One of my 2018 resolutions is to manage my finances better, so I’ve decided to take baby steps towards achieving that and here are the few steps I am taking:
- Carrying packed lunch – We have microwaves on every floor in the office and we have a very well equipped kitchen where we can warm our food, so I always carry packed lunch to minimise buying sandwiches which could easily be €5 each and by 5 working days, that’s €25 per week and €100 per month on lunch alone. I also buy bread, cheese and ham sometimes me and keep them in the fridge in my office just in case I forget lunch then I can make my own sandwich.
- Cable Tv Subscription – I cancelled my cable TV subscription when I realised how much I was spending every month on very few TV channels and opted for NETFLIX which is less than €10 per month compared to the €59 I was paying monthly.
- Couponing – My supermarket always gives coupons with every purchase and before, I would throw them in the bin because I was shy to use them, but now I make very good use of them. I keep them in my purse and when I go shopping I choose the ones I need for that day.
- Buying on promotion or during sales – The beauty shop where I buy my beauty products has a special promotion every month where I can buy at least two or three products on half price or two for one then on top of that, they have little promotional gifts like nail polish, mascara, facial wipes, make up remover, hand cream etc, so I make a shopping list of what I need and I wait until I receive the promotional voucher then I do my purchase. We also have sales in January and July, so I make a list of things I need to buy and buy during the sales when I can buy for half the price or up to 70% off.
- Styling my own hair – I learnt how to plait hair on my late mum’s and my sisters’ hair. That skill has come in handy since living in Belgium. Having your hair done in Belgium is very expensive and on top of that, they hardly style your hair the way you want, so over the years, I learnt how to style my own hair. Its saves me hours spent in a salon because there’s always a queue and the money to have it done.
- Making my own hair products – Since going natural, not only have I learnt how to style my own hair, I’ve also learnt how to make my own DIY hair products that I use to save money. I buy raw shea butter and oils of my choice and whip up my own hair butters and moisturizers.
- DIY for sale – I recently took up knitting again which I learnt when I was a little girl when I knitted stuff for my dolls. I now knit scarves, hoodies and anything my friends requests and I sell them.
- Buying only what I need – When I moved to Belgium and discovered the January and July sales, I went crazy! I would just get up and go shopping even if I didn’t need anything in particular, now I make a list of things I really need and even when I go shopping, I stick to my shopping list though occasionally I would add one or two things not on the list but I have really improved on impulse shopping
- Home gym – I personally prefer working out at home in the comfort of my own home or go for a run when the weather permits than go to the gym because I don’t like being stared at by men as I work out and gym subscriptions are also expensive.
- Drinking water – I’ve always been paranoid about tap water, so I’ve always bought bottled water. Recently, a friend gifted me with a water filter and I am using it instead of always buying bottled water.
- Piggy Bank – Every time I go shopping and I get change in coins, the €1 & €2 coins go in a piggy bank and I plan to take them out at the end of the year and see how much I save.
- Second hand & Charity shops – Second hand and charity shops aren’t only for poor people, they are best places to buy good quality clothes shoes and accessories for less. I am glad I live in a an area where there is one at almost every corner of the street and I just love shopping from their sometimes. One day, a friend came by with a beautiful leather handbag, I asked her where she bought it from and she showed me the charity shop where she bought it from. I am yet to go there but I’ve seen it and they have great stuff.
- Eating out less – I have quiet good number of friends and sometimes we go out for a drink or for a bit but I know I can’t afford eating out every time, so sometimes I cook and invite my friends over for a meal while we catch up on what’s going on in our lives. Of course I make an exception on special occasions, I have to live a little too ;-).
- Budgeting – Budgeting has really helped me stick to buying only what I need. I don’t go on shopping sprees like I used to before, I only buy what’s on my budget but I occasionally treat myself to something nice. It’s allowed ;-).
Et Voila!
What simple steps are you taking to save money this year? Any suggestions I can add to the list?
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and you find it helpful.
Thanks for dropping by!
Dee xxx
These are such good advice! So happy to have stumbled across it. Thanks!
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Oh I am glad you find them helpful. Thank for reading.
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Very helpful saving tips! I recently switched to Hulu for tv instead of cable & have saved a lot! I encourage my fiancé to bring his lunch to work to save on money too!
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I am glad you find them helpful. Its amazing how simple changes can make a big difference. Thank you for reading the post, I appreciate it
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We also canceled our TV channels! We found Netflix was more than enough. And A piggy bank is a great idea:)
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I love NETFLIX and it is more than enough. A piggy bank is a great idea for a rainy day ;-). Thanks for making time to read the post
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I love this! I have been struggling for so long😅 I have tried to write them in my planner since I lol Kay it so often. The piggy bank is great! I got an elephant one a few years back its been helpful to find one you love feeding haha!
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Lol. Yeah. I’ve been struggling to save money so I had to come with baby steps to help me focus
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I’m still working on each step haha
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Good on you! 😉
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I do so many of these too! As a tip coconut oil on the tips of your hair before washing for about 30mins, leaves it so soft! I also use lots of lentil and beans and seasonal veggies in my cooking. If you can eat mainly veggie you certainly save a heap of money.
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Oh great tip on the lentil and beans…I love beans too, I cook it quite a bit and I use coconut oil as my pre-poo occasionally, I love it and I love the smell :-). Thanks for the tips
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Great post, some good money saving tips. I love Netflix, so much to watch, who needs cable?? Couponing is fun – kinda get a buzz when you use them and save.
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Oh yeah! Since Netflix, I really don’t see the need for cable tv. I am loving couponing too 🙂
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My husband and I just started meal prepping our lunches and it has saved us a TON of money. It’s crazy how much you spend going out to eat and you don’t even realize it! I also plan on starting my own Etsy shop in the future and think this will be so fun and help out with money! 🙂
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Yeah, eating out takes up most the money and we don’t even realise it. I am also thinking of putting my knitting on Etsy ☺
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That would be awesome! Do it!
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Will do! Thank you so much!
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Great hints. I do a weekly menu and make a grocery list off of it and I am a flyer shopper — it has saved me money. I am also being very mindful of my purchases and am trying to use up what I have before buying more.
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I also make sure I use up what I have before buying more, I don’t like throwing away food because I know how it feels to go to bed hungry
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Great tips Dee! I’ve also started buying more second hand stuff. I too, collect supermarket coupons, and with lil’ man fully potty trained now, I am so glad I’ll be saving on diapers. Another useful tip I started recently was to buy in bulk whenever I see a promo, especially on household goods like cleaning products etc.
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Thanks Tuts! I am sure not buying diapers will make a very big difference for you because they are just too expensive. Great tip on bulky buying…its a great idea for families
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I am ALL about saving money!! Great tips here, thanks for sharing! I definitely need to pack my lunch a little more and eat out a little less!
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Thanks Brittney! You will save A lot on packed lunch and eating at home
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Lots of great ideas! We canceled cable years ago and have never missed it.
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Its amazing how you can feel like you can’t live without cable TV when actually you can lol
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Great advice and tips! I already do a majority of these things to try and save money, but I got some inspiration from others I did not think of doing! I’ll have to implement some of these money saving ideas.
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Oh really? That’s great! I am glad you are inspired to do more. Thank you for reading the post
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Some really good tips here. You know it doesn’t take much to save money. It’s about being mindful of your dollar and not throwing it away mindlessly. I hate to say I used to buy bottled water every day and carry it around with me. Not only was this a detriment to my wallet but it was also harmful to the environment. I also cancelled my cable subscription and started cutting, styling and making my own beauty products. As a blogger, I receive free products for review so that helps too.
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Thanks Angela. Every little helps indeed! I should also start reviewing beauty products today…I love free things lol
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Yes! I am currently saving for a trip and these are great tips. I currently do some of your tips other ideas I’m going to start doing
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Oh that’s great! I am also saving for a trip and a project
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I need to learn couponing!
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You should. Its quite easy and you will serve a bit of money
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Wow! You’ve implemented a lot of great ideas – a few I hadn’t even thought of, like keeping lunch supplies at work for when my brain doesn’t work in the morning and I forget 🙂 – Not drinking bottled water is huge!! Both for your pocket book and our precious planet – and depending on where you live, there are probably more regulations about your tap water than the bottled water anyway! Couponing is the one that I can seem to get myself going with – I NEVER have them when I need them -ugh 😉
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To be honest, everything else is easy but drinking tap water is still a challenge 🙉🙊
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Awesome! I especially loved your diy hair products and selling things you have made yourself. You have inspired me to come up with a list of money saving ideas. I think by writing the ideas down they will become more of a focus in my life. Thanks so much! ❤️
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You are very welcome. I am glad you found the post helpful. Thanks for reading
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Thank you so much for the tips! I’ve been trying to cut down on tons of stuff as well! I also love second hand stores! They’re the best! Great post!
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You are welcome! Thank you so much for making time to read my post. I am glad you like it
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Great tips! I pretty much do all of these things. As a blogger, I get a lot of free stuff so this has saved me alot on hair cair, skin care and even food!
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Oh that’s great Angela! Good on you! How wish I could some free stuff too lol
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