Living cheaply does not mean that you should deprive yourself of pleasures. There are many ways to learn how to live economically in everyday life and still live a full and happy life.
In this article, we will look at the best ways and tricks to save money. These simple changes to your lifestyle, along with creating a budget, will ultimately help you live frugally and lower your monthly expenses!
Economical budget
Creating and maintaining a thrifty family budget is fundamental to your financial success. This way, you can live frugally, prioritize the things that matter, and ruthlessly eliminate those that don’t.
A budget is a written guide that you create in which you set aside a certain amount of money each month for various expenses. The idea behind using a budget is to keep you from overspending and not spending money on things you don’t need.
The budget you create should match your personal financial situation. For example, the practical budget of a family of four will be very different from that of a person living alone.
When you make your family budget, write down all of your monthly expenses. Don’t miss out on anything, not even the cost of entertainment. Then assign to each expense a certain amount that you can spend each month. Don’t forget to put a portion of your monthly income into a savings account.Set aside living expenses for about six months in case you lose your job or become disabled.
Economical products – live practical
Grocery is one of the most expensive parts of a monthly budget, so cutting those costs is essential.
Make an economical list of products, refuse ready-made convenience foods, cook your own food. Frozen food, microwaveable food, junk food… anything that is packaged and prepared for our convenience is not only more expensive than what you cook yourself, but is also likely to be less healthy.
Go to the store with a pre-prepared list of necessary products, this will help you avoid rash purchases and live a more practical life.
Eat less meat. I’m not saying you should become a vegetarian (although you can try), but eat lean meals from time to time.
Shop for local, seasonal produce for the week at nearby farmers’ markets. Shop late in the day when farmers are more likely to discount their remaining stock.
Periodically review the products from the refrigerator, use first of all those that are already approaching the expiration date. Freeze everything that can be frozen and what you did not have time to eat. Do this in order not to throw away spoiled products later.
Use the simple gifts of nature, it is not only economical, but also useful, as you can live more practically! Nettle, for example, grows in many regions, and you can already cook green borscht or make a vitamin omelette.
Also, dandelions, salads are prepared from their leaves, and delicious and healthy honey is prepared from flowers.
In the summer season, dry medicinal herbs, which you then use as tea (chamomile, mint, linden, currant leaves) or as natural medicines. So, you will save on buying tea and on buying medicines.
Be sure to collect raspberries, blackcurrants, mountain ash, viburnum. Sprinkle these berries with sugar, it will be a healthy treat for tea in winter, as well as a natural cure for colds.
Learn how to fish if your area has legal fishing areas such as regular ponds, rivers and lakes. This hobby will support your family budget and provide you with tasty and healthy fish meat.
Economical cosmetics
- For washing use one shampoo, no shower gels, rinses and other things. To wash your hands and body, buy regular bar soap. For example, tar is very good, foams well and lasts for a long time. Also try washing your hair with regular baking soda or other DIY products.
- To clean your home, use two all-purpose cleaners—baking soda and vinegar. You can clean any dirty surface with them. They are also inexpensive and are natural remedies that are not harmful to your health.
- Refuse purchased creams, skin care products, a variety of cosmetics. They are not only expensive, but also harm your skin, because. contain many harmful chemicals. If you still cannot do without these funds, I give you many recipes for making creams at home. Try once to make a practical and healthy cream from 100% natural ingredients, and you will never buy such products in the store again.
- Instead of deodorant, use plain baking soda, you can simply powder it on pre-washed, clean skin under the arms, or dilute 1 tsp. the same baking soda in a glass of water and wipe the skin with cotton pads soaked in this solution. This practical and cheap way will protect you from sweat odor and help you save money.
- Refuse to buy perfumes and other perfumes, instead try to make your own perfume. This is an interesting and exciting activity that will allow you to create your own unique and inimitable fragrance, you will be sure of the ingredients, because. You yourself put them there and this tool will definitely be much more economical than what you bought before!
- For shaving, buy disposable machines and do not use shaving products after shaving.
- While brushing your teeth, squeeze toothpaste onto a brush the size of a small pea, this amount is enough for proper dental hygiene. Buy the simplest and most inexpensive pasta, they do not differ so much in composition, but the difference is noticeable in price. Also, instead of the usual toothpaste from the store, I recommend that you make homemade paste and, moreover, natural. This is very good and practical advice!
- Use a small amount of laundry detergent to wash clothes, as clothes of medium soil will be washed in any case, and if the laundry is heavily soiled, then pre-soak it in soapy water or pre-wash it. For greater savings, try to make natural powder with your own hands, firstly, it is not difficult at all, and secondly, it washes no worse than those that you used before.
Energy saving
- Save electricity – live practical and economically. Turn off the light when you leave the room, accustom all your household members to this rule.
- Keep heating on low. Wear warm clothes, including jumpers, warm trousers and slippers.
- Use LED light bulbs, they are more economical and last many years longer. Over time, this will result in significant savings on your energy bills.
- Use the night rate for washing clothes or electric clothes drying.
Water saving
- Never leave the faucet running while brushing your teeth or soaping up in the shower. By eradicating this habit, you will already save a considerable amount of water.
- Wash fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water, not under running water. Do the same with washing dishes.
- Wash only full loads of laundry.
Save on clothes – live economically
- Sort through your wardrobe and give to the needy things that you have not worn for a long time and will not wear (but keep them clean and quite possible for further use). Leave a small amount of clothes and shoes that are comfortable, practical and of good quality. As practice shows, a person does not need a lot of things, otherwise we litter the space and do not use most of them.
- In the future, do not go to stores unnecessarily, buy only high-quality, comfortable and practical things that will last you longer, and you can wear them for any occasions and events.
- Second-hand stores are a great alternative to ordinary stores, where you can always find good, high-quality items at an inexpensive price. But be prudent and do not forget about the minimum amount of necessary clothes, otherwise, and there you will buy yourself a lot of unnecessary rubbish that will gather dust on your shelves in your closet.
Prepare food at home – live practical
- Avoid eating out if possible
- If you’re wondering how to live cheap, a very simple thing you can do to save money is eat at home as much as possible and avoid eating out, which is pretty practical.
- Restaurants are expensive. While it’s nice to have someone cook the food and sometimes take care of cleaning for you, it’s a luxury that comes at a price, sometimes very high.
- If you’re on a budget, you can cook your own meals at home for a fraction of what many restaurants will cost. Plus, you can save money by packing your lunches and other meals for work or when you need to be away from home for extended periods of time.
- You can even save money on your vacation by packing as much food as possible. For example, it will be much more practical if you pack food for breakfast, lunch and snacks for your next trip.
- In addition to saving money on food, you can also save money by drinking as much water as possible instead of fruit juices, soft drinks, and other sugary drinks. Also remember to drink homemade water instead of expensive bottled water.
- Instead of going to cafes, restaurants and other establishments, prefer outdoor recreation or at home with your loved ones.
How to live and save on sports
Replace the gym and fitness club with home exercise or brisk walking in the fresh air. You can also choose any fitness trainer on the Internet and exercise under his guidance at any time of the day so that it will be convenient for you. More and more people prefer to study at home, it’s free, by the way.
Economical vacation – it’s practical
A vacation is a reward for hard work throughout the year. But vacations can also become a serious expense if you like to travel to distant lands.
In addition to expensive air tickets, hotel rooms, meals and other expenses must also be considered. Add it all up and a week’s vacation can cost thousands of dollars.
Instead of spending a lot of money on a fancy vacation, why not take your car somewhere close to home? Why not go hiking? Why not stay home and relax?
The idea of a simple yet affordable vacation is to go somewhere that is easy to get to, just a few hours away from home. It could be a local forest, a historic site, or something else.
The choice of affordable experiences is not just an affordable vacation. You can also save money on weekends.For example, instead of paying to see a movie or go to a club, why not visit a free museum or a free event in your community?
Buying used goods is economical
New products cost a lot of money. One way to live frugally is to buy used goods whenever possible. For example, instead of buying a new washing machine, see if you can find a quality, used machine on a used goods site. Instead of buying a new table, look for a used but still in good condition table that will work just fine for you. The savings can be significant. The advantage of buying used items is that many people don’t know how much their items are worth when they put them up for sale.
Selling unnecessary things is practical
Most of us have accumulated a huge amount of unnecessary things in the house that lie idle and only create a mess. It can be things that your children have grown out of, or a huge number of books read, perhaps donated unnecessary knick-knacks, etc. This mess can be turned into money with just a little effort. Take a photo of the product, place it on some website on the Internet and wait for your buyer. This is a great opportunity to get rid of unnecessary trash and at the same time replenish your budget with some amount of money that you will definitely need.
Economical gifts
Making your own gifts instead of buying them can cut costs and avoid credit card debt. Christmas is one of the most expensive holidays and for people on a budget, this can be a problem. Making gifts is always more important than buying them. a person puts himself, his mood and his feelings into this unique creation. It is always pleasant and unforgettable to receive such things!
For gifts, try making bath bombs, colorful bath salts, or massage tiles.
Also, never throw away gift wrapping that is given to you. You can always reuse them or come up with another more suitable purpose for them.
Grow your own vegetables
Whether you live in an apartment or own a home with a backyard, you can grow your own vegetables and herbs to save money. The only difference is in the amount that you can grow in your apartment or in the garden. Green onions, salads, various greens, including parsley, dill, etc. are successfully grown on the windowsill. Also, tomatoes, hot peppers and even eggplants grow well in pallets. Growing your own vegetables is not only one of the most unique ways to save money, but also a lot of fun!
Do things with your own hands
We often buy things and services that we could actually make ourselves. Besides being much cheaper, it is also more useful and fun.Yes, such an activity will take a little more time and effort, but it can also become your own business in the future, which will begin to bring you income. For example, you can do your own hair, make-up and manicure, cut your men’s hair at home, bake delicious cakes, make your own perfume, etc. If you don’t know how to do something, look it up on the Internet. There, you will find many instructions and helpful tips.
Don’t depend on someone else’s opinion
One of the main things you must do if you want to learn how to live economically is to stop worrying about what others think of you.
The idea is to stop buying fancy and expensive things just to impress other people. It could be buying a big house, an expensive car, or even the latest phone. By striving for such things, you do not live your life, but earn yourself an image, a high position and respect from people who do not think about you at all.
But sometimes less is more. Fewer things and expenses can give you more freedom in life. You don’t have to work hard to afford what you have. It can reduce your stress levels and allow you to live a more practical and carefree life.
If you don’t worry about always having the best of everything, you may end up paying off your debt and living a real life.
Other tips on how to live practically
In terms of transportation, if possible, prefer walking instead of driving. If necessary, in any form of transport, a bicycle, minibus or bus can be an excellent alternative.
If you have a TV, get rid of it as soon as possible, so you save on cable TV, electricity, and you will not be tempted to buy products that are constantly advertised there. In addition, you will have more free time to spend with your family and friends.
I hope you do not have bad habits, but if this is not the case, you must definitely get rid of them, because. buying alcohol and cigarettes will take a huge part of your family budget from you. In addition, later on you will still have to treat the diseases that you are bound to develop if you do not put an end to these harmful activities.
A few more words about how to live economically and well
Why live economically? First, because it allows you to spend less than you earn and use the difference to pay off debt, save, or invest. Secondly, the less you spend, the less you need to earn. And that means you can work less or retire early. You will have more opportunities with a modest lifestyle.
The cheap lifestyle is not for everyone. Some will always want more and better. But this lifestyle can give you a freedom that many will never know – financial freedom.
Another amazing observation: people who live in abundance, their house is always clean, tidy, there is a lot of free space and very few things. Conversely, people living in poverty and poverty are always in a dirty house, with a huge amount of unnecessary things and almost no free space. Why is this happening? I think this is not a coincidence, but a lifestyle that forms a picture of the life of each person with his beliefs and values. This is food for thought…
Save not for the sake of saving itself, but for the sake of increasing freedom and reducing consumption itself. It may seem strange to you at first, but over time you will begin to rejoice at the understanding that you can do without something, and vice versa, it will sadden the fact that you had to buy some new things that will rarely be used.
In reducing consumption, there are benefits for you personally and for the world as a whole, i.e. harm reduction. If you live practical and more economically, nature and future generations will be grateful to you for this, as you think today, insignificant contribution.
Living practical is an art, and once you master it, you can live well on very little money.
P.S.
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