There’s a lot of financial advice out there, and probably the most common bit you’ll hear is ‘cut spending!’
That’s all well and good, but you may find you have a hard time deciding where to reduce your expenses without living like a miser.
With that in mind, today’s theme for our “New Year, New You” 30-Day Challenge is ‘Cut Spending Meaningfully’!
So, I’m giving you some of my favorite ways to pare down your budget that you might not have thought of. What are we waiting for? Let’s get right to it!
Stalk Jeff Bezos. No, not really. But you can stalk Amazon.com. If there’s something you plan on buying in the next 3-6 months, add it to your Amazon wishlist, and bookmark it.
Check the item’s price periodically, and you’ll find that it fluctuates – sometimes higher, sometimes lower. To make the process even easier, you can use browser add-on Honey to watch the prices for you, along with other items you need regularly. (Get ready for the next toilet paper stockpile!)
What’s in your freezer? Food waste is one of the biggest sources of cash down the drain. Save yourself some money and time by checking out what’s in your freezer. Half the time, you’ll find food you didn’t even realize you had! (That turkey you found on sale last Thanksgiving and that freezer burnt shrimp isn’t doing you any favors by staying there.)
Either toss it if it’s bad – or make a plan to use it if it’s still good.
The point is, make an effort to clean out your freezer every 6 months.
This will give you more room to purchase sale items because (let’s be honest) haven’t we’ve all been to the grocery store, only to see pork loin on sale for some ridiculous price ($0.39/lb?!), but sadly, no room in the freezer!
You’ll also reduce waste by eating items before they become dried out or freezer burnt.
Band together! Are you still feeling the pinch from Christmas? On average, a U.S. household spends upwards of $1,500 on this holiday.
Plan differently for next year! Touch base with friends and family ahead of time and set up a Secret Santa exchange.
Instead of buying for 15 people, you buy for one person (and this gives you a chance to put a little extra effort into the gift instead of spreading your budget thin on your entire clan).
It’d be great to:
- buy whatever we want, when we want
- not have to think about the cost of food
- and spoil the heck out of our family and friends at Christmas
… but until we all win the lottery, we need to come up with ways to cut sending here and there. And – a sound financial plan to prepare for the future and enjoy the simple things in life. This is where I come in!
Give me a call at 513-563-PLAN (7526) or reach out online to set up a quick 15 minute financial review. I’ll work with you to help you fine-tune your budget and financial goals!
P.S. Stay tuned for our next email for more tips for our Cut Spending Meaningfully “New Year, New You” 30-Day Challenge!
