We know this year was completely different for everyone. It was not an uncomplicated year, we all had our losses in all aspects, it was a year to learn the value of what and whom we have each day.
We all had to learn with patience and comprehension that life is inevitable and that with it, there are countless changes. Normally, I am not a fan of the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. First, of all, they are actually just wishes or dreams with no target date. They are usually defined in such a generic way (“enjoy life more”, “learn something new”) that do not involve any specific action you should take to achieve them. It is like trying to win the lottery without purchasing any ticket. And secondly, because even if resolutions were well defined as an achievable goal, they do not have to have anything to do with the calendar year. You should set goals when you need to achieve things, no matter the season it is.
However, this was not a normal year, this year I do have a resolution if you will. I want to improve a skill that is essential for most things I face every day, ‘SAVING’.
Learning how to save money is an important life lesson that gives us a number of benefits throughout our lives by helping us gain financial freedom. While we all know that saving money is imperative; Nevertheless, most of us are unable to save our hard-earned salaries as the idea of stashing away your cash doesn’t offer the sense of gratification which spending does. Saving is essentially setting aside money for future emergencies or purchases. From an economic point of view, saving is consuming less today so that you are able to consume more in the future.
After all, Warren Buffet did say “if you do not find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die”.
Here are some reasons Why You Should Save Money:
- Financial independence
- Living debt-free
- Unforeseen expenses
- Buying a home
- Buying a car
- Medical emergencies
- Planning your retirement
- Traveling
- Investment
- Living worry-free
Here are some great tools to get you started on ‘Saving’:
- RebateKey, I discovered that it gives you direct access to exclusive manufacturers’ rebates for top-selling brands and products, all kinds of products they truly have everything from groceries, home decorations to office supplies, you will find everything you are looking for and much more. Basically, the only thing you have to do is find great offers, and you will get your money back after 35-days.
- Chime, is an Android and iOS mobile banking app. It includes a spending account and debit card that is FDIC-insured so you can safely deposit funds, see transactions instantly and track spending on the go. It also offers an automatic savings account, which allows you to start saving money without thinking about it by automatically setting aside 10 percent of every paycheck you deposit into Chime. You can also enable rounding-up on your purchases and have the difference transferred to your savings every time you use the Chime debit card.
- ShopSavvy, It allows users to scan barcodes and compare the price of the item in different stores. It even brings navigation to the nearest stores offering the best price. ShopSavvy also carries the ability to keep the deals that are found online for purchase later. You can also manually enter the UPC or keyword to find any product. The app hosts the database of retailers, products, and prices, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.
Goodbye 2020, rollercoaster of a year that impacted so many parts of our lives. It took a lot out of us, but there were also some silver linings: more time with our immediate families, finding treasured spots near home that we may have overlooked in the past, and a decrease in our daily expenses which helped many of us save more money.
As we look toward better times in 2021, make good use of the money you did not spend over the past year.
If you have a financial plan, revisit your dreams and dedicate resources to start making them a reality. If you do not have a financial plan, resolve to create one in 2021. A plan can help you reach your goals while also preparing you for things that could go wrong along the way.
