Half of my friends – even ones with good-paying jobs – live paycheck to paycheck.
I used to do the same thing. After all, it’s hard to put money into savings when you’re paying off student loans, credit card debt, and use the air conditioner during summer. No wonder twenty-somethings have a -2% savings rate, meaning they spend more than they earn.
But even if you’re budget is razor thin, you can and should save money for the big things in life, like a house (assuming you want one) or old age (which will come whether you want it to or not).
And if you have some savings, you won’t have to pull out credit card when your car breaks down, or some other emergency pops up.
Here are some simple, fast ways to put aside a few hundred dollars fast: …show more content…
If you do that in five places, you’ve got $50,” Beverly says. “Don’t get upset by small amounts. And nothing is off the table, even something that seems like a fixed amount.”
For example, Beverly suggests taking a closer look at your car payment. “Maybe you can refinance that loan and get a lower payment,” she says.
Here’s another tip – don’t let anyone else tell you what expenses you should cut. “If a latte is super important to you, cut elsewhere,” Beverly says. “If you cut too much, or the stuff that really matters to you, you’ll go on a binge.”
But what if you have credit card debt? Should you pay that off first? Or fund your savings?
Beverly suggests doing both, with the majority going to your debt. “If you find an extra $50, put $35 towards the debt and $15 to savings,” she says. “And if you can transfer a credit card balance to a card with 0% interest, do that.”
Turn your hobby into an online business
Whenever friends complain about being broke because they don’t earn enough at their crappy jobs, I gently – very gently – encourage them to think about ways they can earn money on the side.
They instantly start complaining they don’t have any time between commuting, working, and all the other stuff you have to do in …show more content…
3.5% of each item sold.
There are a few other fees. For example, if buyers pay through PayPal, they’ll take a cut too - 2.9% of the sales price and an additional 30 cents.
These fees don’t really add up to much. As this Etsy calculator shows, if you sell something for $20, and the buyer pays through Paypal, you’ll still pocket $18.22.
Of course, you have to consider shipping costs. At one point, Cathy sold large wreaths. “They are an odd size for the Post Office, so they charge more,” she says. “Plus, you have to purchase and store the boxes.”
Her advice? Sell small things.
While you can always charge the buyer for shipping, people have come to expect free shipping. According to a recent study from Accent, 88 percent of buyers said they’d be more likely to buy from a web site if they were promised free shipping.
Most importantly, to make sure you actually save any money from your side gig, link the accounts you accept money through to your new savings account, not your checking account. “I always had a business account,” Cathy
I used to do the same thing. After all, it’s hard to put money into savings when you’re paying off student loans, credit card debt, and use the air conditioner during summer. No wonder twenty-somethings have a -2% savings rate, meaning they spend more than they earn.
But even if you’re budget is razor thin, you can and should save money for the big things in life, like a house (assuming you want one) or old age (which will come whether you want it to or not).
And if you have some savings, you won’t have to pull out credit card when your car breaks down, or some other emergency pops up.
Here are some simple, fast ways to put aside a few hundred dollars fast: …show more content…
If you do that in five places, you’ve got $50,” Beverly says. “Don’t get upset by small amounts. And nothing is off the table, even something that seems like a fixed amount.”
For example, Beverly suggests taking a closer look at your car payment. “Maybe you can refinance that loan and get a lower payment,” she says.
Here’s another tip – don’t let anyone else tell you what expenses you should cut. “If a latte is super important to you, cut elsewhere,” Beverly says. “If you cut too much, or the stuff that really matters to you, you’ll go on a binge.”
But what if you have credit card debt? Should you pay that off first? Or fund your savings?
Beverly suggests doing both, with the majority going to your debt. “If you find an extra $50, put $35 towards the debt and $15 to savings,” she says. “And if you can transfer a credit card balance to a card with 0% interest, do that.”
Turn your hobby into an online business
Whenever friends complain about being broke because they don’t earn enough at their crappy jobs, I gently – very gently – encourage them to think about ways they can earn money on the side.
They instantly start complaining they don’t have any time between commuting, working, and all the other stuff you have to do in …show more content…
3.5% of each item sold.
There are a few other fees. For example, if buyers pay through PayPal, they’ll take a cut too - 2.9% of the sales price and an additional 30 cents.
These fees don’t really add up to much. As this Etsy calculator shows, if you sell something for $20, and the buyer pays through Paypal, you’ll still pocket $18.22.
Of course, you have to consider shipping costs. At one point, Cathy sold large wreaths. “They are an odd size for the Post Office, so they charge more,” she says. “Plus, you have to purchase and store the boxes.”
Her advice? Sell small things.
While you can always charge the buyer for shipping, people have come to expect free shipping. According to a recent study from Accent, 88 percent of buyers said they’d be more likely to buy from a web site if they were promised free shipping.
Most importantly, to make sure you actually save any money from your side gig, link the accounts you accept money through to your new savings account, not your checking account. “I always had a business account,” Cathy