Attention lazy girls around the world. I acknowledge your struggle and must confess that I too am a sometimes lazy millennial who has been on the hunt for ways to save money without actually doing anything. Partly because doing nothing is a better way to save money all around but mostly because my Dad is driving me nuts. He's constantly harping on me to get a Roth IRA, or a high-yeild savings account, blah, blah, blah. But while I was researching what exactly those things were in order to appease him, I realized I might be on to something and quickly started formulating the most hands off ways to save money. Thankfully none of these tips actually involve giving anything up, because um that's really hard. No, this list doesn't bring up homemade lunches, skipping coffee or anything ludicrous like that.
Lower Your Cell Phone Bill, Because Money
When you were younger going over your texting limit was a big deal because it usually came with a big bill that your parents yelled at you for. Even now, cell phone companies try to scare us with data usage. Take a nice hard look at your past 3-6 months of bills and tally up exactly how much data you actually use. Once you have that number you can lower your plan to something more reasonable for you, thus saving you money each month. If you're open to changing providers check out MyRatePlan and SaveGiveLove. Both services are free and they can help analyze this data for you #LazyGirlProbz
Credit Card Debt Basically Sucks
Crazy as it sounds, its a no brainer that a lower interest rate on any outstanding credit card debt will help you save money on a monthly basis. If you can get it lower it can also help eliminate your debt more quickly. Take a deep breath, call up your credit card company (start with the highest balance or interest rate) and let them know you'd like to lower your current rate because you're unhappy with it. Point out other offers from credit card companies, or ask questions about how to transfer your balance to another institution. More times than not this tactic scares them into lowering your rate by a significant percentage. Don't be afraid to ask. You've literally got nothing to lose.
A High Interest Savings Account Is the Best Invention
So when my Dad told me to research this the majority of banks were only offering a measly .5% for their accounts. Check out bankrate and get an entire list of banks that service your area in addition to credible online institutions. Sometimes the rate is higher for online institutions because their is no physical location. A more attractive rate brings in more "customers." Make sure you do your research, read the fine print, and find the account that works for YOU. Soon enough you'll be on your way to earning a little something something in just a few days.
Payroll Autosave Will Save You
Honestly this is probably the BEST way to save. Talk to your payroll department and see if they will allow you to deposit your paychecks into a specified bank account. If this is an option you can split up your check and deposit it in multiple accounts. Set up a percentage or dollar amount and split it up between your high yield savings accounts, your regular savings and checking. Because, when you don't see the money, you can't spend it.
That "Change Jar" is Your New Bestie
Well, its not actually a piggy bank. There are programs out there like SavedPlus, Bank of America's Keep the Change and Well Fargo's Way2Save that will automatically transfer a small amount into your savings account each time you make a purchase. For the banking programs each purchase is rounded up to the nearest dollar and the difference is added to your savings account. You can read a more in depth review on the two programs here. Personally, I like using saved plus because I can choose what percentage of purchases will be moved into my savings account, or I can send that money to pay off a debt. SavedPlus truly makes saving money a total no brainer.
Scan That Sh*t Before You Buy
We all love the thrill of making a big purchase. We've been eyeing the item for weeks, we've done our research, we've saved our money, we make the purchase. There's nothing worse than the sinking feeling of realizing a few days later that you overpaid. It;s utter agony, so before you make a big purchase comparison shop for better deals. Some great apps that allow you to do this are ShopSavvy, RedLaser, and PriceGrabber. Take a day or two to compare in-store and online prices before making that big purchase. You won't regret it!
Better to Borrow, Don't Buy
E-readers like iPads, Kindles, and Nooks make it so easy to read books and magazines at a fairly low price. But have you checked at your local library to see if you can download this content for free? My mom is an avid user of the library and she can download books, music, magazines you name it. The best part is that if your local library doesn't have it you can always see if another one does. Usually through an interlibrary loan. Browser plugins like Library Extension are great or you can search sites like Open Library.
image via twcollins
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