calculator that will help you compute easily and see the better things out there when you are able to keep your savings and it already earn compound interest. Do you even know what a compound interest means? Instead of looking at shopping catalogs, why not try digging into sites that will help you understand this term. These will eventually make you more conscious of your spending and even more prepared to save more by the next year. Win-win!
Try these tips especially now that you are in the last leg of the race in reaching your money goal. By properly informing yourself about how your money can grow and having the conviction to manage it properly, you will be able to keep your savings in your pocket without effort at all.
