8 Original Techniques (That Work) to Save Money.

#5: The zero-sum technique.

“I'd like to save money, but I can't.”

How many times have I heard people say this phrase or at least a variation of it with the same meaning? I couldn't tell you because I've heard it so many times.

I can only tell you that if I had had $1 every time I heard that phrase, I would probably be rich today. That's telling you!

Maybe you don't have any problems on your end with saving, but for many people, it seems to be difficult. Some seem to make it a point to end each month with zero (or less) in their bank account. Others let debt take over their finances.

To help you save money, I offer you 8 original techniques, not frequently mentioned, but which work if applied correctly.

The 52-week technique

It's an easy technique that will save you over a thousand dollars every year, without even realizing it. All you need is a piggy bank, or savings account, to do this.

You start by putting in one dollar the first week, then two dollars the second week, then three dollars, ... and so on until you reach 52 dollars in week 52. At the end of the year, you will have saved $1,378. Pretty interesting!

Divide the money into envelopes

This classic method is the simplest and most effective method available. You make an envelope for each expense you have and put in the money you want to spend in the month and then you stick to a budget. This technique will help you see if there are any unnecessary expenses that you can eliminate.

The 50/20/30 rule

Another one of the most well-known money-saving methods that can help you better understand how you spend what you earn each month is the 50/20/30 rule.

The idea is to create a budget in which you will divide the month's money into three categories:

• 50% of the money for basic expenses

• 20% for savings

• 30% for personal expenses

This technique will allow you to save 20% of your income each month.

The 1% Rule

If your biggest problem is overspending and compulsive buying, then the 1% rule of thumb is what you need to save money. It's as simple as stopping for a moment to see if what you're going to spend is 1% or more of what you earn per year.

If so, let a day go by, meditate on it, ask yourself if it's necessary, if you're going to use it, etc... Asking yourself questions will prevent you from impulse buying. And if it is necessary, then you can buy it. If not, forget it and save money.

The zero-sum technique

Some people don't want to divide their money into different types of expenses. The zero-sum technique is there to help them. This technique can help you avoid overspending and save money along the way.

You need to write down how much money comes in each month, how much you spend, and on what. You need to make sure that the amount of the second is equal to the money you earned, nothing more. Of course, if you want to save money, the trick is to add to the list of expenses an amount that is to be saved.

The penny challenge

In addition to the known techniques, you can participate in challenges. They will help you save money over time without really realizing it, and in a fun way.

Here, I propose the same challenge as the 52-week one, but in a day version. You start by saving 1 cent on the first day, 2 cents on the second, 3 cents on the third ... and after one year you will have saved more than $600.

Think for as many days as it takes what you want

The consumer society is full of ingenious techniques to push you to buy all sorts of things you don't need. For some people, the impulse to buy is so strong that they feel they can't even wait a day when they want to buy something.

If you recognize yourself in this problem, you should try this technique: if you have seen a product, an item of clothing, or an object that you want to buy, look at the price and wait as many days as the price in question before making the purchase.

Concretely, if you see a new trendy tech gadget that costs $150, you will wait 150 days before buying it... If you hold on, you will eventually realize that you didn't need this gadget. This will protect you from the consumer society and bring you closer to your essential needs.

The rules of waiting

These rules work the same way as the 1% rule, but they can be used for any expense and will help you save money almost every day without having to wait for big purchases.

You have the 24-hour rule, the 30-day rule, and the 30+ day rule.

It's about waiting different numbers of days depending on what you want to buy. For example, you can start with 24 hours if it's not a big expense, move to the 30-day rule if it's a big purchase, or more than 30 if you're still unsure.

There is nothing like time to realize the unnecessary expenses we make that we could save money on.