Stop Making These 6 Common Money Mistakes and Keep More of Your Hard Earned Cash

Disclosure: I am a member of the Total Wireless Team and have been compensated for my time. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to be able to save more of their money while others struggle to make ends meet while earning the same salary? Here some common money mistakes that you can avoid and help you keep more of your hard-earned cash.

1. Not Knowing Where Your Money Goes.  Many people make this basic money mistake. However, once you start tracking your money, you can easily determine where you can cut expenses. There are many different programs that can help you track your money. I personally use mint.com and love that it helps you track your money and set budgets by category.
2. Purchasing Insurance and Not Shopping Around at Renewal Time. It is a great idea to get quotes from a few different insurance companies when your insurance plans are up for renewal. Little by little these costs usually increase each year. A few years ago, I got  quotes from four different companies and was able to save myself almost $1000 a year! I was shocked by the difference in price for the exact same coverages.
3. Not Having a Plan when Purchasing Clothing .  When I started tracking my expenses faithfully, I was surprised by how much money I spent on clothing and still didn’t feel like I had anything to wear. Capsule wardrobes and looking at gaps in your wardrobe can help you not only spend less but feel like you have more clothing options. Each week we feature a new mix and match capsule wardrobe on this website. You will see that we often use many similar pieces in these which can help you save even more.
4. Putting Communication Services on Auto Pay and Forgetting Them. Cable, internet and mobile phone service vary greatly in price and options. Consider whether you could ditch cable and just use an antenna and services such as Hulu. You could also consider switching to a no contract wireless plan such a Total Wireless. They are making wireless services simple again with plans that give you everything you need and nothing you don’t. For $35 per month, Total Wireless gives you unlimited Talk and Text and 2.5 GB of data on America’s largest and most reliable network – no contract required. And, for just $10 you can purchase 1.5 GB of shared Carryover™ Add-On data – unused data does not expire with active service. For families that have additional needs for devices, lines and data, Total Wireless is one of the  first prepaid, no contract shared family data plans in the market. Get two-line plans with 5.0 GB of shared data across devices for $60/month, it’s ideal for couples and families.
5. Skip Making a Meal Plan –  Making a meal plan is an easy way to save money. Not only will you only purchase the items you need at the grocery store it also helps stop you from grabbing take out or fast food because you don’t know what to eat for dinner. You can save yourself hundreds of dollars a month just by planning meals, not letting food go to waste and not buying fast food or take out.
6. Only Buying Items When You Run Out Or Have an Immediate Need – If you buy ahead, you can watch sales cycles and pay less. This works on everything from groceries to clothing and gifts.I love to buy winter boots and coats for my kids and myself when they are out of season and on sale. If I find a great price on a birthday present that I know many of my daughters’ friends would love I buy multiples. Not only does this save my money but also time who wants to run out to grab yet another present. If I find a great deal on cereal or meat, I buy enough to last until the next sale cycle. This ensures I rarely pay full price. I have more grocery savings tips here.

Have you been making any of these common money mistakes? Changing your habits can help you put more of your money towards the things that are important to you. This could be anything from saving for your retirement to taking an amazing vacation. When you think more about each money decision, you will be surprised just how much easier saving can be.