is it easier to make money or save money?

[joesixpack]

Considering that the more money you make the more is left over, I say it's easier to make money.

[lrjohnson]

Originally Posted by joesixpack

Considering that the more money you make the more is left over, I say it's easier to make money.

Unfortunately that's not true for a lot of people. I've known people to stay paycheck to paycheck even after huge income increases. I'd love to see more people live below their means, but many people have plans for extra money before they even get it.

[getforfree]

To me it's easier to save money than earn. Saved money is better than earned, because:

++ you don't pay tax on it

++ it doesn't count towards your income, so you might get some discounts if you income low, and be in a lower bracket for the year.

++ you don't have to tell anybody about it

And if I would be working full-time during the day, I would have to pay for childcare, so there goes my paycheck. So I choose to work less and save more. Saving is a hard work too.

[joesixpack]

Originally Posted by lrjohnson

Unfortunately that's not true for a lot of people. I've known people to stay paycheck to paycheck even after huge income increases. I'd love to see more people live below their means, but many people have plans for extra money before they even get it.

That's quite true. However, since I personally have no money left to save right now, making more seems easier than cutting a budget with nothing left to cut.

[shelbylovesmelby]

It's easier to earn it but it's not as easy to save it when you are on a single income & married to someone who is ok w/ living beyond his means some of the time *sigh*

My goal is to keep the bills current & keep food on the table & go from there.

[crabbypatty]

This is a fundamental difference between myself and DH.

If he wants a luxury, he'll find a way to get more money. (A legal and honorable way LOL) If I want a luxury, I find a way to save the money from the budget.

[DebbieL]

"What I would make in 1 weekend worth of pizza delivery, is about what I make in one hour at my regular job."

Holy cow Russell! I envy you for your high paid job! What do you do for a living (and congratulations)? One of my ex boyfriends did the pizza delivery thing. He could make about $70-$100 in tips alone per night (weekends) delivering pizza (plus $10/hr wage). I'd say the average Friday night wages plus tips was about $130-140. I wish I could make anywhere near that an hour.

[jIM_Ohio]

The number one asset a person has is their earning power. If someone has high disposable income, they may tend to use their earning power less.

[cptacek]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I don't have a job where overtime or extra hours are an option.

In my job, extra hours are an option, but we don't get paid for it

When I had a job where overtime was allowed, I would work overtime if I had a big purchase coming up, or I had some other goal. Now, it is easier to not spend if I want extra money.

[bjl584]

I would have to say that it is easier to save money than to make it. The act of saving a dollar is inaction. You essentially do nothing. You just don't spend it. Think about the other side of the equation; the act of earning a dollar. Get out of bed, get dressed, drive to work, work all day, get taxed, drive home, etc............ I would have to say that for every dollar that you can save it is worth two dollars of time and effort to earn that same dollar.

[myself]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

Wow, who makes $30 or $45 an hour?? If saving money were easier, it seems like everyone would do it.

I make $45/hour. We're finally at the point where we can have our money work for us, and not just keeping payments paid on time.

[fairy74]

For me, making money is always easier then saving it...work is easy to do in chunks and be done with it, saving money is a whole lot more complex because you have to think about it with every transaction, etc... Also the more you work, the less time you have to spend so I suppose that translates to more savings too.

[Aleta]

A good thing about savings though is that you can plan on it in your home without having to go out and use gas or dress up. It requires you to take some time to comparison shop, clip some coupons, and do a a little homework on prices.

You can also budget in categories a little higher than you normally pay as a starting point and see how much you can save on each item. When you are at work, you're paid an hourly wage and as some have said here are taxed for it in social security and income tax. For some, state income tax. Say if you have a normal bill that is $75.00 ( i.e. electricity) and you wanted to take it down 10%, you would only have to shave off $7.50 which would bring it down to $67.50. That's a 10% savings and what most would like to get on their investments. Those are doable things. It makes it a game to see how you can save in a lot of different categories that will give you a savings that hopefully you're saving or investing it in a long-term investment.

[Ima saver]

Since, I don't work, it is easier for me to save money than it is to make money. I tried getting a job a few years back and no on would hire me.

[Aleta]

I think that Walmart hires a lot of people. If you want to work you should consider them. Plus, you can get health insurance. Sometimes the benefits are worth more than the money you actually make.

[JBinKC]

I am going to say save money because my permanent stream of income never was very much and my cash flow outgoes had to be regulated closely. To obtain wealth I had to rely on more risk from trading transactions as opposed to even streams of high income to get where I am now.

[Mamaw]

Priceplus I agree with you. That seems what most financial writer say.

[kendo26]

For me it's easier to make than to save. I need more discipline to save than I do to earn

[flavor]

Save money. I don't work, but I hate when my husband has to work late, which thank god is not that often. The money is welcome, but it takes him away from the family, and his own hobbies. Budgeting very well, easily accumulates the savings, and it's unbelivable what you learn to go without, only if you give it a try.

[tabbycat31]

where are these magical high paying jobs? I'm overqualified for my job, but it was the only thing I could get.