Small financial habits can add up to meaningful savings over time, and many of them only take a few minutes to handle.
These steps won’t build wealth as quickly as investing in the stock market, but they can help you strengthen an emergency fund or free up extra money for debt repayment. Here are two simple money habits that can help you set aside a little more cash for both short- and long-term goals, from taking a vacation to buying a home to preparing for retirement.
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1. Purchase discounted gift cards
If you plan to dine out, buy new shoes or catch a movie, you may want to pay less than the full price. Discounted gift cards can make that possible.
Retailers and resale sites such as CardCash, along with warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam’s Club, often sell gift cards for less than their face value.
You can usually narrow your search by category so the right gift cards show up for your next purchase. Some discount gift card platforms also let you browse cards that are marked down by a set percentage, such as 10% to 20%.
The savings from one card may be modest, but they can build up over time, especially if you use the cards for purchases you were going to make anyway.
The most important rule is to buy discounted gift cards only for businesses you already use regularly. A discounted card for a restaurant chain you never visit is not much of a deal. Make sure the purchase matches a real need rather than buying something simply because it is cheaper.
2. Review monthly subscriptions
Another quick way to trim spending is to check whether you are paying for subscriptions you no longer need, such as a streaming service you rarely watch.
Once a month, take a few minutes to scan your credit card statement for forgotten charges. That review can also help you rethink subscriptions you use only occasionally and look for cheaper alternatives.
For example, you might be paying for a premium food delivery plan when the free version would still give you most of the features you need.
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