Mary Poppins was right about having to find the element of fun in every job that’s to be done. In finding fun, you make the job a game. Saving money is at the top of everyone’s agenda these days. The best way to save, is to get smart and have fun with it.
‘Gamification’ is what your medical aid does when they award you points for exercising, which you can exchange for products with retailers. You’re incentivised for looking after your health, evidently keeping their costs down. Of course, they also throw you the odd ‘free’ coffee in return.
In truth, there are big savings to be had if you make the way you manage your money, a game. Understanding the power of saving can also be a game. Put R1 in a jar in the first week of the year, R2 in the second week and so on until week 52. At the end of the year, you’ll have saved R1 378. Finally, by supplementing the weekly amount by what you can afford and keeping to the progression curve, you’ll be amazed at how much you can save in a year. Ideally you’ll reach a point where it would be sensible to put that amount into an interest-bearing account weekly.
Set yourself a challenge to see how far you can make your budget stretch. Or, challenge yourself and your partner to take you both out for a meal under R50. Who can drive further on a tank of petrol?
Better still – draw up a budget and actually stick to it! It’s easy to prepare for regular monthly expenses, but once you set yourself a limit for groceries and entertainment, you’ll find you really need to rein things in if you’re to come in at or under budget. Skipping your weekday R30 takeaway coffee for twelve months can save you R7 830 annually – a big chunk of an international plane ticket!
We all have tons of loyalty cards in our wallets and apps on our phones, but do you understand the way they work? More importantly, how they can work for you? Spending time understanding the complex world of tiers, levels, points, goals and targets can win you back some money from the places you regularly shop at – money for nothing and maybe a free coffee?
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