Ooooohhh I LOVE saving money
). I'm weird like that. First of all you need to make a plan of your goals and how much you will need for them. Then figure out how much you will want to save every month. As soon as you get paid, pay YOURSELF FIRST. Then pay your bills. Last, I keep a few hundred in "petty cash" for groceries, gas, and whatever. IF there is any extra I put the money towards any debts that I have.
-Go to aldies (sp?) Save-A-LOT, or other discount food stores BEFORE you go to your regular store for food. You will be surprised how much they have that is the same. I don't like buying their fruits or veggies, so I go to the real stores for that. But the boxed food, some soda, and frozen foods are cheap there. Bread, milk, and eggs are almost half the price!
-Shop the dollar store to see if they have what you want.
-Buy clothes ONLY when they're on sale.
-Try to LIMIT your wal-mart shopping and make a list when you do go.
-Don't buy books, get them second hand or borrow them.
-Don't buy magazines or newspapers, read the stuff for free on the internet.
-Rent movies (netflix) instead of buying dvds.
-Buy gifts ONLY on holidays or birthdays. Better yet, try to make homemade gifts and cards.
-Only buy the kids big toys on a holiday or birthday.
-Eat out ONLY ONCE a week. This makes it more special when you DO go out as a family. IF you find that you HAVE to get a fast food bite, use the dollar menu.
-Don't buy yourself nice gifts just whenever. Tell your hubby to buy it for you for the next holiday. This will make things easier for him too! It might SEEM like it's a long wait but think about it... Birthday, Vday, Anniversary, Christmas.... This will also make you APPRECIATE the gift more.
-Women have a hard time with this one... DO NOT spend TOO MUCH on gifts for other people if you can't afford it. The THOUGHT is really what matters.
-Try to slow down or stop smoking, buying soda, drinking coffee, and eating out. Find cheaper and healthier alternatives.
I have more, but that's all for now!