Money. You never seem to have enough of it. Try as you may, you’re always looking for ways to get ahead. And you’re not alone.

If you’ve made a vow to make 2021 the year you save a little money – in some shape or form – here are some ideas that will help.

• Meal Plan: If you head to the grocery store without a plan of what you’re going to eat all week, you are going to spend more money than you need to. A meal plan for the week can save you money as you will not buy unnecessary ingredients, and you can buy items that are currently on sale. 
• Create an Emergency Fund: What would happen if you had to make major repairs to your car? Or, you needed to fly home last minute to see family? Would your budget take a hit that would be hard to recover from? Then you need an emergency fund. Put aside a few dollars every week that you won’t touch – and that’s only to be used in case of something unexpected.
• Save Automatically: Are you the type of person who saves money better when they don’t see it? Then ask your employer if you can separate your check to be deposited into different bank accounts. You can easily set up a savings account that will help you save – without even thinking about it.
• Save Your Coins: What do you do with all of your coins? If you put them in a jar and forget about them – fantastic! But don’t forget to cash them in! You might be surprised by how fast your change adds up to some serious money.
• Wait 24 Hours for Small Purchases: This is an easy one to do – just wait 24 hours before making small purchases. This gives you time to assess if you really need the item you’re thinking of purchasing.
• Wait 30 Days for Big Purchases: And when it comes to big purchases (like a car) – wait 30 days. 30 days allows you to give your budget a review and make sure that your finances are up for such a big-ticket item.
• Hit the Unsubscribe Button: What’s your inbox look like? Are you receiving multiple ads from multiple retailers trying to tempt you into buying something? And does it work? Then it’s time to unsubscribe from these emails. Scroll down to the bottom of each email you no longer want and hit that button!
• Pay Off Your Credit Cards Each Month: If you’re not paying off your credit cards each month, you are paying some serious interest – which is not helping your cash flow. Pay your cards each month or switch to a system where you only pay cash for purchases.
• Use Auto-Pay: Have you ever missed a payment or forgotten one and got hit with a late payment fee? If the biller has auto-pay, then take advantage of it! No more late fees!
• Hit the Library: Books and magazines are pricey – especially if you love to read! Hit the library to save some dough! (Most libraries even have books and magazines you can download to your Kindle or tablet.)
• Don’t Always Buy the Cheapest: Buying the cheapest thing isn’t always going to save you money – especially if it falls apart or breaks quickly. Sometimes quality is the way to go!
• Drink Water: Water is FREE! Fill your water bottle and head out the door! Don’t stop at the coffee shop for the double espresso. Don’t order cocktails with dinner. Drinking water can save you money.
• Negotiate Your Bills: Call all of your creditors and service providers and see if they’ll negotiate. (Cable companies are famous for finding you a better deal when you call them.) There may be discounts or special rates that you’re not aware of or are not advertised unless you call.

Saving money can happen in a series of small steps – if you just get started. Which of these can you try?