I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways that I can save a little money. A few bucks here and there can really add up—which means I can afford a vacation or a thing I’ve been wanting to buy for a while.
Whatever your money goals are, saving a bit at a time is easier than you think. It just takes a little sacrifice—let’s call it a mini-sacrifice—and you can save big.
Dinner with Friends
You meet your friends for dinner once every week. The dinner costs you Rs 1,000. Every month, this amounts to Rs 4,000. If you replace one of these dinner trips with cooking at home and invest the remaining, it will compound to Rs 2.6 lakhs ten years down the line.
Movie Night
A movie at a PVR or any multiplex costs approximately Rs 300. For a family of four, that’s Rs 1,200 per movie. Two movies per month cost Rs 2,400. Have one movie night at home which will cost approximately Rs 500. That’s Rs 700 in savings, that will eventually compound to Rs 1.8 lakhs in ten year time.
An Uncertain future
Some folks frown on frugality. They equate it with being “cheap”. Others are unwilling to make sacrifices today when the future is so uncertain. They’re not willing to “live like that” when they could get hit by a bus tomorrow. I think this is crazy for a couple of reason:
First, spending is not the same as happiness. Second, most of us are likely to live a long time.
Which would you rather do?
A. Prepare for a long life by saving and investing, but then die tomorrow.
Or
B. Spend money you don’t have now, and then be unable to afford what you need when you’re older.
Don’t confuse frugality with depriving yourself.
When we restrict our spending on the unimportant, we’re able to indulge ourselves on the things that matter most in our lives.
Finally would like to leave you with a famous quote “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”
