A good grasp on saving can dramatically change the way we live, in more ways than one. When we have money saved, we have that essential buffer needed to reduce stress and pay bills. We also have the means to go on holidays, spoil ourselves and buy gifts for friends and family without worry.

If you’re struggling to get a hold on your finances and find it just a little too difficult to save money routinely, then we have five excellent tips for you below. Take a look.

Change Just One Habit

Like most people, you probably have one seemingly unbreakable habit, that’s costing you a lot of money. It might be buying multiple coffees a day, purchasing your lunch at work or being unable to say no to expensive luncheons with friends.

However, with some thorough planning and dedication, you can break these habits and form new ones.

Head on to YouTube, or any blogging website for that matter, and look at recipes for incredible lunches you can make for work. Suggest to friends that you’d rather a night in with them. Or consider making your morning coffees at home with a coffee machine. All of these tips don’t take anything away from your usual habits, except the expenses! It’s a win-win for you and your savings account.

Befriend Discount Websites

To help make money management and saving money easy, just take some precautions when it comes to buying anything. Take a look on websites like extras.com.au, and you’ll have access to hundreds of discount codes that you can use to save you money. You don’t even have to work hard to find them!

On top of this, always be on the lookout for discounts and promotions too – but only for the things you routinely buy. If you regularly purchase long-life milk at the grocery store for example, and there’s a sale going on, then stock up! In the long run, you’ll be saving money. Consider doing this for all of your ongoing purchases and any money you would have spent on higher priced goods can go directly into your savings account.

‘Pre-pay’ Your Bills

This tip isn’t what it sounds like, so hold before judging!

To ensure you don’t miss bill due dates and suffer through late payment fees, you should work out what your total bills are going to cost over a whole year and move that amount into a long-term savings account.

If, for example, your subscriptions to YouTube Premium, Netflix, Apple Music, etc. cost you $490 over the course of the year, then move $490 to a savings account and have your subscriptions withdraw from this account. This way you’re not going to be dealt late payment fees or spend the money you were meant to use for your services.

For the times when an unexpectedly high invoice arrives in your inbox, there’s always short-term small loan providers to help out, like CashnGo. Consider using these services to ensure you don’t fall into the red or have to empty out your savings or investment accounts to pay a hefty bill.

Use Automatic Savings Apps

If the thought of following a financial plan sends a shiver down your spine, then leave it to an app. You won’t need to do anything at all, and you might not even notice what’s going on, it’s completely automatic.

Apps like WISR and RAIZ automatically move money to your savings account or an investment account in the background of your daily life. This means all you need to do is watch your savings grow all on their own!

Track Your Spend & Form a Budget

Last but certainly not least comes forming a budget. There’s nothing more effective than a customised budget that suits your lifestyle and expenses.

Spend just an hour or two working out what you choose to spend money on, what you have to spend money on and what you’d like to cut back on. Use this to develop your new budget, and you’ll find that you have plenty of income that can see its way into your savings account.