It’s no secret that many modern families are struggling to stay on top of their finances. If you have found yourself reading this, then you may be one of them! It may come as some comfort to you that you are not alone in your savings struggles.

What to spend money depends on your own personal priorities, but many people struggle with saving. Saving has many benefits. Saving can help you achieve your goals, whether it be being prepared for all of life’s emergencies, living debt-free, or purchasing a particular thing for you or your loved one. The art of saving is easy in theory but difficult in practice.

Successful saving begins with your core values and your lifestyle. Read on to learn our top 3 proven lifestyle changes to help you save money right now!

Learn to Cook – And Enjoy It!

If you go back and look through your budget and the reasons it is failing, often you will find this overspending attributed to food! Whether you are overly tempted during your regular grocery shop to add extra snacks or find yourself resorting to eating out, the ongoing food costs add up!

Of course, food is a need, not a want, but being smart about your food habits will make the most significant difference of all on your saving goals.

Those with the highest food bills are those that do not like cooking at all. But there is a joy to be found within putting together your own meal, even for inexperienced ones. With careful planning, food preparation can be quick, easy and cheap.

Create a meal plan detailing breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to follow when purchasing food. Grocery shop once every week or fortnight. This way, there is no temptation to buy unneeded items.

Planning and preparation can mean that with a bit of initial work, you can still have home-cooked (and cheap!) meals at the same convenience of takeout. Buy and cook food in bulk to have easy meals to satisfy the “I need food now” urge.

Discover the Art of Reusing

The culture of buying new, using and throwing away has been so deeply ingrained in many lifestyles due to the disposable nature of so many items. Not only does this harm our planet, but it encourages an incredible amount of unnecessary spending!

There are so many things we are led to believe we need to buy brand new when that is simply not the case. I’m not just talking about clothes here, but many household items can be bought second-hand and still in excellent condition.

Be mindful when it comes to purchases. Always think, “Can I find this somewhere second-hand?” A little bit of foresight will go a long way in reducing your purchasing.

In addition to this, pay close attention to the things you throw away. Can they find a new use in your home? Repurposing and reusing will save you spending more money than you need to. Rejecting the throwaway culture pushed onto us by consumerism will be a lifestyle change that will save you money long-term.

Find True Value

Now this one will sound a bit far-fetched, but if you adopt it, it will not only save you money but change your sense of contentment in life. Find what brings you actual value in your life.

We’re all prone to being sucked into the sense of happiness buying a new thing does to us. But those feelings fade, and we are left searching for them repeatedly, which is how excessive spending comes into play.

Your value does not come from the clothing you wear, the car you drive or the things you own, but it comes from your place in the world and what you can give to the people and the world–check out this YouTube video for even more information.

Staying Motivated

Well, there you have some serious tips to help you change your lifestyle to reach your goals! Here’s an important note on staying motivated: connect to your why. Your “why” is the thing that will drive you towards your goals and help you achieve them.

It’s okay if you aren’t perfect but continue to direct yourself back to your motivations and reasons, and you will look back and remember why all the hard work was worth it.

Image by Sufi Nawaz