1.) Pack Your Lunch or Eat at Home.

By brown-bagging your lunch everyday for school or work, you can easily save $25.00 plus per week, which amounts to at least $1,300.00 per year or more. That's $50,000.00 over a 40-year career. What I like to do is make enough food to last you through the week and separate the food into around 5 different tupperware containers. Sounds obvious, but this little trick will cut time and save you thousands.


2.) Brew Your Own Coffee.

Love your daily Starbucks? Coffee is the daily item that will silently drain your bank account without you ever noticing. Daily coffee on average runs your about $4.00 – $5.00. Spending $1,800 per year on coffee is absolutely ridiculous. With that said, I recommend brewing your own coffee at home or bringing your coffee into work to cut down on daily expenses.


3.) Shop at Costco or Sam's Club.

Buying groceries in bulk can save you hundreds of dollars each month. By shopping at Costo or Sam's Club and making a trip once a month, I've calculated that I am able to save somewhere around $200 per month by doing this. I recommend stocking up on non-perishable goods that won't go bad such as: canned vegetables, canned fruit, frozen fruit, raw oatmeal, condiments and anything that will last you a long time and won't go bad quickly.


4.) Lose The Car.

Let's face it, vehicles cost a lot of money. Between gas, repairs and insurance, car expenses add up very quickly. The current average price of gas is around $4.00 per gallon. If you are able to get rid of the car and ride your bike to work, take the bus, ride the subway, or walk, please do. Not only will these methods of transportation save you money, but they can also keep you in shape as well.


5.) Budgeting.

Budgeting is the backbone to all savvy financial planning. Use Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to guide and track your spending and saving habits. You can also use free apps such as Mint, which is a free web-based personal financial management service. I also recommend making a list of your monthly income, as well as your monthly expenses. After doing this a few months, you will be able to gauge what leftover money you have to invest or save. A few dollars a month will go a long way.

6.) Open And Use A Savings Account.

Much research has shown that families are often faced with unexpected expenses ranging from a traffic violation to a car repair to an emergency medical bill. Opening and using a savings account is the least expensive and easiest way to be prepared to cover these expenses.