Being broke is never a nice place to be. Yet more and more people are finding themselves running low on money before their next pay check. Sometimes people find that their money is just disappearing before their eyes. They are left wondering where it is going so fast. When your broke you need to stop spending money on the luxuries in life and save your money.
1 ~ Beauty Treatments
If you are running down to the local beauty salon to get your regular beauty treatment then stop. When your broke you main focus should be keeping the roof over your head, the bills paid and food on your plate. Do not waste your money on beauty treatments that will only make you happy until it comes time to pay the bill.
2 ~ Water
Bottled water can be bought from almost every shop or café. It is a convenient purchase to make when you are on the go and don’t want to buy something unhealthy. As convenient as it may be I have stopped buying bottled water. It cost more than a bottle of soft drink and it is ready available for practically nothing at your own home. So why do you really need to buy it when you can save so much money just filling a drink bottle at home and refilling it when you run out. Tap water isn’t any different from the water in those bottles not matter what the label say. It is all drinkable to stop wasting money on something you have already.
3 ~ Magazines or Books
Magazines and books are a waste of money if you have a library in your town. Same yourself the hassle of finding space to store your book collection by borrowing it instead of buying it. Magazines are the killer of all broke people. You pay for it then you read everything in the next twenty minutes and them you complete forget about it until recycling day. If your broke and living on a tight budget then don’t bother.
4 ~ Music or Movies
Music and movies are really expensive items to buy when you are broke. You don’t need to buy them. You have radio stations available to listen to for free. Don’t forget YouTube is only one click away. Or you can borrow movies of friends and family if you ask them nicely. If you are struggling than saving money on entertainment like music and movies is a good place start seeing money back in your pocket. You can live without it.
5 ~ Toys
Children are budget breakers in disguise. Do not take them anywhere near a toy store because if you are not strong-willed, they will break you. When you are broke you need to think do I really need to buy my daughter a doll, she has five of these already. If this sound familiar then stop buying toys. If your kids have a box full of toys then don’t buy anymore. The more toys you buy them the more mess they can make in your house. Most likely for you to clean up. Do not feel bad if you don’t buy your kids the toys they want. They are going to be just as happy if you sit down and play games with them then getting a new toy every time you take them shopping.
6 ~ Takeaway
Everyone knows it. Eating takeaway is an expensive habit no matter who you are. I could easily spend roughly upwards of $40 to feed my family just one meal for one night. Or I could go to the supermarket and spend that on three days worth of food. It might be handy when you can’t be bothered, running late or just forgot but is it really. When money is tight, takeaway is off the menu until further notice. It is a big budget buster and I would rather save as much money as possible.
7 ~ New furniture
I am a sucker for the smell of new furniture. There is nothing like unwrapping a newly bought furniture item. unfortunately new is expensive and expensive is not a good thing when your broke. Second hand items are the way to go if you know what you are looking for and when to look for it.
8 ~ Brand Name Clothes
Brand Name clothing is a luxury when you are budgeting. But when your broke Brand Names are a huge no-no. If you have a wardrobe full of clothes then you really don’t need any more clothes. Being broke means making do with what you have and forgetting about what you don’t have. Do not even bother checking out the catalogues that arrive in your mail box. Be happy with what you do have and forget about keeping up appearances.
9 ~ Junk Food
It may be a hard thing to get around when you need a sweet fix. The chocolate and ice cream are meant to be a women’s best friend when she is struggling. But they are just so expensive and you are going to thank yourself in the long run when you don’t buy the junk food.
10 ~ New Phone
New phones are being released all the time. Its hard not to want the best technology to keep your life together. When you have little money the last thing you want to be thinking about is buying a new phone. Unless your current phone is damaged beyond usability, don’t worry about a new phone. Even then don’t buy a new phone, there is nothing wrong with buying a second hand one. You are better off use the one you have until it dies. It may last longer then you think.
When you are broke finding money to get by is the most important thing. The list above is a list of luxuries that you don’t really need when you find yourself short on cash. Every dollar you can keep in your pocket is a dollar that you are better off in the future.
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