2017 is going to be a big year for us. And we have big plans. We just signed on a house. I am so excited and I love everything about the house. Except the fact that, well, it needs a total reno. We have to totally gut it and rebuild it before we can live in it. That means I need to pay my current rent, the loan on the house, and pay for renovations. That means we need a very strict budget. We also need to save every single cent we can.
How to create a budget for 2017:
Categorize your expenses: Start to list the biggest categories before listing the smaller expenses.
Make 2 budget sheets: Make one list for essential spending, things like your mortgage or rent, car payment, insurance, electric. Make another list for extras. Things like ordering out, getting new furniture and repainting the living room.
Once your lists are complete, see where you can cut some of the expense. Any item that is flexible, that you can decrease, put a star next to it.
Figure out how much you spend: go through your bank records, credit cards, and receipts. Don’t leave anything out. Add the expenses into 2 lists, just like with the list of spending. Figure out which ones are mandatory, like gas and food, and which ones you can decrease, like Starbucks coffee or ordering pizza.
Once you see what you are spending, compare it to what you are bringing in. Once you have your totals, see how they compare. Do you have money extra each month? Great put it into a savings account. If you don’t see how you can either decrease your spending or bring in more money.
Another way to help your budget is to find discounts on the things that you have to buy. I use Dealspotr.com because I can find discounts and coupons for just about everything I could need. Both in store and online. Since I do most of my shopping online, this is perfect for me.
All you have to do is sign up, and then start finding deals. but also, as you come across other deals, add them to the database. By doing that, you earn points, and then you can earn Amazon gift cards. As you use deals on the site, earn more points by validating the deals so others know they work or do not work. It is really that simple. Earn more points by referring friends to help them save money too.
The coupons even work at grocery stores too!
Creating a budget is the easy part. Sticking to it is much harder. So once you make your budget, try to use sites like Dealspotr when ever you have to buy something.
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