Three Easy Ways to Save Money

If someone gave you a dollar for every Canadian person you met that wished he or she had more money, you'd be pretty rich by now. Why's that? Because the majority of Canadian people have a great desire to improve their current financial status. Now, unless you win the grand jackpot in the Canadian national lottery, there are only two ways for you to increase your bank account balance: you either increase your income or you save money. Increasing your income can be a sticky issue sometimes. After all, it's not like you can just walk into your boss's office and ask for a raise. And that hot new job isn't always waiting for you around the next corner.

Saving money, on the other hand, is a lot less sticky. You have complete control over your actions. All it takes is a little creativity and discipline. Apart from the lack of discipline, most Canadians find it hard to save money because they overlook the most basic expenses in their lives. If you take a closer look at the way you spend your money on a daily basis, you may find some simple ways to save. For starters, you could try these three:

1. Cooking at Home

Many Canadians come home feeling too tired to cook, so they either eat out or order in. Did you ever think about how much money you could actually save if you took the time to cook your own meals at home? Cooking at home does not mean you have to do it everyday. The trick is to cook in bulk - you only cook once or twice a week but make sure the meals last for the rest of the week. You freeze daily portions and just pop them in the microwave when the time comes. Not only is this economically smart, it is also healthier than eating mass-produced food.

2. Cut down on driving

Let's face it, gas and car insurance is expensive. Being stuck in traffic isn't all too pleasant either. Have you ever thought about walking or bicycling to work instead of driving? Not only will you save several thousand dollars every year with this, but you may also lose a couple of pounds and become more fit. And if you live too far away from work for walking or biking to be a possibility, how about car pooling?

3. Housing repairs - do it yourself

How difficult is it really to give the kitchen a new coat of paint?. And is it really impossible for you to put in a new bedroom carpet? Many of the home improvements and repairs that people usually hire contractors for are simple enough that you can do them yourself. There are plenty of Canadian hardware and DIY stores that have trained personnel who will give you advice and tips on home repair issues. Set some time aside on the weekends to make those small repairs instead of paying a contractor to do them for you. Sure, you will save quite a bit of money, but you will also feel much more proud of yourself.

Monty Loree is the founder of http://www.canadian-money-advisor.ca which helps Canadians better understand their money, credit and the financial industry in Canada. In our financial podcasts, we are interviewing industry experts who give our visitors the truth about the financial industry. Canadian Money Advisor is an important source for Canadians to learn more about their money. Saving money for retirement?: http://www.canadian-money-advisor.ca/tags/retirement-planning.html


By Monty Loree