Whether you are a student or a working adult, saving money is always a struggle. No matter how much you earn, it just seems impossible to make 'saving up' a hobby.

To make saving up realistic, here are some ways to help you make it a reality:

1. Be realistic about the budget that you set.

To start off, you can follow a formula to guide you with your budgeting.

Income - Expenses = Savings.

If you haven't reached your savings goals ever, you can start by computing your daily expenses until your next paycheck. Make sure that these expenses are only those that you need and just save a little to treat yourself out.

When you say needs, it should only include the cost of your transportation, meals, and bills. And no, it does not include the transportation fees going for your leisure and dining out with colleagues. When saving up, you should know when to draw the line between 'needs' and 'wants'.

After determining how much you spend for your needs, set it aside and keep the remaining for your savings. You can save it up in a bank, so it will be easier for you to save when you do not have the cash on hand. 

2. Align your budget with your goals

Setting up goals may sound so cliche but putting up a goal would help you with saving up. Decide how much you want to save with an end date, to help you be motivated to save before the deadline is up.

You can also follow a formula to help you reach your targeted goal.

Income - Savings = Expenses

When budgeting for your expenses, the formula requires you to first allot a specific amount for your savings. The budget for your expenses comes second, as it varies from the remains of your income and the savings that you've set aside. This requires you to be a lot more responsible in holding tight on your budget and only spending what you can afford.

This type of saving up may be hard, especially if you are just starting, but once you have met your goal, it will be easier for you to continue this practice. 

3. Track your spending

The most important part of saving up is that you know how to track your spending. To help you with easy tracking, you can keep your bills and receipts organized. You can categorize each bill and receipt, and then file them in a folder, so it will be easier for you to review how much you are spending. 

If you have the time, you can also list out your expenses from day to day to see if you have already exceeded your budget and know when to cut costs on your spending.

Read next: When can you have the time?

4. Save up for your wants

Saving up for rainy days may be tiring when you are no longer tasting the fruit of your labor. Drawing the line between needs and wants does not mean that you must cut out spending for your wants. Rather than spending your income like a one-day millionaire, you can treat yourself out without going broke.

While saving up for your savings, you can set aside little by little for your wants, either from the remains of your expenses or create another category for your savings. Plan out how you want to treat yourself and better save up for that, too!

5. Avoid going out on SALE!

Remember that buying out on sale does not save you money if it ends up not being used. Truth is, no matter how irresistible these sales are, ask yourself thrice if you need it or if you're just being defeated by your fear of missing out.

6. Avoid loans and credit cards

No matter how much of a life-saver the loans and credit cards are, remember that you’ll only use them on a matter of life-and-death situations or those that could help you stabilize your life and your finances. Before you make a loan, ask yourself first if you’re using it to invest for an asset or only a liability -  a need or a want.

Impulsive buying is the main enemy of saving. Beat that!

7. Evaluate your spending principles

Whenever you are on a tight budget, you are always faced with a decision between buying something cheap that will soon deteriorate and something costly with a life span that is worth the price. If you have the mindset of always buying the costly ones in the hopes of using them for the long run, evaluate yourself if you are using them for the long run.

Longevity is not a priority if you’ll use it seldomly. But if you use something so frequently without using the right tools, assess which one is more valuable to you: your time or your money. If you think that you can earn more when you have time to spare, maybe it is a wise decision to invest in something that will give you extra time. This would mean spending for an investment in search of a greater gain.