Have you ever wished that you had more money in your savings account to help you prepare for the future? You’re not alone. Most of us struggle with our finances from time to time, particularly when there’s no-one else in our lives that we can hold ourselves accountable to or share the bills with. Single women can often struggle to make their financial strategy work, particularly when they’re branching out on their own.

The good news? If you want to head into 2020 on the right foot, the following fantastic financial tips are sure to help. Here’s how you can save more and get your money back on track in 2020.

1.    Invest in Things That Pay Off

Sometimes, we’re tempted to buy things that we know we shouldn’t get. For instance, that amazing dress that you’ve seen on the rack at your favorite store might look great when you’re out at the club, but it’s not going to help you achieve more in life.

Knowing how to make the most of your savings means knowing how to say no to possible impulse purchases, but also when to say yes to the things that will benefit you in the long term. For instance, taking out a short term loan for a new pair of shoes isn’t a good idea. However, taking the same loan out for a computer that will help you to take a business course in your free time is a great idea for your future.

2.    Be More Self-Sufficient

Women can do absolutely anything. So, why pay for other people to do simple chores on your behalf? Rather than paying for a handyman to come to your home every time you need to put up a shelf or change the blinds, learn how to do some things on your own. There are plenty of handy tutorials and videos online that can show you how to get things done.

Crucially, being more self sufficient doesn’t mean doing jobs that are dangerous on your own. For instance, you shouldn’t try fixing your roof without help or changing your electrics. However, you’d be surprised how much you can do without help.

3.    Pay Yourself First

Paying yourself first doesn’t mean putting extra money aside each month for a little shopping spree. Instead, it means thinking about how you can build saving into your budget. Sit down with a list of your incoming and outgoing expenses and think about how much cash you might be able to put aside for the future. Once you know how much you can afford to save, set up an automatic payment from your bank that automatically goes to your savings account.

Paying yourself first, just like you would pay a bill or your mortgage, means that you’re less likely to push your savings targets to the back of your mind when you see something that you want.

4.    Use All of your Cosmetics

We all have a habit of switching to new makeup products whenever we see something new and exciting in the market. However, this can be a very wasteful process. Cosmetics and makeup can be very expensive purchases, particularly if you’re buying from big-name brands. Rather than splurging every couple of months, make sure that you use your favourite products all the way up until they’re totally empty. That means that you’re going to need to force yourself to be more disciplined.

If it helps, you could always consider spending just a bit extra on your cosmetics than you usually would. That way, you’re likely to want to continue using your favorite luxury items for as long as possible.

5.    Use Cash When You Can

Finally, carrying cash as a single women in today’s dangerous world rarely feels like a good idea. However, if you feel safe enough in your hometown to do this, it could be a great way to save yourself some essential money. Carrying cash instead of a credit or debit card forces you to pay attention to every penny that you spend. You can also use cash to prevent yourself from making impulse purchases. After all, if you don’t have enough cash on you for what you see, you’ll need to go home to get some more, and that’s something most people would rather avoid.

Put your credit cards in the freezer until you absolutely need them for emergencies, and stick to separating your monthly income into cash envelopes that you can use instead.