The economy has, well…shrank. My budget right along with it. But we’re pulling through – we’re staying positive and we’re working harder than ever to stretch our dollars. I’ve managed to clean up my spending and make (almost) every dollar count toward a bright future for my family. I try to keep the long-term in mind as I make spending decisions and I think it’s working for us. We asked our readers for some of their best budgeting secrets – this is what they had to share:
Reader Lee F. had this to say:
We learned this in Dave Ramsey. Use cash. If you take 100 dollars into Costco then that is all you can spend. Really works.
I never buy anything full price and We always look online before we just got in a store to buy something. It is crazy at how much you can save just buy checking around. I try to buy store brands but some things I just can’t. If it is not a store brand I go to the company’s website and get a coupon for that certain item. It is great that most of them are now on social networks and we can get coupons through email.
We keep a detailed spreadsheet, and update it daily to ensure that it corresponds with the checking account. It is tedious but we know how we spend every dime.
If I can’t pay cash …i don’t need it…it works!!! Also during the year i save all my change so when Christmas rolls around I have at least 500 dollars or more to spend..I’ve been doing that for a few years now.
second hand shopping, coupons, and discount stores!
Just the obvious, like spending time to meal plan, and matching coupons with weekly special discounts etc…One other hint is in regard to medical bills. If you have a larger medical bill looming, most hospitals and doctors offices will give you a discount off of it if you ask them and tell them you’ll pay it all at once! In both births of my children we literally saved hundreds of dollars by doing this.
