It’s not uncommon to wonder how to save money – what’s the most efficient way, the easiest way, the most long-term way? If only we all knew the answer; personal finances can be one of the most stressful aspects of life, especially if you’re not particularly good at saving money.

Most people often have something specific they want to save money for – whether it’s something big like a wedding or a house, or something smaller like a weekend trip away with a loved one. In general, saving money is a positive thing (even when you don’t have something specific to save for). It’s always good to have some extra cash stashed away in case of emergencies.

It can be hard to know where to start – so take a look at how to save money in five practical ways, that will help you put a plan together for boosting the amount in your savings account.

1. Make pay day your “save day” – research has shown that people who are better savers tend to move money into their saving accounts on the same day they are paid. So rather than wait until the end of the month to see how much money you have left over, make your pay day the day that you save each month – that way, you won’t have to worry about keeping some money spare during the month because you’ve already transferred some money to your savings account. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount – just choose an amount that you know you can afford and save the same amount each month. Setting up automatic savings transfers will help as well.

2. Create a monthly budget and stick to it – this is one of the most practical ways to help you save money. At the beginning of every month, sit down and create your monthly budget; include the amount of money you want to save that month and the amount you’ll be paying out (for bills, groceries, essentials), and make sure you stick to this budget throughout the month. If you know your finances inside out, and you have a budget to follow, you’re less likely to overspend.

3. Write shopping lists to follow – another way to stop you overspending, and to help you save more, is to make sure you have a shopping list to follow every time you need to shop. Whether it’s for groceries, toiletries or even for clothes, if you write down what you need and a rough amount you want to spend, you’re less likely to impulse buy (and impulse buying is definitely not how to save money!).

4. Use comparison sites to their full potential – they’re there to help and their main priority is to save you money, so there’s no reason not to use them. Make the most of comparison sites and use them as much as you can – no matter what it is you’re trying to save money on!

5. Use cash when paying – it sounds like a simple thing to do, and it is! That is why it’s a very practical way to help you save money – tangible money is a lot harder to spend as you can see it there, right in front of you, whereas when you use a credit or debit card it’s easier to spend more as you can’t see the affect the payment is having on your cash (well, not until the next time you check your bank account).

And here’s a bonus tip – when thinking of how to save money, remember to use Qmee. The cash rewards you earn by taking surveys and shopping online can be saved in your piggybank until you’re ready to cash them out. By using Qmee, you’ll be earning extra money that you can save each month.