Sometimes1 the hardest thing about saving money2 is just getting started3. It can be difficult to figure out4 simple
ways to save money and how to use your savings5
to pursue your financial goals6.
This step-by-step guide7
can help you develop8
a realistic savings plan.
1.
Record your
expenses9: The first step in saving money is to know how much you’re spending. For
one month, keep a record of everything you spend10.
That means11 every
coffee, every newspaper and every snack12
you purchase13 for
the entire month. Once14
you have your data, organize these numbers by category—for example, gas, groceries15 and so on16—and get the total amount for each one17.
2.
Make a budget18:
Now that you have a good idea of what you spend in
a month, you can build a budget to plan your spending and make sure19 that you put money away20 in an emergency savings fund.
Remember to include expenses that happen regularly, but not every month, like
car maintenance21.
3.
Plan on saving money: Taking into consideration22 your monthly expenses and earnings23,
create a savings category within24
your budget and try to make it at
least25 10-15 percent of your net income26. If your expenses won't let you save
that much, it might be time to cut
back27. Look for28
non-essentials that you can spend less on — for example, entertainment and dining out29, before
thinking about saving money on essentials such
as30 your vehicle or home.
4. Set savings goals31: Setting
savings goals makes it much easier to
get started. Begin by deciding how
long it will take to reach33 each goal. Some short-term34 goals
(which can usually take 1-3 years) include:
· Starting an emergency fund to cover35
6 months to a year of living expenses36
(in case of job loss37
or other emergencies)
·
Saving money
for a vacation38
·
Saving to buy
a new car
·
Saving to pay
taxes39 (if they are not already40
deducted by your employer)
Long-term41 savings goals are often several42
years or even decades away and can include:
·
Putting money
away for your child's college education
·
Saving for a down payment44 on a
house or to remodel your current home
5.
Decide on your priorities: Different
people have different priorities when
it comes to45 saving money, so you must decide which savings
goals are most important to you. Part of this process is deciding how long you
can wait to save for a goal and how much you want to put away each month to
help you reach it.
6. Watch46 your
savings grow47 : Check your progress every month. Not only will this help you stick to48 your
personal savings plan, but it also helps you identify and fix49 problems quickly. These simple ways to save money may even
inspire you to save more and hit50
your goals faster.
Vocabulary
1. Sometimes = as vezes
2. saving money = economizer dinheiro
3. getting started = começar
4. figure out = descobrir
5. savings = economias
6. pursue your
financial goals = perseguir seus objetivos financeiros
7. step-by-step guide = guia passo a passo
8. develop = desenvolver
9. Record your expenses = register suas despesas
10. Spend = gastar
11. Spend = significa
12. Snack = lance
13. Purchase = comprar
14. Once = uma vez que
15. Groceries = comestíveis
16. and so on = e assim
por diante
17. get the total amount for each one = obtenha a quantidade total
para cada um
18. budget = orçamento
19. make sure =
certifique-se de que
20. put money away = guardar dinheiro
21. maintenance = manutenção
22. Taking into consideration = levando em consideração
23. Earnings = ganhos
24. Within = dentro do
25. at least = pelo menos
26. net income = renda líquida
27. it might be time to cut back = poderia ser tempo de cortar
28. Look for = procurer
29. dining out = jantar for a
30. such as = tais como
31. Set savings goals = estabelecer planos de economia
32. much easier to get started = muito mais facil de começar
33. how long it will take to reach = quanto tempo vai levar para alcançar
34. short-term = curto prazo
35. cover = cobrir
36. living expenses = custo de vida
37. job loss = perda de emprego
38. vacation = ferias
39. taxes = impostos
40. already = já
41. Long-term = longo prazo
42. Several = vários
43. Retirement = aposentadoria
44. down payment = entrada (pagamento inicial)
45. when it comes to =
quando se trata de
46. Watch = observe
47. Grow = crescer
48. stick to = ficar firme em
49. fix = consertar, corrigir
50. hit = atingir