Save Money - Round Up Your Dollars!

It sounds stupid and childish, but sometimes the most simpliest and easiest and most accomodating way to save money is a penny at a time. Okay, maybe a nickel, dime or dollar at a time, but the point is if you want or need something in upper dollar amounts, and then think "I have to save THAT MUCH! I'll never do that!" so you tend to not bother. HOWEVER, it you use common sense and my motto " save a little to save alot", you'll have what you need or want (within common sense reasoning, of course) before you know it, and not even missed it while you are saving it.

It's always easy for those with money, giving out budgeting and saving advise, to say " when you get your paycheck, pay your self 10% FIRST - then pay your bills" Yeah, that's great if you have enough income where that is an option, but what about those of us that don't have the high paying jobs and we are just trying to make ends meet? That 10% is fine and dandy but what do you do when that 10% means "do I pay the electric bill or myself first?"

The key is to find ways to save, by stretching the dollars you already have! Pick up the pennies from the sidewalk, yeah, okay, but let's do a bit more than that.

When you pay a bill, the key is to ROUND UP TO THE NEXT DOLLAR. That is a savings you can afford, and won't miss, but you will be surprised at the outcome.

When you pay a bill, whether in a handwritten check or online, ROUND THE AMOUNT PAID UP TO THE NEXT DOLLAR!! Say $27.84 is the total due - write the check for $28.00. You won't miss that 16¢ in your budget, but that 16¢ goes as a credit to your account. Next month you will have a credit of 16¢ taken off your due amount. Continue to do this with each monthly payment. It adds up and every little bit helps! If you can afford more - round it up to $30.00. It isn't much, but as is the basis of saving money when you don't have it to save is, "SAVE A LITTLE TO SAVE ALOT'. This is a good idea for paying your utility bills since they fluxuate so much year round. Granted it is more advantageous to round to the next "10 dollar" increment - $27.84 to $30.00, but just do what you can do, when you can do it! It all adds up!! Round up to the nearest Even Dollar that you can afford. If it is only 16¢, take it, if you can do more, do it!

In addition, you can use this same strategy paying credit card bills too. The more you pay, the less the balance is that they rate interest on for next month means the less your paymnet and the sooner you can pay the card off!

Or, you could just pay the exact amount of the bill but then when you subtract the amount in the check book - ROUND THAT NUMBER UP TO THE NEAREST DOLLAR! Yes, this might make balancing a little complicated, but like in my case, I don't bother with balancing a check book, I just make sure I don't spend more than I deposit. Just because I have checks in the book, doesn't mean there is money in there too! Simple adding and subraction saves alot of time.

Plus, now that you are rounding to the nearest dollar, you don't have those cents to subtract in the check book! This makes the procedure quick and easy!!!

So let's see - you have paid your bills, you have saved some money, you have stretched the dollars you have AND you have done it quick, simple and EASY!!! How can you argue with that!!!