Going out for a day or two can end up costing way more than you expected if you aren’t careful with how you spend your money. If you live in a town or city, temptations are everywhere and it can be even harder to walk by without damaging your savings goal, however, there are ways to stay focused. Here are seven handy ideas to keep in mind while you’re out and about that will end up saving you a fortune over time.

Shop Own-Brands

There are many reasons why consumers prefer to shop for big branded products, such as people having confidence in the quality, and even feeling the need to fit in with everybody else. Nevertheless, having a habit of only buying big branded products and services could be severely damaging your savings goal since they are often priced higher than own-branded. The fact is that own-branded products often taste the same as their branded alternatives so you’ll be saving on price without sacrificing quality. For food and drink products, try organizing a blind taste test for your family with each branded product versus the own-brand alternative. This way you can get everyone on board with your new plan and change their mindset for when they are buying out and about as well.

Organize No-Spend Days

To enjoy yourself while out and about you often don’t need to spend anything at all! If you make it your mission to resist spending a dime all day then it becomes a game to find fun and free activities nearby rather than going out to do the same thing you’ve always done. There are many activities such as riding your bike, having a walk around the park and stopping for a picnic, or grabbing your friends for a nice long run. At the end of a no-spend day, think about how much money you would have normally spent if you did your usual activity and find out how much you’ve saved! This is a great way to keep you motivated and to plan more no-spend days in the diary.

Bring Your Food With You

As mentioned before, picnics are a great no-spend activity, however, you can aim to make sure that you always have lunch and snacks prepared in your bag for whatever activity you’re up to, whether it’s a fun, family day out, or just work. The pre-prepared lunches will save you a fortune on expensive deli sandwiches, especially if you live in a large city center where living costs are considerably high.

Cut Out the Coffee Run

Resisting your daily takeaway coffee could be one of the healthiest changes you’ll make for your finances. This is since the price of having such a delicious, warm, caffeine kick at your convenience is usually incredibly high, let alone addictive. With a coffee shop on every street corner, it’s easy to just grab and go as soon as your coffee craving strikes, however, you could make your own in a bulk stainless steel tumbler. This way you’ll have a steaming cup of coffee at no extra cost, as long as you are willing to wake up two minutes earlier than usual.

Track Your Spending

The more conscious you are about how much you’re spending and where it’s going, the better you’ll be at managing it. Try to keep receipts from every purchase if you’re old school, or check out some mobile apps that can track your spending, making it even easier to manage your money. Digital banks are also a great way to track your money since many have budgeting tools within them to ensure you don’t overspend. Tracking your money will not only help you to become better at managing your finances but you’ll also be more likely to detect suspicious activity on your account to take action sooner to prevent thieves from stealing more money.

Get Savvier

If you are motivated towards a savings goal then you might need to adjust your spending behavior and get a bit savvier. It might require more effort but you can save yourself money on items by hunting down the best deals, using vouchers, and even asking for price matches since some shops have price-match policies. Shifting your identity from a careless spender to a savvy shopper is a great way to save little and often.

You might find that these changes are only small but they will all add up and help you to save a lot of money over time. Not only will you make a big difference to your financial health but these small changes are easy to adopt so that you can turn them into new healthy habits.