Financial challenges make it difficult to meet the demands of day-to-day life, and it can be very easy to end up needing a loan or a cash advance. But the best way to ensure you have the resources to meet your financial commitments is to save. Even saving a little money can add up to a substantial amount in the end. Below are a few tips to help you with this process.

Small Things to Do to Save Money

1. Don't Buy Name Brand Groceries

With very few exceptions, house and store-brand grocery items are of the same quality as name brand products. Many store-brand products are manufactured by the same companies who make the name brand versions—but the packing and labels are different. The only other difference? The price. Store brands are significantly cheaper than their identical name brand counterparts.

2. Lower Utility Usage

Utility costs can add up quickly, especially during the warmer months of the year when the air conditioner is in more frequent use. But be mindful of your utility usage throughout the year. Turn lights off in empty rooms; keep the thermostat set high in the summer and low in the winter; unplug nonessential appliances and electronics when not in use, and keep showers short.

3. Discontinue Automatic Payments

If you're debited for a streaming service subscription that you watch every day, then that's money well spent. But if you're automatically paying seemingly insignificant charges here and there for things you don't even or rarely use, stop these payments at once. If you have cable but hardly ever watch the premium channels, go down to the basic package. If you pay for a music app that you only use on occasion, download music directly instead. If you have a fitness app that is rarely utilized, use the fitness tracker that comes with your smartphone instead. These may only seem like a few dollars a month, but they can accumulate fast and give you enough for a cash advance next time you're running low on funds.

For those times when you need a quick loan or a cash advance with no stress or hassle, trust Advance U Cash. Serving the Boone County, KY, Campbell County, KY, Kenton County, KY areas for over 20 years, they offer short term loans and check cashing services. At Advance U Cash, your first loan is free of fees. Start the application for a cash advance by calling (859) 746-2274 or visiting their website.