Start the new year with a plan for saving money! America Saves provides many good ideas on how to save money. Here are just a few money saving ideas to consider:

Establish your budget: On the first day of a new month, get a receipt for everything you purchase throughout the month. Stack the receipts into categories like restaurants, groceries, and personal care. At the end of the month you will be able to see where your money is going. Additionally, your bank or credit union may have this as an online-bank feature.

Make an emergency fund: America Saves has a motto. “Start Small. Think Big.” They recommend you start your emergency fund savings goal of just $500.

Use the 24-Hour Rule: Avoid purchasing expensive or unnecessary items on impulse with a self-imposed 24-hour rule. For any non-essential item, wait 24 hours before purchasing. It’s perfect for online shopping where your items can simply be added to your cart to purchase later.

Unsubscribe: Avoid temptation by unsubscribing from marketing emails and texts from the stores where you spend the most money. By law, each marketing email is required to have an unsubscribe link, usually at the bottom of the email or you can reply to any text with STOP, and that should opt you out of their list.

Use only the ATM’s of your bank or credit union: Using the ATM of another financial institution once a week may seem like no big deal, but if it’s costing you $3 for each withdrawal, that’s more than $150 over the course of a year.

Take advantage of your library: Libraries are gold-mines of free entertainment. They offer several entertainment options, including classes, e-books, and audio-books. Some libraries even allow you to borrow things like tools and sewing machines!

Don’t buy cheap clothes for cheap’s sake: There are times when it makes the most sense to prioritize quality over price when purchasing clothes for the family. An inexpensive shirt or coat is a poor bargain for older family members if it wears out in less than a year, but could make sense for quickly growing children.

Brown bag your lunch: The reason you hear this tip so much is that it works! If buying lunch at work costs $5, but making lunch at home only costs $2.50, then in a year you could afford to create a $500 emergency fund and still have money left over.

Commit to eating our one fewer time each month: Save money without sacrificing your lifestyle. Take small steps to reduce your dining budget. Start of with reducing the amount you eat out by just once per month.

Don’t skimp on preventative health care: Routine dental checkups, for example, help prevent fillings, root canals, and dental crowns – all of which are expensive and no fun.

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