Money Wasting Habits!
Challenge yourself to stop one money wasting habit each month, and soon you'll be saving nearly $400 a month!
I've kept each challenge simple and “bite-sized”, and you've got a month to master it! There are so many ways to save money, but focus on just one money wasting habit at a time.
Stop Paying Full Price for Groceries
This month, really pay attention to everything you pick up in the grocery. Look at the price per unit…it's the tiny little print on the shelf tag! Always look for a cheaper alternative…could you buy a different brand that's on sale, could you find a coupon or could you buy the store brand instead? Simply switching to store brands will cut your grocery bill by about 25%!
Stop Paying Full Price for Just About Everything
Get in the habit of buying discounted gift cards for your upcoming purchases. Buy Discounted Gift Cards For Up To 30% Off at Cardpool.com!. The inventory of discounted gift cards changes daily, and they take about 1 week to arrive in the mail. My wallet always has discounted gift cards to Home Depot, Office Depot, Petsmart and Target…these are stores that I regularly shop, so I might as well save a little money! Discounted gift cards offer no-brainer instant savings. Even better, nobody will know that you didn't pay full price!
Ditch the Drive-Thru
Starting today, eliminate the drive-thru! That's right…no Starbuck's, no stopping for a quick drink, no fast food breakfast, no quick snacks on the way home. Every time you get the urge to “do the drive-thru”, put that money in a jar. I think you'll be surprised how much you have by the end of the month! Let's do the math, if you eliminate your daily $4 run to Starbucks…that's $28 a week, $120 a month, $1440 a year! Now, add to that your daily fast food run, and we're talking about some serious money over the course of the year! Why don't you try making The Budget Diet's Starbuck's Copycat Iced Latte Recipe, and use the money you save to buy new living room furniture?
Eliminate Bottled Water
Do your children take bottled water everyday in their lunchbox? Do they come home and grab another bottle of water to take to sports practice? Do they sit in front of the TV with bottled water when you have perfectly good tap water? If you're buying a case of bottled water a week, that's about $5 a week, $20 a month and $240 a year! Save the money, save the earth and save yourself from hauling another case of bottled water!
Don't shop online without finding coupon codes and cash back!
Stop Impulse Purchases
Before you make a purchase, ask yourself one simple question…is it a want or a need? If it's a “want,” make yourself wait at least one day before purchasing because once you get home you may realize that you really didn't want the item. While you're waiting, do some research to make sure you're getting the best deal.
Don't pay full price for fun!
, and discover huge savings on fun things to do in your town along with ridiculously good deals on gifts and getaways! I recently purchased a round of golf for 66% off.
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Image(s) courtesy of: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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In full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links to help support The Budget Diet girl!
