Create a balance log, cash log, and debt log. You can find these under the Organize Your Life page of this blog on the right hand side. The Balance Log is for you to mark down each transaction, money going in or out. Write the store name and price of total receipts so you can see an overview of where you spend your money at. The Cash Log is for you to write in each individual item that you spent at each store so you know what you spend your money on. The debt log is to write each personal debt you owe and monthly payments.
Make a Perfect Home
Chart. This document is also located under the Organize Your Life Page. Create
a sketch of each room. Include where furniture, accessories, and what you want
that room used for. Make a list of everthing that would make that room perfect
to where you would never buy anything for that room again. If it’s a living
room, write down each piece of furniture, how many accessories, pictures,
lamps, rug, end tables, coffee table, etc. If it is a kitchen, you would write
down appliances, how many spatulas and other kitchen utensils you would need so
that room is perfect. The idea behind this is so you don’t buy anything that doesn’t
fit or need in that room and will never have to buy anything for that room
again once it is complete.
Before going shopping,
make a list of what you need to buy and don’t buy anything that is not on the list.
When going to the store,
look straight ahead when going down aisles. This will keep you from looking at
all the different merchandise that you don’t need and wanting to buy it.
Walk quickly down the
aisles to keep you from stopping and staring at each individual item. Grab what
you need in the store and don’t linger.
Don’t touch or hold
objects. Once you touch or hold a product, you instantly become attached to it.
Only buy what you can need
when you can afford it.
Pay off debt. Interest
takes away money each month that you can be spending on something else. Pay off
debt immediately or consolidate your debt.
Cut up all credit cards.
Never buy resale. Use
coupons and look for discounts at other stores. Wait till it goes on sale.
Set up a savings
allotment. At your local bank or online banking, you can set up an allotment so
a certain amount of your pay check will go directly into your savings account.
My husband and I use to put $25 per pay check into savings, and once he got
promoted we put $50 per pay check. Find out how much will work for you and set
up an allotment so you don’t spend all your money before you have the chance to
put it into savings.
After all bills are
paid, for every dollar you spend, you have to set aside double to put into
savings. If you don’t have double to put into savings, don’t buy it.
Drink water. Eliminate
sodas, coffees, and other expensive drinks. Plus its great for you and will
help you lose weight. When you lose weight, you eat less which cuts down your
food expenses as well.
Eat less. Leave ¼ of
your meal behind or put a little less food on your plate then usual.. Train
yourself to eat less and you will cut down on food expenses.
Brown bag your lunch to
work. This is a lot healthier and will cut down on eating out for lunch.
Cook homemade meals. Don’t
buy boxed, premade meals, microwave meals, frozen dinners, or go out to eat.
This will save you a lot of money on your grocery bill and save you money. Plan
one day a month where you and your family can go out to eat.
Avoid the snack, ice
cream, and soda aisles at the grocery store. If you avoid them all together you
won’t get the urge to buy all those unhealthy snacks and drinks. Keep the food
in your home healthy. Instead buy apples, grapes, or other fresh fruits.
Sign up for WIC. You
will get checks for milk, fruit, vegetables, bread, cheese, and other foods
that will cut the cost of your grocery bill.
Plan meals in advance so
you only buy food that go with the meals you are making. Use coupons in
newspaper or near items at the store. Each product at the store goes on sale
every three months. So when you see an item that is on sale, buy 3 months of
supply for that item if you can afford it or grab extra coupons to use them
later.
Filter water instead of
buying bottled water. It is better for the environment and a lot cheaper.
Avoid vending machines
and candy at the checkout.. Look for coupons in ads for candy if you must have
it and only buy it when you have it on sale. Keep a cooler in your car and you
can keep other sodas or candy in the cooler to eat when you REALLY need it. Its
best to try to cut out as much candy and sugar as possible though so set a
limit.
Sign up for customer
rewards, groupon, living social, deal finder and more to find best deals near
you.
Invite friends over
instead of going out. Play games, socialize, eat dinner, watch movies.
Research for the best
prices first. When you find a product you like, go home and get online to
search for the best deals. Type in key words in google, amazon, ebay, retail me
not and other discount places. If you go to the ITT prices and Deals and
Discounts page on this blog you will find tons of other websites that give you
discounts. Also look for coupon codes for the store as well.
Do you have a friend or
group of friends that would be willing to do dinner dates each week or once a
month? Each friend gets 1 day out of the week or month that they cook a big meal
to share. Maybe you have Thursday that you cook and share with 2 friends, and
your other 2 friends have Friday and Saturday. That way you only have to cook
dinner 5-6 nights a week.
Reduce to spending 1
hour or less on your computer, cell phone, video cames, TV, or other electronic
device. Watch the 3 videos on Organize Your Life, so you are making the most
out of your day and spending your time wisely. That way bills, chores, and
everything else gets done in a timely manner.
Spend more time with
your family. If you are spending money cause you have nothing else to do, spend
time with your family, go to the park, go on a walk, exercise, teach, and plan
fun, free activities to do together. Go online and find free concerts and
events to attend.
Stay home instead of
going out. Take up a hobby, clean, or spend time outside instead of in stores.
Cut your husband and
boys hair instead of having them go to the barber.
Use Pandora, Vevo or
Spotify to listen to music rather then buy CDs.
Use Netflix and Hulu for
movies and TV. Netflix is cheaper than buying DVDs and rentals and HULU is
free!
Go to the library or use
Ebooks rather than buying books.
Cancel magazine and/or
newspaper subscriptions. If you use coupons, only subscribe to the Sunday
newspaper.
Cancel your gym
membership and work out from home. Under the Tips and Tricks tab of this blog
you will find tons of workouts you can use from home or workout to a DVD.
Be more energy
efficient. Turn off the lights in the room or in the house when you leave that
area or home. Unplug any items that are not in use such as, curling iron,
toaster, kitchen aid, etc. It still uses electricity if it is plugged in.
Eat less meat. I love
meat, but it is expensive and adds up. Plan your meals so you only have it 1-3 X
a week.
Swap clothes with a
friend rather than buy new clothes. Set a limit to how many shirts, pants,
jackets, etc that you need. When one item of clothing goes in, another goes
out.
Borrow big ticket items.
Under the Tips and Tricks tab on this blog you can find out different online
places or stores where you can borrow big ticket items. Or borrow them from a
friend.
Do your own taxes. If
you live on base, they can do your taxes for free. You can go to H&R block
and they can tell you how much you should be getting back without filing there
and compare the difference and do them yourself.
Go to gasbuddy.com or
get the gas saving ap on your phone to find the cheapest gas prices in town.
Don’t speed. Drive
carefully. This will avoid speeding tickets and damage to yourself, your
vehicle or someone else which is very costly.
Swap babysitting.
Babysit a friends kids for free one night a week and she babysits your kids one
night a week for date nights or alone time.
The best time to do
holiday shopping is after the holidays. Buy gifts in advance and when they are
on sale and save it for that special occasion. The best time to buy holiday
items is after the holiday is over when everything is 75-90 percent off.
Consolidate student
loans.
Buy right the first
time. Go back to the Perfect Home Chart and make sure that you are buying
exactly what you want instead of buying something that wasn’t exactly what you
want but will work until you get what you want. It will cost more money if you
have to buy something twice. Keep in mind that once you buy something, never
buy it again.
Eliminate cigarettes,
alcohol, drugs, and other unhealthy habits that are costly.
Bread is expensive.
Instead make it from scratch! Find easy bread making recipes online. Its
healthier and cheaper.
When buying milk, bread,
or other perishable items, remember to look at the expiration date of 4-6 items
before choosing an item. The newer items are usually toward the back. Check
front, back, and opposite sides to find the item with the latest expiration
date. I have gone and looked for bread and one would say 1 week from that day
and looking around at other dates, another would say 2 weeks from that day.
That bought me an extra week that it wouldn’t expire and would last longer.
Buy used instead of new
items if it is for a temporary reason such as a sons football gear, snow
blower, a prom/ball night, books, things that you only use once or things that
happen only 1 or twice a year.
Properly care for what
you have so you wont have to buy that item again. Instead of buying something
new, refurbish and take care of what you have. Toys, or outside items can be
sprayed down with a power washer and cleaned to look new. Picture frames,
furniture can be painted or refurbished to look brand new.
Buy a late model car
instead of a new one.
Avoid spending triggers.
If its certain online shopping, mall, or stores where you spend your money,
avoid those places. If you don’t see it you wont regret not having it.
Be content with what you
have. Things can’t bring you happiness. Everyone can choose to be happy. It’s a
choice. Its not things that make you happy. Instead use your time to better
your life or someone else’s life. Use your time, energy, and money on making a
better home for you and your family.
Wait till an item is on
sale before purchasing. I promise you it will go on sale again. For big
purchases, save up money so you can buy it on black Friday where everything is
super cheap and on sale.
Watch the 3 videos on
how to create a life organizer. Write down your goals in life, what is your
purpose in life and why are you here. If it doesn’t help you move toward your
goal, what you want to be in life and what you were put on earth to do, then don’t
buy it. Think to yourself, will this matter a year from now? Is this something
I REALLY need? Can I live without it? Do I have something that can already do
the job? Do I already have this item?
