Living on a budget can be the key to financial freedom, but the fact is that living on a budget is hard, it takes practice and discipline. It can be super easy just to give up when you see all the bills we all pay every month.

But today we are going to talk about Tips for Saving Money on little expenses.. not the big ones.  They are very easy to get a handle on (and can add up to a lot).

It’s easy to feel like those “small change” items don’t add up.. but they do, and very quickly. When you cut back in small ways, you will most like end up with more money in your pocket every month.

Waste Not, Want Not: Stop wasting, this is money you are throwing down the drain and you don’t need to be!

• Cook at home- You can save money by cooking at home, but USE THE LEFTOVERS!! You can freeze many dishes for anther time (then they don’t feel like leftovers, you are freezer cooking instead!) Or eat dinner leftovers for lunch the following day. I even love leftovers for breakfast, but I’m weird.
• Don’t let money go out the window (almost LITERALLY!).  Add insulation to your walls if your home is not well insulated, poor insulation costs you a lot in home heating and cooling. This will pay for itself quickly. Then check if you could use weatherstripping around windows and doors if they are drafty.
• Bright Ideas for saving money- Switch to energy efficient appliances and light bulbs. Make sure you turn lights, televisions, computers and other devices off when they are not in use. Open blinds to take advantage of the sun’s light during the day in winter. Then close them in the summer to keep the cool air in as long a possible.

Do It Yourself-1st off I want to preface this.  Some of the BEST advice I ever read was to STOP doing it yourself IF you could make MORE money by not doing it yourself.  If you can earn $20 while you pay someone $10 to clean your home or do a project then it is better to hire out.  But if it is out of laziness that you hire out you are spending money unnecessarily. Even apply this principle to little things like buying coffee instead of making your own.

• Make your own Joe- It;’s easy to buy a coffee or drink on the way to work in the morning. But the problem is  that this can really add up over time. Try making your own coffee with your coffee maker, or buy soda in 2-liter bottles or even cans and pour some into a cup to take with you. Then start taking a lunch (how about using the leftovers from above).

• Let go of the maid (lol..I WISH!!)- We may not be able to take care of ALL the repairs and maintenance, but many things we can. Try to  change your own oil instead of paying someone else to do it. Paint your own walls or throw a painting party and invite family (and serve them lunch) instead of hiring a painter. Mow your own lawn.

Try it for a bit.  I recommend making a daily list of all the “small stuff” that you are paying for that you could do yourself.  Add it up at the end of the week, then think about the monthly and yearly savings for eliminating those things.  My guess is the savings is more than you might think!

Tips for Saving Money

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Who’s ready to do some Spring Cleaning??

If it were up to me.. I would rather someone ELSE might do mine.  But that’s not going to happen, so how about a Spring Cleaning Checklist to help out?

Better than nothin’   Don’t forget you can also print out our Monthly Cleaning Schedule, too.

There are also some interesting Spring Cleaning Apps and Books on Amazon to help get you motivated.

You may use this printable for any personal use you like, but you may not sell it or distribute it.  You may also link back to this post to have people download it. But please link to the post.. not the pdf.

To Download:

1. Click here and it should come up as a pdf.. If you don’t have Adobe Acrobat (its free), just download it.
2. Save to your computer
3. Open the file and send to your printer

I can not send files to your email, you need to download it here.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

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I have 2 more Stress Management Techniques for Moms. if you haven’t seen them yet check out tips 1&2 ,  3&4  and 5 and 6 if you like!!)

Stress Management Techniques for Moms #7: Hang out with your friends

How long has it been since you have been out with the girls?  As moms we can sometimes isolate ourselves from those we loved to hang out with before we became mothers.  We simply get so wrapped up in our busy schedules.  We need to reconnect because having someone who understands how we feel, to talk with or just to have fun with is fabulous respite.

You need to keep in touch and see your girlfriend on a regular basis. You may not be able to even get out of the house.. but that is OK, invite your friend over for coffee while your child naps. Time with other adults is super important.. we can’t just talk about Barney all day without going crazy

Stress Management Techniques for Moms #8: Exchange Babysitting

If you’re always saying you never get out because you can’t afford a babysitter, you need to stop making that excuse.. There has to be someone in your life who also needs a break but can’t afford to have someone to care for the children on a regular basis. Give this person a call and exchange babysitting services this way you both get the break you need with out spending a dime.

Think of all the things you can do if you get a babysitter occasionally.  You could: go on a date, take a class or just run a few errands!

Sometimes it just takes a bit of letting go in order to get what we need.

Stress Management Techniques

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