How to save up to $230 a month!

I know I've written a couple of money posts in the past, and one here recently, but I feel compelled to write this one. It kept me awake, after my little man had already fallen back asleep, just thinking of ways to help a friend of mine out. After thinking of ways to help my friend, I thought the thought I normally think (sounds like a line out of Dr. Seuss or something) and said, 'Why don't I just make it a blog post!'

If you find yourself struggling to make ends meet at the end of the month, and never seem to be able to build very much of a savings, here are some questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Do I have Direct TV, Cable, Satellite (whatever the case may be)?

Get rid of it. Please. Call the number today and cancel, don't make a deal with them unless they're willing to give it to you for free. Get an antenna and a streaming service. Just pick one streaming service though, because you'll find yourself spending just as much for it as you were spending on Cable. I recommend Netflix, but some other options are: Amazon Prime(and you get other  perks for having an Amazon membership), and Hulu. Look at each option and figure out what is best for you and your family. If you are really trying to save money, use the antenna, look for Redbox codes, and ask for certain TV series and DVDs for Christmas. 

Bam! You've saved about $60/month! (according to Cable One's Standard package. If you substitute their package for Netflix, you save $62)

2. Do you go to the store with a meal plan?

Yes, it saves a lot of money! I personally have failed this area many times, but when I get a meal plan, I save money on things like rice, pasta, certain meats, that I don't need for certain dishes if I've planned it all out. If I'm not making Thai, or Chinese that week, I know to skip the soy sauce. Once I switched to writing out a meal plan, and estimating how much each grocery item would cost, I saved about $20/week. That's $80 a month!

3. Does your day include a lot of microwave dinners, processed snacks, and canned drinks?

These pre-packaged goodies are not only unhealthy for you, but more expensive. Yes, it's more convenient for you, but you also paying for the marketing, the processing, as well as all the extra ingredients to keep its freshness. 

Instead of canned drinks for your caffeine kick, get a coffee maker. Instead of $5 a week on cans, I pay about $5 every 3 weeks on ground coffee (I do add creamer, but this is very much a preference thing)

Not a coffee person? How about sweet tea? It's even cheaper! If you'll switch to mostly water, you will save even more (and be even healthier). 

Buy snacks that you make yourself. I buy popping corn, instead of microwave bags. It's $1.18 for the Walmart brand, and I've made popcorn for my husband and me at least 10 times, and the bag is still half full. You can also buy fruit instead of boxed crackers and chips. Yes, it's again less convenient, but if you have to work to snack on something, the urge to snack may go away. I was raised on 3 meals a day...Your kids will not starve, if you don't let them snack all day. Who knows, they may not care so much what you're cooking for dinner!

If you buy coffee instead of coke, and popcorn instead of chips, you are saving at least $10-15 a week. 

If you make your own food (you can look at Pinterest for cheap and fast meals) instead of microwave dinners and frozen pizza, you can save several dollars a week. Let's keep it low, and say you save $5 doing that. You're at $20/week, $80/month.

4. Do you think more is cheaper?

Sams/Costco is an awesome place, where they sale baked beans to feed your entire family at Thanksgiving. It's sold in large quantity, so that makes it cheaper, right? Not always. Bring your calculator, and remember to calculate price per unit (lb., oz. etc.). Most of the time it's cheaper, but not always. 

5. Do you make spur of the moment purchases?

Back away from the magazine! The products at the cashier counters are there for a reason. There have been many studies to find out what people are most likely to buy on impulse. Try to have a game plan if you are someone who gets tempted by these things (my weakness is snicker bars!). Bring a bottle water with you, and sip while you wait. Or just think of how many times you go to the store, and how much you save by not buying it each week!
Not only does this apply to small purchases, but big ones. I think asking questions like 'Is this a need or a want?' 'How will I use this?' Are there cheaper alternatives?'  This can apply to your kids as well. Your kids don't need the latest new toy or a new wardrobe every time they want one (need vs. want applied here. If they had a growth spurt and suddenly can't fit into any of their clothes, it's a different story. However, if you're short on cash, garage sales and second hand stores may have to be where they find some of their 'new' wardrobe) . If they are very keen on something, tell them they have to earn it themselves.

Spur of the moment purchases are normally only a couple of dollars savings. However, $2/week ends up being $8 a month, and about $100 a year!

So if you answered yes to all of these questions, and you follow what I've suggested, you'll average about $230/month savings! Wow! Instead of thinking of ways you can spend the money you've saved, first make sure all of your important bills are paid (and look for ways to save there! Look at your thermostat, and see if you could be saving money by making your air/heat higher/lower), and you've made it through the month. See how much money you have left. Next month, put that into savings until you have your normal month's paycheck in savings. Never let your savings (unless it's an emergency: tires blow, car breaks down, ER trip, etc.) dip below that number. Next, start saving up for something you love! Perhaps a family vacation, or a what would normally be a frivolous shopping spree!

Remember, none of these suggestions will work by itself. Get your family involved and make sure it's a lifestyle change, instead of a passing fad. Don't make your finances a secret to your husband/wife, or even your kids. If your kids know how to be good stewards of money now, they are more likely to be good stewards when they have families of their own! And as always, put God first in your finances.

What are ways that you save money each month? Are you saving for something special?