Saving money

It has been a CHALLENGE, to say the least, to save money lately! With the economy, moving expenses, living in an expensive city saving money is the furthest from our minds. There are however some things we, and mostly everyone can practice in order to retain more of their money.

1. Eat out as little as you can and yes, eating out does also consist of the occasional coffee or smoothie. I now cook more at home than ever before. With all the recipes on the web  for simple and complex dinners, its fun to cook and it turns out to be much cheaper.

2.Purchase items you will definitely eat within a week. I only buy meats, fish, bread, you name it that I will consume within a week.

3. Eating healthy is expensive! HOWEVER if you 'juice' at home that can constitute as a meal. Many people are on this 'juicing' kick and combine healthy, organic foods in a blender and drink it for breakfast or maybe even lunch. If you can have juice as a substitute for an entire meal that can save you money, especially when you have leftovers for the next day's meal.

4. Eat your leftovers. I come from a home where we ate leftovers for days! I hated it! But now I know how much money it saved. Not to mention time!

5. Coupon. I am starting to clip coupons and it has been saving us money. From September to October we saved $110.00 in groceries!

6. Buy board games or fun at home activities to keep yourself entertained...at home! I love to go out, ask anyone. I'm never at home and when I am, its usually for a reason. I've noticed that whenever I leave my home, I spend money. Whether its to the movies, lounges, getting some ice cream, you name it I spend money. We brought board games such as our favorite Monopoly to entertain ourselves. We usually open up a frozen pizza and make it sorta like a date.

7. Clothing shopping has decreased ten folds and I concentrate that money on more of our vital needs like bills!

8. Get a cheap gym membership! There was a gym which had superior equipment  the personal trainers also trained celebrities and offered exercise classes of every fitness category but it was $30.00 a month, not including tax and signup fees (that was 100 bucks alone). I later found a gym for $100.00 a year! It wasn't the best equipment but lets face it. If you know how and what you want to work out, you won't need world renown gyms, all you'll need is knowledge of routines and endurance.

I'm learning more and more that getting older and wiser isn't fun. Its about growing up and making the best decisions, for yourself and your family. Saving money is vital and I hope people can use some of my tips and apply it to their lives.