3 Good Practices Leading to Financial Security on a Tight Budget
Have your finances shrunk recently due to the global pandemic? Heads up – many people are dealing with the same situation at the moment. Living on a tighter budget can be easier than you think if only you use these simple hacks.
The temporary crises are something you can never really prepare for. However, there is one universal solution that can give you a sense of financial security – savings. The process of collecting them should be adjusted to your earnings and lifestyle. In fact, the most effective way to collect a substantial amount is not by heavily limiting your consumption of services and goods but rather saving without really thinking about it. Otherwise, you may risk a so-called financial yo-yo effect. How to save painlessly? In every bank app, you can set a monthly amount, which will be automatically put on the savings account. We guarantee that you won’t even realize that any sum has disappeared from the current one.
However, the time of saving should be when your financial liquidity is top-notch. What about moments of home budget instability? There are some simple ways to limit your everyday expenses without really feeling it.
#1 Think over your shopping habits
We know – everybody loves their avocado on toast together with Japanese kombucha. But maybe having some tomato from a local greenhouse and herbal tea is not that bad either? What we’re trying to say, is that nowadays our consumer choices are often quite reckless. As clients of grocery stores, we are used to having all the products from all over the world within our reach. We don’t have to worry about the seasons and origins, selecting from a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods all year round. It turns out, however, that eating seasonally and locally can not only be the relief for the environment but also for your own wallet. It’s simple – you limit the carbon print and your spendings at the same time! Of course – at times, the sweet potato from Ecuador will cost less than the local one. But it’s rather an exception to the rule. Adjusting your groceries to the seasons can be a great way to save.
#2 Hunt for bargains
Hunting for attractive offers and sales doesn’t have to be time-consuming and boring. You probably associate it with getting through promotional newsletters – we guessed, didn’t we? There’s a way to check the best deals fast and compare them easily, which can result in a perfect bargain shopping plan. It’s a weekly ads website that collects the most attractive offers from various stores. Use it to plan your groceries wisely!
#3 Marie-Kondo your space and earn on it
The benefits of organizing your things are numerous. The only thing you lose is stuff you haven’t been using. What do you gain? Few square meters of free space, inner calm, the refreshing order, and various items to sell. Most of them won’t be worth much – but putting this cash together can result with quite a nice sum. Find the new owners for them through advertising portals. The sense of spaciousness and new possibilities that you’ll possibly gain with some thorough cleaning is priceless! Not even mentioning that in the moment of crises, it may also serve as a symbolical beginning, a fresh entry to the new times.
These are just a few tips on how to rethink your consumer practices during times of financial insecurity. Many “limitations” can be seen as possibilities if only you give our tips a chance. Remember – the secret of financial security is good planning. Following this rule, you won’t have to worry about finances even during the most uncertain times.
Photo | Shutterstock
Contributed posts are advertisements written by third parties who have paid Woman Around Town for publication.