Money is a hot topic, and for good reason. It pays for the food we eat, the home we live in, the clothes on our back, you name it. And I don’t know about you, but money isn’t something I have just floating around. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m not completely struggling to get by. I do know what it feels like to live paycheck to paycheck, but by no means am I at the risk of homelessness. (Which is a huge problem in my town might I add.)

But, sometimes I wish I was able to do more with my money. Not necessarily that I had more money, just that I knew how to make it stretch further. So that was something I decided to start seriously working on. And it’s definitely still a work in progress for sure! (Perhaps a Part 2 to this will come in the future but who knows.) Either way, something that has helped me really start to take control of my finances are the 5 tips I’m about to share with you. So buckle up, let’s get started!

Apps Are The Future, Right?

I know we all have an app that has made our lives better somehow. Whether it’s a time-management app or a social app or even a pregnancy app. But do you have a go-to money management app? No, not your bank. Your bank doesn’t help you manage your money in the slightest. They hold on to it for you while most likely charging you fees and not helping your money do anything for you in return. Not really something that improves or makes your life better, right?

Well, may I suggest finding one that does work for you? Like one that has a tool to help you set a budget and notifications and suggestions to help you stick to it. Or one that lets you set a savings goal and has reminders to help to actually reach that goal at a desired time? How about one that lets you know your average income-to-spending ratio each month so you know where you need to improve? Or your credit score and tips to help you understand and improve it?

Insert (for me personally) Mint. This app does everything I just said by connecting to my bank accounts/credit card accounts and keeping track of them. It has personally helped me improve my credit score by at least 50 points since I started using it a few years ago! And it helps me keep track of things that I wouldn’t be able to (or remember to) without it! Not saying use this app specifically, but definitely find one that improves your life like this!

Shop ‘Til You Drop

Have you ever been the person who finds yourself (or your spouse) at the grocery store multiple times a week? If not, move on to the next tip. If so, welcome to the club! I can’t tell you how many people are in the club, but I know there’s no way I can be alone. Cue one of the main household expenses slowly inching its way up. When we don’t set out time to plan meals for the week, we always spend more money than we want (or expect) to.

So, what did we do to fix it? Well, 2 things. One is to plan out a weeks worth of meals at a time. Yes, this one big shop ends up costing more than any of our little shops throughout the week, but it actually saves money in the long run. Instead of buying just enough ingredients to make meals for a day, we can buy bulk and save! We also recently decided to start shopping at a local store that’s a lot cheaper than where we shop normally. If they don’t carry everything we need, we save by shopping there and only getting what we need at the other store.

Another thing we did to fix it was start buying generic on purchases where it really makes no difference. Do I like the brand I’ve always known and loved? Yes. But can I really tell a difference in brand names of hand soap or ice cream or whatever? Not really. We definitely still buy brand name when we truly care about the the ingredients or the purpose, otherwise we save more money in the long run.

I Need It Vs. ‘I Need It’

There really is a difference between these 2 statements, and if you’re a woman, you probably get it. Sometimes when I need something, I really don’t. Something in me just feels like I have to have it. Needs are food, shelter, clothing, and things of that sort. Right? Well yes…and no. Yes they are in the most basic of meanings what we need to survive. Yes we need food, but do we need the name brand compared to store? Yes we need clothing, but do we need the amount that we have filling up our closet?

Even sometimes I find myself making a purchase because the deal seems too good to pass up. (Yes I know this is a sales tactic, clearly it works on me.) But later I’ll realize that there was no actual reason to buy. I didn’t need what I was buying, but it’s almost like it’s telling me I’m stupid if I miss out. I realize now that I’m not. I’m completely content skipping a purchase now when I don’t need something, even if it takes a few minutes to remind myself I don’t.

Sometimes it seems like we need more than we do, and a lot of that has to do with keeping up with the fast-changing trends around the world. We want to be healthy, we want to be in tune with what’s going on, etc. We just don’t need it to the extent that we think we need it is all. So now when I find myself ready to make a purchase, I’ll ask myself if I need this or if I just think I do.

Goal-Setter

There are a few times in the past where I remember being really strapped for cash yet still was able to come up with the money I needed to take care of important things. Sometimes, it’s the complete opposite. So how does it work sometimes? I wondered that to myself before finally realizing that it’s because those things were a ‘priority’ to me. They were important to me so I was able to figure it out because deep down I knew I needed to.

So now when I am about to set a lofty goal for myself, not only do I remind myself of the times it’s worked in the past, but I make the goal very important to myself. The more important, the easier it is for me to take seriously! The other important key to reaching this goal is to set a deadline for myself. When there’s a timeline to stick to, it helps me limit my excuses and get stuff done!

Another way to try to do this is to ask someone to help you. Make a deal with someone you trust a lot and pretend like you owe them a monthly payment for whatever it is you decide you want. Then pay them on a specific ‘due date’ each month and have them hold onto it for you until you’ve saved up. You’d be surprised how much money you can afford to have leftover when you basically force yourself to budget like this!

One For One

One of the newest ideas I’ve been implementing to help myself save money is to use the ‘one for one’ rule when it comes to shopping for certain things. Clothing, purses, shoes, etc. are a women’s best friend and also her worst nightmare. We can feel like we have nothing to wear when we have a closet full of clean clothes. We can have a purse or a pair of shoes for each day of the week. And jewelry, I mean c’mon. I have stuff I still haven’t even worn out yet.

But that’s what got me thinking! If I have jewelry I haven’t even worn yet, and clothes that I don’t even remember the last time were used, why would I need to buy anything else? Well, because I’m a woman who never has anything to wear in a closet full of clothes, right? Just kidding! I also have fallen into the trap of having to have something I set my eyes on and can’t live without. But I’m slowly breaking free from that trap!

So my new idea is if I’m going to buy a clothing item, or a purse, or a pair of shoes, (or you name it) then I need to be willing to give up one I already have. Whether it’s one I haven’t worn in a while, have ‘grown’ out of, whatever! One-for-one is my new motto and it really helps put me into perspective when I’m at the store and my eyes want to do the shopping. I’ll ask myself, “What am I willing to give up at home to have this?” If I can think of something, I’ll buy it and give up the other thing. If not, I move on!

It’s All About The Washingtons

Whether one or all of these tips help you or even just inspire you to create your own money-saving hacks, it really will change your life! Like I said, it’s not about trying to get more money, it’s about trying to get the money you do have to work in more ways that are better for you! And if more money is what you want, that’s fine too! In the end, it’s about finding ways to make your money work for you, whatever that is!

If you do have any of your own money-saving tips, share ’em in the comments below! You never know, you could help change someone’s life! And if you’re looking for home-saving hacks, check out ETM’s blog here. It’ll help you save money in other ways!

Thank you so very much for being a part of ETM’s community of Mommas! We encourage you to join discussions, interact with Mommas alike, and be unapologetically yourself! Until next time, I hope I’m able to help make your life as simple as could be. (:

With all my love, Brandolyn – Earth to Momma