Many Americans have been struggling financially for the last four years. For some, it’s been a lifetime struggle. So what are your options and do you even have any options. What can you do to make your income stretch further?
How You Spend Your Money Matters
Does this sound like what you are dealing with every week? Payday is a day away. You have a dollar or so in your pocket. That’s if you are lucky. Now you find the milk is gone. The car is running on gas fumes. You still have to make it to work. You are in a tight spot now. Sadly, this happens to you every week. The paycheck just doesn’t reach the end of the week for you. How stressful this can be for anyone of us. Many of us have experienced this at one time or another. Maybe it is time to consider making some changes in your earnings and your spending. If you are truly tired of living from paycheck to paycheck, it may be time. Explore better ways to manage your money. Focus on improving how you handle spending.
Spending and Saving
Before you start looking for a second job, examine your spending habits. See if you can cut expenses enough each week. This way, you will not have to go searching for part-time work or other income.
Strategies To Get You Started
- Cutting back on your gas expenses by staying home more, walking, riding your bike, carpooling or taking a bus if that is an option
- Check around for car insurance to see who offers the best coverage for the lower price
- Clipping coupons can slash the grocery bill to save quite a tidy sum of money. When using coupons, be sure you are going to use the items. Also, check to see if the store brand is cheaper. Sometimes the coupons on name brands ends up costing you more than buying the store brand. Clipping coupons also takes time & organization. But they can save you money if you shop carefully. Check the sales and if an item is on sale then using a coupon can help bring the price down
- If you eat out a lot, it is time to start cooking at home more to save on expenses. Learning to cook good cheap nurturing meals will save you money and nurture your body. Buy some cookbooks and have fun experimenting with new recipes
- Use left over meats in pot of soup. Soups with a side of bread can make a lot of meals
- If you are a smoker, decrease your daily smoking or roll your own cigarettes. Or better yet, throw those cigarettes away for good
- Check out your library for entertainment. Most libraries offer quite a few services such as renting or borrowing books and DVD movies.
Ask yourself if it is something that you really need. Is it worth struggling through the rest of the week? Consider whether you will have enough money to last the whole week. These are a few ideas to reduce expenses. By the end of the week, you may have an extra dollar or two in your wallet. Most of us have some areas where we can cut down on expenses. You will feel less stressed as the week goes by. You will know that you have enough money in your pocket to last all week.
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