What are your 3 best budget tips?

[Eden]

1, 2, 3 what are your best budget tips?

 

[santa's surpriz]

1. Combine trips whenever possible.Less gas.
2. Buy Chicken and Steak from a butcher shop. I can usually get enough to last a month for around $65-70.
3. Shop for myself online. I can usually get what I am looking for with a discount and free shipping. This way I do less impulse buying at the mall.

 

[ohanaMAMA]

For Home

1. Pay for everything with cash. If you cant pay cash? save for it. Credit is a bad idea.

2. shop Aldi's. I buy all my staples, meat, and canned goods at Aldi. Its not name brand. But it all tastes the same to us. I save at least 50% there. I utilize my pantry and freezer and start a plan of meals at home (I try to do 2 weeks at a time) then I take my time at Aldi's adding meals to my list as I pack my cart until I get 14, then when I go to Wal-mart or whereever to get the "extras" that Aldi didnt have, I make a shopping list from my plan so I know what else I need. Then I match coupons up to that list so I dont overbuy.

3. Utilize NEED vs WANT. Its amazing the things we THINK we need... most times they arent a NEED they are a WANT. Its amazing what we buy that we could have gotten by without. Im not saying that you should go without "the little things" but think before you buy. Youd be surprised at how much you save.

At Disney

1. always eat breakfast in the room. Pack poptarts. cereal, fruit, ect and eat before you leave. That saves up to $40 a day. I also got a bag for each kid that they can pack with snacks to have later in the day. Saved me a TON in Disney prices.. although I do allow for "treats" gotta have popcorn, mickey bars and dolewhips!

2. Prepay for as much as you can. I buy Disney cards, gas cards, prepaid visa cards, target cards. That way very little actually comes out of pocket and NONE goes on the credit card

3. I give my kids each $50 spending for the trip. BUT I notify them that we will be visiting the outlets at the end of the trip. (there are several Disney outlets in Orlando) They can spend it on whatever.. but when its gone? Its gone.

 

[All American]

I don't know if they're tips, but they are more of guidelines that guide my financial decisions:

1. "A rich man lives within his means." (My dad said that to us almost daily growing up. He also taught us that

2. Money is a stewardship.

3. (From my own experience) I ask myself, "How many hours will my husband have to work to pay this ________ off?"

 

[Sagginit]

as a younger member im new to budgeting and this board has helped a lot. these are the three things that help me save the most

1) put money into savings when i get paid as if it is a bill instead of putting away what is left over when the next pay check comes...out of checking account sight out of mind
2) make a list and for me (& other single friends i know do this) use a handbasket and not a cart at the foodstore/target etc...if you have to carry all those extras the wieght adds up and its not worth it sometimes if i need just two things i wont even let myself get a handbasket
3)and the big thing im learning from here is coupons, coupons, coupons...i used to just wait for things to go on sale or use a coupon, now im doing both and its adding up to more savings

 

[2manypets]

Include a few bag meals with your groceries. When you're really tired from work or whatever and are tempted to just go out to dinner, you can cook a bag meal in ten minutes instead. (All you do is dump it in the skillet)

Only shop once a week at the most, if you run out, too bad. My kids had to learn how to conserve. I only shop every two weeks.

Learn to say no to the kids and DH/DW. Teach them to save for what they or you want.

 

[englishteacha]

1. Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
-I have been doing this the best I can. I've been mending and patching clothes (My sewing isn't very good but I am getting better! The elastic broke in my slipper and I took it apart and fixed it. I also mended a small hole in a sleeping bag liner. I patched a hole in my duck boots with an innertube patch!) I have lots of cleaning products that I inherited from my MIL when she passed away. They're not my favorites but they'll do. I've been working at using them up for years!!!
2. Eat at home (I'm horrible at that one! I'm getting better, though.)
3. Think before you buy. (I'd love a new sleeping bag, but the one I have is perfectly functional. I'd LOVE a new purse and shoes, but I have a perfectly good purse and dozens of shoes.) When you buy, try to find a sale or buy second hand!

At WDW:
1. Stay offsite and find a bargain. Even renting a car, we save hundreds of dollars over staying onsite.
2. Eat some meals and snacks offsite or in your room.
3. Think before you buy!

 

[henri + katie's mum]

1) Know exactly how much money you need and have for every expense and every purchase each month. (In other words, make a budget and stick to it.)

2) Repeat the words - "I don't need it." (Tape this to your credit card or to your computer monitor so you see it when you want to buy something.)

3) Save as much as you can every month. (Even if it's $5 to start with, that's $5 you own and not owe.)

 

[Muushka]

Just one, not enough coffee for 3....yet.....

The amortization schedule is your friend. If you wonder what your cell phone bill or cable bill or that special cup of coffee at Starbucks will cost you over a period of time, plug in the numbers.

Here is my satellite ($94 a month for 10 years with 3% interest) that we gave up, over a 10 year period:

Year Balance
1 $1,129.03
2 $2,290.90
3 $3,487.63
4 $4,720.26
5 $5,989.86
6 $7,297.56
7 $8,644.49
8 $10,031.82
9 $11,460.78
10 $12,932.60
Final Savings Balance: $12,932.60

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators...ort_Goog_BRM_ky_Broad_K_amortization_schedule

Try the mortgage calculator. Add an extra $200 a month to it and watch the numbers tumble.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

1. don't eat out - repeat - don't eat out!

2. write everything down that you spend so you can really see where it's going.

3. really think before you buy. It's not a 'bargain' if you buy it and never use it...or don't really need it in the first place.