3 Little-Known Ways to Boost Your Savings This September

In July, annual inflation was measured at 3.2% per the Consumer Price Index. This means that living costs are still pretty elevated. And when things cost more money to buy, saving money becomes harder.

My family tends to spend a lot of money during the summer months because it's when we tend to travel. Plus, we need child care coverage in the form of summer camp since my husband and I both work full time. So every year, when September rolls around, we tell ourselves we're going to try to do better on the savings front.

Some years, we fail. But this year, I'm using these lesser-known tactics to boost my savings in September. And you may want to do the same.

1. Don't store your credit card info on your phone

There are times when I'll find myself playing around on my phone out of boredom, such as when I'm a few minutes early picking up a child from school or waiting for an activity to let out. (Okay, who am I kidding? I'm pretty much never early to school pick-up, but the activity thing is legit.)

During those times, I'll sometimes browse retail sites. And if something catches my eye, I might make an unplanned purchase. It's easy enough with my credit card info stored right there in my phone.

But I'm actually planning to un-store my credit card details on my phone to prevent impulse buys. See, I'm lazy enough that the simple act of having to dig my wallet out of my purse and find my credit card will probably be enough to stop me from buying things on a whim. And if you remove your credit card info from your phone, you might spare yourself a world of impulse buys. The result? More savings for you.

2. Don't go overboard on all things fall

I'm someone who loves the fall season. I love the cooler weather, the gorgeous leaves, and the pumpkin-flavored everything. 

But in the past, I've gone overboard in embracing fall. I've spent way too much money on indoor fall decor that, let's face it, only I really see and care about. And I've been known to bring home every single pumpkin-flavored item from Trader Joe's when really, that's just not necessary. 

This year, I'm setting an "all things fall" spending limit for myself. And if you do the same, you might grow your savings nicely this month.

3. Say no to extracurriculars

My kids are enrolled in a host of extracurricular activities. But individually, they're limited to just a few each. And I've also told them point blank that they cannot sign up for any activity that would effectively require me or my husband to get a second job just to pay for everything (think dance or gymnastics, where, in my area, you might pay an extra $300 a month on top of your regular fees for recital entry, special outfits your child wears once, and tickets for the privilege of watching your own kid perform). 

If you're looking to save more this month, be careful with the extracurriculars you say yes to. Your child may want to play soccer, baseball, and flag football. Find out how much each one costs and what the time commitment entails. Chances are, you can't swing them all anyway. And if your child is equally passionate about all three and there's one activity that costs considerably less than the others, choose that one. 

Also, there may be different expense tiers for a given activity your child wants to do. In my area, you might pay around $1,000 for a season of travel soccer, whereas a less intense rec program costs under $200. So if your child wants to play some soccer but doesn't need multiple games and practices a week, that could be a better fit logistically and financially.

The start of a school year might seem like a bad time to save money. After all, you're still signing up for new activities and buying school supplies and clothing. But it is possible to grow your savings in September, especially if you stick to these tricks.