Many of us are struggling with bills now-a-days and unfortunately it doesn’t feel like there’s a lot we can do about it. The situation is out of our control, many of us are losing jobs and we’re feeling powerless about what is happening.
But while there are a lot of things that really suck right now and the struggle can make us feel like we’re spiraling out of control, this can also be seen as an opportunity. I happen to be a glass-half-full kinda gal, and I really do think we have an opportunity here to help us make better impactful financial decisions.
So here are a few things that I’m doing to help cut down on my spending:
Being Careful About Shopping
I’ll be honest, I’m not a big spender. Even when times are really good, I am still super careful about everything that I spend my money on. But during this time of increased financial turmoil, I am extra careful about what I’m spending my money on. I make lists for the grocery store, set budgets and don’t get anything I really don’t need.
Being super careful about money can really suck, but at the end of the day it makes me feel way better about where I stand financially. If you’re struggling during this time, take a careful look at what you’re spending your money on and set out specific daily and weekly budgets when you do need to spend money.
Going Through My Credit Cards
Your credit cards have a lot more information about you and your habits than you think they do. One of the first things I did was go through my credit cards to see what I was spending my money on and where I could make cuts.
Your credit card is bound to have a number of regularly renewing subscriptions that you aren’t even aware you have, and things that you didn’t realize you bought. Make sure to go through your credit card with a fine-toothed comb and make sure that everything purchased is necessary and you don’t have any subscriptions you don’t know about.
Checking Out Local Relief
This is both cutting expenses and getting more money. Check out and see what kind of relief you have access to. Do you qualify for a lump sum of money or are there bills you can put off for the time being—where I’m from we’re allowed to postpone our utility payments for a few months while everything gets back on track.
See if there’s anything like that that would help you out in the interim. Taking advantage of the local relief that you can access can seriously help you in the short term while you figure out your finances. There’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of this.
How are you cutting your expenses? Share your tips below!
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Tae started out as a journalist before following the money into the corporate world. But it turns out that the grass isn’t always greener and now you can find her spending most of her time writing about all the things she loves. Namely, money, travel and business with a hefty dose of self-deprecating humor. She is a podcast fanatic, blogging aficionado and loves to find new ways to turn passions into cold hard cash!