How to Save Money Without Giving Up Too Much

Pay Yourself First

In the survey, 46 percent of people admit that they feel guilty when spending money on social activities. To combat that guilt, try these strategies:

• Pay yourself an allowance each week for entertainment and nonessential items―even if it’s only $50. Sticking to a hard number should help wipe out (or, at least, greatly reduce) guilt.
   
• Sign up for an automatic monthly deduction of a set amount from your checking account to a high-interest savings account such as ING Direct. Knowing that money is going into your savings before you can spend it should ease your worries.
   
• Realize that sometimes the benefits of spending money go beyond your bank account. Real Simple reader Rute Filipe Belanger reports that her gym membership pays off in dividends. “Life looks so much better after a great workout,” she says. “I focus better, get more work done, and do not go shopping as much to relax. So the gym membership saves me money and makes me a healthier happier person.”

For more tips, see:

• Save Money All Year Long
• How Readers Save for a Rainy Day