When you get used to a certain lifestyle it can be difficult to change those habits, even if you must. If you lost your job you may need to find ways to spend differently and find ways to make more money creatively. If you’ve found yourself in debt you need to learn how to spend less money and how to fix the bad credit that debt has given you.
If you want to get wiser with your money you need to spend and save differently. Here are a few ways to do that.
Watch What You’re Spending On
Don’t just buy items for the sake of spending money. Only buy things that you actually need. Buying a bunch of items you “want” that serve no real purpose in your life is just a waste, and these items just add clutter to your home, which adds more stress to your life.
Make lists when you go to the store, whether you’re going grocery shopping or shopping for clothing. Stay to the list and don’t impulse buy. Impulse shopping is a huge culprit for many when it comes to wasted money. If you forget to put something on your list you should add it at the store before you put it in your cart.
If you have a thing for shopping online, and it’s the shopping that is getting you into trouble, maybe you need to stop shopping online and only shop when you can actually make it to the store you want to shop at.
Don’t also forget to take a look at some of your regular household expenses and see if you could make any changes that would help you save some money. For example, you could take a look at your heating and see if another type of heating could work out cheaper for you (if you’re debating between propane or oil, here are the top differences between the two), giving you more money to spend elsewhere.
Make A Little Extra On The Side
Another money move you want to make, even if you have a full-time career, is to find some new ways to make a little extra cash. Making money on the side can be fun and lucrative. You can make money on your hobbies or turn your hobbies into a part-time gig with another steady income.
Not sure how to do this? Sell arts and crafts online, at local craft shows, or through local art galleries and other stores that have consignment opportunities. You could start submitting your poetry or short stories to literary magazines that pay writers too.
If you own a lot of stuff that you aren’t using and is worth even a few bucks, you could start selling it. You could have a rummage sale, sell on a Facebook group for local sellers, or auction stuff off on eBay. It’s a great way to declutter your home and make some money in the process. Less clutter in your home will give you less stress, and stress is one of the most terrible things humans deal with on a daily basis.
Money brings a lot of stress all its own, but if you’re spending less and filling your home with less junk while making some extra, it can be more of a joy and less of a pain!