Being a modern woman means knowing how to manage your money like a boss. There’s no denying it — trying to pay off important house bills, manage children’s expenses, and also make time for your important personal activities (c’mon, not all of us want to give up doing our nails or Starbucks). Trying to juggle all of that is most certainly hectic, so what are the tips and tricks to manage our money better?

Truth is, there are always more things we can do to better organize and stay on top of what we spend. The more you save, the more quickly you’ll be able reach your goals. After all, being a boss lady means being more cautious and frugal so that you have more money to spend on the things that mean the most.

Use Cash.

This may seem like an impossible task in the age of ApplePay and online shopping, but for those instances where you are in a physical store, trying using cash. This is because the physicality of cash makes it harder to spend, and you’ll be more thoughtful about where your hard-earned money is going.

Meal Prep.

Try cooking in bulk and preparing your meals in advance before the week starts to avoid spending frivolously on lots of restaurant or takeout food. While it might seem like a daunting task, it will save you so much time and money during the week, as well as ensure you are eating more health-conscious meals.

Don’t ignore your miscellaneous expenses.

Your daily Starbucks, transaction/bank fees, and other misc expenses add up. Try calculating how much those small purchases add up to and you will be shocked when you realize how much money you could have saved (in some cases, you could afford a whole vacation!). While I’m not saying you should omit these expenses completely, being more mindful of the ways they are costing you can be beneficial for your bank account.

Limit impulse purchases.

That sweater that you swore to yourself you’d wear every day but is still sitting in the back of your closet with its tags on? Yeah, probably could’ve avoided spending that if you refrained from buying things on impulse. If you go shopping, remember what you’re looking for and try to stick to what you need. If you see something you absolutely love, try thinking about it and coming back for it if you later decide that you still want it. Buying with a purpose ensures that you’re not wasting money on things that have no purpose in your life.

Try cutting your utility bill.

No, this doesn’t mean cooking dinner with the lights off. But every utility company has peak times and off-peak times where using gas or electricity costs much less. If you stick make a concerted effort to only run the dishwasher or do laundry during the off-peak times, you will definitely notice a big difference in your utility bill. Also, using dimmer switches, low-flow shower heads, and switching to LED bulbs are great ways to make your home more efficient and lower your electricity bill. 

Use money-saving apps.

There are so many amazing apps to help you manage your finances, save money online, and help you earn cash back. For example, Flipp is an amazing app that uses your location to collect nearby flyers and coupons to help you save money on the items you already buy at the grocery store. Another great example is Honey — have you ever wanted to buy something online and tried to Google discounts to save money?? Well Honey is an Internet extension that automatically applies discount codes in the checkout tab when you’re online shopping, doing all the work for you. 

After all, money saved = money earned.

Love yourself - it’s the best love you will ever have.

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