Easy Ways to Save $1,000 This December

The first thing I tell people who want to become debt free is to build up a savings - $1,000. That might seem bit backwards, but yes, I want you to save $1,000 before you start using any extra money to pay down your debts. The reason? This savings will serve as your emergency fund.

When you're trying to get out of debt, it may seem that Murphy's Law rears its ugly head - "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." So you need to be prepared. And I do NOT want you relying on those credit cards. After all, it'll be hard to get OUT of debt if you keep getting IN debt. So, that's why you need a savings. $1,000 isn't enough to cover any MAJOR expenses, but it's a great start!

Since you don't start paying down your debts until this $1,000 savings is fully funded, I want you to save this money as FAST as possible. Here are 5 things you can do this month to start saving this $1,000. If you save $200 using each of these methods this month, you're already there! You can do it!

1. Tighten up your budget

Take a look at where you're spending your money. Maybe you regularly spend money getting manicures, eating out, and getting your hair done. For just ONE month, cut down (or out) on these things. You'll be surprised how much you can save by just tightening up your current spending for a month.

2. Sell your stuff

It's amazing how much stuff we start collecting in life. My husband and I moved from an apartment into a house earlier this year, and I used that opportunity to purge a TON of stuff - kitchen supplies I never used, clothing I never wore, movies we never watch. Do the same for yourself, and hold a garage sale. You can team up with some neighbors if you don't think you have enough for a sale of your own. Anything that doesn't sell at the garage sale, post online in a Facebook group or on Craigslist. You'll have $100 (or more) in no time!

If you don't have much "extra" stuff laying around, first of all, good for you! But, that might make this a little more difficult. Don't worry, you can still participate! One lady I know went around to local garage sales one weekend, and bought $20 worth of stuff. She spent the week cleaning up the items she bought and taking good pictures. By the next weekend, she had sold the same stuff for $200. All it took was a little time and effort!

3. Find cheaper service providers

Auto and home insurance, cable, cell phone, internet - these are just a few examples that you can look into. Do some research and see if you can find any alternate service providers with a cheaper monthly cost. If you want to save the money quicker, maybe you even want to cancel your cable, and look into alternate options, like Netflix or Amazon Prime. These are both cheaper options.

4. Participate in a 30 day DietBet

This one will require a small investment up front (most are between $10-50), but the payouts can be rewarding! There are hundreds of different DietBets out there, each can have their own unique set of rules. For example, a DietBet may have a $25 starting bet, and a goal of losing 4% of your bodyweight in 30 days. If you reach that goal, you'll automatically earn a portion of of the pot. You'll want to stay committed to this to make sure you earn the payout. Not only will you gain the financial reward, but you'll also gain the reward of losing weight and maybe getting in better shape!

5. Find a second job

PLENTY of places are hiring for seasonal workers this time of year. If you can fit it into your schedule, pick up a part time job where you can put in some hours outside your normal work schedule. If you can't find time in your schedule to commit that many hours, find random jobs in your community that you can help out with like shoveling driveways or cleaning houses. If you need ideas, scroll through a local buy/sell Facebook page and see if anyone's looking for help. Or just post yourself, saying you're willing to help out with random projects.

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Make a goal for yourself, grab a couple friends, and challenge one another to see who can save $1,000 the fastest. Once you have the $1,000 safely tucked away (I recommend keeping it in a separate savings account so you're not tempted to spend it), start paying down your debts. You can continue to use these methods to find extra money in your pocket to use towards your debts.

Do you have any other methods you've used to cut spending or start saving? I'd love to hear them! Share your ideas or success stories below, and help encourage and motivate others to build their savings!