Many people prioritize paying off debt more than saving money. Perhaps, they want to avoid failing to pay their monthly dues on time, which can result in late payment fees or additional charges. Instead of allocating some cash for their savings account, they have to set aside a significant portion of their income to repay their loans.
There are some doable ways on how to save money while paying off your debts. With proper financial management and wise spendings, you can be able to divide your income for your daily needs, utility bills, monthly loan payment fees, savings, and other necessary expenses.
How to get started? You can take a cue from the smart tips below and learn how to pay down your debt while saving money.
Set a Goal
If you want to save money despite your monthly loan payments, you should set a goal to know what are the things you are saving for. By doing so, you can determine how much money you have to save each month.
Whether you need to allocate budget for your next trip and tour around beautiful places or you want to save money for your retirement, having a particular goal in mind will keep you motivated and stay on track.
Trim Unnecessary Expenses
One of the most effective ways to save money while paying off your debts is by trimming your other expenses. As such, you should sort out your budget and determine the essential things on your list and eliminate those unnecessary spendings.
For instance, you can cut out your “wants” and focus on your “needs.” With that, you can save the allocated money for your desires and put it on your savings account. Aside from that, you can also reduce your budget for your groceries — but make sure it won’t affect your daily consumption.
Plan an Effective Repayment Strategy
If you aim to save money while paying off your loans, you should create and follow an effective repayment plan. That said, these two popular strategies can be effective in paying down your debts.
Avalanche Method
The approach of paying off your debt with the highest interest rate down to the ones that have the lowest interest rate is called the avalanche method. It is one of the most effective ways to pay off your credit cards, car loans, student loans, and other forms of credit.
Avalance method works by making minimum payments on all your debts and makes use of your remaining cash to pay the loan with the highest interest rate. After you have paid this debt, you can proceed to the next loan with the second-highest interest rate and so on. Make sure to continue the system to achieve accurate progress.
Snowball Method
Aside from the avalanche method, you can also use the snowball repayment strategy. Unlike the avalanche method, this method works by paying the loans with the smallest amount down to the largest one.
In other words, you should start paying off your smallest debts first. After paying all your loans with small amounts, you can focus on paying the most considerable money you owe. By doing so, you can gain momentum as each of your balances are slowly paid off.
Stick to the “80/20 Rule”
Are you familiar with the “80/20 rule” or Pareto principal? If not, this is one of the most effective management strategies that may help you focus on your priorities. Under this rule, you have to allocate 20% of your income for your savings, and the remaining 80% will be allotted for everything else—including your bills, daily expenses, and monthly loan payments.
Concerning this, the 80/20 rule will work better if you arrange automatic withdrawal from your checking account to your savings account. Make sure that this withdrawal will occur during your salary or one to two days after your payday in case your check will be delayed.
The amount that hits your checking account will be yours to spend on your expenses, monthly debts payment, and more. Then, the remaining 20% of your salary will be stowed away in your savings account.
This type of budgeting strategy is simple, yet it can really boost your finances. All you need to do is exert more effort on your finances, and you will get back more than you expect in return.
As Much As Possible, Avoid Getting New Loans
Aside from setting your goal, planning a repayment strategy, and creating an effective budget plan, you should also avoid getting new loans as much as possible. If you don’t want to spend your salary on paying high-interest rates, you should focus on paying your existing loans first and skip applying for other lending offers.
You can get advice from loan experts or check professional lending websites, such as https://adelaidebroker.com.au/business-loans/, to know what are your best options and if a particular loan may help you consolidate all your debts and save more money in return.
Takeaway
Ultimately, it is up to you which repayment strategy will work for your financial condition. You should keep in mind that the sooner you will pay off all your debts, the more you’ll save money for your future plans or your retirement.
Leave a Reply