5 Simple Ways to Save Money

With summer rapidly approaching, I had to sit down this week and reevaluate my finances. You inevitably spend more money in the summer and when you have to plop down a couple hundred to attend multiple weddings and give gifts, it's time to start budgeting. Here are five easy ways to save money right now:

Put a post-it note around your credit card. It should say "is this necessary?" Other variations include "do I really NEED this?" or "think about that vacation you could take." This will help you really evaluate each purchase you make whether it's your morning Starbucks or that black blouse from J. Crew. You could really be making coffee in the office and you already have a similar black blouse...

Evaluate your mobile plan. Do you really need unlimited minutes or texts? Wireless companies track all aspects of your usage, so give them a call or stop in a store to talk about lowering your bill. They'll tell you the average amount of time you spend on the phone or the average amount of texts sent and whether it makes sense for you to switch to a lower plan. Even if you don't think you could do it this month, it might make you think about how you could lower it in the future, or if you should switch companies.

Stop opening your flash sale emails. I personally get seven flash sale site emails each day. That's pretty ridiculous, but I only allow myself to open them if I need to shop or am looking for something specific. Otherwise, they get automatically deleted as soon as they hit my inbox. Once you've looked at all the gorgeous designer fashion that's just such a good deal, it's so easy to convince yourself you need that new dress or pair of shoes. Avoid opening them all together and you'll stop unnecessary online shopping. 

Unplug. Every appliance you're not physically using at that moment should be unplugged. And I mean everything! Except your refrigerator. Your coffee maker, toaster, hair dryer, phone charger, lamps...all that stuff should remain unplugged except when you're using them. This will shave a little bit off your electric bill each month and a lot over time. Before you know it unplugging will become a habit and you won't even notice doing it. 

Buy generic. Does the generic peanut butter really taste any different from the brand name peanut butter? It's pretty rare that I find any difference in taste from brand name to generic brand, so I always buy generic. It is almost always less expensive unless you have a coupon. Sure you may say it's only $0.50 cheaper so what's the difference, but if that's the case on 20 items, you saved $10 on your grocery bill!