Budgeting Money: Small Changes, Big Savings
Budgeting Money, Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference
When you want to change your money management techniques, you might be tempted to go from no budget to a super frugal budget. But doing this will likely lead to frustration. Here’re some suggestions to stay within your budget, without making drastic changes.
Make Small Changes
Making small changes each week or month is a better way to go. You could even make a small change in your spending habits each day. It may surprise you how much these little changes can help. Such as, taking lunch to work, instead of eating out can save you around $100 a month or more.
Get Everyone Involved
Get everyone in your home on board with the new budget. Budgets work best when everyone in the family knows why the changes are being made and how it will benefit them in the future.
It’s a good idea to sit down with your kids and discuss how you will be limiting eating out and spending less on entertainment so they know what to expect. Also, get the whole family involved when deciding on occasional splurges. That way no one feels deprived.
Try to Conserve or Cut Back
Making a few changes in how you live can cut your monthly costs, and help you stay within your budget, without too much effort. I know at our house, our sewer bill is our biggest bill each month. Conserving on water just a little bit, helps us save money each month.
Here’re a few more ideas to save on monthly utility bills. Be sure to turn off lights when they aren’t needed. Turning the thermostat down just a degree or two can reduce your heating bill. Try to recycle as much as you can to reduce your garbage bill.
Do Fun Things at Home
When you have to cut back it can be hard on everyone. But, be sure to keep some fun things planned, just in a different way. If you like to eat out, go to the movies, or go out with friends, here’s some suggestions to do similar activities at home.
Make your own popcorn at home, and get movies for free from the library for a great movie night at home.
Make your own fries and hamburgers at home instead of eating out. With a little planning, you can make hamburgers at home, almost as fast as it takes to pick them up.
Have a game night and invite family and friends over. Have your guests bring their favorite game and snack. Make tea, coffee, and juice. You are now set for a great night with friends.
Use Cash
One of the best ways to stay within your budget is to use cash. There is just something about handing over cash that helps you to really ponder your purchases. When you use a credit or debit card it is much easier to spend more than you expected.
I know it’s not as convenient as a credit card or debit card but you can’t overspend. If you can’t overspend you can stay within budget.
What are some ways you save money without too much sacrifice?
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Need more budgeting help? Check out my budget page for my budgeting series and more.
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These are great tips! When we have needed to cut back, we try to make a game of it with the kids. It really can be fun!
That’s such a great idea. I make a game of cleaning with my kids to get them to help out. But making saving money a game is also a great idea.
We turned down the temperature at our house especially during the day and it goes a few degrees higher when Daddy is set to come home from work for a few hours 🙂 We have saved enough that it offset the cost of the increased gas and electricity costs. We love doing things at home that are fun and entertaining for the family. I love trying to make new things that my family loves to eat out so that feel like we are getting lots of new fun adventures at home. Homemade Kettle corn is a new favorite for us 🙂 Perfect for watching a movie!!
Allison, great job on being able to offset the increase in gas and electricity costs with turning the thermostat down during the day.
Homemade Kettle Corn is a favorite at our house too, yum!
We often do movie nights at home … it’s so much more comfortable than going to a theater! We are trying to stick to a cash budget this month too! We do need to work on our thermostat issue … we could be saving some money there for sure! Last night the hubby made homemade fries and hamburgers and my son said, ‘we never need to go to Red Robin again’ … lol!
I think homemade burger and fries beat eating out any day of the week. Plus such a huge money saver making the at home. It costs us about $35 to eat out at Red Robin. You can make a lot of burgers and fries at home for that price. 🙂 Thanks for sharing Jayleen!