We asked and you delivered! Here are some excellent savings tips from North Shore Bank employees:

“If you are able to, have your payroll check divided up automatically, with a portion going directly into a savings account. You can start small and work your way up to putting a larger amount into savings as your budget allows.”

“Make your purchases online whenever possible, and pick them up in the store. This makes it easier to avoid impulse buys.”

“Set up checking or savings accounts for different types of expenses — house bills, groceries, holiday savings, etc. — so you can easily see how much money you’ve put away for each one. And be realistic with your budget, including budgeting for random spending. If you know you like to get takeout every Friday night, just put it in your budget, instead of trying to cut it out cold turkey!”

“Use our new Card Manager to set dollar limits on certain spending categories for your debit card. Your card won’t allow you to go over the limit, reducing your spending.”

“Apply the 50/30/20 budget method: Spend 50 percent of monthly income on expenses, 30 percent on wants, and put 20 percent into savings.”

“To reduce spending, especially with online shopping, let prospective purchases sit in your cart for a few days before checking out, to see if you really need them or if they’re just an impulse buy.”

“Make your coffee at home, and pack your lunch to take to work! Create a grocery list before shopping, and stick to it. Drive your car as long as you possibly can, and use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden. And stay home and enjoy family time! A game night with popcorn and homemade lemonade costs practically nothing and is great fun — whereas taking a family of four to a movie can run $75 or more.”

We’ll use these tips in a North Shore Bank blog post in the new year. Thank you to everybody who contributed!