Budget planning: Money saving tips to help your budget

In today's economy we strive every day to live comfortably and in some cases, it is a struggle just to put food on the table. How frustrating is it to work hard, pay the bills, and have barely enough money left to feed your family? for this reason I have spent the last three years searching for any way possible to save more money. There are many ways to improve your monthly budget. These include household tweaks, smart grocery shopping, the re-use and recycle strategy and above all, planning ahead.

Some simple changes in routine around the house can save you dollars per day, especially in energy costs. One of the biggest efforts should be put towards that thermostat. Does it really have to be as cold as the fridge in your livingroom, in the middle of july?? Do we need to roast in the middle of january?? I think not. If you keep it a bit warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter, your power bill can start to deflate. Now this may start a war of temperature in your house between you and your spouse, as it has for me now and then. But both of you will be happy when the bills come in low. Another suggestion to keep the heat in during the winter months is to cover your windows with plastic. This can be found at any Lowes or Home Depot, and if you have a blow dryer it is a cinch! Also, keep your closet and pantry doors closed, there is no need to heat/cool them too. In addition, it is wise to keep your appliances that are not being used, unplugged. This may also cause a war between you and your loved ones when they go to use the toaster to make breakfast or turn a lamp on to see properly. But again, all will profit from a little extra effort in these areas. Some other suggestions include using power strips for your entertainment areas and turning them off when not in use, trying to wash clothes more in cold water rather than warm, and the good ole turn the lights off when you leave the room!

The first thing I do just before payday is to make a list of two weeks worth of meals that are budget friendly. It is helpful to google the words "budget friendly meals" and click on any suggested website that looks appetizing to you. I also frequent, www.allrecipes.com, to sort through the best ideas. When the meals list is prepared the heavy task of grocery list writing is inevitable. First go through your kitchen and see what is needed to make these "good eats" and find out what you need, which in my case is usually everything. Then it is coupon cutting time!Get two local weekend papers to get twice the savings and scour for any and all discounts that will benefit your food list. It is also wise to call your local grocery store to find out when they have double coupon day. These days are fun when they line up with your shopping trips! There are also some great coupon websites for those who would rather skip the scissor mess. My favorites include www.couponbug.com, www.couponmom.com and www.couponcabin.com. That way you can click and print hassle free discounts. When you are ready to venture to the store, take along a calculator in order to track what you are spending as you throw your goodies into the cart. This will also inhibit you from spending more on those unnecessary items that are not on your list. As you shop, look for the specials and buy multiples if it is an item your family uses a lot of. For instance when I find a special on cereal, and I also include the coupon, I buy as much as I can afford for that trip because we go through cereal quickly. The first store I like to go to is the Dollar Tree or Dollar General. That is the best place to buy your cleaning supplies. They are much cheaper! Get what you need at these stores first and cross those items off your list before you go to your main grocery store. One of the best money saving ideas for those of you who hate coupons is to try out the generic. Most of the time they are just as good as the name brand and save you tons of money. In my experience Walmart has the best quality generic products.

After the home and grocery routine has been revised it is time to tackle your everyday living items and needs. For men, buy home hair clippers. Get the good kind for about $30, and have your spouse help you cut your hair. It is SO easy and quick. Most of all you will save tons of money on countless haircuts. For women, try color at home kits. My favorite are the highlights kits of your favorite brand name. They are super easy and there is no real way to go wrong when you follow the directions and scatter your flattering lighted locks. It is a no brain-er when a professional coloring is $ 50 or more and a box from the store is only $7. If you have children cut their hair yourself. Little girls can be given a simple trim and/or bang and those little men can get their hair cut with daddy's clippers.

As for clothing. Children can use hand-me-downs from siblings, family, and friends. And as they grow out of them and are no longer needed in the home, take them to the consignment to make some extra cash or to trade in for newer outfits for the upcoming seasons. For us adults, try looking for simple fashions in local department stores or consignment shops. Pair plain shirts with nice accessories, or old jeans with nice boots etc.

A few more ideas...

• Reuse your plastic grocery bags for trash bin liners, lunch bag or cleaning up your pets poo.
• Close the blinds during the day in the summer to keep the heat out. Open the blinds in the winter to let the light heat up your home. This will help your air and heat work better. Another thing we do to help, is close your returns up top in winter to keep the warm air in, and close ones on bottom in summer. Our heat pump installer informed us of this when we moved in.
• If you live paycheck to paycheck, juggle those bills. shop around for a no interest credit card to transfer your balances to. try to keep only one credit card in use, if you have to use a credit card at all. Shop around for the lowest interest rates.
• One of the biggest helps for us is our tax refund. when it comes in, we pay our car insurance for the year in full and pay off any balance on our credit card. This will eliminate one or even two of your monthly bills.
• Buy your meats in bulk and freeze them into useable portions.  An added benefit to this, freezing meat for at least 24 hrs. kills any possible bacteria.
• Reuse your dryer sheets.  Most times they can be used at least twice before their scent and fibers become weak.
• Be disciplined! its hard , I struggle with it every month but it can pay off down the road.

As I run across any more tricks tips and other useful ideas I will add and update. Good luck and happy saving!!