Financial Strategies

Last week, I was at a thrift store that asked me to round-up my purchase amount of $13.58 to $14. Without hesitation, I said yes and left the store feeling good about my donation.

Hmmm…today I am thinking about the concept of rounding up and the amount of money that I could save, in my mason jar bank, from using cash for my purchases.

When we traveled out of state last week we paid cash for gasoline and food purchases due to the epidemic of skimming and fraudulent use of credit/debit cards. We spent a large amount of our change for the purpose of paying highway tolls; even so, our mason jar is almost full from the leftover change that we returned home with.

So here is the challenge:

Use cash for the majority of your purchases and save your leftover change.

Round down and keep your change as an investment in your own finances.

Resist the urge to reach for the debit or credit card…do not feel embarrassed or intimidated when using cash for payments.

The next time I visit a store that asks me to roundup to the next dollar, I will politely say, “No, thank you,” and think about my mason jar bank waiting for me at home.

Seeking new and improved strategies for a higher quality of life involves letting go of wasteful habits!

© Sonya Johnson Ruiz