Too much month at the end of your money?
Economically speaking times are hard these days for everybody no matter how much you bring home in your weekly paycheck. If you are like me, then more than likely there simply is far too much month at the end of your money. Here are some simple ideas to think about on ways to stretch those dollars.
Grocery Shopping : Stock up on things when they go on sale. Make a weekly or monthly menu according to what’s on sale and stick to it. Remember to use coupons and don’t buy name brands unless you have one.Cut down on snacks and drinks. Teach your family members to drink water with meals instead. Convenience foods are your budgets worse enemy. Learn to make more meals from scratch.
Electricity : Unplug any appliances when not in use. Many people think just because those coffee pots and toasters are not turned on that they are not drawing electricity when in fact they are. Lower your heating thermostat. Layer your clothing during the day and use extra blankets instead at night. Same thing during summer. Open your windows, use fans , wear lighter clothes. Anything but turn on the air conditioner. Turn off lights when not in use. Line dry your clothes instead of using your electric clothes dryer.
Family Fun : Develop the mindset that having fun does not necessarily mean you have to be spending money. Brainstorm with family members ways to have fun at home or free things to do in your community.
Clothing : Check out your local second hand shops. Gently used name brand clothing can often be found there at a fraction of the cost. If you are unable to do this then stick to buying clothing only when it’s on sale or look for clothing outlets.
Make It Yourself : You would be surprised to learn that “make it yourself” support groups are sweeping the Internet. People are learning to make everything from their own cooking mixes to shampoos, soaps and laundry detergent.
6 Fool Yourself : Even if you think that you don’t have a single penny to put into a savings account you’d be surprised to learn a simple trick to save money in your checking account. If it does nothing else for you , this trick will prevent you from ever bouncing a check and running up those bounced check fees. Let’s say you need to write a check for 20.75 , write your check for that amount but deduct 21.00 from your account. Always deduct by rounding up to the next whole number especially if there is cents involved. Remember, a penny saved is a penny earned.
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