Healthy Habits
Habits can be as hard to make as they are to break. New habits always begin with the best intentions, but unless you are disciplined, they won’t last. Creating healthy habits takes discipline and dedication. The best way to stay dedicated is to believe in the outcome you will achieve by persevering. The five good and bad habits below will make a massive difference in your life and on your budget. All you have to do is find the perseverance to see them through to the end.
Drink Water
Something so simple and necessary to supporting life is drinking water. Yet, many individuals would rather drink soda, coffee, energy drinks, or milk to avoid this tasteless life source. While drinking other beverages in moderation is okay, having anything other than water will ultimately take a toll on your health and wallet. For this tip, the vital habit to create is the ability to say no. That includes getting that energy drink at the gas station on your lunch break, ordering the fancy cocktail on date night, or stocking up on soda at the grocery store. These are all places where it is easy to spend money that your wallet and body can not support long term. Even if you like drinking water but opt for cases of plastic water bottles, using a reusable water bottle can go a long way. Remember that water is your body’s life force. The more you get of it, the better.
Quit Smoking
When a habit is both unhealthy and expensive, it is time to give it the boot. Not only does smoking exponentially increase your chance of getting lung cancer, but it can also cost you a tremendous amount of money. The average American smoker will spend over $2,000 a year on cigarettes, not including the health costs paid later in life. Someone who smokes a pack a day will spend close to $9,000 a year. Imagine all you could do with clearer lungs and all that money. It just takes perseverance to create healthy habits.
Cut Your Own Hair
So many people underestimate their capabilities. Making an exquisite meal seems unattainable to the person who doesn’t cook. But after learning how to cook and practicing, that meal doesn’t seem so hard to make anymore. It is the same with cutting your own hair. We live in a time where all the information we could ever want is right at our fingertips. Watching videos of cutting hair is an excellent way to grow your skillset and save money. Depending on where you go, getting a basic salon haircut can cost anywhere between $8 and $20. So, if you want to learn a skill, save money, and can live with the results, learn to cut your own hair.
Fix it yourself
Keeping to the theme of building your skill set, the next best way to save money is by fixing things yourself. While there are moments you need professional help to fix a problem, there are many more where you could do it yourself. Whether you are dealing with broken drywall or a leaky faucet, fixing the problem yourself is both empowering and cheap. However, you should still ask for advice if you are new to do-it-yourself projects. The internet and friends and family can give some excellent advice and occasionally a helping hand to get the work done right. At the end of the experience, you will have gained a new skill and become more self-assured in your abilities. So learn to say no to professional help when unnecessary and stretch yourself a little bit.
Maintain your vehicle
The final tip can involve fixing a problem yourself or getting professional help. When it comes to maintaining your car, ignoring a weird noise is much easier than taking it into the shop. However, this is not necessarily the best choice for saving money. Taking the cheap fix can quickly turn into a nightmare when your car is involved. Oftentimes, routinely maintaining the health of your vehicle can keep it from breaking down in serious ways. Imagine ignoring that you need a transmission flush until you need a brand-new transmission. The maintenance cost is much more affordable than purchasing and installing an entire transmission. If you can do a quality oil change on your car, then do it; otherwise, take it to a professional so it can be done right.
