Many of us have to live paycheck to paycheck, it�s a fact. �Are you in this camp? �If so, there are some things that you can do to make that paycheck stretch and get you living a less stressful life!
Create a Budget Friendly Meal Plan
One way to significantly cut back on your expenses is to choose more budget friendly meals. �Here�s how I do it for my family. �I create a monthly meal plan and I always choose a meat free meal for the week (savings of $10 or more per week). �Additionally, I choose rice and beans meals more often as these staples are very inexpensive. �I can buy enough beans to fill my crockpot for $1 or less. �I also make sure to use coupons when I go grocery shopping. �I have found that coupons alone have saved our family up to 40% on our grocery bill.
Cut Back on Entertainment
Entertainment expenses for families can get quite expensive. �If you have found this to be the case with your household, here are some changes that you can make to save more this month:
- Cancel your satellite and/or cable. �We were paying nearly $100 each month for our Satellite services. �We chose to cancel our satellite and instead signed up for SlingTV, which gives us a great selection of channel/shows to watch for just $20 each month. �We also kept Netflix at $9.99 per month. �This is 70% less than paying for satellite alone.
- Just say no to the restaurant or club. �Going out to eat or out to the club can get very expensive, very quickly. �If you typically go out like this several times a month as many people to, try to cut them out altogether and see how much you can save. �Even if you only go once during the month, you are not depriving yourself, but you are not breaking the bank either.
- Quit renting movies. �There is really no need for movie rentals anymore. �You can stream thousands of movies via Netflix or Amazon Prime Instant Video!
Watch your Power Usage
You should really consider cutting down on your power usage throughout the month. �This is especially true for the winter months. �Remember to turn off lights when you aren�t using them. �Same goes with electronics. �Also, consider turning down the thermostat on your furnace as well as your water heater. �Even a single degree can save significantly on your heating bill.
