Everyone strives for financial freedom at a point in their lives, but that may come at different times. To get here, living on a tight budget may be one of the first steps, but there’s a preconceived notion that living well on a small amount of money is hard. Going about this does not have to be complicated; it may require a few slight changes from your daily lives.
1. Grocery List
Before heading to the store to re-up on your essential groceries, making a grocery list is a massive help to save money. By sitting down and putting much thought into each item, you will know what you need and do not need. Planning ahead keeps your head straight when in the grocery store so you know exactly what you need.
2. Make Substitutions
When shopping, whether for food, clothing, or things around the house, many options are just as good as the expensive ones but a fraction of the price. These choices are right in front of your face at the store, yet they do the same job, if not better, for a smaller amount. Even if the amount is not large, every penny counts.
3. Buy Used
Checking to ensure you cannot buy that expensive ring online used for a cheaper price is another fantastic way to begin savings. When buying used items, checking the seller’s reviews and looking deep into the online pictures will give an excellent grasp of how amazing the product is.
4. Discount
Pairing this with buying things used and checking the discount rack is where you may find what you want. The discount rack is where the hidden items are cheap but still high quality. While people may look down on the discount rack, this is a fantastic tool to still live at a high caliber while spending minimal money.
5. Assess Credit Cards
Credit card debt can slip away very fast, with not checking for a week or two, and the next thing you know, you are down in some deep debt. Checking in on your credit cards is vital not to make dumb decisions while managing every dollar you spend.
6. Sell Things
Everyone has things around the house that are unneeded in your home but may be needed in someone else’s. Going around the house to ensure nothing useless is lying around that could instead be sold for some extra cash is an adequate way to start saving money.
7. Rent
Renting out a house rather than buying one is a smart way to save money. By purchasing a house, you put down lots of money and commit to paying off a large house while living frugally. Renting a house is also better since you can accumulate roommates, cutting living costs into smaller fractions.
8. Eat Out Less
One of the most significant issues with spending money recently is ordering takeout, which has become a massive hit. Takeout has become popular since people do not want to go inside and tip; they order out and bring it home instead. While this seems bright, the money spent on the takeout meal is much more food if you spend that at the grocery store.
9. Carry Cash
While you may think carrying cash will cause you to spend even more, having cash will only limit you. With the world changing and places starting not to accept cash, carrying it is a great way not to spend it. This will also help those who love online shopping since you cannot pay with cash online.
10. 30 Day Rule
The 30-day rule is a rule where you write whatever you want down on a list, and in 30 days, if you still want it, you can make an exception to get it. Most of the things you may want may be spontaneous, so by holding off on it for a month, you will find out if you want it.
11. Drop Cable
Cable can be a massive hit on your monthly bill when you rarely find yourself scrolling through the channels looking to watch something. While you may not be cut entirely out of cable TV from your life, you can reduce your plan to get the channels you want rather than the ones you do not watch.
12. Walk
Transportation can be very pricey, so walking any chance you get will help you now and in the long run. By walking, you prevent having to spend gas, which makes your gas tank last longer. Besides helping save gas, your car will take much less of a beating, with only using it when needed.
13. Water
Drinking only water is beneficial in multiple ways, helping the wallet and health. Opting for drinking water at places like out to dinner will save you so much money. You can also get creative with water, with very cheap flavoring options.
14. Cancel Subscriptions
Everyone gets baited into buying a subscription, whether for streaming or such, and the costs add up quickly. The shows and movies you want to watch can probably be watched for free without paying the fifteen dollars or so a month that a streaming service would end up charging.
15. Stay Inside
While this may seem tedious, staying inside and being a homebody is a frugal but enjoyable way to live. Many people think staying inside is not fun, but if you surround yourself with the right people, they will make it fun. Things such as board games can also be brought in for extra fun.
16. Cut Your Hair
Something that may take a little bit of time to get the hang of, cutting your hair is challenging but rewarding. If you have friends willing to let you practice, that will help you progress to cut their hair and yours later without having to pay for a haircut again.
17. Save Energy
When living frugally, the little things add up to become massive things. When you are not home or using a light, turning it off will help your electricity bill and the light bulbs, which will go out a lot later than usual. This also applies to air conditioning and heat; if you do not need it, do not use it.
18. Meal Prep
Something quick and easy, such as meal prepping, should not be this cheap. There is a narrative around meal prepping that does not taste good, but you can make the meals as good as you would like. With so many options, portioning the food out makes it very cheap.
19. Fast
Fasting is for more of those who may be trying to lose weight, but it can work for anyone. The fasting process is not eating for an extended window but having as much food as you would like within a window you can eat. So this will limit how much food you have and is suitable for your health.
20. Start A Garden
Building your garden is a cheap way to have delicious fruits and vegetables while also being fun to do. A garden can be very basic or as complicated as you want, and having such an array of healthy, cheap, and delicious foods all in your backyard. Gardening can become a hobby later, depending on how much you may grow in the garden.
21. Tracking Every Expense
Seeing what you spend your money on on paper may not seem that pleasing to you. For every single thing you spend your money on, you should write down, not only to budget but to have an idea of how much you spend on each thing your money goes towards.
22. Use The Library
Depending on where you live, you may have a free library around to be a part of the community. The library is a great way to pass the time and gain unlimited free knowledge. So by reading one of those books, you may learn a new way to make money.
23. Do Your Research
Just because you are on a tight budget does not mean you cannot purchase big things, with a car still needing to be bought. When buying expensive items, you should do your research so you can buy the most reliable one. Doing this gives you a much greater chance of having the vehicle last a long time, along with minimal repairs.
24. Buy Warranties
When buying an item, we sometimes get an option to put a warranty on it, which, at the time, the amount of money does not seem worth it. That does not seem worth it until you break it the next day and need a new one. You could have a year or even lifetime protection for this item by obtaining the warranty.
25. Coupons
Looking through the newspaper or searching for good coupons is a fantastic way to save money, saving much more than you thought possible. Coupons can be found almost anywhere; it is just a matter of whether you put them to use or not.
The post Live Like Royalty on a Shoestring: 25 Must-Know Budget Tips first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Anatoliy Karlyuk.
The content of this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or replace professional financial advice.
