When you want more sometimes you have to give something up. I wanted to save more money so I had to cut out some of my expenses.
I went about making my decision based on expenses that wouldn’t have a huge negative impact on my life if I gave them up.
Some I do miss. So I found alternatives.
As adults sometimes sacrificing a teeny bit of happiness to experience a grander joy later on is necessary on this journey of adulthood. We can’t always have everything we want.
When my budget grows I may replace some of these items. Have a look at these 7 things and see what you can cut out….
1. Worked on Controlling Impulse Buying
There are two ways that I combat impulse buying.
First I usually make a quick list before I go into a store. Either grocery shopping or running errands. I make a list before I leave the house and do a quick inventory to see what’s needed. This way I don’t end up buying duplicate products.
Second I shop at discount stores and dollar stores (don’t knock it until you try it). So, I won’t accumulate too many expensive items that aren’t on the list.
I tend to see something pretty and must have it. It could be anything. A cute purple pen, a set of nicely designed kitchen towels, a new shiny journal with a leather covering—love at first sight! At a discount store such purchases won’t destroy my budget.
The 24 hour rule:
Once I’m finish shopping before heading toward the register, I take a quick peek into my cart. If the extra “want” items over tip my budget I get rid of them.
I give myself the 24 hours rule.
If I’m still thinking about that item 24 hours from now then, it’s a must have. So, I go back and buy it. If I’m not thinking about it then, I just saved a nice chunk of change.
2. Stopped Buying Everything I See With A Coupon
Now this one used to always get me in trouble. For instance, soap I don’t usually buy or use is $2 off of the $10 price tag. Sounds like a deal right?
But, if I just buy my regular soap for $3 I could save $5. Because, the price of the soap with the coupon comes out to be $8 verses my regular $3 soap.
So, be careful when using coupons. Now they do save you money but, you don’t have to use every single coupon you see. Unless you’re one of those extreme coupon shoppers.
3. Stopped Buying Brand New Clothes All The Time
My biggest discovery about 3 years ago has been shopping at Goodwill and other thrift stores. Especially if you shop at a store located in an upper middle class area. You can find some quality threads partially brand new and some actually are new with the tags still attached.
I was surprised at the value of thrift shopping.
You may turn your nose up and look down on me but, hey I’m stepping out pretty in my nearly new designer jeans that only cost me $5.99, cha-ching. Don’t laugh.
Save your pennies and give your local goodwill and other thrift stores a try.
4. I Stopped Buying Toiletries At The Grocery Store
Grocery stores are notorious for overpriced cleaning supplies and toiletries. Sometimes they have good deals on toilet tissue or detergent. But, in my opinion nothing beats the price of a discount store.
I stopped buying such products at my local grocer. Especially if I have a large list of items. I might pick up some bleach and a few other products every now and then but, that’s about all.
I could really see the savings in my grocery bill when I started buying toothpaste, lotions and deodorant at the discount stores instead.
5. I Stopped Buying Brand Name Food Products
I do buy brand name just not all the time. Some store brands are in fact better.
If something is good quality, it’s good quality. It doesn’t always have to be a brand name product.
I often experiment with the off brands because the price is lower of course. Sometimes I get lucky and it’s better than the brand name product. Sometimes it isn’t and I end up going back to the more popular brand.
Experiment the next time you go grocery shopping. You might just discover a new product you love.
6. I Cancelled My Cable And Chosen An Alternative
Cable prices these days are outrageous. They get you by sending you a discounted coupon in the mail for one year. Then, without warning once the promotion ends the price shoots up and continues to go up even higher the following year.
I’ve dealt with this and it’s a pain.
So I said bye, bye to my cable bill. I don’t need the extra expense. I get along just fine with my regular local channels, Redbox and Netflix.
If you have concerns about finding an alternate to cable because you’re tired of your bill try Hulu, Amazon Prime or any number of the new TV providers popping up. There are many many other alternatives online.
7. I Cut Back On High Priced Cell Phone Service
Avoid, avoid, avoid.
This is exactly what I did. But, I did it by sheer luck.
See, I was leaving my high priced cell phone provider for a more reasonably priced option. This other option wasn’t all that big of a company than my current provider so the service wasn’t a great match.
I was willing to give that up for a better price plus I was receiving a new cell phone.
When I called my current provider to explain the situation they didn’t want to see me go. They gave me a deal that matched the other guys with a brand new phone included.
Now, I didn’t plan this battle of the phone lords. It just ended up being a win win for me.
Maybe you can get some of this luck with your cell phone carrier.
Final Note…
I hope you found my list helpful and it inspires you to make some spending changes in your life.
You may ask, how much have I saved? Hmmm….well, I’m not a millionaire yet. But, guesstimating I’ll say I saved about $100 a month equaling $1200 a year.
Not a bad chunk of change.
I’m always looking for bargains without sacrificing too much. I try to maintain a healthy balance between saving and spending. I still buy cute little items my heart desires. I’m just mindful not to go overboard.
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