For many people, shopping is a lot of fun. Getting something like a new bicycle, a musical instrument, or a jacket can be exciting if they can afford to buy it. If they are not very interested in objects like bicycles or clothes, they might need money for a new experience, such as going on a special trip or a concert. Unless they are very wealthy, most people will likely need to save up the money to pay for their new purchase or activity, but this can sometimes be difficult. Finding an interesting way to save money can help make the process easier.

Have you ever gone out with friends for an afternoon and then realized after you got home that you had no idea how much money you spent? One of the first steps in saving money is to keep track of the money that you spend and how much you have left over. Recording your purchases in a small notebook or computer can help you find out how much you spend every day so that you know where to cut back.

The first step is to identify your necessary or unnecessary purchases. If your parents want you to buy your own toothbrushes and toothpaste, for example, you will still need to do that to keep yourself healthy. However, you can save some money by buying these items at dollar stores or other discount places. Low-cost clothes and other items are available at thrift stores, and you can often save a lot of money by getting what you need there instead of at regular stores. For people who know how to sew, it can even be an interesting challenge to buy thrift shop clothes and then to alter them.

Food is another place where people spend a lot of money. If you buy a lot of snacks like cookies or muffins, you might want to consider baking some of them at home. Even if you have to buy the flour and other ingredients, your snacks will likely be cheaper than the ones that you can buy in a store. Making lunches at home to take to school can also save a lot of money.

You should also be aware of how you pay for what you buy. Some people use credit or debit cards for almost everything, but paying with cash can have many benefits. That way, you can see at a glance how much you’ve spent. You can also find fun ways of saving money, such as saving your change in jars so that you can watch them fill up.
Activities with friends can be expensive, but you can try to find things to do that are low-cost or free. For example, you could go to a park to play soccer or to look for animals instead of shopping. However you manage to do it, saving money can be worth it in the end.

Bibliography:

Barreca, Kerri. 5 Money Saving Tips for the Bargain Hunter.” https://creditcanada.com/blog/7-money-saving-tips-financial-planning-bargain-hunter?gclid=CMHa7cDNrsgCFZEBaQodEXgAiw.

Graham, Nicole. “15 Fun Ways To Save Money (Instead Of Using Piggy Banks).” http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/15-fun-ways-save-money-instead-using-piggy-banks.html.

The Mint.org. “5 Simple Saving Tricks.” http://www.themint.org/kids/saving-tricks.html.

WikiHow.com. “How to Save Money as a Kid.” http://www.wikihow.com/Save-Money-as-a-Kid