Spend less than you earn. That’s the mantra of personal finance success. Every week, month, and year that you spend less than you earn, the more you save and the better your financial situation will be.
A big part of that solution is cutting back on spending, and for many people, the thought of cutting back on spending seems unpleasant. Losing out on the things that bring you pleasure in life seems like a pretty steep price to pay for a little financial success.
The secret is to intentionally target spending on the things you don’t care about and rarely use while holding steady on the things you do care about.
Scale back on entertainment costs
1. Cut cable: These days, streaming services and free over-the-air television provide more content than any one person could ever watch. Take advantage of the variety by eliminating cable service.
2. Focus your interests on finishing rather than collecting: Rather than collecting physical or digital items in a media collection, focus on actually finishing those things or enjoying them to completion. For example, instead of buying yet more books that go unread, aim instead to build a long list of books you have read. Make doing the center of your hobby, not buying. After all, isn’t that what you really love?
3. Don’t treat shopping as entertainment: It’s fine to go out in the town to be entertained but keep to a simple rule: don’t go into a store unless it’s for the purpose of buying something you’ve already decided you need before going in. Don’t go to stores just to browse for entertainment, as they’re designed to convince you to buy things you don’t need or even really want, but just react on impulse. Find other places to be entertained.
Reduce your food costs
4. Use a meal plan and make a grocery list: Instead of going to the grocery store whenever you feel like you need food, get into a routine of making a meal plan once a week, then constructing a grocery list from that plan. The time invested in making that plan is more than saved by spending less time in the store and having a list to stick to saves a ton of money on grocery store impulse buys that just sit in your pantry.
5. Learn how to cook: Cooking for yourself doesn’t have to involve three-course meals or Gordon Ramsey-level skills. Start by identifying things you enjoy eating, then look for how to easily prepare it from scratch and with basic ingredients.
6. Buy in bulk: The big bulk packages might seem like they have a high price, but they’re usually quite a bit cheaper per use, meaning you get more value for your dollar. If you frequently buy something at the store, look at the big bulk versions and save up for them. You’ll save over the long run. It's basically what our parents or grandparents did - buy - store and use efficiently.
Cut your monthly bills
7. Go through your bills: Sit down with every regular bill you have and go through it line by line, making sure you understand everything you’re being charged for. If something isn’t clear, Google it. If it doesn’t seem like something you should be charged for or is a service you don’t want, call the bill issuer and get it removed from future bills.
8. Cut your subscriptions down to just the things you actually use: If you have a subscription or membership that you haven’t used in the last month, cancel it. Turn off any auto-renew you have with that service and allow it to expire. You can always renew it in the future if you decide you have a need for it again.
What you should do with the money saved from trimming your budget?
The key to making frugal living tips really work for you is to not simply spend that money on something else fun. Keep your “fun” spending at the same level and use the money you save when you cut down your monthly budget on something smarter. Cut un-fun things like your energy bill for something financially useful that can build a bright future for you.
One great option is to open an account and use your savings to create your emergency fund or you could save it up for your next trip. Whatever excites to reduce your unnecessary spending. These are just some of our suggestions. Do let us know what you had like to read and learn more about and we shall share more content on that.
Disclaimer: - The articles are for information purposes only. Information presented is general information that does not take into account your individual circumstances, financial situation, or needs, nor does it present a personalized recommendation to you. You must consult a financial advisor who understands your specific circumstances and situation before taking an investment decision.