Trying to save money and maintain a social life can be a challenge. After all, dinners out at a trendy new restaurant or happy hour at the bar isn’t free. If you’re looking to save money but aren’t prepared to resign yourself to living the life of a hermit, have no fear! These tools will help you save money without making you cut the wings off your inner social butterfly.
Get Your Finances on Track
Getting your finances on track is one of the first steps to saving money. Finance apps, like Albert, make great tools for getting your finances on track. Download Albert to your smartphone for financial planning advice everywhere you go. Albert will look at your finances and make recommendations, like paying off high-interest credit card debt with a low-interest loan, to help you make the best financial decisions.
Stick to a Budget
Setting a budget (and sticking to it) is a great way to start saving money and keep yourself from overspending. The Level Money app makes budgeting your money easy and helps prevent overspending. Use Level Money to budget for essentials, like rent, car payments, and other bills, and set up a savings goal. Level Money will then keep track of the remaining balance, your spendable cash, so you always know how much you have to spend on extras, like eating out or going to the movies.
Don’t Get Stuck Paying Late Fees
Paying bills late can cause late fees to pile up, greatly cutting into that extra cash you’d much rather spend on a date night. Never miss a bill by using an app like Mint. Mint helps users keep track off all of their bills in one convenient app, listing both the due date and amount due. You can even pay your bills through Mint and avoid the need to visit multiple sites.
Make Money While Socializing
Consider taking on a job that will let you earn money and socialize at the same time. Jobs like Amway let you be your own boss so you have the freedom to pursue sales anyway you want, like planning a small get-together with friends to showcase merchandise or get out there and meet new people.
Find Free Events
Socializing doesn’t have to cost money! Look for fun, free events in your area to get together with friends without breaking the bank. You can check your city’s parks and recreation website, head to the local library, or check out your state’s tourism website. State tourism websites are also a great resource for finding deals on local restaurants, spas, and events.
Use Coupon Apps to Save
Take advantage of coupon apps and avoid paying full price whenever you go out. RetailMeNot is a great resource for saving money both online and in-store. RetailMeNot gives you access to coupons for thousands of retailers and restaurants. Or use Honey for savings on your online purchases. Honey does the work of searching for coupons for you and automatically applies the best coupon codes when you checkout.
Save on Gas
Keeping your car fueled is important for keeping up with a social calendar, but filling your tank can get pricey. Save money when you fuel up by using GasBuddy to find the cheapest gas in your area.
Take Charge of Planning Get-Togethers
When you’re trying to save money, it can be tough meeting friends out, especially if your friends have expensive taste. Take charge of planning get-togethers so you can pick more affordable places for a less expensive night out.
Invite Friends Over for a Drink Before Dinner
Alcohol is typically one of the most expensive things to buy at a restaurant or club. Cut down on your bar tab by inviting your friends over for a drink before dinner or going out. This way you can skip that $10.00 drink (or two) during dinner without missing out on an opportunity to socialize.
Don’t Give Up Your Social Life
You don’t have to live the life of a hermit just to save some money. You can keep a healthy bank account and a healthy social life with these simple tools. So start saving AND socializing today!
