Hello, dear readers of the site! Now we will analyze all the proven methods, how to save and save money correctly with a small salary.

We all strive for a good life , and each of us would like to make our lives even better, but in most cases our finances, or rather, our small salary, do not allow us to do this.

Unfortunately, in our modern world, you need to learn not only how to earn money, but also how to save it and distribute it correctly.

Today we will look at various techniques how to save money with a small salary, how and what to do so that financial difficulties do not take you by surprise, and there are no problems with finances.

To improve your financial situation (learn to save and save money), you just need to follow the simplest rules, and then financial problems you won't! Remember: money comes to those who know how to handle it correctly!

So, from this article you will learn:

• Do you need to save on food, electricity, etc.;
• How to save energy;
• How to save on groceries;
• How to learn to save money and save money with a small salary - proven methods;
• How to save a decent amount;
• Folk signs about money.

For more information on how to save money with a small salary in the family, as well as how to save it, read further in the article

1. Saving the family budget must become an important financial habit 💸

The first thing to remember: saving - This is not the worst thing in life, but on the contrary, a very important and necessary phenomenon in our modern life. Saving will help you competently, smart And Right control and distribute your expenses, refuse from foods and habits harmful to the body.

Very often we have, at first glance, petty, but constant expenses that seem “trifling” to us, but in fact create good holes in our budget.

To learn how to save wisely and correctly , you need patience and work on yourself. But then you will understand what unnecessary costs are, and, perhaps, you will learn how to invest profitably and make money from it. If you want to know how you can make money, then our article “” will help you.

Saving does not mean that you will have to deny yourself everything, eat bad products, and generally live poorly. Saving means distributing your funds correctly in order to avoid unnecessary costs, distribute money wisely and not spend it on trifles. Also in this article you will learn how to save money using specialist techniques.

First you need motivation, that is, the goal: why you need to save, and most importantly, how to start doing it. Perhaps you want to buy a new car or apartment?(In a separate article we already wrote about the one with a small salary). Or do you need a good renovation in your apartment?

A few steps on how to learn how to save money correctly

To understand how to start saving, you need to consider several stages.

Namely:

1. you need to divide all costs into necessary and Not good necessary, that is, the extra ones or those that can wait;
2. Next, we consider the resources for which you must pay, and these are: electricity, water, gas, communication, etc.;
3. then you need to calculate the cost of food, and also pay attention to your diet;
4. We set aside a percentage of the money saved so that it doesn’t just sit there, but also works.

Even if you try to put off some 10 % (percent) of your monthly income, then in just six months or a year you will have accumulated an impressive amount.

And we repeat the rule once again: you don’t need to perceive saving as a limitation or a bad way of life. On the contrary, it will help significantly improve your life.

Remember: you will not have to infringe on yourself, you will not go hungry, sit at home in the dark, saving light, or walk around in cast-offs. All this has nothing to do with saving!

2. Should you save on food and electricity?

Saving on food (groceries) does not mean sitting hungry, and saving on electricity does not mean sitting in the dark. All necessary expenses remain, and only unnecessary and superfluous ones are removed.

Food expenses- these are the expenses that we can influence, because it depends on our desire and our choice.

We need to figure out which stores we buy products from, what criteria we use to select these products, and in what quantities.

Usually we have extra expenses due to not correct diet, use of harmful semi-finished products, purchases not according to the list, reluctance to cook food yourself.

This also applies to electricity: If you do everything correctly, there will be no financial problems.

Ways to learn to save money on electricity

3. How to save electricity - 5 simple rules for saving on electricity 💡

let's consider 5 simple rules, thanks to which you will learn how to save energy.

Rule 1. Use electrical appliances correctly

For example, a charger for a phone or tablet, plugged into a socket for nothing, continues to waste our electricity, and we may not even pay attention to such a trifle or simply forget to unplug it from the socket. It would seem like a small thing, but our electricity is wasted.

This applies not only to mobile phones, but also to other household appliances, multicooker, microwave, TV, and so on.

This is one of the first important rules on how you can save energy.

Rule 2. It is important to use the correct cookware for the electric stove

Or more precisely, for the burner. After all, a correctly selected frying pan that is exactly the right size will heat up faster, and the stove will not just heat up the air. It's simple, isn't it? Probably every housewife has frying pans at home, both large and small. The main thing is to use them correctly! In this way you can significantly save energy.

Rule 3. You need to know where to properly place the refrigerator

Believe it or not, a refrigerator is also a “harmful” device, and it also “eats” a lot of energy if it is not installed correctly. Remember: the refrigerator will use less electricity if it is placed further away from the electric stove.

Of course, not everyone has large and spacious kitchens, but you can probably place the refrigerator so that it is at least not on the same side as the stove and does not touch it.

Rule 4. You need to load the washing machine with laundry correctly

For whole 10 – 15 Our washing machine consumes percent more electricity if it is reloaded or underloaded. Did not know? So remember! It is imperative to monitor the normal weight of your laundry! You will also be insured against breakdowns washing machine in case of overload.

Rule 5. Turn off electrical appliances at night

Many electrical appliances must be unplugged at night and even during the day when you are not using them, and especially when you are not at home. It’s not so difficult: if you leave home, turn it off, why should they work in vain?

Only 5 These rules will help you save energy in your apartment. Not difficult, right?

Here are a couple more tips for saving on electricity:

• If you decide to buy yourself any household appliances, then pay attention to its energy consumption. It is clear that household appliances that use less energy are much more expensive, but believe me: in the future this amount will be recouped through savings. And how much is the overpayment per year!
• A very good and useful habit - turn off the light behind you, leaving the room. But, unfortunately, not everyone can do this and many people simply forget about it. In this case, you can purchase infrared sensors that allow you to save electricity without your participation and unnecessary movements.
• It is better to use energy-saving light bulbs than ordinary ones. It is also worth thinking about bedside lamps, because it is more economical to use them than a three-arm chandelier.
• Use a thermos It’s more profitable than boiling the kettle several times, because a thermos can retain heat for several hours.

If you follow these useful, and most importantly simple, tips and tricks, you will see the changes in your receipts, and then in your wallet.

Let's look at it in the article 10 Tips on how to save money on food:

Tip 1. Experts believe that it is necessary to choose a product not by its beautiful packaging, and the more expensive the better, but you must first become familiar with its composition. A high price does not guarantee high quality. We also pay attention to stock, discounts, And bonuses. Many supermarkets offer us such programs.

It is clear that at first glance it may seem that the difference is 5 rubles is insignificant and you won’t save much on this. But this is a mistaken opinion of most people, because if you calculate the difference even over a month, you will be pleasantly surprised. Can you imagine how much you save per year?

Tip 2. We write a list of the most necessary products and we follow it. We buy only those products that are on the list. This way you will avoid unplanned expenses. There are also all kinds of phone apps, and with them you can save not only your money, but also your time. All your information will be stored there, and you will not have to constantly think about these lists.

Tip 3. It is important to take with you as much money as you need, but no more. Then you will be able to avoid unnecessary expenses. Take a certain amount with you, calculate it so that you only have enough for the necessary products, and then you simply will have nothing to buy unplanned items. Thus, you can save significantly on products.

Tip 4. Did you know that a hungry person’s brain works differently than a well-fed one? So, in order to avoid temptations, you need to go to the store well-fed! And then you will understand that you don’t need all these “goodies” at all.

Tip 5. Try not to run to the store on payday. After all, it is on this day that a person feels richer than he actually is, and can spend much more money than he has calculated. This is where financial difficulties arise: you don’t have enough for anything, and by the end of the month you can be left without a penny of money.

Tip 6. Experts believe that It's better to pay in cash, not plastic cards. Undoubtedly, a plastic card is the most convenient way to pay for purchases, but not the most economical, because the buyer does not feel real money, and it is harder to part with it.

Tip 7. Analogue products are the best way to save! Absolutely every product has a replacement that is much cheaper than itself. The main thing is to go shopping, look and find this analogue. You need to learn not to succumb to the temptations of marketers, because they will always find a way to sell you something more expensive.

Tip 8. Remember! Expensive and beautifully packaged products will always catch your eye. It’s better to look at the lower shelves, “dig deeper” there, most likely you will find a similar product cheaper than what you saw, because expensive products will always be in sight.

Tip 9. The similar products rule also applies to other products, for example, medications. Most drugs have analogues with the same medicinal properties, often they differ only in name and manufacturer.

Tip 10. If possible, we do not take children with us to the store! Certainly, children are happiness, and sometimes you want to pamper your baby, but children are attracted to everything beautiful, and these products are often expensive. It’s better to leave the child at home and buy him, for example, a cheaper chocolate bar - the child will enjoy all the sweets, and you will avoid hysterics in the store.

We eat healthy, and most importantly not expensive!

Remember, eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive, and you don't have to go hungry to save money. On the contrary, expenses even decrease with a healthy diet.

Healthy food, For example cereals, dairy products, lean meat, cheaper than fast food. Moreover, it is not known what the pies and hot dogs in the stall around the corner or in the nearest cafe are made from. And here you cook with your own hands, and you know everything about your homemade food.

Here are some more tips for shopping for healthy foods:

1. It is more profitable to purchase products by weight rather than in original packaging. Packaged cereals and pasta, as well as sugar and flour, are much more expensive than in bulk.
2. If you buy food at the market, don't forget to haggle! And there is nothing shameful about it. It is important for sellers to sell their goods, and it is profitable for you to buy.
3. It is better to come to the market late in the evening, at this time sellers significantly reduce their prices.
4. It is better to buy meat in large pieces, and at home divide it into the parts you need. In terms of price, this meat comes out cheaper than if you bought it by the kilogram.
5. If you have lunch at work, take food with you. Let us repeat once again that you eat food prepared by yourself, which means that you automatically avoid food poisoning and save on it!
6. Try to create a menu for the week ahead - this will help you buy only the necessary products.
7. First courses are considered healthier than second courses, and even more economical and cheaper!
8. Compare prices in several stores. Don’t be lazy, each store has its own feature and its own promotions.
9. You don’t have to buy expensive meat, such as pork, because you can also cook many delicious and healthy dishes from chicken! Nowadays you can find a lot of recipes on the Internet that will suit you, and you don’t have to sit and invent your own. The main thing is not to be lazy!
10. Yogurts can be replaced with kefir and fermented baked milk. Yogurts contain all kinds of thickeners, dyes and sugars. So why not replace them with kefir, which is more gentle on the body and cheaper?
11. Pasteurized milk is much cheaper and healthier than sterilized milk. Milk in a box will last longer than milk in bags. And this is its only advantage. So is this worth paying extra for?
12. Try to give up sausage, it can be replaced with meat, it is both healthier and cheaper.
13. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season and then freeze them. All the nutrients will remain in them, and you will save a lot, since in the winter they cost much more.

When you review your diet and follow our advice, you will see a difference even at the end of the month. And it's not just about money, but also about health. After all, all famous nutritionists and doctors remove fatty, sweet and especially fast food from their diet.

Using these simple rules will help you save significantly on groceries, maintain your budget, as well as a healthy mind and shape!

Important tips on how to save and save money

5. How to learn to save money and save money with a small salary 💰 - 15 useful tips

First, we'll look at the rules and ways to save money. And even if you have a small salary, it’s not scary!

Tip #1. Set your financial priorities

After all, you must understand that your financial budget, works exclusively for you, and only your financial well-being can depend on you.

After all, waste can be done both with benefit and without it. But how can we understand how useful our expenditure is? Let's figure it out.

Costs also greatly depend on a person’s lifestyle. For example, young people often succumb to unnecessary temptation. It is understandable that there is little life experience, but this can lead to financial mistakes. Young people who buy things for themselves often look at goods that they probably don’t need, but their friends advised them, or the advertising is beautiful, or the fashion has gone…

Expenses are divided into three types- This urgent, not urgent And not urgent at all. Try to make a list of these and those expenses for yourself, and perhaps you will understand what you absolutely do not need and what you can cross off from the list.

Urgent waste - this is understandable, food, public utilities, perhaps clothes and if there are loans.

Not urgent - this is a family vacation, for example, it can be postponed, or investments in studies.

Well not urgent at all we are all very familiar with it - restaurants, entertainment, buying a new phone if you still have an old one, buying expensive fashionable clothes, just because a new advertisement has come out. All this can be put aside for a while, and if you reconsider, you can not spend money on it at all.

The last point is worth paying attention to first. After all, it is important to set your life priorities and understand your goals in life.

If for you buying expensive clothes is a necessary part of life rather than, for example, getting an education and investing in your studies, then it’s unlikely that you be able to save .

And it also applies to entertainment and visiting establishments such as coffee, restaurants, because this is not the most important thing in life.

All financially successful people keep such records. After all, with a clear example, you will see what exactly is causing you holes in your budget. For example, it will be a trip to a cafe, monthly such visits eat up a considerable amount of money, and you will understand for yourself that this can be removed.

After all, when you see all the exact numbers of your budget, and not in the memorization way, you will be surprised how much you used to spend without thinking.

As the very famous speaker Anthony Robbins said: “ What cannot be measured cannot be managed " Remember this rule, and it will help you achieve your personal material success.

If you have additional income, then you need to keep records of them. After all, if there are several ways to earn additional income, then accounting will help you figure out which source of income is more profitable and which one needs to be emphasized more.

In general, now is the 21st century, and information technologies have developed various programs And applications, for maintaining financial accounting, which means you don't have to draw any tables by hand.

You just need to try several programs and choose the one that is closer to your spirit and has a more convenient interface. Let us repeat, clarity is financial literacy. Visibility will help you identify and direct your expenses and income in the right direction.

Experts have shown that up to 95 percent Russians spend much more of their money on payday. And these percentages do not relate to income level.

If you can improve your financial literacy, it will help you change your life in a radical way. And you will feel it.

To learn how to save money and save it, you need to give up loans.

To conclude this chapter, we will give you an example of how to correctly draw up a table of expenses.

6. How to save money in the family - table of 3 types of expenses 📊

Using this table, you can monitor and control your budget, and cross out unnecessary expenses. It will help you determine how to save money and save it correctly.

Table of three types of expenses:

№	Necessary and urgent expenses.	Not very urgent, minor costs.	Not very urgent, or just MONEY EATERS.
1	Food	Getting an education	Cafes, clubs, restaurants
2	Utilities (electricity, gas, water)	Buying furniture	Fast food, expensive sweets, soda
3	Payment for travel, gasoline	Purchases of digital and household appliances	Gambling
4	Mobile communications, internet	Expensive fashion items	Bad habits - fast food, alcohol, cigarettes
5	Cloth	Hobby	Unnecessary connected services on your phone

As you can see from the table, you need to pay special attention to the last column. After all, even if you cross out one point from here, you can see the result from the savings.

7. How to save money correctly 📝 - 4 ways to save money quickly

Of course, saving money is no longer so easy and simple. There is a learning curve and it will take a little effort and patience. But even the most disciplined, calculating And responsible a person has the risk of making a mistake.

let's consider most common mistakes among people, and also study adviсe And expert rules to eliminate these same errors.

If you have already started accumulating funds, then this is already good. But how to save money correctly and have you chosen the right method? And won't you fall apart in half a year? Perhaps your strategy is not as perfect as you think.

Method number 1. We put aside what remains!

So, you pay all your necessary bills, utilities, buy groceries, and send everything that remains to the bank. But notice you don't have a goal, and you don't even know what specific amount you have left after all expenses, and you throw only the leftovers there.

Try restructuring your methodology differently. When you received your salary, the very first count, you must have a savings account. Make this your golden rule.

Calculate how much you can give to the bank per month, and do it first. And if you can’t do this, well, anything can happen, for example, you don’t have time, or there are some temptations to spend your money as quickly as possible, then connect the bank to a service automatic debiting of money from your card of a certain amount to your savings account.

This way you can save money and save time. And you will forget about these troubles. And then your savings account will pleasantly surprise you.

Method number 2. Where is the money kept?

As we have already learned, a savings account is great. But it is important to know where exactly your funds are stored in a bank or on a plastic card?

After all, if the money is on the card, then there is a great temptation to spend all the accumulated funds. And this is quite convenient and easy to do, just use an ATM on the street. And even if this purchase was desired, then most likely you will regret it.

Method No. 3. Each account for a specific purpose

If you have only one savings account, then it will most likely seem to you that everything is fine and the money is accumulating quickly enough and there will be enough for all your desires. Certainly. if you are saving for only one goal, for example car or apartment, then everything is fine, this method is just for you.

But if you have several desires, then one savings account will not be enough, because you will not see concrete progress, and this complicates the calculation of your savings. It will be very difficult for you to calculate what you have already accumulated, and what else can you do? wait.

To avoid such problems and difficulties, you need to acquire several savings accounts. And let everyone the savings account will be designated for a specific purpose, For example, " per car», « for an apartment», « for education», « to the dacha" and so on. Rather, this is the correct way to save money, since each “account” has its own “purpose.”

Method number 4. Don't give up everything

There’s no need to get too hung up on postpone, postpone, postpone. There is no need to specifically give up things that bring you pleasure, because it is on such things that our “ lucky indicator" And good mood.

Of course, many, as we have already said, habits and entertainments should be given up, but this does not mean that you need to become a prude, sit from hand to mouth, not go anywhere, and even sit in the dark.

When your annual savings account runs out, you should think about more serious investments for the long term. After all, you yourself will feel the difference and want to improve your financial situation.

Tips on how to save a decent amount of money

To conclude our article, let's look at some more 15 tips How you can save money and accumulate it quickly. Some of the advice may be repeated, but you should Necessarily remember.

Of course, there is no specific set of rules and advice on how to save money correctly, but next we will consider the advice of experts who suggest using it to simplify saving and saving money.

So, tips on how to create savings to accumulate a decent amount:

Tip #1. Paying for purchases in cash

Try to pay for all your purchases and expenses only in cash. This way you will clearly feel the difference and say goodbye to the money you hold in your hands, and this is more tangible than spending invisible money stored on a plastic card.

By the way, if you buy goods through cashback services , then you can save 1-1.5% of the purchase price. We have already written about this in one of our articles.

Tip #2. Put money into your account

Every month you put a certain amount into your savings account. At the end of a certain period, a nice tidy sum will accumulate, which can be spent on a long-awaited purchase or invested in a profitable business. And as mentioned earlier, have a goal for what the funds you have accumulated will be spent on.

Try to keep your entertainment costs to a minimum. Better spend time with your family, play sports. After all, there are many useful ways to replace unnecessary expenses on entertainment in cafes and restaurants; in the end, experiment with new inexpensive recipes for dishes at home. You have good skills and your husband and children will be happy!

Tip #4. Don't fall for promotional offers

Everything that comes into your mailbox, various catalogs and advertisements, is just trying to seduce you. But don’t give in, feel free to throw everything in the trash, or better yet, unsubscribe from these useless mailings that clog your inbox.

If you have such a bad habit of buying everything, or just to buy something, then make a list of everything you want to buy. And look through it monthly, you will see whether you still need this thing, or was it just an unnecessary temptation?

If you decide that you really need this product, then buy it. But most likely your opinion will change in a month.

Try to prepare food at home and avoid snacking in restaurants. This will cost you a pretty penny. You don’t have time at work for lunch at home, and you rush to a nearby cafe for a quick snack? Think about it!

Prepare your lunch at home the night before; there are special food containers that can be heated in the microwave. This will allow you to save money on restaurants, and let’s face it, you know your home-cooked food. It's also healthier.

Try to sort your money into envelopes: “for utilities”, “for credit”, “for groceries”, “for telephone” and so on. And your expenses will always be planned.

Tip #8. Discuss upcoming expenses with your family

Discuss every week material issues with your spouse. You should make sure that you are aware of each other's waste. And cohesion leads to success!

Distribute all expenses according to the table; see an example of such a table above. Or download the application to your mobile phone, which is much more convenient! And always with you!

Tip #10. Pay necessary bills first

First, we pay all the necessary bills, then we look at the need for other expenses.

Tip #11. Replace paid hobbies, hobbies, etc. for free

If you go to the gym or do fitness, then this hobby can be replaced with exercise and running outside in the park. Both useful and free!

Tip #12. Give gifts made by yourself

You can also save on gifts. After all, the best gift is a gift made with your own hands! You can now find a lot of ideas on the Internet.

Tip #13. Buy analogues of branded clothing

Remember, money does not buy happiness. And not in fashionable, branded expensive clothes. There are many similar things, but much cheaper than the “branded” ones. Besides, fashion comes and goes, and then things remain unnecessary.

Tip #14. Use exchange services

Try using barter. That is, exchange services and things. After all, it is much more profitable and will help you save good money!

Tip #15. Use electronic wallets

Try saving money on virtual wallets such as Qiwi, Yandex Money, WebMoney. It will take time to withdraw money from there, so you will insure yourself against unexpected and unplanned purchases.

In addition, you can earn a pretty penny on the Internet; money is also withdrawn to these electronic wallets.

9. Superstitions and signs for attracting money ☯

Folk signs about money:

• Never lend on Monday, otherwise you risk losing all your money!
• Never give money from hand to hand, it is better to put it on the table and then take it. Otherwise, a person’s negative energy can pass to you through money.
• If you are borrowing money from someone else in the evening, simply place the bills on the floor and let them pick them up. It’s better to remember that it’s better not to lend money in the evening.
• You only need to repay the debt in the morning and with small money.
• When a debt is repaid to you, keep a fig in the pocket on your left hand.
• In your wallet, keep your money carefully, unfolded and so that it is divided into different bills.
• Keep paper bills facing you.
• To prevent money from going to waste, put a piece of wood from a swallow's nest in your wallet.
• If you made a good profit, then take one bill from there and keep it in your wallet, do not spend or change it.
• If you decide to give a wallet to someone, then put one money in it so that the wallet is not empty.
• To keep money in the house, put a coin in each corner and say: “Let it come to my house.”
• Keep money in red envelopes or bags.
• Buy yourself a money tree and take good care of it.
• Money loves to be counted. Always count your change.
• Never spend every penny, make sure that there is always money left in your wallet.
• If you have a newborn at home, put money under his pillow.
• Count your money on Maundy Thursday.
• Try to cut your nails on Tuesday or Friday.
• Never discuss other people's material income, otherwise you won't have any of your own.
• Do not treat the rich and the poor with hatred, otherwise you yourself risk remaining in want.
• If you see that a cat is reaching out, then this is a sign of profit.
• If you saw an angry or hissing cat in a dream, then this is a sign of theft. Be careful!
• Be sure to get yourself a dog or cat at home, otherwise there will be no prosperity in the house!
• There is such a sign that a black cat or dog will protect the house from thieves.

To ensure you don't need anything in the new year:

• Celebrate the New Year in new socks and underwear. And don't forget to give yourself a new hairstyle.
• Try seven different dishes at the table and place seven coins under the chair.
• It is necessary to repay the debt before the New Year, you can even at the festive table.
• When the first chime strikes, make a wish by squeezing a coin in your left hand.
• Throw a coin into a glass of champagne and drink it. And then make a hole in this coin and wear it as a pendant.
• On the morning of January 1, wash your face with water and coins.

Superstitions that you should never do:

• Place empty bottles on the table.
• Sit down on the table.
• Place the bills on the table.
• Sweep away the trash at sunset.
• Stand on the threshold.
• Whistle while at home.
• Exchange big money for small ones.

Well, believe it or not, many people observe and follow all these signs. The signs came from our ancestors. The most important thing we can conclude is that you need to treat money carefully, carefully, don't crush them, don't talk. Don’t spend all your money, your wallet shouldn’t be empty.

10. Conclusion + video 🎥

From this article we can conclude that saving and saving money is not so difficult, because in order to improve your financial situation, you do not need to perform any grandiose feats. You just need to reconsider your attitude to finances, and to your life in general.

And remember one main thing, there shouldn’t be a crazy amount of money, in order to feel in a good financial position, there should just be enough money.

Good and stable financial situation- these are not millions of dollars in earnings; every person and every family can have a good financial situation, even with the smallest salary. The main thing is to manage your finances correctly. When you yourself understand your income and expenses, you will understand everything yourself.

As a clear example, you will see how much you spend per month, what is unnecessary in your life and what you need to give up. This is not all that difficult, the main thing is to manage your life correctly, not to accumulate loans, and if this has already happened, then get rid of them as quickly as possible. Then not only your financial situation will change, but also a healthy spirit will awaken, you will be in a great mood every day, since you will forget about at least half of your financial problems.

Let's hope that all these tips will be remembered by you, and most importantly, will be useful. After all, as you already understood, saving– this is not the worst thing, but rather, on the contrary, a useful one that will make your financial and personal life easier and better!

We hope that this article helped you find answers to your questions - how to learn to save money with a small salary and at the same time accumulate it. We wish you successful savings and good luck in all your endeavors!

Hello, friends!

I am a strong proponent of planning, saving and saving money. My family went through different times, but I was always able to build a family budget so that it covered mandatory expenses, and there was money left over for our hobbies.

One character trait that still helps me with this is the ability to save. But I’m also concerned about one question: how to save money correctly? With emphasis on the word “correct”.

Definitely save up. But I will give answers to the questions: why do this, how and where it is better to save money, during the course of the article.

It is a misconception that only wealthy families can save, and with a small salary it is unrealistic to do so. Before you agree with these words, read my article on managing a family budget (there will be a link to it later in the article). It is quite possible that you will reconsider your approach to finances and wonder if everything is so bad in your wallet, or if a spender has just settled there.

“I live paycheck to paycheck. What accumulation are you talking about?” Familiar words, aren't they? How often do I hear them when I talk to people about the future. And this is not necessarily the distant future (for example, retirement). This also applies to very close goals. For example, save up for an apartment, a car or a vacation trip. And I hear these words not from low-income people, but from people with decent earnings. What is the reason for this “optimism”?

There are several reasons:

1. A high degree of distrust in the state in general and banks in particular, rooted in our past.
2. Insufficient development of many market instruments (for example, housing bond loans), allowing citizens to modest income save money.
3. Russians don't know how to save money. It is a fact. The level of financial literacy in the country is very low.
4. Lack of self-confidence, inferiority complexes.

We cannot influence the first two reasons, but the third and fourth reasons can and should be fought. Let's learn to save money effectively and develop this habit, which is useful at any time and anywhere.

You will say that it is good to write an article and teach everyone saving techniques. Intellectually, we all understand that this must be done. But how can you force yourself to save? But this is psychology. For some it is easy, for others it is difficult. Let's come up with powerful incentives for ourselves that will force us to do this.

1. We will learn to live not one day at a time, but to think about the future, even if at first it is not so distant. Appetite comes with eating.
2. We will be able to plan large purchases in advance, without expecting a big bonus or grandfather's inheritance.
3. Let's master financial discipline, which will increase responsibility in other areas of life.
4. Let's learn to live frugally and not spend all the money we earn on unnecessary purchases.
5. We will find inner peace and peace of mind, because with the acquired skills, we will survive even with modest incomes.

For example, even one point is enough for me to seriously think about the issue of increasing and preserving the family budget. And you?

I also believe that you should save part of your income every month, not on a residual basis. Today I have money - I’ll put it aside, tomorrow I don’t - I’ll wait. It won't work that way. Immediately after receiving a monthly income, we take some part of it (for example, 5 or 10%) and save it. Only this way and not otherwise.

How to start saving from scratch: step-by-step instructions

I hope that you have recharged yourself with energy and clearly understood the need for accumulation. How to start doing this from scratch? Here are step-by-step instructions for an absolute beginner:

1. Correct installation.

Psychological attitude is a strong thing. Become your own psychologist. Here's what will help you tune in correctly:

• Write down or draw your savings goal on a piece of paper. For example, a new phone, a trip to the sea, etc. Hang it in a visible place (refrigerator or mirror);
• Every evening, before going to bed, imagine in your head that you have already purchased the desired item. Draw vivid images of what you will do with her, what friends and acquaintances will say, how you will feel;
• write yourself a savings plan for the year or several years ahead. For example, if every month you save 5,000 rubles, then after 12 months it will already be 60,000 rubles. least.

2. Maintaining a family budget.

This is the 2nd step to saving money. We talked about it in detail in the article about the family budget. The main points that you should take away from monthly family budgeting are:

• a clear understanding of where the money goes;
• identification of mandatory and optional expenditure items;
• creating a savings plan;
• calculating the approximate amount remaining from your income at the end of the month.

3. Developing a habit.

To achieve your goals and get tangible results, you need to turn the desire to save into a habit. Many people complain that they can’t save money. What to do? Develop this useful skill. Sometimes through “I can’t” and “I don’t want.”

Here are a couple of tips.

Tip #1. Make it a rule: every month, from any amount received, save 5–10%. This is the minimum threshold. Can you do more? Go for it.

The main thing is not to give yourself any concessions. You must save this amount before you start spending your salary. In no case later. There will always be excuses that you need to buy a very necessary thing, etc.

Is your salary too low to save? Not true. The amount is 2,000 rubles. with a salary of 20,000 rubles. It won’t save you, but with monthly accumulation it will turn into at least 24,000 rubles. in year. And this is provided that you keep this money at home, which is not recommended.

Tip #2. Think of a punishment for yourself for not depositing money into the savings account. For example, deprive yourself of sweets next month. At the same time, improve your health.

4. Select an option to save money.

What financial institutions offer us today:

• ruble or foreign currency bank account (savings or deposit),
• plastic card with interest accrual,
• metal bills,
• individual investment account.

We will talk about them in more detail in the next section.

Options for saving money

So, we have embarked on the path of saving and increasing our finances. The next question that you need to decide for yourself is “what to save in,” that is, which savings option to choose. Let me make a reservation right away that I am considering tools for beginners. I think that financially advanced people do not need my advice.

Money should work just like we do. Even small amounts should not lie under the pillow, but should generate income for the owner. What are the possible options?

Savings account

This is a mixture of a current account and a deposit. At any time you can come to the bank and withdraw the required amount. Interest is charged on it, but it is small.

For example, in Sberbank for the “Manage” deposit – up to 3.8%. “Comfortable” deposit in Rosselkhozbank – up to 4.3%. As you can see, the picture is approximately the same. The percentage also depends on the conditions of accumulation. Each bank has its own.

It is very convenient if you open a savings account in the same bank where you have a current account (for example, a salary account). Money can be transferred from one account to another for free.

Plastic cards with interest accrual

We have already looked at the advantages and disadvantages, and also figured it out. They allow you to earn higher interest on your account balance, plus cashback on every purchase. But you definitely need to study the terms for calculating interest. As a rule, there must be a minimum balance on the account every month.

Bank deposit with minimum balance

Why is he interesting? Higher interest rate, compared to savings accounts. But it should be taken into account that the conditions for storing money are more stringent. Flaws:

• commission for transfers to other accounts,
• mandatory visit to the bank for debit transactions,
• risk of loss of interest upon early withdrawal.

Which bank is better to open an account in? There is no clear answer to this question.

The largest interest on a deposit in Tinkoff Bank is 7 % . Minimum amount 50,000 rub. If you open a deposit by clicking on this link, you will receive a bonus in the form of 0.5% of the deposit amount.

I also suggest that you familiarize yourself with some of the deposits offered by the TOP 10 banks.

№	Name of the bank	Account name	Maximum interest rate, %	Minimum deposit amount, rub.
1	Sberbank of Russia	Replenish	4,1	1 000
2	VTB	Refillable	5,82	30 000
3	Gazprombank	For life	5,9	15 000
4	Rosselkhozbank	Refillable	5,85	3 000
5	Alfa Bank	Premier+	6,2	10 000
6	Bank “FC Otkritie”	My piggy bank	6,5	10 000
7	Credit Bank of Moscow	Cumulative with capitalization	6,75	1 000
8	Binbank	Maximum percentage	6,6	10 000
9	UniCredit Bank	First class	5	15 000
10	Promsvyazbank	My piggy bank	6,15	10 000

Metal bills

If you do not want to open a ruble or foreign currency account, you can open a “gold”, “silver”, “platinum” or “palladium” account. These are so-called impersonal metal accounts.

No need to buy bullion. Buy grams precious metal at any time and for any period. The account will reflect its equivalent value. You can monitor quotes and sell metal when the price reaches the desired level.

For example, as of April 10, 2018, the cost of 1 g of gold is 2,905 rubles, silver – 35.86 rubles, platinum – 2,034 rubles. and palladium – 2,039 rubles. (Sberbank of Russia).

Individual investment account

What is an individual investment account? This is a special account into which you deposit money. And then you entrust their management to the bank’s specialists. Your funds are invested and generate income.

The peculiarity of such accounts is that they are not included in the deposit insurance system. But in addition to income, you can also get tax deduction from the state in the amount of 13%.

In Sberbank, the conditions for opening an account are as follows:

• minimum deposit amount – 50,000 rubles,
• term – 3 years,
• possibility of replenishment - from 10,000 to 1,000,000 rubles per year.

Sberbank invests in government bonds and bonds of large Russian companies.

Gazprombank also offers to open an individual investment account, through which your funds are used to purchase Gazprombank bonds. An approximate calculation looks like this.

We have not considered all options for saving funds. But others are already associated with significant amounts, so we will return to them a little later, when we have accumulated enough funds for more serious investment.

My article is not intended for the rich. They learned to save well even without my advice. I am now trying to convey a simple idea to people who live with the idea that with their salary they can only survive, and not save. This idea is that even the smallest amount will bring a good income over the years. And if you replenish this amount every month, the result can surprise you.

Here are 5 tips on how to save with a small salary:

Tip 1. If you want to increase income, reduce costs.

How to learn to save? Read my article about possible ways to save money and put them into practice. Believe me, it's easy. Especially when there is a goal or dream.

Tip 2. Don't show off.

It’s a familiar situation when a not-so-wealthy family has expensive phones, gold gifts for the holidays, and mink coats. What motivates these people? They want to appear rich. They believe that these are the most important values. They live one day at a time.

Stop! Do you seriously think that this is the meaning of your life?

Tip 3

Easy other people's money. You don’t have to earn them, you can spend them, but you have to give them away. And pay back with interest. Take a couple of minutes to calculate how much this credit purchase will actually cost you. Think about whether this thing is really important to you or whether you can live quite well without it.

Tip 4. Save 10% and don’t cut yourself any slack under any circumstances.

Both financiers and psychologists speak about the effectiveness of this method. 10% is not much for any family. I have already touched on this point, but I will repeat it again. If you receive income, immediately put your tithe aside.

Tip 5. Explore possible sources of additional income.

We are very fond of feeling sorry for ourselves, blaming our bosses, the state, etc. What is stopping you from changing the conditions in which you are suffering while trying to survive? Lack of self-confidence, laziness, illiteracy? We only have one life, and unfortunately it is short. We must live it in such a way that all areas are in harmony: work, finances, personal life, health, relaxation and self-development.

Not satisfied with your income? Search additional sources. You can't sit on the couch and moan about injustice. What have you personally done to make a difference?

I am not a psychologist to persuade anyone or instill confidence in myself and my abilities. I'll give you an example from my life. I am 41 years old and have worked as a university teacher for 18 years. I have a PhD degree and the title of associate professor. When my salary and the salaries of my colleagues stopped at 15,000 rubles, we were faced with a choice. What to do next?

And then one of us began baking bread and teaching master classes online. The other one went to the Far East, where there are not enough professors at the university. The third one turned her knitting hobby into a profitable business. And I became a copywriter and am successfully developing in my new profession. We changed our way of life in different ways, but we acted. What's stopping you?

Don't make these mistakes, then everything will work out

At the end of the article I want to look at common mistakes that prevent us from accumulating:

• No savings goal

You're just saving money, but you don't know for what. Without a specific goal, you reduce your motivation, it relaxes you and after a while you will give up this activity. Tested for myself.

• Save according to the residual principle

I will put aside as much as I have left at the end of the month for savings. As a result, you will increasingly be faced with the situation that at the end of the month there will be nothing left.

• Keep money in an easily accessible account or at home

You have opened a special account for savings, but it allows you to withdraw money at any time. The temptation to do this in order to buy another gadget is very great. It's even worse when the money is simply kept at home. You not only risk spending them, but also depreciating them.

• Saving at the expense of meeting essential needs

Some people go to extremes in their desire to save and save. They begin to refuse the most necessary purchases. For example, purchasing medicine or paying for a club for a child. This can lead to serious consequences. Starting with family problems and ending with health problems.

Conclusion

Is it worth saving money if there is no confidence in the future? If all the economies of the world are in a fever, then with one crisis, then with another? The answer is obvious. Yes, it's worth it.

Moreover, it is necessary to teach this from a very early age, when the child has his first money of his own. A teenager who has been told how to save up for a desired item will find it even more valuable after acquiring it on his own. And in adulthood, this skill will help him stay afloat in the most difficult times.

And if you weren’t taught this as a child, it’s never too late to educate yourself. The main thing is to start and stop putting it off until next Monday. In the comments I will be glad to read about your successes and failures in this matter. Everything will work out.

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We all know a thousand ways to save money and a thousand excuses why we don’t do it. But everyone can awaken the thrifty hamster within themselves.

website collected ways to save a significant amount money that works for any income level.

1. Use an application to track your income and expenses

If you want to control your spending, you cannot do without accounting. Download a special application for personal finance management. It can be synchronize with your bank card or payment system . It also allows you to plan a budget, monitor income and expense statistics, and remind you to pay bills.

2. Fight impulse buying

Buying a cute, although not very necessary, thing relieves stress and brings short-term satisfaction. There is not enough willpower to hold on. If this sounds familiar to you, start following these rules:

• Buy only what you would buy even if it was worth it 2 times more expensive.
• Before you buy something, think - How could the same amount be used differently?? Make a purchase only if you think this is the best option.

Measure the price of an item in the cost of your working time. Calculate how much your hour is worth. Let's say this amount is $20. To buy an item for $100, you need to work 5 hours. Is this thing worth it?

3. Avoid showing off

8. Create several accounts for different purposes

It’s better to save not just like that, but for specific purposes. Create a separate account for each financial goal- this makes it easier to make calculations and monitor progress.

9. Understand banking services

In order to save, you need to navigate the offers of banks. Here are some of the services that can save you money:

• Find out if your savings deposit recapitalization- calculation of interest on interest. The older the deposit, the higher " compound interest" This is more profitable than when interest is accrued only at the end of the period.
• Start cashback card-then a small percentage of the purchase will be returned to your account in the form of money or bonuses.
• Set up automatic rounding the remainder to zero or two: the excess will be transferred to a separate account and accumulate without your noticing.
• Get a map where interest is calculated on the balance of funds. It is small, but still allows you to protect yourself from inflation.
• Install spending limit per day or per month. This will help you avoid spending too much.
• If you decide to get a credit card, choose a service with grace period(usually 55 days) when you can use credit funds no interest. This opportunity is good so as not to miss out on profitable flights or discounted goods, but do not use it unless necessary.

10. Find out about other ways to save and increase money

Besides bank deposits, explore others financial instruments. Here are some examples:

• Bonds- This securities, with the help of which the government or company borrows money from you and undertakes to return it with interest.
• Investment share- a personal document confirming your share in a mutual investment fund (a company that invests money in securities - stocks, bonds, etc.).

Policy endowment insurance life(NSH) is a long-term contract with an insurance company, which allows you to protect your life and save money at the same time.

11. Turn saving into a quest

You can save with passion! Invent your own ways - the main thing is that it works for you personally. Here are some non-trivial examples of how you can save money:

• Change service providers (Internet provider, mobile operator) - many of them have profitable offer and discounts especially for beginners.
• If you use paid medical services or pay for education, you can return part of the amount as a tax deduction.
• Keep an eye on your car's wheels - properly inflated tires reduce fuel consumption.

Admire your bank account, just like Scrooge McDuck! When you see the amount your savings have grown, you feel satisfied and it makes it easier for you to save more money.

Many of us have a subconscious attitude - “only poor people save.” Change it to “saving is cool.” Let a new skill be difficult at first, but then it will become automatic. Remember, “tomorrow is in today, the future is created in the present.”

In the West, financial consultants tell you how to save money wisely, but in our country this information is not available to all citizens. However, anyone who wants to increase their capital can save without compromising their life.

How to save and save money wisely and correctly from your salary

Less than 10% of Russians do not have time to spend all their money before payday arrives. This means that in our country there are very few people who know how to make savings and put them aside for some grand purchases or for investments. What's the catch? We just don’t know how to save money correctly so that it does not negatively affect our standard of living, and at the same time brings a feeling of satisfaction and confidence in the future.

Where to begin?

Psychological attitude is the very first, and most difficult step towards learning to save money from your salary. Under no circumstances try to intimidate yourself with thoughts that you already don’t have enough for anything, that you won’t succeed, etc. Every person with a stable income can afford to save 10% of each money they receive. This is very easy to check with some examples. Let's say you are used to eating 30 dumplings for lunch, try giving 3 pieces (10%) of your portion to your cat, and you will understand that the difference is barely noticeable.

Write on a piece of paper exactly what amount will go into your savings fund every month, calculate how much you can collect in 6 months, in 1 year, in 2 years. Write down all the amounts and, based on them, plan what you can buy.

Visualizing a goal helps you achieve it with ease, so it’s important to see the result in advance; it inspires and gives you enthusiasm.

Raising money is quite simple if you approach this issue wisely. There are several practical advice from financial gurus that can be tested in practice. By gradually introducing all these rules into everyday life, you will be able to see how to save money without harming yourself and your family, and reducing your quality of life.

Say "No!" debts

Every time we borrow money or take out a loan, we take on not only financial, but also moral responsibility. If you already have “gaps” in your budget, try to “patch” them as quickly as possible. Try to save on shopping, going to clubs and restaurants, and other entertainment, buy only the essentials for life, and after a few months you will be able to gain financial independence.

Whenever considering a big purchase, ask yourself a few important questions:

• Why do I need this, to raise my status in society, or for practical use?
• What value will it have to me in a year, two years, three years?
• What benefit will I get from this purchase?
• will this item help improve my well-being?

By honestly answering all these questions to yourself, you will certainly change your mind about borrowing or taking out a loan for completely unnecessary purchases. If you need to please yourself with something, then start saving money for it, so you can make a fully thoughtful, non-impulsive investment without borrowing.

Rule "4 envelopes"

The famous Western savings system will teach you how to save money from your salary without compromising your needs. The rules are quite simple. First, you need to live for two weeks without spontaneous spending, thoughtless purchases, visits to cinemas, etc. Essentially, you need to spend money only on what you really need to live. The following items can be classified as “mandatory” expenses:

• food;
• communal payments;
• household chemicals and personal hygiene products;
• clothes (not branded or super stylish, but impractical);
• travel expenses.

After 2 weeks you will see how much you need to cover your primary needs. We multiply this figure by 2 to get the monthly limit. We divide all the money into 4 equal parts and distribute it into 4 envelopes. Every Monday we take one envelope and put cash in our wallet, this is what will be our budget, which we cannot go beyond.

But that's not all! We’ll create 2 more envelopes, on one we’ll put the inscription “For Luxury”, we’ll put a fixed amount in it from each cash receipt, and spend it when we need to please ourselves with something, buy someone a gift, go on a weekend trip to another city . The second envelope will be our “reserve”; in it we will collect all the funds that will remain from the salary after distribution.

This approach will help you manage your finances very easily and simply, and you will not have to go hungry or experience other inconveniences, because at first the expenses will be fully calculated.

Advantages of “4 envelopes”:

• ease of planning;
• the ability to save quickly and without reducing the quality of life;
• the presence of fixed amounts not only for mandatory purchases, but also for “luxuries”.

Savings for two accounts

Before you start saving money, you need to decide where exactly you will hide it. Not everyone has the willpower to look at their savings, count them, but not spend them in a moment of weakness on some completely unnecessary thing. It is for this reason that your fund needs to be placed in safe custody. A hidden place in the closet or under the mattress is not suitable, as inflation can “gobble up” most of your money in just a few months. A bank account, or rather two, will come to your aid.

The first account is a deposit account. Opening foreign currency deposit- this is one of the best investments, you will be able to increase your savings unnoticed, and within six months or a year you can afford some good buy. However, the deposit cannot be withdrawn until the agreement with the bank expires, and therefore you need to connect a second account.

The second account is a savings account. In almost all banks you can use a “piggy bank” type service, where from each receipt on your card, the selected amount will be automatically credited to your savings account. You can use this money whenever you want.

This distribution of finances will help you collect a decent amount, increase your savings, and always be sure that you can withdraw money from your savings account. This scheme is suitable for those who want to control their savings and always have access to a certain part of them.

We set ourselves specific goals and objectives

What can you save money for? This question sometimes puzzles those who want to improve their well-being.

However, both psychologists and financiers strongly recommend saving not for abstract purchases, but to achieve specific goals. In the West, children who received their first salary during the summer holidays clearly know what they will save part of it for, and this helps them plan their budget wisely in the future. In our country, the attitude towards earned money is not so responsible, which becomes a stumbling block in the accumulation of savings.

You can collect at:

• buying a car;
• purchasing a home;
• education;
• journey;
• new household appliances, etc.

Each person has certain dreams that he cannot turn into reality quickly; you need to think very seriously about what exactly will help you feel more comfortable, make your life brighter and give you a lot of positive impressions. However, you should not focus on the short term, since saving money quickly is not interesting! Let’s say you collect the required amount for a new phone in 2-3 months, after purchasing it the incentive will disappear and the accumulation process will end. But by setting yourself a more difficult task, for example, traveling around the world, you will be able to save wisely for longer, and after realizing your dream, you will set yourself a higher bar.

Get started right now!

Under no circumstances should you postpone fundraising. You need to start working on your future right at this moment.

If you start to think that now is not the time, since it is impossible to save with a small salary, then your brain will automatically postpone the process every day, month, year, and in the end you will not succeed.

Take everything you have in your wallet or card, count out at least 10%, and set it aside. With the receipt of financial injections, do the same, and you can begin to implement the “4 envelopes” system, or open a deposit and savings account in a bank. This will be a great start to your efforts to improve your financial situation, and will help you painlessly adapt to new spending conditions.

Use budget planning programs

Constantly monitoring your spending is a great discipline. You can constantly take receipts for purchases in stores, and then study them at the end of the week, or use special programs budget planning, which can be installed on a mobile gadget. When you clearly see your expenses and income, you will understand how best to save money without effort and infringement of your interests.

Constant control of financial flows will be an excellent incentive for savings. You will be able to more easily part with the amounts intended for the “gold reserve”, you will become more careful when making purchases, you will begin to plan your expenses, and you will be able to accumulate the capital necessary for successful investments over time.

Think about passive income

When we are young and full of strength, we can work at full capacity to provide ourselves and our family with all the benefits. However, over time, the desire to constantly spend time at work dries up. Promising businessmen and successful businessmen always save money to make successful investments. You also have this opportunity! Study the market in detail passive income, choose the most suitable niche for yourself, and start collecting funds that will give you good dividends.

Collecting money from your salary is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, if you approach the accumulation process competently and thoughtfully. Financial self-education will help you not only ensure your comfortable old age, but also a decent standard of living for your children. Use the money set aside for the future responsibly, learn to increase your capital, and be financially independent from crises and other disasters!

I know what I'm talking about. I am a financial analyst. This means that I help people and companies figure out what their money is and how to manage it. For example, I helped the editorial director of "Knife" transform from a person who loses money - due to stupid spending or simply crumpled pieces of paper falling out of his pocket - into an experienced user of a personal accounting system who knows how to save and do long-term deposits. I also saved her from failing in math at school, but that’s another story.

Why keep a personal budget?

If you are interested in this issue, then you have a problem related to money. Counting down the days until payday? This means that your expenses exceed your income: simply put, you are living beyond your means. Do you want to save up for an important purchase, but over and over again you empty your piggy bank on some not-so-necessary things? The spending “program” was poorly planned. Due to the size of the “minus”, the credit card has turned into a pile of existential bricks, pulling you to the very bottom by your pocket. Are you borrowing to pay off the loan and borrowing again to pay off the debt?

If, at the same time, you seem to have a decent salary of the size of “enough for everything,” but for some reason you still don’t have enough, most likely it’s not in your wallet, but in your head: it’s a mess. This problem is primarily solved by the ability to manage a budget.

What is a "budget"

In the classical sense, a budget is your plan for income and expenses (or your company or maybe even your state) for the year. Usually it is drawn up for a year, this is relevant if you want to make a large purchase or, who knows, for some reason decided to take out a mortgage. But if you faint at the thought of annual reporting or your task is to stop eating only buckwheat after taking a payday break, you can start by analyzing and planning the month. But for more long term than a year, it makes no sense to make plans: the amount of uncertainty increases to an uncontrollable level, since your personal situation or the country’s economy can change greatly beyond the annual horizon.

How to analyze your finances

To create a budget for the year (or month), you need to know how much money you make in a year (or month) and how much you typically spend. To find out, you need to have statistics of income and expenses for some previous period. And to do this, you need to record the receipt of money - salary, debt repayment, one-time fees, regular income from a rich uncle and planned winnings at the casino (just kidding, don’t gamble to make money). And write down expenses: how much did you spend on regular items like food and housekeeping, what regular apartment bill do you pay, how much was spent on transportation, endless treatment for a runny nose, craft beer on Fridays, attempts to “walk” it at the gym, etc.

If you pay in cash, then in order to record your expenses, you will have to remember your grandmother’s evenings in the kitchen with a pile of cash receipts and meekly repeat her fate. Try writing down your expenses with a quill pen to make things more interesting.

Jokes aside, getting rid of cash is not always easy, and remembering to pay in cash is difficult. Therefore, it’s really better to save the receipts.

If you use bank cards and non-cash payments are your main payment method, then you already have the basis for budgeting, even if you haven’t done anything for it. In a mobile application or online banking, you can usually download a statement and copy all the records already collected by cost groups into an Excel spreadsheet with the budget. True, not every bank provides this information in a digestible form, but the largest and most popular ones allow you to use this data without any problems. You will receive the average amount of income and expenses by month and year. This will allow you to start planning.

I have always worked in Google spreadsheets and set up all the calculations manually, but now there are already good solutions for mobile applications. For example, the CoinKeeper application can help you analyze your spending and estimate your budget, but the free version is very limited in its use. My favorite is “Zen-Money”, the application saves time and synchronizes itself with my online bank every 20 minutes (for a person accustomed to manual accounting work, this is simply mystical!) - all that remains is to make rare payments in cash, after which the checks can be thrown away . There's more there convenient system adjustments if something doesn’t work out for you.

Step one: count your income

First of all, plan your income; it’s easier with them, especially if you have a fixed salary. If you are a freelancer, find your average monthly salary.

When planning, proceed from the principle of prudence: we hope for the best, but keep in mind that the reality will be more modest. That is, it is better to plan income slightly lower than expected, especially if there is some degree of uncertainty (and expenses are slightly higher, in case of unforeseen expenses).

if you have annual bonus, the payment of which you have no doubt about, be sure to include in your budget. If in doubt, do not take it into account, let it be your reserve.

Step two: study expenses

Once we know what our income is, we can understand the spending limit we must meet to keep spending reasonable - and to learn how to save.

First of all, I recommend drawing up a cost structure. If you have already mostly switched from cash to bank cards, you will find it useful again mobile app, in it expenses are grouped by category: pharmacies, cafes, books, transport, supermarkets, etc.

Analyze, based on this list, which categories you spend on most often, but you don’t need to use a highly detailed structure, it will only complicate working on the budget. 6–8 categories are enough.

My main ones are: food and household goods, rent payments, health and beauty, sports, clothes and shoes, travel and entertainment, gasoline and car expenses, education. Separating, for example, food and household goods from a common receipt in a supermarket is tedious - so it would be easier to combine purchases from one store into one item.

Once you've figured out how much you're spending on what, make a spending plan for those categories in the coming month (or year, depending on your level of panic about having to plan). Start with the most obvious and obligatory regularly recurring expenses, focusing on your statistics. And be sure to remember about one-time payments like property tax, car maintenance or insurance premiums. This way you will understand how much you will spend in any case - “for life”, as they say.

Step three: compare income and expenses

Compare what you wrote down for expenses and income. If the expected expenses exceed the expected income, then it is worth taking a close look at each item and understanding whether there are any unnecessary expenses.

So, do you really want to spend 5,500 a month on takeaway coffee because you are too lazy to bring your mug and a pack of coffee to the office for 800 rubles - or not?

It's worth thinking about.

What to do?

Understanding exactly what and how much you spend is useful, even if you have some amount left over each month. You may unexpectedly discover that, without even knowing it, you began to spend 20,000 rubles a month on cafes and restaurants since your salary was increased - although the daily expenses were somehow completely unnoticeable. You had free money - but you used it as “extra”.

To prevent money from being spent on things that you didn’t “choose”, you need to keep an eye on “lost” articles, specifically limit them - and either spend the freed money on a category that is more useful for you, or start saving it.

Sometimes just counting your expenses can open your eyes to poor spending habits and change your life. This happened to me with coffee, I couldn’t believe that I was spending 6,000 rubles a month on a habit that made me nervous and caused insomnia. No, I love coffee - but several cups a day turned out to be unnecessary not only for my body, but also for my wallet.

I used my professional knowledge (and some neuroscience knowledge) to trick my inner coffee drinker and earn an income from it.

Every time I want an “extra” coffee, I open the bank’s mobile app and transfer the cost to my debit card savings account. But this is not just saving: for storing money, banks give a percentage of the invested amount.

Every month I receive a percentage for my not drinking coffee - and at the same time a dose of dopamine, encouragement for reasonable financial behavior. And since I can invest this money, and the coffee I drink leaves my body without any benefit, the pleasure from the piggy bank exceeds the pleasure from the bad habit.

How else can you save

Even if you don't have a small bad habit that's costing you dearly, regularly procrastinating small amount can provide you with a great investment. A friend of mine with four younger brothers and sisters, for example, when I told her about the possibilities of saving using a debit card, opened a savings account for each child and asked relatives to send 500-1000 rubles a month, then to divide the amount equally between the children.

For each family “unit” such a contribution was unnoticeable, but within a year the children were able to buy a computer, a piano, a monitor, passes to the pool and scientific classes, and a trip to a fashion camp - something their parents would not have been able to do without the contributions.

True, the interest on savings accounts is usually lower than on the card balance, but the accounts provide more opportunities and ease of use: you can name them, set a goal, visualize it by adding a motivating picture, and calculate the time in which it can be achieved. For example, you want to collect 30,000 rubles in six months - mobile bank will suggest you save 1250 per week (and will be right) and will show you how close you are to your goal.

Voila, you have learned to save!

The next level of savings is the amortization of large purchases, that is, the gradual reimbursement of the purchase price so that a meteorite does not form a hole in your wallet and so that the “wound” in your finances gradually heals.

Let's say you were smart and bought an iPhone for only 50,000. You know that it will last 3 years for sure. Divide the purchase amount by 36 months: it turns out to be approximately 1,400 rubles - this is how much it costs you monthly to use a smartphone worth 50,000 with a service life of 3 years. This procedure is very similar to the usual “savings” for a purchase, but what is important here is not just accumulation, but the very meaning of this procedure: you realize how much the item of purchase costs you per month and gradually gradually part with the amount of money that is commensurate with the cost of using it subject.

For the first time, such a procedure with a budget is difficult to understand: I just spent money, why should I pay again?

But as you approach your next purchase, you will realize that for 3 years you have been paying for the use of an iPhone - and therefore you have already saved up money for a new one. After purchasing the next one, you again begin to “amortize” its cost: divide the price in proportion to the period of use.

Ideally, do this with every major purchase. This way you can not only save money, but also evaluate the real cost of the things we use every day. But this level of financial literacy is not for the faint of heart.

Why does a bank card help you save money better than a glass jar?

Remember the main rule of a financier: money must work. If the bills are lying under your mattress, you’re doing well for resisting the temptation to squander them. But if in the near future you do not make a purchase that will help you earn money (for example, do not buy a new tool for your work), or do not put it on interest, the value of this money will gradually fall.

The Central Bank of Russia predicts inflation of 5–5.5% in 2019: this means that each of your blue notes of 1000 rubles depreciates by 15 kopecks every day.

Just don’t immediately rush to play on currency differences, buy shares or ask the bank to cut off a piece of a gold bar for you. Start with a simple and secure tool - a debit card.

To decide which bank card to choose, you need to compare who offers what percentage.

If certain conditions are met - you do not break even, and you always have a certain amount left on your card, you spend a certain amount of money from the card every month, or use other bank products - the bank may offer an increased rate on the account balance.

For example, if you spend more than 3,000 rubles per month on your card, Tinkoff will give you 6%, but at Alfa Bank and VTB you need to spend more than 70,000 and 75,000 rubles, respectively, to get the same income. Income on the card is mainly accrued on the daily balance, so it is beneficial to keep the money on the card for as long as possible and pay for large purchases at the very last moment - this way you can get interest on a larger amount.

To get even more benefits, you can make your own debit card salary This provides some advantages: reduced interest on loans and mortgages and increased percentage for the balance of the account and deposits.

Life hack: you don’t have to be employed on a permanent basis to have a “salary” card! Some banks assign your card the status of “salary” if you transfer the required minimum amount of funds monthly with a note in the payment “salary” - even if this is a transfer from one of your cards to another.

If your income allows, you can have several of these “salary” cards in different banks, which in the future may provide you with more advantages when choosing a bank to receive a loan: several banks will have premium conditions, and Raiffeisenbank even offers 1% on income for this for the card balance.

What is cashback and why do banks return money to us?

When it comes to paying for goods and services, the card is more profitable than cash because of cashback - this is the percentage that the bank returns to you at the end of the month on purchases paid for with the card.

Banks, of course, are not crazy to just give us their money. To understand where it comes from, you need to consider that there are three heroes involved in a purchase paid for with a card: you, the seller and the bank, which moves the money from your account to the seller's account.

The seller pays him a commission for using the bank’s services - and it is part of this that the bank returns to you, so that you feel love, care and are more willing to bring your money to the bank (it’s profitable!).

Basically, banks return 1-3% on the amount of payments and offer several categories of increased cashback. Tinkoff, for example, returns 1% of all payments, and also offers, once every three months, to select three categories from which there will be an increased cashback of 5%: these can be pharmacies, entertainment, restaurants, cars, transport, books and much more. more.

Let’s say in January I chose the “car services” category because I’m planning to undergo an expensive technical inspection soon and I’m going to get 5% of its price back on the card. My budget helps me figure out the right categories, in which large purchases (5% of which often turns out to be a significant amount) are planned months in advance. Banks are not fools and do not offer increased cashback categories that are beneficial to you, so for a profitable large purchase it is useful to wait until the “carousel” of offers reaches the desired type goods.

Alfa Bank offers different cards with one (or two) categories of increased cashback. For example, a Cash Back card allows you to earn 10% at gas stations, 5% at cafes and restaurants, and 1% on all other purchases.

Raiffeisenbank promises to return up to 3.9% for any purchases - however, with points that can only be spent through the rewards catalogue. This condition makes their cashbacks insufficiently liquid. It’s much better if the reward for purchases is replenishing your current account with real money.

VTB will pay you from 1% to 2.5% depending on the amount of purchases: up to 15,000 - 1%, up to 75,000 - 2%, over 75,000 - 2.5%. You can connect various options to the card, for example, 10% for the “Auto” or “Restaurants” category. The VTB multicard became the best bank card of 2017 according to Banki.ru, because it is a Frankenstein monster made of debit, credit and salary card simultaneously. Using it, you can change one of many options monthly, such as increased cashback, increased income on accounts and deposits and many others.

If you now feel like you want pills from greed - and more, then get several cards and pay with them, choosing the most profitable one depending on the category of spending! This will just require increased attention.

It is important to know about categories that sometimes they are not taken into account by the application correctly, so always check how the transaction went. If the purchase falls into the wrong category, you will not receive cashback, but this is not the application's fault, but the problem of classifying your purchase based on the place of purchase. For example, when I had an increased cashback on equipment, I bought a smartphone in a communications store - the purchase went into the “communications” category. I quickly saw this and informed the bank, enclosing a check. My purchase was re-credited to the “electronics” category, and at the end of the month I received my cashback on the card.

There is also a great life hack with cashback: pay with a card in cafes and stores for retrograde friends who still use cash. Friends will not lose anything by giving cash to you, and you will also receive cashback for them.

If you are preparing to buy clothes and shoes, equipment, or sit out in a restaurant on a grand scale, check in the application for bank partners who offer the services you need with a big discount when paying by card. It can take you big if you're careful.

The map makes life easier

If you are a financial bungler, then the card will protect you from losing money, falling out of your pockets in crumpled pieces of paper or “disappearing” on something you can’t even remember what. If you are an ever-forgetting wallet technophile with a smart watch, then it can become your bag of gold, leaving your pockets and thieves on the tram empty. I don’t lose money, but I connected my card to my smart watch and don’t try, as before, to put a hundred dollars in my sneaker before a run so that I have something to buy water on the way back.

Well, in addition, the card helps solve the most unpleasant routine matters of adult life. If you're just starting out on the path to paying your electric bills, utilities, and car fines, and the prospect of scrambling for paperwork in a dirty mailbox and trudging to the bank to pay seems like an existential problem, relax and turn on automatic payments.

Since you are putting money on the card, make sure that all the bills you need to survive are debited from it on time: you will just receive a notification, not late fees.

This may sound a little boring. Maintaining a budget, of course, requires discipline - but it is not at all as scary as you imagine. It takes 10 minutes a day in the evening to record your daily expenses. But control makes it possible to plan - and this, ultimately, is the freedom to which we all strive.