Please enjoy today’s guest post. I definitely feel the need these days to save as much money as I reasonably can! Perhaps you feel the same way! 

Shopping can be a lot of fun, particularly when you’re searching for something exciting, like a vacation or a new house. However, every time you buy something, you also need to deal with the stress of knowing that you’ve taken a chunk out of your bank balance. That’s a chunk that could have gone into your savings account, or emergency fund.

So, how do you deal with this fact? For most of us, refusing to spend money on anything non-essential ever again won’t be realistic. Instead, we it’s easier to think of ways that you can reduce your spending each time you shop, so you can feel more comfortable about your financial habits. 

Here are some top tips that could save you a fortune, whatever you buy. 

1. Spread the Costs of Big Purchases

Sometimes, you’ll find it’s much easier to spread the cost of a big purchase out over an extended period of time, than try to buy everything at once. As worrying as it can be to borrow some money for your new car or kitchen extension, it’s often a lot less stressful than pulling all the cash out of your emergency savings in one go. 

Spreading the cost of big purchases over time can also help you to build a better credit rating. This ensures that if you ever need to borrow money in the future, you should be able to get a better deal on your loan. Consider the long-term benefits of borrowing the cash you need the next time you have a big ticket item to buy. 

1. Know What You Need “New”

There are some items in life that we can’t buy second-hand. Things like underwear, food, and even baby supplies are only really trustworthy when you get them vacuum-packed or sealed from the store. However, there are a lot of other items that you can access without spending a fortune on a “new” label. For instance, if you’re keen to get your hands on a new smartphone, it might make sense to hold off for a few weeks. 

It doesn’t take long for people to decide that they’re bored of their phone or can’t afford to keep it. When that happens, second-hand versions of gadgets appear in stores and online, available for a fraction of the “new” cost. 

1. Embrace Generic Brands

There’s a reason why the world’s biggest companies spend a fortune on advertising. They hope that you’re going to fall in love with their brands and refuse to buy anything else. In some cases, we even convince ourselves that certain brands of food or toiletries taste or work better than their generic counterparts. The truth, on the other hand is that most essential items are made with the same ingredients. 

If you’re nervous about switching to a generic brand, consider switching just one item on your shopping list each week or month. That way, you can open your mind to the possibility of trying new things. If you really hate the brand you switch to, you can always switch back. 

1. Sell Your Old Stuff

How much old junk do you have sitting in your cupboards or taking up space around the house? It’s easy to convince yourself that you shouldn’t throw items away after you paid good, honest money for them. However, the truth is that if these products are just taking up space, they’re better off out of your house. 

Selling your old items has two big benefits. First, it allows you to clear some space around your home, so it’s not as hard to keep everything looking neat. Secondly, selling old objects gives you an extra dose of cash that you can put into your emergency fund or savings. You can even use the money you earn on old products to fund new ones. 

1. Compare Your Options

Finally, if you’re trying to save money whenever you shop, stop going for the first price you see for the item or service that you want. More often than not, if you’re willing to look around, you’ll be able to find a better deal elsewhere online. 

You can save money on a huge variety of things just by comparison shopping. Try it the next time you need to renew your car insurance or upgrade your broadband. Staying loyal to the same old brands and businesses doesn’t always give you the financial bonus that you would expect. Be willing to play the field a little. 

With just 4 days until Christmas, this magic maker is crying out for a chance to rest and recoup! Are you feeling the need for a vacation, but tend to think of them as best saved for summer? I hope this guest post will help inspire you to consider a winter getaway! I can certainly vouch for the national park recommendation below! 

Planning Your Next Winter Getaway

Planning your next winter getaway can be a little daunting. It requires thought, planning, consideration, and money. But breaking up the winter blues with a fun trip is always a fun thing to do, so it’s worth it! Here are some things to consider for your next wintery trip.

How to Fund Your Trip
After spending all that money on holiday gifts and goodies, it can seem overwhelming to then turn around and pay for a trip. With a little planning, it’s totally possible! You can use a Visa Platinum to book everything because it gives you points for each dollar you spend on travel!

One thing that helps is planning far enough in advance. Then you can split up the payment and cost. For example, if you’re flying, book your tickets a couple months before you plan to go. Then book your hotels and excursions the following month. That way, the cost isn’t concentrated into one paycheck and is instead spread out over a few. And you can fully enjoy spending on what you want once you get on your trip! Another idea is to set up a separate savings account specifically for traveling. Each paycheck, divert a small portion so that it adds up in time for that much-needed vacay!

Picking Where to Go
This is the most fun and exciting part of traveling–picking where to go! How do you do it? Start by deciding what kind of trip you are looking to experience and ask the other people who are going with you. You can break out your trip options into four different categories. Some can be combined, but these are the ones that seem most common.

1. Nature Trip
First is a nature trip to the great outdoors. The national parks are a great option to visit for a winter getaway. Most are less busy because of the cooler weather, but they’re still beautiful at that time. Zion National Park lodging is a great place to stay to see some of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. Take a Zion jeep tour to see even more of the red rocks while being in the warmth of the jeep. Rates are also typically lower than during high travel times, so this is a great option if you don’t want to spend a lot.

2. Beach Trip
Second, is somewhere warm and relaxing. If you live somewhere chilly, nothing sounds more appealing than sunshine and the beach during winter. Many beach resorts are all-inclusive and are worth spending on upfront because they save you money on food and excursions in the long run. Do some research and find the right one for you!

3. Cruise Trip
Third, is a cruise. Sailing on a cruise also typically includes warm and relaxing destinations, but it doesn’t have to be. All lodging and food, and even excursions can be taken care of when you book!

4. Embrace a Winter Trip
Last, is to embrace the winter! Book a stay at a cozy cabin or celebrate the holidays in a small town to have that Hallmark Christmas experience.

Going on a trip is one of the most fulfilling experiences you can have with your loved ones. Take some time to plan where to go, how to finance it, and ask around about what to do once you get there. And best of all, enjoy your travels!

This time of year I always seem to feel a bit frustrated at how my financial goals for the year didn’t quite come to fruition. Perhaps all that holiday spending doesn’t help matters! If you feel similarly, I hope today’s guest post will give you some inspiration for changes to make for a more prosperous 2020! 

How to Establish a Successful Financial Plan

Careful planning is often the key to a good financial strategy. Unfortunately, a lot of people today use their money without thinking much about it. We buy the things that we want and need as we go through the month, then panic as the weeks go on and we realize that we’re going to struggle to make it through until our next payday. 

Fortunately, if you’re ready to make a change for 2020, then setting up a strategy for financial success could be a lot easier than it seems. With the right financial plan, you can stop making decisions based on current impulses and fear and start thinking about what you want to accomplish with your money in the long-term. 

Budget Properly

Budgeting might not be everyone’s favorite thing, but it’s key to building your financial freedom. A working budget for each month will help you to see how every dollar you earn has a purpose, so you can avoid over-spending in any specific area. Budgets will put you back in control of your cash, so you can measure whether you’re actually reaching your goals or not. 

Although a budget can seem like a lot of work at first, it’s actually easier to set up than you might think. All you really need to do is start by figuring out how much money you have going into and coming out of your bank account each month. From there, you can sort your cash into segments, including discretionary and mandatory spending. 

Be Strategic with Debt

A solid financial plan is likely to include some kind of strategy for how you’re going to handle debt. After all, most of us can’t get through life without taking out some kind of loan eventually. For some people, this loan will be focused on their education and academic achievements. For other people, the most important loans they take out will be associated with their car and home. 

While taking out a loan isn’t necessarily a bad thing, provided that you know you can pay back what you borrow, it’s important to have a plan for how you’re going to choose the right lending strategy. Figure out when borrowing from your credit card is a good idea, and when you need to look for more specialist lenders to help you. 

Build an Emergency Fund

As soon as you start finding any extra cash for your savings, they should go into an emergency fund. Ultimately, an emergency fund is what you can rely on to keep you protected when the unexpected happens in your life. In an ideal world, we’d all have plenty of funds to keep us going if we should lose our job or have an emergency to handle. However, the truth is that we’re rarely prepared for everything that life has to throw at us. 

Build an emergency fund that consists of around six months’ worth of the expenses that you’re going to need to keep living your everyday lifestyle. If possible, keep this fund in a separate bank account, so you’re not tempted to use it. 

Invest in your Future

Being prepared with a solid financial plan isn’t just about saving as much cash as possible, you’ll also need to think about how you can build your savings over time too. Investing in assets and strategies that can build your wealth is a great way to put your money to work for you. Remember, you don’t necessarily need a lot of cash to start investing these days. You can get started with some low-price stocks, buy snowflake shares, and put more cash into your investments as you go. 

If you’re brand-new to investing, you could even consider using one of the new apps or tools that allow you to round-up the cost of your expenses and put the extra money left into your investment budget. For instance, you might spend $12.00 and spend $3 on investing. 

Adapt as You Go

Finally, remember that your budget needs to be strict, but it’s not necessarily set in stone. As your life and priorities continue to change, you’ll need to adapt your spending accordingly. Sit down with your budget at the end of each month and think about what you’re going to need to spend in the month ahead. If aspects of your incoming and outgoing money have changed, then add those factors to your budget and see where you end up. You might need to spend less or more in certain areas than usual to stick to your current goals.