There are several kinds of ways to accumulate a rainy day fund, and not all of them require a portfolio or a financial advisor. Different personality types are better at achieving goals when they keep things simple or themselves personally responsible for the end result. If you’re into DIY, check out these ideas for saving money.
Pocket Change
The coinage you have left over after a purchase isn’t chump change. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that dollars are made up of pennies. You can do this, even if you don’t carry around literal cash. When you balance your bank account, just round up to the nearest dollar after a purchase. At the end of the month, add any extra money you have to a savings account. If you do like to carry physical money, consider buying a large volume coin bank for your change.
Bank Savings
Start a savings account at your bank and add to it every time you get paid. Once you set a budget, you may be surprised at how much cash you’re able to devote to a savings account each month. Even if you can only devote $20 a week, that’s a great start that will yield you over $1,000 at the end of a year. Check your bank or credit union to see if your savings account carries any rules or penalties surrounding withdrawing your money.
Literal Home DIY
In order to have money to put in a savings kitty, you may need to cut down on your spending. One way to do this is to do more things on your own, rather than delegating them out to professionals or skipping them altogether. Josh Garskof at This Old House has complied a list of 50 DIY money saving chores, explaining, if you “Plant a deciduous tree on the south, west, or east side of your house. Once mature, it’ll shade your roof and cut your cooling costs by up to 30 percent.”
Keep Up with Technology
If you’re still paying for home phone service, cable/satellite television service, or any other old timey thing, I’m talking to you. The times, they have changed, and new services have sprouted up. Bundling phone, internet, and cable used to save you $20 a month, but if you cut the cords and just use the internet to dial into streaming services, you may end up saving upwards of $100 a month. If you use taxis or get food delivered, there’s probably an app for that and it can save you money.
It’s a simple concept, cut back on spending and then squirrel away the money you’ve saved, but it isn’t for everyone. Some people need more structure and more security in place to keep them out of their savings. If you’re an independent DIYer, try these tips on for size.