If you have ever been to a grocery store without a list you know how things can get out of control quickly with little thought to it. Frugal shoppers know that shopping without a list is not on the agenda for smart-shopping. It is a known fact that people who shop without a list purchase more unnecessary items, and spend more money all around, then those who plan their trip ahead of time.
The savings and clearance racks can catch you off guard if you find yourself at the grocers unprepared. Items you wouldn’t normally buy seem to make their way into your cart when you have no list. The general census states that when you plan ahead you make smarter and more efficient moves; this includes shopping for food. Don’t be caught by shell-shock at the register. Just plan ahead.
One of the simplest ways to always stay on top of your current food needs is to keep a running list on your refrigerator. A running list is a list that is always going, always being used. You mark down every item that you ran out of and when. This will keep you up to date when you have to make your week’s end shopping list. Make sure everyone in the house knows the procedure for the running list. If someone eats, or uses, the last of an item in the kitchen then they should be aware that they are responsible for marking down the item on the running list.
Working together helps the process flow smoothly. With a little effort you can easily save hundreds of dollars each year just by being aware of the food that you buy. Those extra items add up and without the hassle of paying for item you won’t eat or use then you find the savings to be quite relieving.
You can also find some relief at the grocers by keeping a routine in place. Every twelve weeks grocery stores rotate sale items. This means that the same items generally go on sale every three months. So do yourself a favor and stock up on your favorite on-sale items, enough to last you those few months, and by the time you use up your stock-pile another sale should be rolling around. This is a trick that can work for your benefit too. By running the sales every three months the stores assume it’s a long period of time and that everyone will have to purchase more products at the regular price. They can be outsmarted if you buy in bulk quantities and learn to abide by the twelve week rule.
Are you wondering just exactly where your money is going on a daily basis? Are you looking for ways to save some money while still enjoying a quality of life that keeps you happy and healthy? Are you on a fixed income and trying to find a way to maximize your monetary stream while not having a rollercoaster of spending each month? Do you essentially want to have a stable financial life that enables you to have relatively the same amount of money available to spend on a daily basis, and thus a reliable standard of living? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then it is likely that this will be a good read to get you going on your joyous way to financial equanimity.
There is something called “budgeting” that just about everyone has likely heard of and has, almost as likely, put off until some future undesignated date or avoided all together. This is a word that one’s spontaneity probably has a tendency to avoid and thus people often steer unconsciously away from it. The fact is that the budgeting process, when properly done, actually allows for more worthwhile spontaneity while simultaneously preventing excesses that can potentially lead to such issues as obesity. For example, if a second pint of ice cream is not in the budget for today then it will not be anything to worry about at any point in the future. What is wonderful is that when something really worthwhile arises spontaneously, then you will have plenty of funds to go for it and not regret having spent money on silly excesses that you may regret anyway due to their unhealthy nature.
Five dollars (or the equivalent in your country’s currency) saved every day can turn into almost two thousand in a year. One less small frivolity per day, such as ice cream or wine, can turn into a vacation to Paris or Hawaii or similar in a year. It could even eventually turn into a car or even a house. On a small scale, maintaining a stable daily budget while saving a portion of the remainder as a “spontaneity fund” best ensures that you will be able to do something truly worthwhile when you want to do it.
Budgeting on a daily basis is rather simple when it really comes down to it. You basically look at your monthly income, subtract your general monthly costs such as rent and utility and transportation bills, then split the remainder of it into the number of days in that month. Look seriously at how much you need to spend to cover the basic dietary needs and so on, with enough daily perks of satisfaction to keep you motivated. This will be your daily personal budget. Then take the remaining amount per day and multiply it by the number of days to see your potential savings for that month. It is obviously good to budget in a portion of this as a monthly allowance for soap and other household necessities. This should leave a decent amount to use for something really worthwhile when the opportunity arises.
Hopefully this has given you a basis for understanding the basic personal budgeting process while overcoming the spontaneity concerns that can lead to putting off budgeting completely. So don’t wait another day, start today!