financial-planning
Most of us are always striving to save money, but it can be very difficult to stick to strict saving efforts. However, in the spirit of New Year’s resolutions, January is a fine time to re-evaluate your financial strategy and design a few ways to generate savings. With that in mind, here are ten miscellaneous tips for increasing your savings this year.

    1. 1. Turn Off The Water – Reducing your water waste can significantly bring down your water bill. Additionally, it’s not difficult to do. You can reduce the amount of water you use at home simply by turning off the tap while you wash dishes or brush your teeth, and taking shorter showers.
    1. 2. Turn Off The Lights – Similar to water waste, electricity is easy to cut back on, and can save you money on your bills. Keep lights and other electronics turned off when not needed, and you may be shocked at the positive financial effect.
    1. 3. Keep Financial Records – This little trick is common among university students, but can serve anyone just as well. By simply writing down all of your expenses, you may find that you are far less likely to over-spend.
    1. 4. Shop Online – Internet shopping has become an extremely broad experience offering a massive variety of products and services. And, you can often find prices online so much better than those in stores that you save significant amounts.
    1. 5. Track Your Subscriptions – These days, it is so easy to sign up for services and subscriptions online that many people lose track of their subscriptions and pay monthly fees for services they don’t use. Avoid this problem by carefully tracking your subscription expenses.
    1. 6. Invest To Save – Most investment opportunities are geared toward generating income. However, you can also look to certain types of investments to preserve and protect your existing finances. For example, try something like BullionVault, where you can purchase gold bullion – often seen as a means of saving your money from potential deflation of currency value.
    1. 7. Get More Rest – This may not seem financially related, but it makes a great deal of sense. When you are better rested, your body will not feel the need for external energy sources, which means you will likely spend less on snacks, sodas, coffee, etc.
    1. 8. Filter Your Water – Purchasing a filter provides you with clean, drinkable water at home, which in turn saves you from having to buy alternative beverages such as bottled water, juices, etc. You don’t need to drink only water, of course, but a filter can save money on a large portion of grocery costs.
    1. 9. Eat At Home – Leading a busy life, it is always tempting to simply grab food outside of the house. In most cases, however, this adds up over time, whereas preparing and eating food from the store can be more financially efficient.
    1. 10. Sell Old Items – Finally, consider selling old items. From used books, to outdated electronics, these extra sales can boost your finances each month, and contribute to savings at no cost.

This guest post was written by freelancer Brad Nelson, on behalf of BullionVault.