Four Ways To Becoming A Compulsive Saver

[JoAnn]

1. Do it now. If you wait to save until you get a raise or pay off your debts. . . you’ll never start. Nothing to save? Start cutting expenses and save the difference.

2. Enter into an automatic savings program. Your bank will help you save by making automatic deposits from your checking into your savings program. If you have a payroll savings plan where you work . . . sign up - today!

3. Pay yourself first. Ten percent of everything you make is yours to keep . . .off the top. If you can make this an unbending and non-negotiable routine you will be well on your way to becoming an addictive saver.

4. Live with cash. If you can’t afford to pay cash . . . you can’t afford it. Living on credit, writing bad checks, and demanding to have it now and pay for it later will surely sabotage any plans you have to be a compulsive saver.

[mdowdy]

Good info here. We have a friend who makes really good money and has no concept of what to do with it. She is continually buying things, charging it and worrying about it later. She once spent 70.00 in a bidding war on ebay for an item that cost 12.00 at walmart. She is always asking us to borrow money until the next week. I keep trying to talk to her and she will not listen. I have told her several times, if you want it save up for it and pay cash. That particular one is one of the best guidelines I think that you can live by.

[rtebalt]

Great guidelines! This is what we've started doing & it really helps. Our only difference is that we pay ourselves "second." We pay God "first" (our tithe). Since the time we have started doing this, He has blessed us so much.

[Baggz1971]

Excellent! I have always lived on cash until I got married. I still live on cash and my partner lives on plastic. To many problems.

[Oma2008]

Great advice Joann!

After years of being foolish with our money my husband and I are finally following rules like yours and sticking to them. We've only been doing it for a month now but I'm already feeling less stress about money because I finally have a sense of control.

We are working on paying off our debt and for the first time it doesn't seem like a hopeless task. I know by being smart we will accomplish our goal!

It's so nice to have a resource to talk with all of you so that I'm not doing this on my own!

Ann

[JoAnn]

I have this list on my refrig, it surely helps me to remember the basics.

[JoAnn]

Oma, remember you are never alone

It's so nice to have a resource to talk with all of you so that I'm not doing this on my own!

Ever feel a need to vent one on one, feel free to stop by my page. I have open ears.. The site has helped me in several ways. And I'm always working on new ways of doing things as well.

[imported_seaar2000]

I do all of the above except very seldom do I carry cash. I usually write a check. Always know whats in my checking. I do have $100 automatically deducted from my check every two weeks, always pay my self first, treat it like a bill. I also have set up at my credit union a christmas acct., emergency fund, tution fund (money I use for my daughter when she needs money for school or activities) and a miscellaneous fund (money for birthdays). Also, I have an FSA for medical.

[herblife]

Seems simple. now to put it into pratice.

[FreebieQueen]

Important Moderator Note Congratulations! The post, Four Ways To Becoming A Compulsive Saver , was nominated for Topic of the Week and Won! Joann has just received 25,000 Experience Points to spend in our Experience Shop. Thank you for your participation in the forums and adding content that our members can appreciate and value. We look forward to reading more of your posts.