Turning $3 Into $100

  

Have you ever gone into the store to pick up a gallon of milk and come out with $100 worth of stuff?  This happens on a daily basis to many. Then all of sudden you look up and have no money left in your budget and it is only the 20th of the month. Here are some steps you can take to prevent this from happening so that you will be able stick to your budget and have money left over every month. 

1. Plan your menus – Before you go to the store, make sure you sit down and plan out your menus for each day you are buying for – i.e. if you buy groceries twice a month, then plan your menu for 2 weeks. And remember when you are planning that you don’t have to eat like kings and queens evey day of the week. In order to save money, we eat sandwiches, leftovers, breakfast, etc. several days a week. Also, pick at least one week a month to be “pantry week” where your menus are based on what you already have in the pantry, fridge, and freezer. This saves on waste and saves money. 
2. Make a list – After you plan your menus, make a list and stick to it. This will help you not to just roam aimlessly about in the store. This will also save money because you can add items on your list that are on sale in the circular and take advantage of sales. 
3. Use cash – it is so easy to just swipe and go, but doing so will make you go over budget every month. $5 a week over budget is over $250 a year. It adds up quickly. Also using cash will help you only get milk when you run into the store. We pay much more attention to our money when we touch it than when we swipe. 

Budgets are not fun but are necessary for building wealth. Sticking to them can be challenging especially in the food category because food is a need. Using the steps above and others like not going when you are hungry will help you stick to your budget and not overspend by $97.