Does anyone else find it hard to save?

Question

I've been trying to save recently as i want to start my driving lessons and at the end of it buy a car! I managed to save alot, but went shopping monday to get some flowers and somehow ended up spending £110!!!!!! I can't control myself! The worse thing is i get paid in cash so it's easily spent.
Just wondered if anyone else had the same trouble and how do you deal with it?

Answer 1

I am pretty good at it by trying not to get tempted into buying stuff that I don't need

Answer 2

I had a lot of trouble to save but then I got a big glass jar and cut a money-shaped slit in the lid, and worked out a budget for the month. Anything left went into the jar. Everytime you come home from anywhere with even the smallest amount of change or you've spent less than you thought, put it in. Once a week, count it up and use a sticky label to put on how much you've got.
When you've reached, say, $30 in change, get someone to put it into the bank for you. And start a new label.

Plus put a pic of your dream car into your wallet so that every time you go into it, you see your car and remind yourself of what you're saving for.

Answer 3

Most have problems saving. Sure is easy to buy things and then later you can't figure out why you bought them. We always think we need something no mater what we have. Money just seems to go without even much to show for it. It does take self discipline to save. No magic formula either. If that car is really important to you then you will save what you can.

Answer 4

I don't want to save. It's not safe to save, really. I mean, the currency could devaluate a whole bunch, leaving me broke. Also, if I put it in a CD, the interest wouldn't keep up with inflation anyway, so I'm losing money there. Most of the people who are not rich save. So I invest it. Sure, I make mistakes, but i learn from them and then make even more money, so it's cool.

Answer 5

I've been trying to save up for a trip to St. Lucia for 7 months and up to now i have no money saved, something always comes up where i have to buy something and as soon as i get in the store and i see something that i absolutely love i have to buy it and i end up spending more money than i intended to so yes i have a serious problem.

Answer 6

Go shopping at the dollar store for a glass piggy bank! That will be your last shopping experience! Stuff it and weigh it for your new entertainmant. When it is full treat yourself to another shopping trip to the dollar store for another piggy bank. The fact is you need to decipline yourself and take pride in saving money and knowing you can accomplish something that 85% of society can not do!

Answer 7

yep,i'm a student and i'm £500+ over drawn. when i did driving lessons,i just put enough asside each month from my pay to have 4 lessons and took each month as it comes. if you save too much, you'll be worring bout money too much and won't be able to enjoy life. you could get a car on finance and pay insurance monthly,that way you don't have to worrie bout saving up! i think of it like, your only young once,so just enjoy yourself,coz you've got the rest of your life to work hard and pay bk wot you owe! :)

Answer 8

Open a bank account and deposit a set percentage (say 40%) of paycheck every time you get paid. Do not withdraw any money from that particular account! Don't even carry any cards or checks for that account!

If you get any extras (such as holiday bonuses or tax refunds) then put that into your account too.

Answer 9

Dead easy this one. Open a savings account away from your main account e.g. ING direct. You wont forget the money is there, but it's a psychological barrier and stops you withdrawing the money when you get a craving to do so.

Answer 10

Ask your employer if they will pay you directly to your bank account. In the UK, if you bank with a decent bank. I use Barclays, you have the option of Internet banking. I'll check my statement online soon. You can also have telephone banking on an 0845 number in case your computer goes down. Barclays also has a freephone number for emergencies and their security is good. They also gave me an email address for their fraud department, so people report attempted fraud and they're on to it. They are crap when it comes to interest on savings and over charge on their credit card. I use Capital One bank for a credit card, useful for online purchases and savings. Capital One currently offer 4.65% interest on an online savings account and you can transfer your interest online to your current account at the end of the year. When you shop, use the 2 for the price of one offers. Keep records of your personal accounts as if you were running a business. Either, on your computer or in a little book. Simple accounts showing money in and money out will do. Take advantage of Nectar points, Mypoints, anything and everything that will help you save. Keep a record of your balance in your diary, so you can see your savings grow on a weekly basis. Don't buy crap. People buy crap just because it's fashionable. People who buy jeans that are worn out when they buy them are just fools. If you can't sew a patch on your own jeans and have to buy them with patches already sewn on - you're fairly pathetic. Not that you need patches on jeans anyway. I pay £20.99 a month for my line rental, all my phone calls to numbers starting in 01 or 02 (not 0845 or 0870 or premium rate). I also get free phone calls in the package to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most EU countires. On top of that I get broadband ADSL. The ADSL is at 1 Mbs at the moment - but new equipemt is going in the telephone exchange soon to take that to 8 Mbs. Improve your education, there is money in running your own web site for example. Make money you save more - but it taxable. Save money and it's not taxable in fact you save on VAT or sales taxes too. Never use petrol or gasoline unless necessary, it's irresponsible because of global warming and also a waste of money. I spend a lot when I go shopping too. I buy the largest size of everything to save money and fill my car. But I only shop about every 3 months. Look at my web site it has an advertisement on it. Click the advert and make me 50 cents. The address will give you a clue - who I get my phone and broadband from!

Answer 11

I know what you mean. I'm trying to save for a house some day
but with my income, it'll be years before I can afford something
nice.