You’ll find yourself sometimes with no money to spend and you need extra money. How to get extra money without asking for a loan? Simply cut off extras you don’t need and learn to save, and every month you’ll see you’ll have a few extra bucks that can go to re-pay your debt or savings account.
These are just a few pointers, but you can ask around and you’ll find out that many other people are acquiring some money-wise habits. You should try them out, too.
*Save gas. Wherever you can walk, do it. You can carpool to school or work. Or take the bus or turn to cycling. Besides saving gas you’re doing good for the environment.
*Use coupons. You can clip them out from the paper, the supermarket flyers or even from the products packets. But only look for coupons savings on products you usually buy. Be careful, though, cause some coupons are good only for certain brand products, which lead us to the next tip.
*Go generic. Buy generic instead of brand names. Generic products are way cheaper than big names and usually the same quality.. This goes for almost everything you buy, specially on groceries. Most supermarkets have their own food or cleaning products brand and it’s much cheaper than regular brand names. And they taste the same, since sometimes supermarkets buy from brand name manufacturers.
*Before you go shopping, make a list of the things you need. A few minutes later, sit down to it and reflect on how much you need those not so basic things. Assign a tight budget and re-write your list accordingly. You’ll find you’ve cut it down on more than 10 %.
*When you go shopping, don’t do it if you feel hungry, sad or disappointed. Feeling blue is going to take you into an unnecessary shopping spree.
*Pack your lunch and coffee to work. Pack what was left from last night dinner at least two times a week and save about $130 a month. Stop buying on chain coffee shops three or four times a week and bring your own coffee from home, you’ll save at least $ 40.
*Cut down on eating out or ordering and cook a hearty homemade meal. You’ll save money and it’s healthier too. Also, cooking from scratch instead of using pre-packaged stuff is going to save you some pennies. Not only does it save money and it’s much more healthier, your kids can help you out and you’ll be getting something they don’t sell in stores: quality time.
*Turn off anything electrical equiptment you’re not using. It’s surprising how many people leave the TV or lights on when they go to another room. You should also buy energy-efficient lightbulbs. They cut costs on more than half than regular bulbs.
*Look for canned and boxed food on sale at the supermarket. Always remember to stick to things you usually buy, or you’d be wasting your money. There’s no point in buying omething you don’t usually buy just because it’s on sale!
*Look for thrift shops to shop for clothes or even furniture. Most of the times, you’ll find inexpensive things, new or almost new. Besides, vintage clothing is “in” and you may find more than one treasure. You can stick to regular stores to buy your basics such as jeans, shoes and tees, but you may find a wonderful vintage bag or jacket for next to nothing.
These are just a few ideas, you might find out more. The most important lesson is to spend less by cutting excess.