While I don’t normally make a list of resolutions at the start of year, it is, of course, a time when I reflect on my life – both backwards and forwards – to consider the highs and lows, and what I can do to continuously push and improve my life for the better.
Like many of you, the first month of the new year almost always starts off with the intention to lead a better and healthier life, and this year is no exception. In fact, rather than a list of resolutions for the year, I prefer to focus on one word that will help shape my decisions over the course of the coming year, and this year’s word is none other than HEALTH.
From working out more and eating better to taking more time for myself, I chose this year to be the year of health to ensure I make my body, mind and mood more of a priority, and one that will last well past January 31st of 2016.
Naturally, January can also be one of the toughest months to actually stay on track after indulging in so many glutinous activities in the lead up to it, which is why I find that giving myself a challenge to stick to (with a realistic end date) can help keep me from falling off the wagon past, say, the first week of the new year.
In my opinion, taking baby steps is a fine way to get started, and can help you actually achieve your goal while still making a big difference. To help me stay on track with eating healthier this year, I teamed up with Tangerine to see how small sacrifices can not only lead to big results, but be an easy way to save money in 2016 too. And who doesn’t need some extra change in their pocket at this time of year, right?
For this challenge, I confessed to Tangerine that one of my regular “vices” (that is directly connected to bad eating habits) is the takeout food I order when I’m too tired, or too lazy, to cook at home, which occurs about once a week. Because I most often spend approximately $50 each time I order, my friends at Tangerine pointed out that I would not only improve my health by saying no to ordering in this month, but would save myself a whopping $200 at the end of the month. Check out the infographic they created for me below:
While I think totally avoiding takeout food for an entire year might not be very realistic, the realization that I could have $2,700 to buy two round-trip flights from Toronto to Beijing with my savings at the end of the year is certainly an eye-opener. I guess those little things do add up in the end!
If saving money this year is a priority for you but seems like a daunting task, it’s important for all of us to realize that starting with even the smallest changes can make a huge difference for our bank accounts.
“Making saving part of your routine can help ensure you’re putting away money regularly, despite the ups and downs life throws at you. Try making small commitments like skipping that daily coffee purchase and depositing that money into savings by setting up an ASP; you’ll soon see that small amounts can lead to big savings over the long term.” says Silvio Stroescu, Managing Director of Deposits and Investments at Tangerine.
So, are you ready to take on some of your vices this year (big or small) and see how eliminating them in 2016 can benefit everything from your health to your bank account? Tangerine offers various online tools to calculate how making small automatic saving contributions on a regular basis can lead to big savings over the long term. Start today with something easy, and see just how much you can save just by saying no to that afternoon latte, or cab ride to work.
Is there something you’re giving up this month, or this year, to help save money and make a difference in your life? Or is there something you’ve eliminated in your life that you would consider an easy way to save money that you’d like to share? Leave a comment and let us know!
Wishing you all the best in 2016!
xo
*Please note that this post has been brought to you by Tangerine, all thoughts and opinions my own*
The post The 30-Day January Challenge: Finding An Easy Way To Save Money in 2016 with Tangerine Canada appeared first on Gracie Carroll.