How to save up for something BIG!

Get determined

Okay. Any purchase you make starts from a, "I want a . . ." thought but for items that cost a bit more, you'll never be able to fund it until you adopt the determined to save mindset. My 'something big' is a DSLR, I've wanted one for ages now. For bigger purchases it's not enough to just want it, you have to take the decision to actively save money and that's probably why the DSLR is still only on my wishlist and not actually in my possession. Saving takes willpower!

Put money aside

Right! So once you've got your money saving mindset in gear, it's time to start setting money aside. From past experience I've found that if you keep all of your money in one place it can be so tempting to just dip into it and that's when saving fails. However much you want to put aside at a time is entirely up to you and it will probably vary from week to week & month to month, depending on what you earn & what your essential spends for that time are. Just save what you can!

Currently, I'm putting my savings into a jar with a strict 'no dipping' policy! I also stick a post-it note on the side saying how much is inside which obviously gets changed every time I add more in. I find this to be the most effective way of saving and seeing the jar in my room motivates me to save more!

If I was a rich girl, na na na na na na na na na na na na na na

Make installments firm

You've done your research and you know how much your item costs. If your item costs £500, I really recommend dividing that total into chunks of say, £100. Once there's £100 in your jar, transfer that into somewhere else like an envelope. This isn't an essential step but it definitely gives yourself a sense of achievement every time you reach an installment goal and again, acts as an incentive to keep you going!

Look out for sales & discount codes

Obviously if there's money off your desired item that makes the purchase a little easier so keep an eye out for opportunities. Sign up to the email lists of shops that sell the product you want; most places send out emails telling you about exclusive sales so take advantage of those! Another thing I'll recommend til the cows come home is googling discount codes - seriously, don't buy anything without checking you can't get it cheaper by using a code or voucher! It's helped me out on many an occasion!

Start a dedicated Pinterest board

So you're nearly there but your dedication might be starting to trail off a bit - it happens. If you're finding it hard to keep the motivation up, why not start a Pinterest board themed on the thing you're saving for! Here's my DSLR board where I pin all sorts of different camera tip and tricks which will be useful for when I've saved up enough!

Follow Thrift O'Clock's board DSLR on Pinterest.

Have a clear out

Saving is so much easier when you have extra cash coming in. Think about selling some of your stuff - is your wardrobe full to the brim & in need of a clear out? Do you have any unwanted homeware pieces that someone else might use? Get selling online!

Have patience

At the end of the day, saving takes time. Don't get fed up and blow all the money on something else, just keep with it and the reward at the end will make it all worthwhile! I know I get tempted by beauty sales and the allure of Caffe Nero. I'm not saying deprive yourself of treats & extras because believe me, most times that will only have a reverse effect on saving so just think carefully about what you really need and what you could save on.

Well I hope you liked this post and found it somewhat useful! Get involved in the comments below, I'd love to know what you're saving for and how!

What are your top money saving tips?

Thanks for reading,

Maeve

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