Ways to Save Without Feeling Poor

Yes. You feel the financial crunch. Times are hard and you might be finding it hard to even make ends meet with the rising prices of just about everything and you went a little overboard for Christmas this year. That is the common state of affairs that people are feeling these days. Some have lost their jobs and most have certainly found it hard to earn extra. Can you blame them then if they search for methods to chop prices and lower expenses? Although it appears like a daunting task, it’s not impossible, and once you get a routine going, it’s not so hard. In fact, as you become used to cutting down prices, you may even ask yourself why you didn't start sooner. 1. Learn to say No. This does not imply that you won't treat yourself now and again, it just means that you’ll want to cut down on the frequency that you just take pleasure in luxuries. For instance, if you’re used to going out to eat every weekend, cut that down into simply once or twice a month. Restaurant food is expensive, and you CAN learn to make it at home. For example, I can buy the ingredients to make our favorite teriyaki chicken for under $20 for the 5 of us. Going out to get the same thing? A minimum of $50 pretty much anywhere near us. Then there's gas and appetizers we don't need to be eating... Try signing up for Redbox and renting a movie on the weekends instead of going out- we switched and found it saves us nearly $80 each time we used to go. 2. Keep It Simple Going out does NOT mean you have to spend a ton of money to have fun. Doing things like going to the park to play a game of kickball can be just as fun as hitting the lazer tag center. Get creative- don't take the kids to the bookstore, find a second hand media store that does trade-ins. Borrow from the library, etc. If you look around your community, chances are you can find a ton of things to do with your kids that is both fun and cost-effective. 3. Recycle As a substitute all the time shopping for things that you just think you want, why not use your creativeness and creativity by recycling things. Use them for other than their uses. For instance, in the event you want a message board where you will be posting the chores, why not use that old chalkboard as a substitute of shopping for a brand new bulletin board. It is probably not a lot but in the event you do it for different things that you just wish to buy, you haven’t only saved some huge cash, you can have fun making something new with the kiddos and clear out some of that stuff that just takes up space! One of my favorites lately is letting the girls make doll clothes with clothes that they cannot wear anymore. My son gets a hole in his shirt? I get new T-shirt yarn! Check PINTEREST for Upcycle to find tons to do!