Best Ways to Save Money When You Think You Can’t

When you want to save money, you don't have to save triple digits every week if you absolutely can't. Though you will save faster if you save more, sometimes that is not possible. However, having a little backup for emergencies and getting started on a retirement account is better than having nothing. You'd be surprised at how much you can save when you change small things in your life.

Start small. If you start with a huge goal and don't make it, you'll give up on it. Start with $10 or $20 every month and challenge yourself to beat that goal. Every month, see how much you can beat that goal. When you consistently save more than $30 or $40, or any other amount, change your goal to that amount. You can also do this on a weekly basis – start with $5 per week if it is easier for you to work with short-term goals.

Just by changing some of your daily habits, you can save money. The more you can do, the more you will be able to save.  

Every day, add the change in your pockets to a collection jar. Or you can get a manual coin sorter or electric coin sorter and counter and add it to that every day. The coin counter will count and roll the coins for you. Once you fill a coin wrapper, store it with others until you get a certain amount that you pick. Once you get that amount, deposit the coins into your savings account. Just $0.50 per day will get you $182.50 every year – and if you put that in a high-yield savings account, you'll see quite a bit of interest on it. 

Open a high-yield savings account. There are several out there that do not require a minimum balance. Your money will grow much faster than a regular savings account.

If you go to the store several times per week, start planning to go once per week. You should also go on the same day every week. It will take longer the first time, and you might have to go to the store twice in the first week because you may want to shop on Friday, but it's Monday, and you need to get through the week.

• Starting at the beginning of a week, go through your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Make a list of everything you need to get through the week.
• When you go to the grocery store, stick to your list.
• Download savings apps from the stores you frequent. Add digital coupons the day before you go shopping.
• Download Fetch Receipts. Just take a picture of your receipt and tap 'Submit.' You'll rack up points to switch for gift cards at your favorite stores.
• Stick to your grocery list while you are shopping. Resist the urge to impulse buy! Grocery stores are set up to make you impulse buy, so you have to have some serious self-control, especially when they put something like a moist chocolate cake in front of you as you walk through the front door.
• Look for deals. Most of us don't have time to go from store to store, but if Store B has a better deal on something and it is close enough to Store A, then it might be worth it to make two stops. But, if you have to travel across town, take into consideration the amount you are saving compared to the time and gas money you use to get to that store.

Put everything you save from your grocery budget into a separate account for emergencies. Put your spare change in this account, too. Later, you can start a retirement account, though that should be done as early as possible. You might be in your 20s, but your 60s creep up on you before you know it – and you're stuck without a good retirement account. Once you have $1,500 in your emergency account, it's time to start working on that retirement account.

When you go out, look for deals, whether at restaurants, movies, theme parks, or other forms of entertainment. Many recommend going with smaller portions at a restaurant, but if you order larger portions for just a few dollars more and you don't mind leftovers, you'll have a meal for the next day for an extra $3 or $4. That is better than paying $20 for a meal today, then $20 for a meal tomorrow. Instead, get the larger portion for $24 and have two meals for that $24 rather than $40.

Stash the money you saved on that second meal in your retirement savings account or your emergency savings account. 

When you need to make a significant purchase, plan it ahead of time so you can catch sales. Many large purchases, such as appliances and furniture, have annual sales. Make sure you do research on your purchase, including looking at reviews. Often, it is better to go with something that has better quality, even though it might cost you more. You'll end up saving in the long run. For example, a cheap fridge with mediocre reviews might last 5 years, while a fridge that is in the style you want that has better reviews but costs $500 more might last 10 years or longer.

When it comes to gifts, if you have a hobby you like, make gifts. You can knit, sew, crochet, make jewelry, wood burn something or even build something. The gift will be more personal and often costs less to make. 

Often, people recommend staying away from online shopping because it's easy to just "click and buy." However, you could be missing out on tons of deals. If you don't mind buying clothing online, you can often find what you want for less when you buy online. Be careful with large retailers, such as Walmart. In some cases, it is more expensive to buy clothing and electronics online than it is in the store. Always compare prices, especially if the items you are shopping for are more expensive.

 If your employer offers a 401(k) as part of your benefits, it sometimes matches your deposits. No matter how little you can put into that account every pay period, do it. If you can only afford $10 every pay period and your employer matches it, that's actually $20 you saved.

When you get your tax refund, that is money you did without throughout the year. When you get your check, deposit it into that high-yield savings account. You could also put it into your 401(k), but what you earn is fickle as it follows the stock market. Put it into a high-yield savings account. At the end of the year, you can move the interest earned over the year into your retirement account if the rates are reasonable and it looks as though the rates will be stable or will increase over the next several months.

You can also play head games with yourself. One particularly effective head game is to divide the cost of something you want by your hourly wage. That will tell you how many hours you need to work to buy that item. You might find that your "need" is really a "want," and that "want" isn't all that strong anymore.

Instead of unsubscribing from marketing emails from your favorite stores, just delete them unless you need something. The stores often send coupon codes and sales. When you do need or want something, you'll want to save as much as possible on that purchase. When you start researching that purchase, that is when you start looking at the marketing emails to look for any savings you can glean on that purchase.

Remember: Start small and work up to it – no matter what your age is! Some money in savings is better than no savings.