5 practical ways to save both time and money
Judith Albano, MSN
You know what they say– those who want to save time need to spend money, and those who want to save money need to spend time. It’s true up to a certain point, but you’re not really saving if you’re spending too much of your free time to shave off a few centavos on a purchase, and you’re not really saving time if you’re spending too much money that you’ll need to work extra hours for to replace.Good thing, there are practical ways to save on both! Here are five ways to help you save on these two very important assets in your life.
Plan, Plan, Plan
Whatever you’re doing, whether it’s buying groceries, commuting to and from work, buying gifts for birthday and Christmas or just spending a fun weekend out with the family, planning helps save you both the time and the money you will have to spend on them. What you need is a little organization and a bit of forward thinking– take the time to sit down and make lists of what you need, how much you want to spend, and where you’re going to go.
Use Your Phone
That fancy gadget with all the bells and whistles can save you time and money if you maximize all its features. GPS-enabled apps such as maps, Waze, Grabtaxi and EasyTaxi, Trip Barker and Sakay.Ph can help you get to where you’re going faster and find the fastest routes so you don’t spend time and money going round and round. Another way to use your phone is to subscribe to automatic payments and online banking. These can help ensure your paycheck gets to where they’re supposed to faster– with no time to be diverted into an impulse purchase or two.
Stay Away From Sales
You probably know this, but it just needs to be said over and over. Sales don’t really save you money. They’re loud, cause traffic jams and while they do offer substantial savings on things you’ve planned on buying, they also trigger you into buying items you don’t really need, negating whatever savings you’ve earned. If you need proof, just count the number of families leaving the malls with newly-bought downy thick comforters after a midnight sale. Save yourself the time you’ll be spending weaving through crowds at the mall and in your car because traffic isn’t moving and just buy what you need when you need them. Besides, studies show that the longer you spend in the store, the more chances there are of you spending on impulse, spur-of-the-moment purchase. Just stay away.
Eat At Home
Not only does eating out cost you a lot of money depending on where you’re eating, but there are other time and money costs as well. For instance, there’s figuring out where to go, the time spent on the trip to the restaurant as well as the fuel and other transportation costs. Eat at home, spend more time with your family and get more time and money to run after other pursuits.
Live Healthy
Exercising and eating well can definitely go a long way in helping you save doctor’s expenses and those long waiting times at the doctor’s office. If you ditch bad habits such as overeating, sodas, smoking and more, you not only save on medical costs, cutting unnecessary items like your bisyo can add up. Sleep is another component of a healthy lifestyle people seem to ignore. Go to bed early, get enough sleep, wake up early and eat a hearty breakfast at home– you’ll save money because you won’t have to pass by the coffee shop for your morning fix, plus you get more time free! Like they say, time IS money. Saving on one or the other helps, but you’ll be better off if you can save on both!
You know what they say– those who want to save time need to spend money, and those who want to save money need to spend time. It’s true up to a certain point, but you’re not really saving if you’re spending too much of your free time to shave off a few centavos on a purchase, and you’re not really saving time if you’re spending too much money that you’ll need to work extra hours for to replace.Good thing, there are practical ways to save on both! Here are five ways to help you save on these two very important assets in your life.
Plan, Plan, Plan
Whatever you’re doing, whether it’s buying groceries, commuting to and from work, buying gifts for birthday and Christmas or just spending a fun weekend out with the family, planning helps save you both the time and the money you will have to spend on them. What you need is a little organization and a bit of forward thinking– take the time to sit down and make lists of what you need, how much you want to spend, and where you’re going to go.
Use Your Phone
That fancy gadget with all the bells and whistles can save you time and money if you maximize all its features. GPS-enabled apps such as maps, Waze, Grabtaxi and EasyTaxi, Trip Barker and Sakay.Ph can help you get to where you’re going faster and find the fastest routes so you don’t spend time and money going round and round. Another way to use your phone is to subscribe to automatic payments and online banking. These can help ensure your paycheck gets to where they’re supposed to faster– with no time to be diverted into an impulse purchase or two.
Stay Away From Sales
You probably know this, but it just needs to be said over and over. Sales don’t really save you money. They’re loud, cause traffic jams and while they do offer substantial savings on things you’ve planned on buying, they also trigger you into buying items you don’t really need, negating whatever savings you’ve earned. If you need proof, just count the number of families leaving the malls with newly-bought downy thick comforters after a midnight sale. Save yourself the time you’ll be spending weaving through crowds at the mall and in your car because traffic isn’t moving and just buy what you need when you need them. Besides, studies show that the longer you spend in the store, the more chances there are of you spending on impulse, spur-of-the-moment purchase. Just stay away.
Eat At Home
Not only does eating out cost you a lot of money depending on where you’re eating, but there are other time and money costs as well. For instance, there’s figuring out where to go, the time spent on the trip to the restaurant as well as the fuel and other transportation costs. Eat at home, spend more time with your family and get more time and money to run after other pursuits.
Live Healthy
Exercising and eating well can definitely go a long way in helping you save doctor’s expenses and those long waiting times at the doctor’s office. If you ditch bad habits such as overeating, sodas, smoking and more, you not only save on medical costs, cutting unnecessary items like your bisyo can add up. Sleep is another component of a healthy lifestyle people seem to ignore. Go to bed early, get enough sleep, wake up early and eat a hearty breakfast at home– you’ll save money because you won’t have to pass by the coffee shop for your morning fix, plus you get more time free! Like they say, time IS money. Saving on one or the other helps, but you’ll be better off if you can save on both!
