“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for American Express Serve. I received a test card to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. This post contains direct links to the American Express Serve website & social media accounts.”
Spending money is easy. Following a budget isn’t. These tips will show you how to stick to your budget.
We all know how important it is to save our money. Let’s face it, unless you are independently wealthy, you’ve got to plan for the big things, like college, retirement and caring for elderly loved ones, several years in advance. This can certainly be overwhelming, especially if you haven’t got much to work with.
“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
I love this statement. No matter how big a goal may be, it can be approached using this simple philosophy. Eating an elephant is like saving money.
Baby steps.
A little at a time.
Whether your goal is to save money for a specific event or to just keep from overspending each month, these tips are for you.
5 tips on how to stick to your budget:
- Know your ‘wants’ from your ‘needs’ – If you want something badly enough, justifying it is easy. Being able to distinguish your true needs from mere wants can be tricky. Example: I have a laptop that is several years old and particularly slow. It also requires to be plugged in while in use because the battery is shot. While I would have loved to have gotten a brand new laptop, I realized it wasn’t really what I needed. What I needed was to clean up my computer and buy a new battery. If I would have gone ahead and purchased the new laptop, not only would it have put me over my budget for the current month, but for several months to come as well.
- Learn to say ‘no’ – Dinner at a fancy restaurant with your significant other, a movie with your best friend, a new pair of jeans for your teenage daughter {when she’s already got a closet full of clothes that still fit her and are in great shape}. Dinner can be just as, or even more, romantic at home. Light a few candles and you’ve just set the mood for an epic evening! Chances are your bestie will appreciate a girls’ night in with a movie and cocktails, and your teenage daughter, well, maybe it’s time she considered looking for a job.
- Prevent impulse purchases – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve purchased a new purse, pair of shoes, or a knickknack that was too cute to pass up. And I’ve certainly done my fair share of ‘therapy shopping’. The cure? The moment you feel an impulse buy coming on, simply think about how many hours it took you to earn that amount. I guarantee those impulses buys will become less frequent.
- Treat yourself – Everyone loves to be rewarded for a job well done, so, if you’ve been sticking to your budget, be sure to allow yourself to a little treat. This will help to ensure that you’re not being overwhelmed by the constraints of your budget. Just be sure to decide beforehand the dollar limit of your reward. $5-10 is ideal.
- Use a prepaid debit card – Using a prepaid debit card is an easy way to keep track of specific spending, since you can access all of your transactions online {no need to save receipts to add up later!}. And, since prepaid debit cards are just like using cash, you won’t need to worry about spending money you don’t have. My favorite prepaid debit card is the American Express Serve® Cash Back debit card. Why? Because you earn cash back every time you use it. Talk about budget friendly!
Here’s how it works:
- Get 1% Cash Back for every dollar you spend when you shop in store or online.
- Log into your account to redeem the cash back that has been added to your account. It can be used whenever you choose.
More features and benefits I love about the American Express Serve card:
- You can register on-line to get a prepaid card in the mail for free, plus, no need to worry about credit checks, minimum balances or hidden fees.
- You can easily pay bills, buy groceries, shop online, and even withdraw cash from over 24,000 MoneyPass® ATMs. You can also use the American Express Serve mobile app to check your balance and recent transactions, pay bills and send money to friends and family that have a Serve account.
- Your American Express Serve account includes Purchase Protection, protecting your eligible purchases for up to 90 days from the date of purchase. *Visit the American Express Serve website for details*
- Convenient and easy access to money management tools at no or low cost
- Roadside Assistance
- 24/7 customer service
- Special offers, content and more
I’ve got my American Express Serve Debit Card, and now it’s time for you to get yours. Visit the American Express Serve website to register for your freeAmerican Express Serve Debit Card – the only debit card that let’s you earn 1% back on purchases, making it easier for you to keep your budget and save money!
Be sure to visit American Express Serve on Facebook and Twitter!
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