A lot of people are so busy going about their day-to-day activities that they neglect to monitor and evaluate their spending. Because of this, people fail to realise where their money really goes.
Chuck Bentley, the CEO of Crown, the largest Christian financial ministry in the world, has offered eight "budget hacks" that would help people redirect their money from things most people have hidden in their spending.
"Think of it as the application of Ben Franklin's wisdom, 'A penny saved is a penny earned.' So let's count some pennies we can save, because pennies add up to dollars," he wrote in an article for The Christian Post.
Bentley's first budget hack is for people to bring their own coffee to work. The average worker spends $20 a week buying coffee, which adds up to more than $1,090 a year. If people can only cut this spending into half, they can save up to $500, which they can add to their emergency fund.
The same goes for hack number two: Make a grocery list. "Americans throw away about $165 billion in wasted food, which comes to about $529 per person. It adds up if you have a family. By planning your meals better, you can save money every month," he said.
Bentley estimates that even if people make only slight changes to their shopping list for food, "you still can conservatively save $500 per year for a family."
His third tip is to play more at home. People spend differently when it comes to entertainment — be it a trip to the movies or a night of dancing. If people can cut out just one outside entertainment a month, they can approximately save $600 a year.
Next, Bentley suggested that people pack a lunch instead of buying out. "The average worker pays about $37 a week buying lunch out, more than $1,900 a year. Double that if you are married. If you skip just one week of eating out each month while at work, you can save $444," he said.
Bentley's fifth budget hack is to forego one's gym membership and take up running or walking instead. People have lofty ideals when it comes to staying fit. But truth be told, they let a lot of things get in the way of fitness and end up neglecting their gym memberships.
Sixth, Bentley said people should stop spending a fortune on their pets. He acknowledged that certain costs for pets are fixed, but they can skip buying dog clothes, animal toys, and throwing lavish pet parties. "Remember that a pet really wants your attention and not your cash, so buy fewer toys and take more walks," he said.
Seventh, Bentley said people should turn trash into treasure by arranging garage sales or selling unwanted items through eBay, Craigslist, or other shopping tools. Done correctly, people can net $500 to $700 worth of sales.
And lastly, he said people can actually turn their taxes into savings. "In 2015, the average tax refund was $3,120 — a tidy sum," he said. "I've written a lot about how to manage that, including recommending to check your withholding because you may be deducting too much each month. But with January approaching, consider whether you already have saved $1,000 with Uncle Sam's help."
