Do you find the idea of saving money overwhelming? The problem is when most of us think of saving money, we think of big, sweeping changes we should make. But there are many small changes you can make that can help you start saving money right away. Here are a few to get you started:

• Start in Your Kitchen
  Making breakfast, lunch and dinner at home versus getting fast food, takeout or going to a restaurant can save you hundreds each month. So can brewing your own coffee at home instead of heading to a Starbuck’s. Start with making one to two meals a day and go from there. Prepping a week’s worth of breakfasts or lunches will make this step easier and even more affordable.
• Renegotiate Your Bills
  While you can’t do this for your gas, water or electric bills, it is possible to renegotiate your cable, Internet and cell phone bills. Every four to six months, give these companies a call and see if they have any discounts or deals you could take advantage of.
• Get Store Apps
  Whether you’re talking about your grocery store or favorite shoe store, pretty much every store has an app these days. While many make shopping easier, another perk is most have a section that lists their discounts or coupons. You can also do some of this the old-fashioned way and clip coupons before grocery shopping.
• Go Generic
  Another way to save on groceries is to buy generic brands when possible. These days, generic food brands are just as good – if not better – than the name brands you’ve been buying. This could save you hundreds per year and your taste buds won’t even notice the difference!
• Switch to a Digital Thermostat
  While it might not make sense to spend money to save money, a digital thermostat can really help cut costs. You don’t have to get the fancy wi-fi versions that cost hundreds, just a programmable digital thermostat. That way you can program it to turn your heat down or air conditioning up when you’re not home and adjust it a bit before you walk back in the door. The savings will soon add up.
• Cancel Subscriptions
  From magazines to streaming services, many of us have subscriptions we don’t use. Make a list of what subscriptions you have and pick one or two you can live without. You’ll be amazed at how little you miss them and will enjoy the money you save instead!
• Cut Your Interest
  High-rate credit cards and loans can eat up a lot of your money and can be easier than you think to shift to a lower-rate version. As a WWFCU member, you have access to our Visa Rewards cards, which are often a lower rate than big bank credit cards. Also, you can refinance your personal, auto or home loans with us and save even more with our low interest rates. Click here to view our rates.

The next important step is to actually put away these extra savings into an account. Do a little number crunching to figure out just how much money you’re saving and put it into a savings account each month. Better yet, if your employer offers direct deposit, have that money automatically deposited into a savings account monthly. If you don’t “see” it, you won’t spend it!

Find out how much WWFCU can help you save by speaking to a Member Service Representative at (734) 721-5700 or stop by our branch today.