Oklahoma Money Matters

With proper planning, summertime can mean fun in the sun, family adventures and relaxing getaways. However, the absence of a plan and savings, can mean boredom and no means to decompress. Saving money for future goals can seem daunting, and difficult, especially when there are more expenses than income. Please know that you are not alone. A little patience and a lot of discipline can make your summer fun dreams come true. Here are some ways to help you set aside that little bit extra.

• Save your change. Whatever you have left in your pockets at the end of the day, put in a jar. You'd be amazed how quickly that change will add up. One dollar saved is one dollar earned towards your summer vacation. Small beginnings can create prosperous outcomes.
• Round up. When tracking your debit transactions, round up the amount to the next dollar and keep the change. For example, if a trim from your hair stylist costs $22.50, document the amount as $23.00 in your expense tracker. At the end of each month, check your tracker against the bank statement and make necessary adjustments. Depending on your spending patterns, you should have a nice pot of dollars to transfer to the vacation fund.
• Pack lunches. Do your kids eat cafeteria food every day? Send them in with sack lunches. When they start to complain (and they will), remind them that this is a contribution to the family vacation fund. Consider packing your own lunch, too. Figure out how much you've saved each month and write a check to your vacation fund.
• Sell unused items. Clean out those closets! You'd be surprised what you have that someone else might be willing to buy. Look through your garage or basement. There must be some gadget or appliance you no longer have a use for.
• Don't buy anything new for six months. I’m not talking about basic necessities here; you’ll probably need bread, juice and laundry detergent! I’m talking about a new car, re-carpeting the house or a new wardrobe. Unless you desperately need to make a major purchase, try to hold off until after the vacation. Decide which is more important to your family.
• Plan before you grocery shop. Sit down with the weekly flyers and plan your meals based on what’s on sale. If you do this with coupons, even better! Find a sale and try to match a coupon. By the time you finish, you’ll have a cheaper eating week. Also, by planning ahead, you’ll cut down on that drive-through habit — maybe from $10-$15 at the burger joint to $4-$5 at home.

There are plenty of ways to save money and cut costs when the payoff involves a fun family getaway. Don’t wait to get started! Make plans to start saving for that wonderful vacation next summer before this summer is over.