The biggest key when it comes to paying off debt is learning to control your spending. Easier said than done, right? Not necessarily. There are a few easy ways to cut back on expenses and put more money towards that student loan debt every month. The faster you can get those paid off, the less stress you are going to be putting yourself under. Follow these tips and watch that debt dollar amount start shrinking.
Write Down All of Your Expenses
How many times a day do you hand over a one dollar bill to buy something and rationalize that it is only a dollar? How many single dollars have you doled out thinking that they wouldn’t really make an impact on your savings anyway? “What’s another dollar?” How quickly do you think those dollars add up?
Begin by writing down where all of your funds go, including those one dollar bills. This will help you to be aware of where all of your extra money is going. Write this down for a month and map out a plan of where you will be able to cut costs in the future.
Compare Your Companies
When was the last time you did some price shopping? Have you had the same insurance company for years? It was the best rate around when you first purchased it, is it still the best five years later? Those small increases can end up making a not-so-small impact. The same goes for your electricity internet companies. Taking fifteen minutes out of your day to do a little comparing can end up saving you quite a bit annually.
Cut Out the Overpriced Buys
Just because everyone at the office has to have Starbucks for lunch everyday doesn’t mean that you do as well. Even if you feel the coffee is worth the price, those dollars add up pretty quickly. This applies to more than just beverages as well. Shopping at the thrift store, taking your lunch to work, and just learning to be a savvy spender overall can do wonders for your budget.
Pay For Things with Cash Only
In our day and age it is second nature for us to just swipe a card for any purchase we are trying to make. It may seem more convenient than cash, but it is also a lot easier to lose track of exactly how much you are spending.
Try to give yourself an allowance of cash each week and stick to spending only that amount. Unless you are constantly logging in to your mobile banking then there is no way for you to stay up-to-date with what you are actually spending daily.
Cutting spending can be hard and it isn’t something that you will be able to change overnight. However, by following a few of these tips and remembering to focus on getting that debt paid off you can save yourself some time and hassle.
If you find yourself struggling with debt or would like to find out about becoming debt free, call Debthelper at 800-920-2262, or visit @ www.debthelper.com.
