Happy Healthy Families

Here is an idea that I read in a magazine quite a while ago, but it made such an impression on me that I have used it many times.

Each week make a budget for the week by using an envelope for each area of spending you'll be doing. For example, you would have an envelope for bills, one for grocery shopping, and an envelope for savings. Just make sure you have an envelope for every category you can think of (school supplies, entertainment, cleaners, pet supplies, etc..)

Make a detailed list of amounts/items you will be buying/spending, and put that amount o money in the appropriate envelope. For mortgages/rents, you may want to divide the full amount into 4 payments, and each week add that amount to the envelope so at the end of the month you will have the full amount. Same with monthly utility/phone bills.

If you have money left over, put it in the savings envelope, and SAVE IT--do not spend it! At the end of the month, deposit that savings in a bank account.

When you go to the grocery store during the week, only use the money you have budgeted in your grocery shopping envelope. And make it challenging by trying to not spend the entire amount. Use coupons and recipe stretchers to try and save even a dollar or two from your grocery budget and place that money into the savings envelope.

If you plan everything out and have the needed money set aside for each area of your spending, it will make you feel better, plus it can help you see where you can maybe cut corners and save a bit more, and also decide if some purchases/spending just needs to be canceled for a while.

Give this technique a try and see if it helps with saving money in your house!