The Living Single sitcom was a 90s favorite! Living single for most of us in our 20s, however, looks a lot different than being a big shot magazine editor and living in a lavish Brooklyn brownstone. Our 20s is the first time we’ve lived on our own and had to take on real financial responsibilities–like rent, groceries, and those dreadful student loans. To help stretch your funds, try these easy money saving tips. You may find yourself surprised at how tiny habits save big bucks.
1. Dine-In on Weekdays: Buy groceries and pick a day (like Sunday) to cook for the week. Those $10 lunches and $20 dinners add up, and before you know it, you’ve wasted nearly $50 in food in just one day.
2. Carry Cash: Determine a budget. Put your bill and savings money
into an account, and carry your spending money in cash. Physically seeing and touching your money is a good reminder of how much you’re actually working with. It’s harder to keep track of how much you’re spending when you’re constantly swiping a card.3. Set Up Auto Withdrawal: You can set up your bank account to automatically pay rent, utility costs and other bills. Between work and social life, it’s easy to forget when things are due. Auto payments will avoid those annoying late fees.
4. Host Friends’ Night-Ins: Hanging with friends is a must, especially after a long week, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Instead of paying $15 cab fare, $20 to party, another $5 for coat check and at least $20-$40 on drinks, host a fun get together at your house for less than half of a night out. Tell each friend to bring a spirit and some snacks, crank the music, and party the night away.
5. Buy in Bulk: When you see the necessities go on sale, rack up! You will always need toilet paper, soap, toothpaste and things of the like, so get multiple quantities when they’re discounted. This will save you money in the long run.