Do you find yourself having to pass on happy hour with your mates because your wallet is empty? Are you short on cash and but don’t have time for a second job? Or are you trying to finally save up for a place of your own? You’re not alone. According to a recent study, about 25 per cent of British adults have no savings. If you find yourself low on cash and are wondering what you can do to get out of the debt hole, have hope.

These 10 tips can help you gradually put some more cash in your wallet and start saving today, without the need to get a second job or even leave your flat.

Step #1 — Dating? Stop trying to impress with your wallet.

If you date regularly and are too old-fashioned or chivalrous to make your date pay her way, you could be spending hundreds of pounds per month on someone who isn’t worth your time. Try going out for coffee first to see if you click before committing to a dinner date. If you do find someone you like after a few dates, let her pay once in a while if she pulls out her purse and offers.

Step #2 — Take online surveys.

If you’re sitting in front of the telly mindlessly watching something, why not pull out your smartphone or laptop and take some short surveys? Whether in the form of cash, gift vouchers or free products to test, it pays to get something for nothing by simply sharing your opinion.

My favourite survey site is InboxPounds. They pay you £8 for every 30 minutes of watching videos and taking surveys, and they’ve paid out roughly £40,000,000

to date worldwide, so they know what they’re doing. And, the surveys are actually interesting!

Step #3 — Sell your smartphone pics.

You’ve likely got your smartphone on you most of the time anyway, so why not start making extra money by simply taking notice of what’s going on in the world around you. An app called Foap wants your quality photos and will split the profits with you for any picture sold. So, if someone buys your pic for £10, you’ll get £5 each time it sells.

Step #4 — Have credit card balances? Shop around for lower interest rates.

If you’re only paying the minimum balance when your credit card payment is due, it’s difficult to get out of debt as the interest continues to build. Try shopping around for a card with a lower interest rate, and transfer your balance to that card. Some cards even offer promotional rates where you pay no interest for a specific period. So if you have £10,000 in credit card debt and are paying a 16% annual percentage rate, you could save £133 per month during the promotional period.

Step #5 — Switch car insurance companies.

Car insurance is one of those expenses that most people dread paying, simply because unless you get in a crash and really need it, there’s an intangible reward for having it. And wouldn’t you rather spend that money on a salon visit or new pair of shoes? What’s worse is that car insurance companies make most of their money by taking advantage of their loyal clients. If you don’t shop around when renewal time rolls around, they’ll likely raise your rates. The good thing is that it’s easy to compare prices online. A quick 10 minutes saved me £552 per year. 

Step #6 – Be smart about happy hour.

After a long workday, a couple of pints at the pub with your mates can really take the stress of the day away. But when a couple of pints turns into a couple dozen, and you can’t remember where your money went in the morning, it’s time to get smarter about happy hour. Give yourself a limit and be disciplined about it. Head home before that one mate who never pays for a round shows up.

Step #7—Charged a late fee? Ask for a one-time courtesy refund.

You would be surprised as to how easy it can be to get a fee waived once you muster up the courage to simply ask. Realize that they’ll probably only do this once a year, but it’s better than losing you as a client. If you’re habitually late only because you forgot to pay, consider setting automatic payments so you don’t get charged late fees again.

Step #8—Get paid for searching online.

Next time you need to search for something online, skip Google and instead use InboxPounds. Yes, on top of getting paid for surveys, you can also get paid for searching on InboxPounds. And you’ll get a £1 bonus just for trying it.

Step #9—Get cash back for shopping.

It may seem counterintuitive to shop when you’re trying to save money, but for items you really need to buy, why not get cash back for buying them? Topcashback.co.uk offers money back for shopping both online and in-store. It’s free to join and offered worldwide. Just search for your desired retailer through their website and shop like you normally would. The retailer pays TopCashback a commission for your purchase, and then forwards part of it to you in the form of cash that you can withdraw however you like.

Step #10 – Take advantage of new checking account offers.

Lots of banks try to get new customers in the door by offering bonuses for opening new accounts, and even more for having your payslip direct deposited. Consider keeping your old account open as strictly a savings account, as long the bank doesn’t charge any fees, and watch the money grow.

Before saying no to any of the above tips, simply give them a try. Stressing about money can really take a toll on you, so put an end to debt for good and reward yourself once in a while as you make progress. After all, that new flat screen you’ve had your eye on for months will look so much better if you know you’ve earned it.

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If you wish to become a billionaire one day, it is time to start emulating the steps of a billionaire now. Making money is merely a part of what makes an individual exceptionally wealthy.

It depends more on how you think about money, how you approach investing, and what are your ultimate goals. In the final analysis, these elements differentiate between average success and super-success.

Here are seven proven ways to emulate the footsteps of a billionaire and achieve extraordinary wealth and abundance.

1. Bet on Innovation

Billionaires around the world are putting their money behind firms that are innovation-driven, and are transforming the way we live and do business. Today, billionaires who have been running traditional businesses for decades employ about 3 million people.

On the other hand, new and upcoming billionaires who own and run technology-driven enterprises are already employing more than 2.7 million employees worldwide, and will soon surpass the traditional segment.

2. Spend Time on Networking

Billionaires invest a lot of time in engaging and networking with like-minded individuals and groups when it comes to doing business, investing, and working for social causes.

For instance, friendship between the world’s top two billionaires, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, has resulted in massive philanthropic endeavors but they have also supported policies that have caused 9-11, supported Obamacare which destroyed lives and put millions out of work, supported higher minimum wages laws that have devastated small businesses, and supported the same people such as Barney Frank who caused the real estate crisis.

There is two sides to this coin. But, networking effectively can be very beneficial nonetheless.

Some of the world’s most influential billionaires, including Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates have joined hands to solve the planet’s energy problems through their fund called Breakthrough Ventures. That is wonderful but under Obama, whom they supported, energy prices went up for most Americans while their taxes were also raised and their doctor was taken from them.

We need to have more than good intentions in this world and fracking has been a Godsend. Though these incredibly successful people are amazing at networking.

3. Follow Your Heart while Investing

Among the world’s 200 leading art collectors, as many as 72 are billionaires. Billionaires also own more than 140 of the top sports franchises worldwide. This includes two-third of the NBA and over 50 percent of the English Premier League.

UBS Wealth Management’s chief of private wealth management in the US, John Matthews, says that billionaires invest in their passions, whether it is sports, arts, or other areas. In addition to produce dramatic returns on such investments, they are able to touch communities and make an impact through these pursuits.

4. Keep Your Cool in a Volatile Market

Warren Buffett often recommends that do not get obsessed with watching market fluctuations on a daily basis. Invest in solid businesses that are in the game for the long haul, and resist the temptation to get swayed by sudden, violent, or temporary market shocks and speculative trends. And because of tax cuts which he did not support, a lot more people have money to invest.

Billionaire Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates agrees with Buffett on this point. While addressing an audience at the Harvard Kennedy School, Dalio said that you should buy when you are worried, and sell when you are confident.

Dalio suggests that the best way to invest is not to predict everyday market trends and maintain a level head despite them.

5. Be Generous while Giving

Individuals who aspire to become billionaires are not the ones who will sit quietly when the check arrives at the table. They will happily reach for it. They do not wait for organizations in need to ask for support. They identify causes and offer generous support.

More than 160 of the world’s eminent billionaires and ultra-rich families have committed to “The Giving Pledge.” According to analysts, these super-rich people utilize their philanthropic networks to gather new ideas on wealth creation and deploying that wealth to bring positive change.

6. Listen to Your Advisers

Billionaires do not believe that they are all-knowing. In fact, the most successful among them surround themselves with a trusted group of advisers and actively listen and discuss their plans and strategies.

Choose honest advisers who are not afraid to lose their job if they speak the truth. Pay attention to their advice because they are detached and unemotional about an investing decision that may be close to your heart or an idea you have nurtured for long.

7. Minimize the Noise

In the age of Google, social media, and television networks, there is plenty of noise out there. New theories, forecasts, and speculations are generated each day, which can cause chaos in your mind if you are getting too involved in that noise.

Reduce the clutter from your mind, focus on few specific ideas, choose to converse with smart people who have clarity, be wary of those who are perennial naysayers or overzealous optimists, and you will be able to make better decisions every day.

Everyone likes to spend, but when it comes to saving, not everyone is good at it. Americans are among the world’s worst savers.

From low income to mortgages to student loans to credit card debt, factors like these never let us save enough for emergencies or even for a retirement fund.

But there’s a large number of people who cannot save because of overspending. Maybe they like fine dining a little too much, or cannot live without designer perfumes, or feel conscious about driving anything less than a brand new car (everyone wants to be like the Johnsons!). At the end of the day, they realize there’s not a penny in their savings account. Alan Harper from Two in a Half Men knows all about that!

Some people are smart at saving. It isn’t like they are blessed with superpowers (you will not see them in Deadpool 3!) – they are just careful and efficient with money. If you want to be good at saving money, try following these tips that effective savers live by.

Automate it

Taking out money manually from an account and putting it to savings can often be difficult, because you think there were better things you could do with that money. That is why smart people automate this process.

All you have to do is automate the transfer of a part of your income to a savings account. If you get cash back on your credit card/s, make sure to automatically transfer them into the savings account as well.

By automating your savings, you not only get to grow your savings at a consistent pace, but also never have to feel bad about manually moving money from one account to another.

Pick the right strategy

The right savings strategy isn’t one size fits all. Just like income and expenditure varies from one person to another, the proper way to save is also different. What works for your neighbor may not work for you.

That is why, instead of blindly following someone else’s savings strategy, try to devise a strategy that’s fit for your lifestyle and income.

This involves taking your income and expenditure into consideration and then coming up with a strategy that you will be able to stick to. You may also utilize the help of online tools to come up with the right savings strategy.

Create goals

Effective savers don’t just create strategies; they create goals. When you have a goal for saving money, it brings excitement and joy into the process. Kind of like experiencing tax cuts which all workers know is awesome!

For instance, you may want to save money for buying a new house or your child’s college fund. If you have no goal to work towards, you will quickly lose interest in saving, rendering the whole process ineffective. You don’t want to be a failure like Chicago, Baltimore, Oakland, Greece, and so on. Money does not grow on trees and wasting money on irrational ideas does not make any sense.

Prioritize goals

Creating goals isn’t enough; you must also prioritize your goals. For instance, is taking an international vacation more important that buying a house? Does saving for a retirement fund come first or does saving for your son’s college education? Prioritizing goals will help you reach your financial objectives.

Don’t be like Peter La Fleur in the first half of Dodgeball – organize yourself and focus!

Make the most of your savings

Don’t just let the money sit in the savings account. Invest it wisely to get greater returns. If you don’t know much about investments, take the safer route and invest in notes and bonds backed by the government.

You can also leave some of your money in your savings account and invest some in a trusted, reputed program for some decent monthly or yearly returns.

Slowly reduce expenses

It isn’t necessary to change all habits or reduce all expenses at once. Instead of eating out five times a week, reduce it to two times a week, eventually bringing it down to once a week. By taking it slow, it is possible to cut down on unnecessary expenses and save more.

Stick to a routine

Consistency is key when trying to get better at saving. Making lists of wants and needs, necessary and unnecessary expenses, and slowly cutting down on them is the way to start.

But it will only be effective when you stick to it. Sticking to the routine for six months, and spending freely for the rest of the year isn’t going to get you anywhere. For best results, make a routine that you can follow and stick to it. Don’t be like Norm from Cheers who had no focus in life.

Saving money doesn’t have to be a burden. By following these habits of successful savers, you too can reduce expenses and have your savings account jingling.

If you were between ages 25 and 34 and had to choose between buying an expensive vacation to a remote island such as Jejudo (or Cabo San Lucas – yes, it is not an island) and a home, what would you choose? In 2018, most people in that age bracket would choose the vacation because a house is too expensive.

And because the house is not going anywhere. There will always be other houses to buy right!?

Not surprisingly, the home ownership rates among millennials have hit an all-time low and keep falling. A mere decade or two ago, buying a home used to be one of the most important things on a to-do list. Young people want to do other things before they buy a home.

Most young people between 25 and 34 are not interested in buying homes. And it isn’t all about affordability. The age range of millennials is when people usually buy their first home, but home ownership in the younger population is at an all-time low in the US. Buying a house isn’t an ambition anymore. Affordable homes are available and people have jobs nowadays!

This has led the market to wonder what the possible reasons could be. Not everyone is lazy like Alan Harper in Two in a Half Men right?

Lifestyle changes

The lifestyle of young people today isn’t what they used to be in 1970. Forty years ago, a woman got married and had children or a child by age 21.

Men went straight to a job after school, and usually lived on in the same town or city they had grown up in (not always though!). Today, the scenario has completely changed. Women often wait until age 30 or later to get married, with their career being their priority. Men focus on higher education, like woman, and hunt for higher paying jobs, delaying getting married and having a family.

Children today don’t leave the nest early or when they should like they used to – they love mom’s cooking! Even if they do, they come back to live with their parents while they build their career and climb the ladder. In fact, it isn’t surprising to find 30-year-olds living at their parent’s home. Sad! But this is pretty rare.

Most millennials don’t have time for relationships either, and no partner means no urge to buy a home or settle down. As long as people live independently, the rate of home ownership will be low in the millennial age group.

Spending on experiences

Millennials don’t save for retirement and don’t invest in stocks. Buying a home is a type of investment, and millennials don’t have the time or the desire for it. Instead, they like to spend money on experiences, such as traveling and keeping up with the latest technology.

Traveling is a major fascination among millennials. Exploring the world, meeting other people, experiencing other cultures, and tasting global cuisine are some of the pleasures that younger folks seek. This is not the attitude Red had in That 70s Show!

Millennials aren’t concerned about the future much; they want to live for the moment and experience life (and some of them want us to pay for their college education! – hilarious!). Is there a new iPhone or Samsung smart phone coming out? Is there a new electric car about to hit the market? Millennials spend on experiences that they can afford, rather than buy something that requires a lot of time and planning.

Paying off loans and debts

Some millennials have a hard time paying off student loans and credit card debts but this is all changing with the new dynamic economy flourishing all around us. There is close to $1.44 trillion in outstanding student loans annually. It does not make sense to spend $100,000 on a humanities degree!

This does affect home buying for some millenials who make the wrong educational and career choices.

Renting is easier

Buying a home requires a certain level of responsibility. From realtors to loans and mortgage to taxes, there is just too much effort needed to buy a home. Renting is far easier, and the rental market has consistently performed well over the years.

It is also much easier to live a mobile life if you are a renter. Until that millennial finds that job they really like, they don’t want to be tied down to one location.

While it’s true that housing costs in the US continue to rise, there is evidence that buying a home isn’t out of reach for millennials. Not with these rising GDP rates and lower taxes!

Despite debt and that down payment, it is not affordability that keeps young people from buying a house. It is the changes in lifestyle that has brought home ownership to record low levels and led to rise in the average stay at home age for millennials. Well, and, perhaps some parents who really are not parenting, they are spoiling their child which does not help anyone in this country but this is another topic.

It has been for young people but could that change? Despite America becoming great again (low unemployment and growing GDP numbers), people in the 21^st century have to keep working to provide for the needs of their own and/or their families.

The retirement age in the beginning was 60. Later, it was increased to 62. Today, even after people officially retire from their jobs, they work from home or take up a part-time gig somewhere to keep some type of money coming in. After all, even after you hit 60, your financial needs don’t disappear.

Has become a facing concept

This makes retirement a fading concept, because no one completely retires in this economy. Many people need and want to keep working and earning money. Because of the ACA law, health care costs have increased – this does not help the situation.

Regardless of the kind of job they do or can do, people who can retire want to remain productive and keep their faculties active. The ease of working online has also opened various ways of making money from home.

The origin of retirement

Back in the day (early 20^th century and prior), people worked until they died. There was no retirement (unless your name was Julius Caesar, for instance!). As long as the person was alive, he or she pretty much worked. Farms were where most people worked in those days, and if they were wealthy, they managed an estate. No one sat around at home (or went to some retirement community) because they were old. If you were alive, you worked – that was the norm.

Needless to say, there was no financial plan to support the elderly. There was no concept of retirement either, you had to keep earning. As long as you had to eat, you had to keep paying for yourself and contributing. No one could be a burden on their community and that was easy to do if you did not bring home any bacon.

It was in 1881 that Otto von Bismarck, the conservative minister president of Prussia, first thought of retirement. In other words, it meant financial support from the government for the elderly. The move came about because von Bismarck faced pressure from socialists who wanted him to provide care and support for the people of his country.

These same people believe money grows on trees and never had any problem with taking money from hard workers to spread around to people who did not work that hard. Too bad they did not think of a 401K plan or an IRA!

He proposed financial support and care from the state for those that were disabled from work by age and invalidity. The move did not become official in a day. It took eight long years, but by the end of the decade the German government had a retirement system in place, to provide for citizens over the age of 70. Most people did not live until 70.

America has went down the wrong route. Retirement at age 62 when the average age is 77, for instance. The numbers don’t work. America needs to push the retirement age upward. The average age is no longer 65. The socialist FDR and his terrible New Deal (pushed America back into a depression) never thought of this but this is another topic.

The intuitive aspect here was that 70 was an age that most people never saw since the state new it could not afford to take care of thousands of people. Most people died before the age of 70 while working.

The exceptions in Germany included military pensions that were given to soldiers. From the mid 1800s, the United States also started offering pensions to firefighters, police officers, and teachers, but mostly in the big cities. By the 1920s, a number of industries in the US – such as banking, railroads, and oil – started providing workers with some form of support after they worked so many years.

Millennials and retirement

The newer generation – called the millennials – has nothing saved for retirement. It’s shocking but true that these people don’t intend to retire. A variety of factors are responsible for it. Millennials want to live for the present, rather than plan for retirement. Student loans and mortgages mean the pressure to pay off debt, which leaves less scope for savings. Also – with how much debt the government is in, no really trusts the system.

Even without loans to pay off, saving for retirement is not a priority for most millennials because there other things that come first – buying a house, traveling, raising a family. Retirement is usually so far away that no one wants to prioritize for it.

Not thinking long term

Some people just plan on continuing to work. Even though they can invest in a retirement account, they don’t, because they don’t want to look that far into the future. Too bad the makers of Meet the Parents III, Kill Bill, Thor III, and The Force Awakens did not look into the future and realize how sad their movie was about to be but this is another topic.

It is sad that the system inspires no confidence. We need social security reform. To harken back to those positive aspects that were mentioned right in the beginning….with a rising economy and more jobs available people can actually think about retirement again. Just think how good things can get when Obamacare goes away which is still restraining the economy!

Managing finances together is one of the biggest responsibilities that come with marriage. As uncomfortable as it is, discussing money, being open about financial goals, and saving up together are as important in a marriage as sharing chores, buying a home, and raising a family.

You might think keeping financial secrets from your spouse is no big deal, but beware, it has a name now. It’s called financial infidelity.

Yes, infidelity isn’t just sexual in nature anymore (despite that season 2 CSI Miami episode about that business that entraps men into seeing if they are sexually/physically loyal to their wife). If you hide your credit card debt from your wife or start moving your own money to a different account surreptitiously, you are committing financial infidelity and it is bad as cheating on your partner.

Now if you are married to someone like Lisa Bloom, Lois Lerner, or Lisa Page then perhaps this is warranted since anyone who makes those types of mistakes and has that type of character should not be trusted.

Accountants can help you find out if something is amiss, but there are things you can do on your own and save from that type of expense. Here are 6 warning signs that your partner is committing financial infidelity.

New accounts

If you usually know of your partner’s spending habits, credit card statements, and bank account details, then the opening of new accounts all of a sudden without your knowledge is a cause for concern.

This is typically done to move small amounts of money from the existing accounts to the new account. If you notice money is being moved away surreptitiously from the existing accounts, check if any new account has been opened. If yes, you should question your spouse.

Changes in spending habits

When you know your partner’s salary and how much money both of you jointly brings in each month, you will also be aware of exactly how much is expected from your spouse.

Changes in deposits and withdrawals should draw your attention, especially if you know nothing about it. If your spouse is honest about finances, you will usually know the reason behind the changes in the spending patterns. If you don’t know, you have every right to seek an explanation before things escalate.

You don’t want your hard earned money going down the drain on some online poker site, for instance!

Gambling

Although gambling is hard to detect, it isn’t entirely impossible. Those who gamble, do not take losses well (just watch the subpar movie Wild Card to know all about that or The Sopranos – Tony Soprano’s old high school friend, David Scatino, ruined himself as an adult when it came to gambling). To make up for losses, they keep returning to the casino in hopes of winning.

If you suspect your spouse is gambling, you can ask the casino for records to be sure of the amount that’s being spent gambling. When you notice that your spouse makes frequent withdrawals from a casino ATM, but neither wins nor loses anything, you can seek an explanation for what happened to that money.

Purchasing art and other valuable items

It is easy to track the money there is in a bank account, but not many people would notice art, antiques, and other valuables items that a person possesses.

Sudden purchases of expensive items like paintings, watches, or jewelry is an indication that the person is trying to hide assets. These items are immensely valuable, don’t have titles, and can be easily sold off. Besides, they don’t raise suspicion, and can be used to evade taxes too.

You can watch the average action movie The Accountant to see how fine art can be used as currency!

Excessive shopping

As one half of a couple, you are supposed to know what your spouse spends their money on. If you know their credit card statements, you will notice when they start shopping excessively. If your spouse has credit cards you are not aware of, it will require some extra effort to find out what is happening.

You have the right to know the reason behind the sudden excessive shopping. Reviewing each other’s credit scores once a year is a good way to make sure you aren’t hiding anything from each other.

Handing documents to sign

When you sign a document jointly with your spouse, it holds a lot of value. Without your signature, there are plenty of things your spouse cannot accomplish. That’s the reason why you should be suspicious when your spouse gives you something to sign without explaining what it is. Never sign something without knowing what’s in it. If your spouse refuses to offer an explanation, you should not sign it.

The only way to make sure your spouse is not hiding anything about their finances is to make a point to talk about it often. Money is the last thing people want to discuss, but the more couples talk about it, the less likely someone will be dishonest. The last thing you would want for your marriage is a divorce resulting from financial infidelity.

Ideally you should know someone’s money habits and philosophy before you are married. But even then financial honesty for the years after marriage are vital.