ou might think that you are being pretty tight fisted with your money, but in reality there are several ways you can still save money. The following suggestions will help you shave dollars off your monthly budget- dollars that can go directly into savings.
Cut Your Expenses on Food Cost
Avoid eating out. This doesn’t just mean you stop eating at fast food places, it also means you avoid Starbucks. Vending machines are not your friend. Take food from home with you to work or school. It is called “brown bagging”. Now, however, there is no need to pack your lunch in brown bags. You can get an insulated lunch box. These are nice because they keep your food cool. You can get a metal travel coffee mug and take your coffee with you in the morning. Get a coffee maker with a timer, and use it. You’ll find that you save time as well as money when you take your morning coffee with you from home rather than stopping at or driving through a coffee place. There are lots of foods that you can make ahead of time to have ready to take with you. Look online for suggestions. Consider cut your expenses by a certain percentage or dollar amount in each and every category.
Before you go grocery shopping, make a list. It is wise to make the list after you have eaten a meal, not when you’re hungry. Also, it is best to go shopping after you have eaten. You will be less tempted to make impulse purchases. Have your shopping list handy, and only buy what is on the list. If you are in the store and see something that should be on your list but isn’t, go ahead and get it. But limit yourself to three “I forgot to put this on my list” products per shopping trip. This gives you the flexibility you need as well as the self-control to avoid spending money on things you don’t need.
Avoid using ATM machines unless they are part of your bank’s network and do not have any fees. There is no need to pay ATM fees. If you need some cash and a network ATM is not available, it is cheaper to buy a pack of gum at the store and get cash back than it is to pay two or three dollars to withdraw money at the ATM. Plus you get the pack of gum. If you hate gum, put it away for your kid’s Christmas stocking. It helps you identify areas where you may have overspent and gives you a tool to help control and cut your expenses.
Many pharmacies have a price matching program. Call your pharmacy and ask if they do. If not, switch pharmacies. You can use this program to save on gas by choosing a pharmacy close to home or work and still get the lowest prices on your medications. Call around to find who has the cheapest price for your prescriptions. Write down the price and which pharmacy has that price. Call your pharmacy and have them match the lowest price. Low prescription prices are often found at club warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club.Then you can follow at ways to cut your expenses. Always keep in mind.
Each of these suggestions is something that is not difficult to implement in your life. Try one a week. Put the money that you save by following these suggestions into a special bank account or a jar. Use it for something special!
