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When you’re trying to save money, it can seem impossible to actually keep your bank account full. Tempting purchases swing in front of your face and you may be influenced to make a snap decision to buy something expensive that you don’t really need.
However, there are ways to tell tempting purchases to leave you alone and focus on saving. Here are our tips for staying one step ahead of aggressive advertising and hitting your saving goals.
One of the best things you can do for your wallet is to ignore advertisements of all types. This can be tough! Ads are everywhere. You live in a world where everyone wants to sell you something. In order to tune it out, you need to be vigilant and stay aware of the tactics that advertisers use to make products look more appealing.
Remember, the main goal of an advertiser is to convince you that you have a problem that only their product can fix. However, you can rest assured that most of your problems have nothing to do with how much money you can spend and have a lot more to do with how you can save that money.
Don’t just take the plunge on a big purchase at the drop of a hat. If you’re planning on spending money on something that’s more than a couple of bucks, stop and really think about that purchase for a second. Weigh it against your finances and consider your financial goals. Is it really a good idea to make this purchase right now?
If you have friends who are bad about pushing you to drop a lot of money on things you don’t need, it might be time to cut them out, too. It’s not helpful to be around people who are going to make you miss your financial goals.
You might be comfortable lying to yourself about your purchases, but you might not lie to a trusted friend. Get someone to be your accountability buddy. Ideally, this is someone who sees your finances, like a spouse or a life partner. This accountability buddy can keep you honest by making sure you haven’t made any silly purchases, and you can do the same for them to help them reach their financial goals.
Just remember to take steps every month to put money back and save toward your goals. You’ll meet your targets in no time as long as you make it a habit to put money into your savings account!
