Consumer Packaged Goods (an organization that distributes billions of coupons annually) only 1% of shoppers redeem coupons!īelieve it or not, you don’t have to live and breathe coupons to save a decent amount of money on your grocery bill. If you’re not a fan of using coupons, you’re far from alone – but you’re also missing out on some quick and easy savings. You’ve likely heard it before, and it’s true – research has shown that shopping while hungry causes us to overspend and make impulsive purchases. In addition to bringing a list, be sure to eat before taking a trip to the grocery store. How many times have you entered a store to buy one item and walked out with a handful of things you didn’t need? It happens to the best of us, which is why writing a grocery list before food shopping is essential. There’s no faster way to reduce expenses than cooking meals in your own kitchen, so up next, we’ll share a few tips that’ll help you stretch your grocery budget a bit further. If you tend to eat out a few times a week, your takeaway orders could be making a significant dent in your income. Many of us acknowledge that eating out is a convenient luxury, yet still fall into the expensive habit of ordering food regularly. To begin, we’re going to share a few simple ways you can save money on food. Now that we’ve got these first two steps covered, we can dive into the tips that’ll help you start saving on your monthly expenses. To learn more about creating a budget and the best tools for managing one, read our article “How to Create a Monthly Budget”. Once you’ve broken your budget down into categories, it’ll start to look something like this: Monthly income: $1600Īfter this, all you have to do is decide how to track your budget – old school pen and paper works fine, but there are a number of great, free apps available as well. Some of your expenses, like rent and car payments, will be fixed – others, like food and utilities, may change month to month. Then, you’ll create budget categories and assign a spending limit to each. When you’re looking to reduce spending, the expenses in your “wants” should be the first to go. Wants include the things you can live without spending on, like going out to eat, shopping, and entertainment. Needs include everything you can’t survive without, for example: food, rent/mortgage, utilities, transportation, cell phone service, insurance, and credit card or loan payments. Next, you’ll divide your monthly expenses into wants and needs. Many people fall into the trap of spending more than they earn, but once you clearly define how much money you make each month, you can avoid this common problem. To start your budget, you’ll first want to estimate your monthly income. Once you create one, it’ll be much easier to manage your money, track your spending, and identify opportunities to save. Without a budget, there’s no way to determine how much money is going in and out of your bank account every month. Take a look at our article “How to Set Up Financial Goals for Success”. Want to learn more about financial goals and how to set your own? Whatever the reason is, you’re going to want to keep it at the front of your mind – when there’s meaning behind your savings plan, it’ll be much easier for you to commit to it long-term. Maybe you’re saving up to put a down payment on a house, building an emergency fund, or socking away money for a rainy day. What are the reasons you’re looking to reduce expenses? What do you intend to gain by saving money each month? Clarify your financial goalsīefore you start identifying ways to cut costs, it’s wise to make a list of your financial goals. These two steps will ensure that your mission to reduce your monthly expenses is a successful one. Rest assured, the tips you’ll find within this article are easy to implement and won’t change your daily life significantly (other than helping you save up some cash.)īefore we get into the tips, it’s important that you follow the directions in the next two sections, which revolve around outlining your goals and creating a budget. Reducing your expenses can be a challenge, particularly when you’ve grown used to a certain lifestyle or standard of living. Looking for a few simple tips that’ll help you save some money on your monthly expenses? You’ve come to the right place!
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