October 12 is National Savings Day! Did you cringe when you read that? We all struggle to save money but we are usually more focused on what we owe. We set goals to save money, but then something always comes up! You need a new car battery, expenses for a child, an unexpected doctor’s visit, a leaky faucet; life happens and our savings goals quickly diminish. We are here to share 11 ways you can save. It’s easier than you think!

1. Budget, Budget, Budget

Creating a realistic budget is the most important thing to do when it comes to saving money.  If you’re not tracking your money then how do you know where it’s going? There are plenty of programs that can help you with this. If you want a free option, Mint is a great choice! You can access it on your laptop or smartphone via their app. It brings all of your finances to one place. Another great program to use is Quicken. They have 4 different programs for you to choose from, so you can choose which one works best for you. Even better is they have a 30-day money-back guarantee! When we know where our money is going, we’re more likely to spend less and save more.

2. Open a High-Yield Savings Account

If you currently have a regular savings account that your bank offered you when you opened your checking account, the interest rate is probably on the low end of the spectrum. The best move to increase your savings would be opening a high-yield savings account! This gives you the opportunity to make more money while your savings are sitting in the bank. All you have to do is continue to add money to your savings. It benefits you and helps add more money to your savings with minimal effort.

Check out a list of the best high-yield savings accounts here. 

3. Maximize Your Employer 401(k) Match

Most companies offer an employer match to your 401(k) and surprisingly a lot of people don’t utilize this! Some companies have you contribute a minimum before they start matching your contribution. Do some research and talk to HR to get more information on this so you can take full advantage of this perk. This is free money just for the benefit of working there! Why not use it?

4. Use Savings and Investment Apps

There are a variety of savings apps that will help cushion your savings really without you even trying. With Qapital you can use it to set goals and create a savings; think of it as a savings bucket list! Digit analyzes your spending and automatically saves the perfect amount every day, so you don’t even have to think about it and Acorns you can use to invest, earn and grow your money from the leftover change on everyday purchases!

Download them all and see which one works best for you!

5. Use the 24-Hour Rule

If you are looking to make a big purchase, give yourself 24 hours to think about it. Sincerely think about if it will bring you joy or if you can do something better with that money. Do you really need it? Do you need it right now? Maybe you can wait till it’s on sale?

6. Save for Retirement 

Saving for your retirement should be a priority, we all think there’s so much time but it sneaks up on all of us! Try saving at least 15% of your income into your retirement if you can spare it. Every bit counts and make sure to pay yourself first before paying your essential bills. So many people do this the other way around!

7. Earn Cash Back Rewards with Apps

If you are an avid online shopper then it would probably be in your best interest to download some cashback rewards apps such as Rakuten, Ibotta, Drop, and Shop Kick. If you’re already doing online shopping you might as well earn money back!

8. Take a look at your Subscriptions

How many do we really need? Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Disney+, etc. Take a look and see how much you’re really spending on these apps per month. If there’s one that you can do without, pause that subscription. Some streaming services have the ability to share accounts in the household.

9. Save Your Bonuses Instead of Spending Them 

Whether it’s profit-sharing, a holiday bonus, or a tax refund; most people already have the extra money spent before they even receive it. What we should really be doing is saving it and putting it away for a rainy day or emergency. Bonuses can add a nice cushion to your savings!

10. Use Your Local Library

Instead of buying books, check out your local library and see what selection they have. Libraries have a variety of books, audiobooks, magazines, and even CDs to choose from. They also have an app, Libby, where you can download and put holds on books from your library. You can download them directly to your phone or Kindle app and it’s all free!

11. Rewards Programs 

Make sure you are getting the rewards of shopping at your favorite stores. With the Starbucks Rewards program you can earn free items and Target has their RedCard that will save you five percent off each purchase, CVS ExtraCare Card gets you extra savings, Nordstrom’s The Nordy Club, you can earn points to cash in for store credit. You might as well reap the benefits if you can’t give up spending at your favorite spots!

We all have good intentions when it comes to spending, but sometimes it turns out we are spending more money than we’re making; when we could be saving it! We hope the tips we shared above will help jumpstart your savings goals!

Related: Walmart Shoppers, Save MORE with These Insider Tips!