Search Results for: budget

10 Everyday Items You Can Save Money On Today

May 6, 2020 By Susan Paige Leave a Comment

Saving money is the safest way to build assets, as investing money always carries risks. That’s why the best way to take control of your finances often involves creating a flexible budget that ensures a certain amount of money will go toward savings every month. Here are ways to save on 10 everyday items.

1. Food

The best way to save money on food is to not each out as much. It doesn’t mean cut all restaurants from your budget, it means focusing more on preparing your own meals. If you can’t stop eating out, at least look for coupons or gift certificates.

Fruits and vegetables are still fairly cheap yet are high in nutrition, giving you more quality for your money. You can save hundreds of dollars per month by making your own salads and sandwiches. Mixing water with juices is an economical way to get the benefit of diverse flavors and nutrients at low costs.

2. Energy

Cutting down on dependence of electricity is important for various reasons. You never know when there may be a disaster with the electric utility company and you’ll be without power, so it’s good to prepare for such catastrophes. Conserving energy helps the environment by reducing fossil fuel emissions. Energy costs can also be unpredictable, so it’s a good idea to adopt energy conservation techniques. Smart tools are spreading to help remind consumers the amount of energy they are using. Turning off all appliances when not in use is a major key.

3. Water

Water bills can get surprisingly high in the event of a water leak. As with energy, there are now smart tools to detect water losses in piping systems. The key to adhering to values of sustainability is to simply not waste water. Use it as necessary, but don’t turn water on and forget about it. If you don’t have timers on sprinklers then be aware of when it’s time to turn the water off.

4. Transportation

A good way to save money on transportation is to walk more when it comes to short distances. If you live near a store, for example, save gas by walking. For longer distances, consider riding a bicycle or public transportation such as trains and buses. You can save money on daily rates by purchasing a monthly pass.

5. Disposable items

Part of regular expenses are often disposable items such as paper towels and tin foil. These items can be purchased cheaply at discount stores that sell items for a buck. These stores also carry a wide variety of soaps, cleansers and personal care products.

6. Entertainment

Spending money online for entertainment can add up to big bills if you watch a lot of movies. Playing Mini Lotto is a much cheaper alternative than other forms of online spending. At least with a lottery you have the satisfaction of enjoying the thrill of possible winnings until the numbers are called. Joining a lot of different streaming services can add up to a lot of money even if each one only charges $10 per month. Lotto is a fun affordable way to be in the running for expensive prizes.

7. News consumption

At one time everyone used to subscribe to newspapers delivered to their doors. Over time these papers would stack up and occupy space in the garage. Eventually online publications became the norm for keeping up with news. Ask yourself if going completely digital works for you and if there are online sources that publish the news you want for free.

8. Exercise

Instead of investing in a physical fitness gym, you can stay fit by doing exercises at home. Walking or jogging around the block is one way to stay fit for free. If you live in an apartment complex with a swimming pool, think about how swimming uses every muscle of the body. Finding a track at a nearby public school with a basketball court can also help cut fitness costs.

9. Clothing

One of the most important things to remember about saving money on clothes is that practicality often has more value than fashion. One of the reasons people buy new clothes is to keep up with the latest fashions. Then when the clothes go out of style they just take up space in a closet. Consider cleaning out your closet and selling old items to used clothing stores. Then make room for clothes you know you’ll need for every season.

10. Internet

The internet is a great tool for saving money on anything. Mobile phone users can use digital coupons offering discounts while they visit stores. Thanks to many businesses emphasizing the internet as a way to find them, there are countless promo codes and ways to learn in seconds with search tools where the best deals are online.

Image source, Pictures of Money, Via Flickr.

How Not to Overspend When Stocking Up for a Home Quarantine

March 30, 2020 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

Even if you’re rational, it’s hard not to panic when you go to the grocery store and see empty shelves. You may wonder how not to overspend when stocking up for a home quarantine. That sense of panic can fuel you to spend more than you normally do on groceries because you feel a desperation to just.get.food. But calm down, take a deep breath, and realize there is enough food in the supply chain. You will have food, but perhaps not the food you want.

How Not to Overspend When Stocking Up for a Home Quarantine

Take these steps to keep your budget in line, even during times of crisis.

Do a Pantry and Freezer Inventory

Before you go to the grocery store, take the time to do a complete pantry and freezer inventory. You may be surprised what you find in the depths of your freezer. I had more meat than I thought I did. I even a found a homemade pie crust in a ball that we had made two years ago. You bet that we’re still going to use that.

Likewise, you may have more in your pantry than you think. Plus, taking all of the items out and inventorying them can help you feel less desperate. You DO have food in the house.

See what recipes you can create from what you have on hand. Likely you can come up with many meals than you thought. Don’t forget to use sites like Supercook, a site where you can put in the ingredients you have on hand, and the site produces recipes using those ingredients.

Be Flexible with Food Choices

When you do get to the grocery store or place your order for pick up, don’t be surprised if many of the items you want to buy are unavailable or limited. I’ve placed two orders for pick up now and both times the store couldn’t completely fulfill my order. For instance, the first trip, there were no eggs available. The second trip, we were allowed to buy two dozen—for our family of five.

How Not to Overspend When Preparing for a Home Quarantine — Photo by Semi O on Unsplash

Clearly we won’t be eating eggs for breakfast every day, and that’s okay. Instead, we’ve branched into other breakfast foods that we typically don’t eat like homemade muffins, oatmeal, and even sometimes leftover soup from the previous night’s dinner. Be willing to be as flexible as possible with what you eat and when during this time, and you will be able to keep your budget in check.

Allocate Money from Other Budget Categories

If you still have your regular income coming in and you find that you are overspending in your groceries category, one way you can resolve this is to take money from a different category. For instance, we overspent this month on groceries. I can’t shop many stores for the clearance items as I used to do, so our spending increased. However, we put $140 in our gas category every two weeks, and now, being self-quarantined, we don’t need that money. I simply funnel it to our groceries category.

Of course, if you’re currently unemployed, you’ll want to use as little money as possible for groceries so you’ll be able to meet your other financial responsibilities.

Final Thoughts

We’re living in strange times the likes of which our country hasn’t seen in over 100 years, not since the time of the Spanish Flu. However, rest assured that you can still get the groceries you need without seriously overspending. Just plan ahead with your purchases and be resigned to the fact that you won’t be able to eat the way you can when we’re not under quarantine.

Healthy Foods to Buy When Broke

March 23, 2020 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

You’ve cut down on your electricity use, you’ve called all of your credit card companies to reduce your interest rates, you’ve stopped going out with friends. You’ve cut every where you can cut, but money is still tight. Next, you take a look at your grocery money. Luckily, there are many ways to cut corners and still eat good, nutritious food. Consider these healthy foods to buy when broke:

Healthy Foods to Buy When Broke

You’ll want to buy food that costs relatively little but packs a nutritional punch and also fills you up. People tend to go for carbs because they’re the cheapest, but if you’re mostly eating carbs and not rounding out your meal with protein and vegetables, you will feel hungry and you won’t be eating nutritiously. Due to this, it’s great to use a Vitamin C supplement because it is cheap and provides health benefits.

Frugal Protein Sources

There are several inexpensive protein sources.

Eggs

Eggs are cheap, typically running 10 to 20 cents per egg. In addition, they’re versatile and can be used for many different meals. Better yet, each egg has 6 grams of protein, helping to satiate you.

Dry Beans

Dry beans typically cost $1 a pound and can be used in a wide variety of ways. A staple in many cultures, dry beans contain typically 6 to 8 grams of protein per half cup cooked serving. They also supply potassium and many other vitamins and minerals.

Peanut Butter

Healthy Foods to Eat When Broke — Photo by Olia Nayda on Unsplash

Peanut butter is routinely $2 to $4 per jar, and per 2 tablespoon serving, it has 8 grams of protein. It’s also packed with potassium and fiber. Plus, it tastes great!

Cheap, Nutritious Vegetables

Greens

Most greens are cheap. Usually the cheapest one is kale. Kale is full of fiber and packed with Vitamin C and K. You can use it in any recipe as a replacement for spinach.

Spinach is a bit more pricey to buy fresh, but if you buy it frozen, you’re likely to find it for $1 to $2. Keep in mind, frozen spinach is already cooked, and cooked spinach is much more dense than fresh. Frozen is the way to go when your budget is tight.

Carrots

Healthy Foods to Buy When Broke — Photo by Harshal S. Hirve on Unsplash

Carrots are full of beta-carotene, and you can usually buy them for less than $1 a pound. Eat them raw, in soups, or spiralize them in place of noodles.

Cabbage

Cabbage is one of the most frugal vegetables in the store, typically selling for .39 to .99 cents a pound. Like kale, it’s full of Vitamins K and C and fiber.

Healthy Starches

Rice

Brown rice typically costs around $1 to $2 a pound, but one pound can make many servings. It can be served with almost any meal, and it has a healthy serving of fiber and B vitamins.

Potatoes

Potatoes are typically a frugal choice as they run .50 to $1 a pound. While Russet potatoes are full of Vitamins B & C (if you eat them with the skin on), sweet potatoes are even more beneficial. Like carrots, they are packed with beta-carotene and other vitamins, and they are full of fiber. We love them roasted in the oven.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal contains many vitamins and fiber and tends to fill people up more than other grains. It makes a perfect hot breakfast, or you can mix one part oats, one part milk, and a dash of maple syrup for a breakfast muesli. Just refrigerate overnight and seve cold in the morning.

Final Thoughts

If you’re on a tight budget or looking to cut costs, rest assured that these healthy foods to buy when broke are nutritious and will keep you satiated and satisfied.