“You cannot manage what you cannot measure”
(You can't manage what you can't measure)

Find the best currency exchange rate

Do not change currency according to the principle “I’ll go to the nearest exchange office” or “I’ll change it at my bank.” Find the best one exchange rate currencies, for example http://quote.rbc.ru/cash/ . The difference in the course is different banks can reach dabout a few rubles. By changing, for example, 500 dollars, you will lose 500 rubles in an exchanger, where the rate is only 1 ruble worse than in another exchanger, also located close to you.

Don't withdraw cash from your credit card

The bank charges a fine plus interest. By withdrawing 1,000 rubles from a credit card, you can pay the bank from 100 to 300 rubles, not counting the interest that the bank will charge on this amount at exorbitant rates of 25-30%. By the way, when withdrawing cash from a credit card, the interest-free grace period does not apply.

Always pay your credit card on time

Fines for late repayment payments can amount to hundreds or even thousands of rubles.

Pay yourself first!

(Text on the picture “Save money for your future”)

When receiving a salary, first pay for loans, utilities and others mandatory payments, and then to your beloved! Save at least 15% for your future goals (emergencies, big purchases, travel, education, your children's future and yours). This way, you won't spend this money on all sorts of nonsense and spontaneous purchases. Why is this important - read.

Pay off more expensive debts first

First of all, pay off debts on credit cards and consumer loans. Read more about “How to get rid of debt” in the Guide.

Refinance expensive debts with cheaper ones.

Credit card debt with interest rate at 26-30% you can refinance by taking consumer loan with a rate of 15-17%.

Use your bank's ATMs

If you do open a credit card, open a card on which you can earn miles or receive cash-back.

You will be able to use the accumulated miles to fly somewhere by plane or pay for a hotel or car. Miles are not even credited on credit money, i.e. You can pay for a large and expensive purchase (for example, furniture) with this credit card by depositing your money on it. Personally, I have flown to Europe dozens of times using miles (for free).

Transport

Replace transport with walking.

For example, you can walk from and to the metro to save on travel costs. With a fare price of 25-30 rubles, the annual savings will be 12-15,000 rubles. And it’s good for health, especially with a sedentary lifestyle!

From a personal point of view 🙂 a few years ago I sold my (dearly beloved) car and started walking, every day, in any weather! Now I walk an average of 1500 km. in year. At the same time, including because of walking, my hernia in the lumbar spine has almost completely disappeared (sorry for the personal details).

Here are 25 more ways to save on a car!!!

Health and medicine

Optimize your medication costs

Sport sport sport!!!

Regular exercise ultimately saves you a lot of money on doctors and medications, gives you powerful vitality, and helps you give up bad and costly habits. Don’t set yourself difficult and sometimes unrealistic goals, such as “lose 10 kg in a month,” “go to the gym 15 times this month,” etc. Start small, start doing exercises in the morning, drink more water and give up unhealthy drinks, start walking, set a goal to go to the gym once a week in the first month. Make each goal small and complete them. This will give you strength and inspiration, and then it will be easier for you to set and achieve greater goals.

Learn how to do a simple massage (legs, neck, back)

and do it to yourself and your partner. This is an excellent and simple skill, and it is also very pleasant and useful, including for spouses’ relationships.

Play sports for free

It is not at all necessary to go to an expensive gym and hire an expensive trainer. You can play sports for free, spreading out the activities throughout the day. Exercise in the morning, walking from one metro station to another, you can walk 1-2 bus stops, walk for 15-30 minutes after lunch, do push-ups and squats at your workplace, do pull-ups on the horizontal bar and parallel bars in your yard, cool down and stretch after a working day - each of these activities takes minutes and costs nothing. Your body and wallet will thank you!

Also read:

🔴 Sports videos from MoneyPapa!

At home

Utilities and electricity

Installing a water meter can save several thousand rubles a year. I did this repeatedly in several apartments that I owned or rented.

I know that there are families where they turn on the washing machine only at night (due to the cheaper nightly electricity tariff) and refuse an electric kettle in favor of a regular one, which heats water on the stove. And they even save a lot on this.

Sell ​​or throw away the TV!)))

One of the best tips I tried on myself! It doesn’t “consume” a lot of energy, but at the same time you and your family won’t get a narcotic dose of 100 advertisements in 4 hours, as a result of which you will save on unnecessary purchases in the future. In addition, rid yourself of the hellish news that makes it difficult to fall asleep and keeps a person in constant negativity and fear, as well as stupid shows.

Replace (gradually) conventional lamps with energy-saving lamps (ESL)

These lamps consume 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer.

We calculate: take an ordinary incandescent lamp with a power of 0.1 kW, multiply it by 1000 hours of its service life. And another 7, because... these lamps last 7-10 times less than ESL. We get 700 kW. We charge a tariff of 3 rubles per 1 kW. We get 2100 rubles. ESL with a capacity of 0.024 kW, multiplied by 7000 hours of its service and the tariff, gives 504 rubles. How do you save more than four times?! And this is only from one lamp, and in the average apartment there are at least ten of them. Total: 15,960 rubles only on light bulbs!

Sell ​​junk on free classifieds sites! Get rid of junk (for money!)

“From personal experience: in 2015 and 2016 my wife and I sold all sorts of nonsense worth more than 100,000 rubles. These are old videos, an old TV and a barely working computer, old clothes, 3-year-old sneakers, a hammer drill that was given to me 10 years ago, etc. It takes 1-2 minutes to submit an ad directly from your smartphone or computer.”

Look, my wife and I’s sales report.

Few? Here's another

At work

Take lunch to work

If not every day, then at least a couple times a week. As a rule, homemade food is healthier, tastier, better quality and much cheaper than food in public catering. By eating twice a week in the office you can save (40 weeks x 2 times x 300 rubles minus the cost of your own food) about 10-15,000 rubles per year.

Don't buy drinks during lunch

Why pay 50-100-150 rubles when you can drink water, tea or coffee in the office?! Liquid, especially cold liquid, entering the stomach along with food, diluting gastric juice, slows down the process of food absorption. Cold drinks negatively affect the intestines and also speed up digestion, quickly causing a false feeling of hunger, which is actively used by fast food chains. And drinking a glass of water before meals will help your stomach adjust to eating. Skipping your daily RUB 50 afternoon drink could save you over RUB 10,000 a year.

Drink more water

Water increases efficiency, cleanses the body, and is non-caloric. This tip is an obvious one for staying healthy, but it can also save you a lot of money. Drinks, juice, alcohol, coffee, etc. are very expensive, especially if you buy them in a cafe. Plus, many of these drinks are not healthy. Giving up your daily carbonated drink that costs 100-150 rubles will save you 20-30,000 rubles a year.

I personally submitted purchased water (which I had bought for many years in a row) and tap water that had passed through a filter for examination. As a result, tap water turned out to be better in all respects. As a result, we abandoned purchased water - saving more than 20 thousand rubles. per year (or >$300).

Family and Children

Share your plans with your family

None of your strategies will work if family members have different expectations and goals. You will have a much easier time having difficult conversations with your spouse or children if you agree on your goals first. This will prevent you from wasting money on unplanned purchases.

Learn to say “No” to your child

There are several here important points. It is important to explain why this or that desire is impossible to fulfill. It’s even better to explain how to fulfill this desire. For example, you can save up for an expensive gadget together with your child. You can also give your child the opportunity to earn money to buy it. Read how to do it correctly.

Take food and drinks with you on a trip or outing

Carry food and drinks with you when going on a long walk or trip with your family to avoid buying expensive and unhealthy food on the street, in fast foods and at gas stations. This will save time, money and health.

Don't entertain your children with trips to malls, shopping, or expensive attractions.

Pay your children pocket money for housework

There is no better way to teach children that money does not grow on trees or fall from the sky than to include earning pocket money as part of their education. Pocket money is an ideal tool for explaining the value of money and things, as well as the need for certain purchases. You don’t have to deny your child an expensive toy - let him earn it himself.

Fix it, don't change it.

Has something broken around the house, clothes torn, or something else gone wrong? Don't rush to throw it away. Very often (loved) things can be repaired and will last for years. Two examples from life:

Somehow I caught and tore (below the knee) some very cool trousers. It was impossible to repair, it would be a shame to throw it away. In the end, I made shorts out of them (in a studio for pennies) and have been wearing them on vacation for several years now :))

At the airport they tore the cover for our (large) stroller. The new case is quite expensive. I gave it to the House of Public Services near my house and for 300 rubles ($5) they repaired and strengthened it so that it was better than new.

In gym

Protein, food and drinks can be taken with you

Save a couple of hundred rubles per lesson. If you visit the gym more than 50-80 times a year, the savings will amount to tens of thousands of rubles.

Entertainment

Invite your friends over and cook dinner yourself instead of going to a restaurant

You can watch a movie at home by downloading the movie online

This will save you time as well as money on tickets, parking, popcorn, drinks and travel. Saving 500-1000 rubles per person per trip.

Watch free or low-cost events that will take place in your city on city websites/portals

These could be festivals, fairs, exhibitions, museums, concerts, public lectures, etc.

Read books!

Reading is one of the cheapest and most beneficial habits on earth. A huge number of books can be downloaded on the Internet either for free or for very little money. Reading is a great and cheap way to spend time. You will learn something new, experience many feelings, entertain yourself - and all this is almost free.

If you want to drink and have fun at a bar or club today, drink some alcohol at home

This can save several thousand rubles, considering the cost of alcohol in establishments. In addition, you will be absolutely sure of the quality of the alcohol. By the way, the taste of a drink, for example wine, can be easily improved by knowing a few secrets. Read about this in detail here:.Also, don't go to bars or clubs hungry..

Buy tickets to exhibitions, museums and attractions online

This is usually cheaper than buying tickets at the door. This method will save not only money, but also time - often a separate entrance with less queue. However, it is better to purchase theater tickets at the box office of the theater itself - saving up to 10% of the cost of tickets on commissions. (Anna B., St. Petersburg)

Telephone and Internet

Check the tariff on your mobile phone.

It often happens that the operator has long been offering its customers a more profitable tariff plan, but we continue to use the old one in the old fashioned way. From my experience, when I called the operator, I found out that I was connected to some strange paid information services, which I didn’t subscribe to and which I don’t need. Such subscriptions can imperceptibly (several rubles daily) write off several hundred rubles per month.

Use IP telephony, skype, whatsapp, etc. for international and long-distance calls.

The quality of course may be a little lower than that of a traditional or mobile phone, but you will save a huge amount of money. Personally, I have completely replaced phone calls with video or audio conversations via instant messengers!

Turn off your home phone.

If your friends, acquaintances and relatives call you on mobile phone, why pay for a landline?! Just turn it off! Saving several thousand rubles per year.

Trips

Before traveling, try to think through possible expenses in advance - make a list or use a convenient one.

Buy air tickets in advance.

When it comes to international flights, the best times vary depending on the continent. But in general, it is clear that it is better to buy tickets several months in advance.

From my own experience, I can say that half a year is optimal time– the difference in the cost of tickets purchased 6 months in advance and the same tickets purchased a month before departure can be 50 percent or more.

Fly low-cost!

See list . It is important to read airline regulations carefully. On personal experience, paid 30-40 euros for one suitcase, because... I didn’t read the airline’s rules, which limited the amount of luggage.

Use aggregator sites to buy air tickets

such as , www.kayak.com ., www.expedia.com etc., where you can select tickets by setting criteria such as departure time and flight duration, airlines, number of transfers, price restrictions, etc. On some of these sites, you can look at package offers for flight + hotel + car - savings on such orders can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

It is also profitable to book accommodation on aggregator sites

such as (hotels) and www.airbnb.com (apartments). Often, these sites offer discounts, promotions, and payment at the time of entry or exit, which is also more profitable than paying several months in advance. Booking a hotel in advance is also much more profitable. From my own experience, a difference of 6 months can save 30 to 50%. If you are afraid that the dollar or euro exchange rate will fly up and a huge amount will be withdrawn from your card, write a letter to the hotel (via ) and the hotel will withdraw the money earlier (it has successfully done this many times in person).

Avoid insurance offered by visa services, tour operators and booking sites,

if you already have travel insurance, for example, according to your credit cards or from your employer. Read all about insurance.

Taxes

Get tax deductions and save 13% on expenses

for training (regardless of the presence of an employment relationship), for the purchase of housing/land (including mortgage costs), treatment (including treatment of spouses, parents and children under 18 years of age), etc. For example, by purchasing a home, you can save up to 390,000 rubles. on income tax. You will put this money in your family's pocket.

Automobile

Give up the car.

If you have two cars in your family or you use your car once a week, get rid of the car. The cost of an average car, taking into account the cost of gasoline, repairs, parking, fines and other expenses, can easily amount to 60-100,000 or more rubles per year, per car. Use public transport, cheap taxi and walk. Again, useful, and often faster than by car.

(!) 25 more ways to save on your car.

The cost of the car should not exceed 35% of your annual household income (before taxes).

Perhaps right now, it makes sense to postpone the purchase of a new car for at least a year.

You will save on diagnostics, fuel and taxes (if you are thinking of buying a more expensive and/or powerful car), on tires, loan costs if you buy on credit, on maintenance and spare parts. By postponing your purchase, you can save up to 100,000 rubles ($1,500) this year.

Cars are a terrible investment.

Pay attention to the insurance deductible.

In the shop

Make a list of what you need to buy.

Before you go to the store, make a list of what you need to buy and follow that list. If you take children with you, before going to the store, tell them why you are going there and what you are going to buy.

More than 20 more tips (!!!) on how to save money in the store.

Don't go to grocery stores and malls hungry.

Otherwise, your hungry eyes will probably buy something you don’t need. You will also want to go to a cafe, drink coffee, etc.

Don't go shopping to treat stress or depression.

According to statistics, the joy of new things lasts only a few days, and then you are left with your depression and wasted money or debts. Find out about other habits of the poor.

Give yourself 24 hours to think about it before making a big purchase.

If during this time your desire does not change, buy it. In most cases, this technique helps avoid making spontaneous and unnecessary purchases.

Pay with cash, not cards.

According to , when we pay with cards, we spend 30 percent or more more money in stores than when we pay in cash. When paying with a card, we don’t feel like we’re parting with money. Paying in cash causes mental/psychological pain. Take cash to the store for exactly the purchases you need according to the list. This will save you from spontaneous and unnecessary purchases and reduce your monthly bill.

Switch to new Russian brands.

Are you used to popular European clothing brands? With the rise in the euro exchange rate, the purchase of luxury brands takes a heavy toll on the family budget. Time to discover the products of non-mass local designers - both original, high quality, and relatively inexpensive.

From readers:

Compare prices in online stores and buy the desired product in the store where it is cheaper

For example, on my way home from work there are 4 chain supermarkets. Eggs from the same poultry farm cost 55 rubles. for a dozen, in another 70. My favorite bread in one store is 52 rubles, in another 45. And so on. At first glance, it seems like nonsense to make 10 rubles on pasta! However, I have been doing home accounting for a long time, and in my case, the annual savings only due to the difference in prices for the same food products (i.e., one manufacturer and one brand) in 2014 amounted to about 20,000 rubles, in 2015 about 25,000 rubles.

At the same time, there is no need to spend a lot of time and effort rushing between four stores in search of profit. Today I will go to one store and buy eggs and butter there cheaper than in other stores; Tomorrow I’ll go to the second store, which has the best price for bread and milk, and so on.

So, if I buy clothes or a bag in a private store (speaking of domestic designers), I always ask for a discount, and I have never (!) been refused! They reduced the price, some by 10, and some by 40 percent, and no sidelong glances. I always bargain with travel agencies. I always bargain where anything is made to order, from birthday cakes to shoe tailoring. Recently we were doing renovations, and I negotiated a discount of 18,000 rubles when buying a kitchen.

Some people believe that saving in such ways, and saving in general, is almost beneath his dignity. Let them count. But in my opinion, paying for someone’s inflated appetites just to appear richer to oneself is a rare stupidity. 🙂

Happiness and prosperity to us all! I look forward to new articles.

(Evelina, St. Petersburg)

23 more ideas

Conclusion

The article is called “100 ideas...” that’s exactly what I collected when I wrote it for the first time. Now there are several hundred ideas in it! Now take the time and see how much your family can save for each item that applies to you, and you will get the total amount with 4-5 zeros in rubles. You can spend the saved money on things that are really important for the family - buying a home, vacation, education, sports, savings, spending time together, etc.

👋 And I wish you well-being in finances, family and in life!
Timur Mazaev was with you, aka MoneyPapa - an expert on family finances.

A family is a state in miniature: it has a head, an adviser, “ subsidized population", income and expense items. Planning, distribution and sequestration ( familiar words?) family budget is an important task. How to save and save without going on a starvation diet? – Create a table for recording funds received by the family and review the structure of payments.

• Money– one of the greatest instruments created by man. They can buy freedom, experience, entertainment and everything that makes life more comfortable. But they can be squandered, spent in an unknown direction and senselessly squandered.

Legendary American actor of the early twentieth century Will Rogers said:

“Too many people spend money on things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like.”

Has your income been less than your expenses over the past few months? Yes? Then you are not alone, but in big company. The problem is that it's not very good company. Debts, loans, penalties and late payments are growing like a snowball... it's time to jump out of the sinking boat!

Why do you need to keep a family budget?

“Money is just a tool. They will take you where you want, but will not replace you as a driver,” - Russian-born writer who emigrated to the States, Ayn Rand on own experience learned the need to plan and budget your own finances.

Unconvincing? Here three good reasons start planning family budget:

1. Calculating a family budget will help you figure out long-term goals and work in a given direction. If you drift aimlessly, throwing money at every attractive item, how will you be able to save and go on a long-awaited vacation, buy a car or make a down payment on a mortgage?
2. Family budget expenses table sheds light on spontaneous spending and forces you to reconsider your purchasing habits. Do you really need 50 pairs of black high heels? Planning a family budget forces you to set priorities and refocus on achieving your goals.
3. Illness, divorce or job loss can lead to serious financial crisis. Emergencies happen at the most inopportune times. That's why everyone needs reserve fund. The structure of the family budget necessarily includes the column “ saving“- a financial cushion that will help you stay afloat for three to six months.

How to properly distribute the family budget

Some practical rules The family budget plans that we present here can serve as a rough guide for decision-making. Everyone's situation is different and constantly changing, but the basic principles are a good starting point.

Rule 50/20/30

Elizabeth and Amelia Warren, authors of the book " All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan" (in translation " All your well-being: main money plan for life") describe a simple but effective way to create a budget.

Instead of dividing family expenses by 20 various categories, they recommend dividing the budget structure into three main components:

• 50% of income should cover basic expenses, such as paying housing, taxes and buying groceries;
• 30% – optional expenses: entertainment, going to a cafe, cinema, etc.;
• 20% goes to pay off loans and debts, and is also set aside as a reserve.

80/20 rule

Step 2: determine the income and expenses of the family budget

It's time to look at the structure of the family budget. Start by making a list of all sources of income: wages, alimony, pensions, part-time jobs and other options for bringing money into the family.

Expenses include everything you spend money on.

Divide your expenses into fixed and variable payments. Fill in the fields for variable and fixed expenses in the table for maintaining a family budget, based on your own experience. detailed instructions on working with excel file in the next chapter.

When allocating the budget, it is necessary to take into account the size of the family, living conditions and the desires of all members of the “cell of society”. A short list of categories is already included in the example table. Consider the categories of expenses that will be needed to further detail the structure.

Income structure

As a rule, the income column includes:

• salary of the head of the family (indicated “husband”);
• salary of the general adviser (“wife”);
• interest on deposits;
• pension;
• social benefits;
• part-time jobs (private lessons, for example).

Expense column

Expenses are divided into constant, that is, unchangeable: fixed tax payments; home, car and health insurance; constant amounts for Internet and TV. This also includes those 10–20% that need to be set aside for unforeseen cases and “rainy days.”

Variable expenses column:

• products;
• medical service;
• spending on a car;
• cloth;
• payment for gas, electricity, water;
• personal expenses of spouses (entered and planned separately);
• seasonal spending on gifts;
• contributions to school and kindergarten;
• entertainment;
• expenses for children.

Depending on your desire, you can supplement, specify the list or shorten it by enlarging and combining expense items.

Step 3: Track your spending throughout the month

It is unlikely that it will be possible to draw up a family budget table now; you need to find out where and in what proportions the money goes. This will take one to two months. In a ready-made excel spreadsheet that you can download for free, start adding expenses, gradually adjusting the categories " for yourself».

Below you will find detailed explanations for this document, since this Excel includes several interrelated tables at once.

• The purpose of this step is to gain a clear understanding of your financial situation, clearly see the cost structure and, at the next stage, adjust the budget.

Step 4: Separate Needs from Wants

When people start recording their spending, they discover that a lot of money " flies away"for completely unnecessary things. Impulse, unplanned expenses seriously hit your pocket if your income level is not so high that a couple or two thousand go unnoticed.

Refuse to purchase until you are sure that the item is absolutely necessary for you. Wait a few weeks. If it turns out that you really cannot live without the desired item, then it is indeed a necessary expenditure.

A little advice: Put aside credit and debit cards. Use cash to learn how to save. It is psychologically easier to part with virtual amounts than to count out pieces of paper.

How to properly plan a family budget in a table

Now you know what is really happening with your money.

Look at the categories of expenses you want to cut and make your own plan using a free excel spreadsheet.

Many people don't like the word " budget”, because they believe that these are restrictions, deprivations and lack of entertainment. Relax, individual plan expenses will allow you to live within your means, avoid stress and sleep better rather than wondering how to get out of debt.

“An annual income of £20 and an annual expenditure of £19.06 leads to happiness. An income of 20 pounds and an expense of 20.6 leads to suffering,” Charles Dickens’ brilliant note reveals the basic law of planning.

Enter your prepared family budget into the table

You have set goals, determined income and expenses, decided how much you will save each month for emergencies Andlearned the difference between needs and wants. Take another look at the budget sheet in the spreadsheet and fill in the blank columns.

A budget is not a static figure fixed once and for all. If necessary, you can always adjust it. For example, you planned to spend 15 thousand monthly on groceries, but after a couple of months you noticed that you only spend 14 thousand. Make additions to the table - redirect the saved amount to the “savings” column.

How to plan a budget with irregular income

Not everyone has Full time job with regular payments wages. This doesn't mean you can't create a budget; but this means you have to plan in more detail.

• One strategy is to calculate average income over the past few years and focus on this figure.
• Second way– determine a stable salary from own income- what you will live on, and save the excess into an insurance account. In lean months, the account balance will decrease by exactly the missing amount. But your “salary” will remain the same.
• Third planning option– maintain two budget tables in parallel: for “ good" And " bad» months. It's a little more complicated, but nothing is impossible. The danger that awaits you along this path: people spend and take out loans, expecting income from best months. If the “black streak” drags on a little, the credit funnel will eat up both current and future income.

Below you will find solutions on how to distribute the family budget according to the table.

After we have decided on the main goals, let's try to distribute the family budget for the month, indicate current income and expenses in the table, in order to manage funds wisely, to be able to save for main goals, without missing out on current and everyday needs.

Open the second sheet “ Budget” and fill in the fields of monthly income, annual income, and the program will calculate the results itself, example:

In columns " variable expenses " And " fixed costs» Enter estimated numbers. Add new items where " other", in place of unnecessary names, enter your own:

Now go to the tab of the month from which you decided to start saving and planning family expenses. On the left you will find columns in which you need to record the date of purchase, select a category from the drop-down list and make a note.

• Additional notes are very convenient to refresh your memory if necessary and clarify exactly what the money was spent on.

Simply delete the data entered in the table as an example and enter your own:

To account for expenses and income by month, we suggest looking at the table on the third sheet in our Excel “ This year“, this table is filled in automatically based on your expenses and income, sums up and gives an idea of ​​your progress:

And on the right there will be a separate table that will automatically summarize all expenses for the year:

Nothing complicated. Even if you have never tried to master working with Excel tables, select the desired cell and enter the numbers - all that is required.

Poll: How old are you?

The vast majority of Russian residents are forced to live in conditions of austerity - from paycheck to paycheck. The budget of many families is only enough for the essentials: buying food, paying utilities and minimal wardrobe updates. Naturally, it is extremely difficult to save for something more serious in such conditions. In such cases, it is useful to know the basic rules of saving - very often a person does not even think about how to use the available budget more profitably. What can you save on? Magazine IQR offers a number of effective solutions that will help the reader better manage family finances.

Controlling income and expenses is the basis of family budget planning

Can you say exactly how much of your family budget you spend per month on food? If not, this is already a mistake: control of income and expenses should be mandatory in every family. Of course, counting every hundred rubles if your total income is more than 40-50 thousand is not necessary, but a spread of 5000 is also not very conducive to saving.

Programs for recording family income and expenses

To solve such problems there is a large number of ways: you can keep records the old fashioned way in a regular notebook, or you can use specialized personal finance accounting applications for your computer or smartphone. Software of this type can be distinguished:

1. For Windows OS : « Home accounting", "Sanuel Family", "iCash", "Family Budget".
2. For gadgets with Android OS : “Family Budget”, “Expence Manager”, “AndroMoney”, “EasyMoney”, “HomeMoney”.
3. For gadgets with iOS : “Toshl”, “Money OK”, “My Budget”, “Shut Up and Count My Money”, “Financial Book”, “Jumper”.

Almost all of the listed programs are free and synchronize with your PC.

Where does your money go?

Piggy bank

To find out how much money you spend on food each month, the easiest way is to save receipts after each trip to the store. At the end of the month we simply sum up the costs and get the result. This way it will be possible to clarify the total amount and find out what exactly (meat, milk, bread, vegetables, and so on) how much money is spent on.

• public utilities;
• household chemicals;
• hygiene products.

These are irreplaceable types of products that you will have to buy every month: you are unlikely to do without soap, dishwashing detergents, or pay for electricity.

In addition, money may be required for other goods and services:

• visiting a hairdresser;
• visiting a gym or sports section;
• medicines or medical services;
• training (some courses, lessons, seminars);
• wardrobe update;
• travel on public transport;
• entertainment (visiting cinemas, cafes, excursions);
• car maintenance (washing, maintenance, refueling, parking).

All this should also be taken into account: calculate exactly how much you spend on similar services and goods.

Well, the most serious items of expenditure are the following goals:

• buying a property;
• buying a car;
• buying furniture;
• purchase of household appliances;
• repair and finishing works;
• vacation trip;
• starting your own business.

Such items should be analyzed separately: determine exactly how much you need to collect. For example, your goal is . It is advisable to estimate by what date this can realistically be done and write down how much you need to save monthly for this. Now let's talk about how to save on household little things in order to save money for large and truly necessary purchases.

How to save money at home - step-by-step instructions

Piggy bank with coins

About money and payment methods

Over the past few years, people have started using cash less and more... plastic cards. This is really convenient - why carry a wallet full of money with you: it takes up more space than a small piece of plastic, and you can lose it forever (while your card will be quickly restored), and it can even be stolen. However, in terms of savings, it is wiser to use cash.

1. When using cash, you know exactly how much money you have on you and that you are limited to this amount (which means you won't spend more than you should).
2. When paying by card, it is more difficult for you to control your expenses: cash is always in sight, and the amount in your account can only be found in online banking (or via SMS notification).

Payment by card, however, can be useful in some cases: many banks have partnership programs with various stores and companies. When you pay for a purchase (or service) in such companies with a card from a certain bank, you receive a discount, bonuses, or a small cashback.

How to cut food costs

People spend the lion's share of their family budget in stores: grocery stores, shopping centers with clothes and cosmetics. A shopping trip can result in unnecessary expenses that can be avoided.

Please remember the following:

1. It is not recommended to go to the store on an empty stomach - you will definitely want to buy more of everything.
2. Don't rush into too big discounts when filling your shopping cart: most often they are arranged to sell off products that will soon expire. Do not buy too many of these goods without looking at the deadlines: it is possible that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow they will spoil.
3. Visit food markets: food at the bazaar is almost always cheaper than in supermarkets. Don’t be shy about bargaining, especially with sellers of meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits.
4. If you're shopping at the market or at spontaneous retail outlets (from vendors selling "on board" on the streets), try to do it in the late afternoon, when they are about to close. At this time, it is easier to negotiate a discount, especially if the goods are perishable.
5. Do not focus on top brands: often less promoted and well-known products are in no way inferior in quality to advertised products.
6. Study reviews and ask your friends about what they buy: there are a lot of products on the shelves, and it is possible that products from some unknown manufacturer will be better than those you buy.
7. It is most profitable to purchase shelf-stable products (cereals, pasta, tea, sugar, coffee) in bulk, at wholesale warehouses or in wholesale stores. When purchasing a wholesale batch, the price per package can be 20-30% lower than when purchasing at retail.
8. Find out about current bonus programs: Some supermarkets give discounts for purchases over a certain amount or offer to issue a buyer’s card with a savings system.
9. In addition to customer cards, supermarkets can organize various promotions, for example, on Thursday they offer discounts on fish or dairy products. Inquire about this too.
10. Make a clear shopping list and take it with you (you can do it on paper, you can do it in an app on your smartphone). This way you won’t forget about the goods you need, and you will know exactly what you need and what is not on the list, and what you don’t have to buy.
11. Set aside a certain amount of time for shopping. It is advisable to plan something else after this (for example, cooking or relaxing). This way you will have less time to wander aimlessly between the shelves, which means you are unlikely to buy anything unnecessary.
12. Conduct “marketing research”: find out and remember what it costs in different stores. A supermarket next to your house is convenient, but it is quite possible that there is a store across the road where products are much cheaper.
13. If you often go shopping, take “your” durable bag with you - spending 3 rubles 5 times a week on packaging, you will overpay 720 rubles per year.

Saving the family budget

You can also reconsider when and what you eat.

1. Create a clear menu for the week (or several days). This will save both time (you won’t have to think about what to cook every day) and money (you’ll know in advance how much and what to buy).
2. Prepare food for several meals. This way you can save both gas and food - 5-6 servings will not take much more ingredients than 3-4.
3. To store food, it is better to buy a set of plastic sealed containers: in a tightly closed container, food will last longer, and it is more convenient to store it than in saucepans.
4. Study: there are a huge number of dishes that are prepared quickly, from cheap ingredients, and at the same time have a high calorie content.
5. Plan your menu correctly, calculating carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Firstly, it is healthy, and secondly, by getting the right amount of elements, you will not want to eat too much.

Cutting down on clothing costs

We don’t go shopping for clothes every day, but we have to spend a lot of money to update our wardrobe. They can also be shortened:

1. Before you go shopping, make an accurate list of necessary purchases.
2. Before going to the store, study and remember your existing wardrobe. When choosing clothes, immediately figure out what you can wear with these jeans or jacket - even if it is attractive in itself, but will not fit with the rest of your outfits - you are unlikely to look beautiful.
3. Try to buy things that are different (at least in color) from those that you already have - this way, even a small amount of clothes can be combined differently.
4. Don't be shy or disdainful of going to second-hand stores. Of course, you should only buy panties or socks there if absolutely necessary, when you have no money at all. But outerwear - pants, knitwear, shoes, bags and briefcases - are sold in good condition, and the price is several times lower than in boutiques.
5. Whenever possible, research clothing prices. This can be done when you go to a shopping center for other goods, walk along the clothing aisles at the market, see some advertising on the street or on the Internet, or ask your friends. This way you will know which cost is real and which is overpriced.
6. Don't forget about the Internet: now you can buy any clothes via the Internet - from socks to winter jackets. These can be online stores or specialized VKontakte groups. They may have a larger assortment than a regular boutique, and their prices may be lower.
7. When shopping online, be sure to ask for accurate measurements so as not to buy something that is the wrong size. If you have a non-standard figure, it is better not to order things that must fit perfectly: shirts, tight pants, tight T-shirts.
8. Buy the right clothes. A randomly noticed promotion or a text message sent about discounts can push you to buy a cheap, but not very necessary item.
9. Shop late in the season. Discounts begin on winter items by the beginning of spring (as well as on summer items - at the beginning of autumn).

We reduce utility and household expenses

A penny saves the ruble!

A fairly large amount of money may be spent on utilities each month, which can also be reduced:

1. If you don’t already have water and electricity meters, install them. It almost always costs less to pay based on the services used than at a fixed rate, unless, of course, you have at least as many people registered in your apartment as there are actual residents.
2. Use energy-saving light bulbs instead of incandescent lamps: they consume approximately 50-80% less electricity.
3. If possible, try to do laundry and cook food at night, when there is a reduced tariff for electricity (if you have a two-tariff meter).
4. Don’t skimp when buying windows: a cheap design will retain heat worse, which means you’ll have to use heaters in winter.
5. If your window frames still allow heat to pass through, insulate the apartment: it is better to pay for it once than to pay for the operation of heaters for 4-6 months.
6. Save water: train yourself to turn off the tap when you brush your teeth or soap yourself. Leaks should also be repaired immediately: several hundred liters can be wasted through a dripping faucet per month.

The tips mentioned above are best combined with each other. Saving 500-600 rubles a year due to the fact that you will take your package to the store is unlikely to seriously improve the situation. But taken together, such methods can significantly reduce unnecessary expenses from the family budget.

Most housewives strive to save the family budget, real advice, presented below will help you plan your expenses correctly. After all, some families, receiving even a modest salary, have the opportunity to eat normally, dress and even save for vacation, while others, earning good money, cannot get rid of debts and a constant lack of money. This happens because not everyone knows how to save and plan their budget correctly. Today we will share tips and rules that will help you save money correctly. The main thing is that someone alone in the family is involved in the distribution of cash flows, otherwise unexpected expenses cannot be avoided. Spontaneous and thoughtless purchases can destroy any budget, regardless of its size, and there will always be a shortage of money.

Saving does not mean at all that you will have to deny yourself everything and go into poverty in order to collect a certain amount for a global purchase. Saving means learning how to wisely distribute the family budget in order to satisfy all your needs and at the same time save money for vacation.

Rule #1

Write down your income and expenses so you don't get confused by these numbers and know how much money you can spend. Only then can you start saving!

Rule #2

Forget about borrowed money and loans. Any financier is sure that a loan is justified only if you purchase a product that will last longer than you will pay its cost. Therefore, taking out a loan for a vacation or wedding is completely unjustified. But purchasing a car on credit, on which you plan to earn money or borrow money from the bank to expand your business, will be the right decision.

In any other case, a loan means that you are simply wasting your money and if you cannot save up for something today, then who said that you will be able to do it tomorrow? You need to radically reconsider your lifestyle!

Rule #3

Put money into a piggy bank. If you don’t know how to save your family budget, first of all, make it a rule, at least 10% of your monthly income save. This amount is not so large and will not shake the family budget, but when it increases, it will be possible to purchase a valuable item or put it aside for a long-awaited family vacation.

We also recommend postponing unplanned cash receipts, which come in the form of a gift, a given bonus, etc. You shouldn’t immediately run to waste them. Organize “envelopes” at home into which you can little by little save money for holidays or major purchases. In order not to spend a large amount of your salary on a major purchase, it is better to prepare for this in advance. Also buy all gifts for the holidays in advance, so you can save up the required amount and not rush to the first offer, but look and choose a worthy gift.

Rule #4

Avoid spontaneous purchases. If you see something in a store that you simply need, give yourself time to think about the importance of the purchase, at least until the end of the day. And only after you have “slept” with this thought and have not changed your mind can you think about purchasing. It happens that in the morning the importance of the acquisition no longer seems such a necessity. And then the purchase of extra lipsticks, perfumes, cheap things, equipment that is sold at large “discounts” can be avoided. After all, every person has items at home that, after purchase, did not bring joy to their owner for long, after which they move to collect dust in closets and pantries. The purchase must be planned and of high quality, only in this case it can last a long time and bring joy to the owner.

Rule #5

Shopping by list only and on weekdays. Thrifty housewives have long used such advice as drawing up a menu for the week in advance, which allows you to plan the purchase of products for its preparation and at the same time save money. If you have a pantry at home, then store non-perishable foods such as onions, potatoes, sugar, pasta, etc. It’s better to purchase in large quantities - it’s always much cheaper.

When the need arises to buy bread, milk or some other single perishable products, it is better to do this in small closed shops that are in every yard. If you don’t know how to learn how to save your family budget, then just try to make only planned purchases.

Rule #6

Distribution of products by item. For additional savings, when compiling a grocery list for the week, it is recommended to divide it item by item into meat, vegetables, sweets, baked goods, etc. Don't forget to include the "harmful" item in the list. You can add harmful foods here, such as salted fish, chips, crackers, etc. You need to study the list well before going to the store, and we are sure that there will be many products that you can completely discard or replace them with less harmful and cheaper ones. This problem exists in almost every family and the budget suffers greatly from it.

Rule No. 7

Avoid buying small items. Please note that one large-scale purchase does not have such a negative impact on the family budget as spending on all sorts of little things such as magazines, donuts from the machine, coffee in the cafeteria near work, candy, chewing gum, etc. Such seemingly petty purchases very persistently make a huge hole in the family budget. We are learning to save the family budget, so we can give up all of this, or at least more than half of it. If you go for a walk, take water with you so that you don’t waste it when you get thirsty. If you like to read, buy an e-book and download your favorite works into it; the purchase of this gadget will pay off very quickly and will be more profitable than regularly purchasing new books. Try saving on all sorts of little things, and see how much less money you will spend every month!

Rule #8

Try to eat at home. Give up the habit of having a snack in a cafe or having store-bought donuts and coffee for breakfast on the way to work. Understand that one trip for pizza will not greatly affect the budget, but regular lunches in a cafe at the end of the month will result in a decent amount. There are times when you cannot refuse to go to a canteen or cafe (for work reasons), but then this item of waste must be included in the family budget.

Rule #9

Refuse to buy cheap junk, buy only expensive and high-quality things and items. Accept the fact that if you buy something cheap that will quickly break down and lose its presentation, you will have to spend more and more money on purchasing a new one. It’s better to choose a quality item once, which, although it costs more, will serve its owner for many years. The phrase “the miser pays twice” has still not lost its relevance!

Shoes and clothes should be of high quality, then you won’t have to spend money on shopping every month, as well as on repairs poor quality goods. Train yourself to buy good chemicals, cosmetics, clothes, etc. and you will be surprised at what you can save your family budget on.

Rule No. 10

Use only concentrated detergents, conditioners and washing gels (powders). All these household chemicals take several times longer and do not require constant expenditure on their monthly purchase, and they are not cheap. Many, seeing the high price of such products, prefer cheaper ones, but if everything is calculated well, taking into account the fact that the concentrate must be diluted during use or applied in very small quantities, then the savings will become obvious.

Recording all purchases is important

To plan your family’s budget expenses, buy a special thick notebook or notepad in which you must write down all the items of necessary expenses every month. It’s also worth recording all (even minimal) purchases there so that you can analyze and understand where your hard-earned money went.

Even if at first the procedure for constant monitoring will be difficult and even somewhat unpleasant, over time you will get used to it and understand how necessary it is, because you will know what every penny of your family budget is spent on. We assure you that monthly expenses with this scheme will be significantly reduced. Such records will immediately reveal how much money is spent on completely unnecessary and superfluous things. Such ways to save the family budget will give tangible results within a week and can pleasantly surprise you! The main thing is to write down every penny you spend in a notebook and then you will save yourself from another unnecessary purchase just because you will be too lazy to take out your notebook again to write down the next purchase. This solution will allow you to learn how to filter necessary and unnecessary purchases, which will definitely have a good impact on the family budget. In just a month, after studying your notes, you will not only be surprised, but shocked!

A few important points

exclude visiting stores without a previously prepared list;

refuse to purchase goods in installments or on credit;

do not make large purchases on payday, because psychologists have proven that on this day a person falls into some euphoria and thinks that a certain expenditure will not hit the budget hard, but in the end everything turns out to be the opposite;

use only cash to pay for purchases - this will allow you to additionally control the amount spent, because cash is more difficult to spend and you can see how much is left;

make it a rule not to buy food on an empty stomach, it has been noted that in this state you buy much more than you need;

try not to turn on the lights unless necessary, do not throw half-eaten food into the trash;

decide where to invest the accumulated amount, only in this case will you be able to avoid thoughtlessly wasting it.

If you don’t know how to save your family budget, the tips presented above will be very helpful.

Money management skills

There are three basic skills that will help manage a family budget, such as:

additional income skill. Try to find additional sources of income and complain less about low wages;

skill of putting off. Make sure that expenses do not exceed the amount of income;

The easiest way to learn how to save your family budget is to adhere to all the rules that we talked about in this article, but at the same time try not to forget about self-development, health and caring for yourself and your family. There are a huge number of examples where pensioners who live on their small pensions still manage to save and help their children.

Use the little secrets that you learned from this article and it will seem that you do not have as little money as you think and have the opportunity to save for the purchase of a new phone or a summer vacation during your vacation. Now you know how to save your family budget; real tips used by a huge number of housewives around the world work flawlessly. The main thing is to stick to the established plan, keep accurate records of waste and everything will work out! We strongly recommend reading these materials - “tips on how to save money” and “10 secrets to help you save money.”

Everyone knows that there is no such thing as too much money. But it is their quantity that affects the quality of life. That is, than more people has the means, the more comfortable conditions he will exist in. The lack of finances is explained not only by the difference in the salaries people receive. You need to be able to manage money. If a person does not know how to do this, then as his income grows, the list of his expenses will grow proportionally. That is, the problem of lack of money will not go away. Is there a way out of this situation? Of course! In this article we will talk about how to save money in your family. So let's get started.

Control

How to save money? First, learn to count them correctly. And what is meant here is not a skill acquired in childhood. This refers to the ability to manage a family budget, taking into account existing income and incurred expenses. Without their strict control, money will constantly “flow out”.

It doesn't take much time to keep track of your finances on a daily basis. It is enough to enter all daily income and expenses in a notebook or save them on your computer in special program. Collecting such data over a couple of months will allow you to analyze the family budget and find “weak” places in it.

The most difficult things to consider are small expenses, as they are quickly forgotten. Don't ignore them and include them in the report first. By the end of the month, you will be convinced that unnecessary little things have “eaten up” from 10 to 30% of the budget. To take control of financial flows, you need a program for adjusting them. It consists of only three points:

• Reduce costs.
• Increasing income.
• Creating additional sources of income.

How to save money on groceries?

• Eat exclusively at home. Avoid going to cafeterias, bars, canteens and restaurants.
• Review your purchases. Go to supermarkets no more than once a week, purchasing all the necessary products before your next trip.
• You can also save money by purchasing semi-finished and ready-made meals. After all, at a high cost, they are not of good quality. Therefore, either limit their use or give them up altogether.
• To avoid impulse purchases, make a detailed list of the products you need before going to the store. At home, sort them immediately and use the perishable ones first.

Saving money on ready meals

Let us immediately clarify that control of this type family expenses does not involve living from hand to mouth. Therefore, you should not go to extremes. When solving this task, most of the responsibility lies with the woman. To keep the family budget stable, she will need to keep financial records wisely.

First of all, you need to check whether there are enough plastic boxes at home to store food. If there are few of them, then it is better to spend the extra money on purchasing them. In the future, this will save significant money on food. Pots, cast iron pots and frying pans with second and first courses in them should not be placed in the refrigerator.

How to save money in the kitchen? Store food correctly. Food should be in plastic boxes containing one or two servings. If you do not plan to eat food in the near future, then place it in the refrigerator. Only take them out when there is not enough time to prepare the food. Forks, knives and spoons used during cooking must be thoroughly washed, otherwise food, even if it is in the freezer, will quickly turn sour. Perishable snacks and salads should be prepared only in the required quantities.

Fruits and vegetables store much better in plastic boxes. But before you put them there, you need to wash them thoroughly and let them dry. Greens will keep well in the refrigerator if you place them in a glass of water or wrap them in a kitchen towel.

If vegetables and herbs are slightly wilted and are not suitable for preparing salads, they can be finely chopped or grated and then placed in the freezer. Over time, they will come in handy for seasoning other dishes.

You can also save money when arranging food on plates. When setting the table, offer guests only portions that they can eat. It’s better to add a supplement later than to throw half-eaten food into the trash can.

Saving on clothes

Our wardrobe is second on the list of expenses. Just like with groceries, there are certain ways to save money on clothes. Let's talk about them below.

First of all, it’s worth noting that there are three categories of wardrobe items that you don’t need to save on: outerwear, shoes and bags. In most cases, the high cost of these items indicates good quality. By purchasing them, you will save significant amounts, since the coat will not tear at the seams, the shoes will last for several seasons, and the handles of the bag will not come off. That is, you won’t have to spend money on replacing them.

As for other things, try to buy them without going through stores with high markups. Pay attention to second-hand stores. Sometimes you can find high-quality branded items at low prices.

Saving on utility bills

It would seem impossible to reduce expenses on this item. However, this is not at all true! Saving money on paying for housing and communal services is possible.

First, learn how to properly operate heating appliances in winter time. They should not be blocked by furniture or covered with curtains. To use heat efficiently, place a large piece of foil behind the radiator. In this case, it will not heat the wall, but will flow into the room. Do not open the windows for a long time, because along with the heat, your finances will also “go outside.”

How to save money on water? Install counters. Just take care to eliminate all leaks in the apartment, do not leave the tap open unnecessarily (even while brushing your teeth). Take a shower instead of a bath. Wash dishes in a sink filled with water and then rinse.

To save energy, unplug chargers and unused devices. Appliances. And, of course, don’t forget to turn off the lights where they are not needed.

Summer expenses

Research has confirmed that people are much more willing to spend money in the warmer months. The reason for everything is weather conditions. After all, few people want to go to a stuffy apartment after a working day. It’s better to meet with friends, and the best place for gatherings is a cafe. You can leave a substantial amount there in a few evenings. To avoid this, try limiting yourself to only ordering drinks. And you can have dinner at home.

Saving money is very difficult in a family with children. During the summer holidays, your beloved children are left to their own devices. There are two options for parents: arrange recreational trips for them (to the zoo, cinema, etc.) or send them to camp. Both require significant financial support. A less expensive option is organizing home leisure (watching cartoons, reading books together, computer games, etc.).

Savings on transport and fitness

If your work is located near your home, then refuse public or personal transport and go there on your own. Walking is an excellent physical activity. So not only will they save money, but they will also replace your visit to the gym.

Saving on vacation

Few of us have not dreamed of going on holiday abroad. But, unfortunately, many simply do not know how to save money on vacation when traveling to another country. This is not difficult to do. Instead of buying an expensive trip from a travel agency, develop your own travel itinerary.

You can find many different reviews about hotels, resorts, etc. It won’t be a problem to contact the administration of any hotel in the world on your own. And the same money saved can be spent on gifts and souvenirs for loved ones and friends. So don't be lazy and take some time to gather information and plan.

Accumulation process

Now you know ways to save money in your family. Remember that in order to enjoy life, you do not need to spend all your earned money. Some of them need to be put aside. This will provide yourself with a kind of “safety cushion”. It will come in handy in case of unexpected expenses. And then you won’t have to “break” your financial plans.

One of the options for accumulating a certain sum of money is investment deposit. To replenish it, it will be enough to save only 10% of your monthly income. It has been proven in practice many times that the absence of this amount will not cause any discomfort to a person. In general, save, save and get rich!

As you know, there is never too much money. And the quality of our life depends on the number of treasured banknotes. In other words, the more funds we have, the more comfortable conditions we can provide ourselves. The problem of shortage financial resources but lies not only in the difference in income people receive. You need to be able to manage money. For someone who cannot do this, an increase in income entails only an absolutely proportional expansion of the list of expenses. These people will constantly experience the problem of lack of money. What conclusion follows from this? Increasing income will not solve the existing problem. What to do? How to learn effective management cash flows so that income finally exceeds expenses? This problem is quite difficult to solve, but it is possible. Otherwise, you will never be able to save money.

Control of financial flows

How to save money? First of all, you need to learn how to count them correctly. No, not literally. After all, we learned this in childhood. We must learn to take everything into account existing income and expenses incurred, in other words, maintain a family budget.

How to save money if you don't control your financial flows? Without taking into account the family budget, this is impossible to do. All income and expenses must be under strict control. This will allow planning ways to achieve the set economic goals. This method will also help when developing your own business.

How to learn to save money? First of all, you will need to keep daily records of your personal finances. This won't take much time. You should record all your daily income and expenses in a notebook or save them in a special program on your computer. Such data will allow you to analyze the family budget after two to three months.

The biggest difficulty is keeping track of small expenses, because they are quickly forgotten. Therefore, you should not ignore daily accounting financial flows. At the end of the month, you will be able to make sure that ten to thirty percent is spent on unnecessary little things. This analysis will allow us to develop a program for adjusting income and expenses. What points might it consist of? How to start saving? Typically such a program includes the following:

— increase in income;

— cost reduction;

— increasing the number of sources of income.

Reduced food costs

How to learn to save money? First of all, you will need to establish the most necessary expenses for the family. Of course, this includes buying food. You can reduce the cost of purchasing them.

Switch to homemade food. To do this, you will need to avoid going to bars, restaurants, and cafeterias as much as possible. Another way to save money on groceries? At the second stage, you should audit all purchases. You should go grocery shopping to supermarkets no more than once or twice a week, purchasing everything you need before your next trip.

What else can you save on? On the purchase of ready-made meals and semi-finished products. After all, these products have a high cost, but cannot boast of good quality. Before going to the store, it is advisable to make a grocery list. This will allow you to purchase everything you need and not succumb to the temptation to buy something unnecessary. At home, food should be sorted immediately. Use perishable ones first, and set aside those that can be stored for a long time.

Savings on ready meals

It’s worth clarifying right away that controlling this type of expense does not imply living from hand to mouth. This is just one answer to the question: “How to save money in the family?” Great responsibility in solving this problem lies with the woman. She will need to manage her household wisely, maintaining the stability of the family budget.

First of all, it is worth checking whether there are enough plastic boxes in the house in which food can be stored. If there are few of them, then it is worth spending a certain amount on their purchase in order to later save significant money on food. Frying pans, cast iron pots and pots with first and second courses in them should not be placed in the refrigerator.

How to save money in the kitchen? Store food correctly. Food should be placed in one or two servings in plastic boxes. If the products will not be eaten in the near future, then it is better to place them in the freezer. You can take them out when you simply don’t have enough time to cook. Spoons and forks that were used during cooking should be washed after each sample of food. Otherwise, food, even if placed in the refrigerator, will turn sour very quickly. Perishable appetizers and salads should only be prepared in required quantities.

Saving on food means not letting it spoil. What to do with fruits and vegetables? They can be stored much longer if you let them dry and put them in plastic boxes. Washed greens will keep well in the refrigerator if placed in a glass of water or wrapped in a kitchen towel.

As for bananas, there is no need to put them in the refrigerator. Overripe fruits can be passed through a blender. Delicious banana puree will keep for 3-4 days.

In the case when the greens and vegetables have become a little wilted and become unsuitable for salad, they should be grated or finely chopped and then placed in the freezer. They will come in handy later when preparing other dishes. Fruit from the freezer is used to make compotes or as a pie filling.

We also learn to save money when arranging food on plates. When setting the table, a person should be offered only the portion that he can eat. It is better to add a supplement than to throw uneaten food into the trash.

Saving on clothes

There are several simple tips, with which you can maintain the thickness of your wallet. Some of them relate to items in our wardrobe. How to save on clothes, because they are second on the list of expenses after groceries?

First of all, we note that there are things that are worth purchasing at a high price. These are shoes, bags and outerwear. The impressive cost of these wardrobe items, as a rule, indicates their good quality. By purchasing such things, you still save money, because the shoes will not fall apart in one season, the handles of the bag will not come off, and the coat will not burst at the seams. This way you won't have to pay to replace them.

How to save money? It would be right to try to purchase goods without going through stores that charge large markups on various items. First of all, you should pay attention to second-hand stores. They often sell branded items that are of good quality and low price. Often items are in good condition or new with tags not yet cut off. Clothes can also be purchased through advertisements on the Internet. It is sold by people who purchased an item, but it did not suit them. Low prices for such goods are an opportunity to at least slightly cover your loss.

Online stores also sell things cheap. Another option for saving money on purchasing clothes is joint purchases. To do this, a group of people must gather to order a wholesale batch from the manufacturer. There are sites on the Internet where you can join such a community of buyers.

How to save money if you still decide to buy things in regular stores? Sales will help keep your wallet thick. Winter wardrobe items are usually sold at lower prices at the end of the season or early spring. Light items on sale can be found at the end of summer and at the very beginning of autumn.

If you are going abroad, then you should allocate a certain amount of money in advance to buy things. They are much cheaper abroad.

When you go shopping for clothes, don’t forget to take with you discount cards. You can borrow them from acquaintances or friends.

If you are tired of your wardrobe, and there is no money to buy new clothes, then inexpensive accessories will add variety to your clothes.

Savings on utilities

Payment of housing and communal services tariffs is an important item in the family budget. It would seem impossible to save money on it. However, it is not! How to save money on rent? First of all, you will need to install multi-tariff individual electricity meters. This will allow you to pay only for the resources you use. Savings when using such a meter are also possible due to the existing difference in electricity tariffs at different times of the day. The reduction in payments in this case can be impressive. To save on electricity bills, unplug unused household appliances and chargers, and turn off lights where they are not needed.

Heating appliances must be operated correctly in winter. They should not be covered with curtains or blocked by furniture. It is recommended to place a large piece of foil behind the battery located in a living room. This will allow you to use heat efficiently. It will flow into the room and not heat the wall. For a short period of time in winter, the windows should be opened. After all, heat, and therefore your money, will leave the house.

Installed meters will allow you to pay smaller amounts for water. But first, all existing leaks in the apartment must be repaired. Do not leave the tap open unnecessarily. It should be closed even while brushing your teeth. It is more profitable to take a shower instead of a bath. It is better to wash the dishes in a sink filled with water and then rinse.

We welcome your comments!

Financial well-being is, at first glance, a purely business-like, and in some ways even a slightly pretentious term. But in fact, these two words have a simple meaning. Especially if we use them in the context of the family budget. Many of us often deny ourselves certain purchases, citing the lack of extra funds. And this is true, since funds in a family are never superfluous.

The easiest way to avoid such difficulties is to learn how to earn more. But sometimes, due to certain reasons (lack of time, qualifications, care for children), we really cannot do this. Therefore, in order for there to be enough money for everything we need, it just needs to be distributed wisely. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to save your family budget, doing it correctly and carefully.

How to save your family budget: Learn to count money

This is your first priority. You need to clearly understand how much your family receives monthly and how much it spends. Moreover, not only the total amount is important, but also the items of income/expenses, indicating specific figures for each item. To make calculations, take a regular piece of paper and write on it “Savings” home budget: tips" and indicate your salary, social benefits in a separate column. payments, income from deposits, rental of real estate, etc. Next, in the next column, list in the same way where you spend your money.

Typically, the cost column looks like this:

• Food (for cooking at home);
• Renting housing (for those who rent living space);
• Housing and communal services;
• Transport costs (public or fuel for your car);
• Internet and mobile connection;
• Trips to cafes and restaurants;
• Clothing and footwear;
• Large purchases (household appliances, electronic devices, etc.);
• Sports and active recreation;
• Other entertainment.

Separately write down the item “unplanned expenses” and be prepared to allocate the specified amount if they arise.

The described principle is used in popular today board game called "Cashflow". The game itself is secretly considered one of the best ways practice financial management, learn how to plan your income and expenses, and ultimately create cash flow, which will allow you to live comfortably and for your own pleasure. It pays special attention to investment issues, which we will talk about later.

But, if we are learning to save the family budget, at the initial stage it is important to master planning and cost control itself. And practice financial discipline by spending only as much money as you can afford. So that the total amounts for the “Income” and “Expenses” columns are at least the same. And ideally, the total figure in the first one should exceed the one in the list of costs.

IMPORTANT! If you see that at the end of the month you are going beyond the available spending limit, look for how to save your budget on a specific item. Naturally, not at the expense of health and comfort. The question should be posed as follows: What from the list can we, as a family, do without? This can be understood by assessing which of the costs already actually incurred were obligatory and which were not. Conditionally - if you once again, instead of having lunch at home, dropped into a restaurant during a break, try to avoid this next time.

Saving on mandatory costs should be the last thing you do. Because they form the basis of your family budget. Understand that the main thing is to learn how to reduce EXTRA expenses.

Ways to save the family budget. When exactly to spend?

There are two opinions on this matter. Some experts in the field of personal and family finance say that all mandatory expenses should be made as quickly as possible after receiving the main income (salary, pension, etc.). After you buy and pay for what’s on your main monthly list, you’ll be left with a limited amount on hand that you can’t really play around with. This way, it will be easier for you to resist unnecessary temptations, knowing that there is not much money left.

But there is another view on this issue. If you don't have enough willpower, the relatively large amount you receive may turn your head a little. And then, together with obligatory expenses those that might not have existed if you had postponed major purchases to a later period will slip through unnoticed. But here we again return to the issue of control over finances. “Remember, the main thing is discipline” - with these words in the film “Back to the Future 3” the dying sheriff addressed his son. And even though this scene was cut out in the final version of the film, its essence and importance did not change. Discipline is one of the most important components of our life. And in particular – its financial part.

How to save your budget - write everything down!

In contracts, agreements and others business documents Contents are usually presented in the form of lists. And these lists contain not only main sections, but also sub-items that clarify or correct the general essence. Ways to save the family budget in this regard are no different. In addition to the main list, we recommend making additional ones - those with which you will go, for example, to the grocery store. Compiled - try not to go beyond this list, buy only what is indicated in it. Better yet, take with you strictly the amount that came out based on the results of preliminary calculations.

Don't forget to apply for discount and discount cards. Study offers from banks; today the cashback tool is very popular - a partial refund of funds for purchased goods.

Buy products with a long shelf life in bulk if possible. But never chase the low price! Remember, we are not rich enough to buy cheap things for ourselves. The exception is seasonal sales, for example, on winter shoes at the beginning of spring. Take advantage of such promotions, but, again, do not make spontaneous purchases, but plan your purchase in advance. And low cost is only good if it does not come at the expense of quality. Often, products from an unfamiliar brand with the same composition as an expensive analogue of a well-known brand may cost less simply because you are not overpaying for the brand.

Advice - Morning is wiser than evening. If, when you see something, your eyes light up and you think that you definitely need it, try to refuse the purchase right now and reschedule it for a day later. The next day you will be able to assess the situation with a clear head - do you really need this product? According to statistics, more than half of “rash” purchases turn out to be unnecessary, taking their place of honor somewhere on the farthest shelf of the chest of drawers.

Never go grocery shopping if you are hungry. Otherwise, you will want to sweep everything off the store shelves.

During the shopping process, it is important for you, as a consumer, not to become the so-called “victim of marketers.” All kinds of 2+1 promotions are worth your attention only if you were planning to buy the product they apply to before coming to the store. In other cases, you need to be resistant to this and other marketing techniques, avoiding unnecessary expenses. And under no circumstances should you provoke these expenses yourself! Even if you are “the girl who wants a dress.” First of all, you are an adult, not a child, and all your whims and desires should be passed through the “sieve” of rationality.

Willpower will also be useful for you to refuse bad habits. Excluding cigarettes and alcohol from the list of planned purchases – good ways saving the family budget. And it will simply have a beneficial effect on your health.

How can you save your family budget? Housing and communal services tariffs

The growth of payments for housing and communal services is one of the main inflation factors in modern conditions. It is possible to survive it painlessly; European experience will help us with this. Residents of the Old World, not spoiled by socialism, learned to use resources wisely long ago, and the methods they chose for this do not contain anything complicated.

Here are some of them:

1. Buy household appliances with a higher energy saving class. The most economical products are designated class “A”.
2. Don't forget to turn off the lights in the rooms where you need it. this moment not needed. Use floor lamps and table lamps if there is no need to illuminate the entire room. Buy energy-saving light bulbs.
3. Install meters. With their help, you will pay only for the volume of the resource actually consumed. And not for those fictitious figures that are unreasonably included in the “average” tariff.
4. Do not run the product at full power when it is not required. This applies, in particular, to refrigerators and heaters.
5. Install additional devices that help you save money. A regular aerator for a mixer or a time relay will help you reduce resource consumption in the long term. This is a kind of investment for the future, which, having paid off, will begin to bring additional “profit” in the form of saved funds. Also, get used to the fact that resources are fundamentally important and need to be saved. A running water tap is unlikely to create any special atmosphere during the process of brushing teeth.
6. V. This means that you can screw it on with a clear conscience. And instead of pausing household appliances, it is better to completely unplug them.

In such an expense item as housing and communal services, all the principles that we talked about earlier are relevant. Looking at the payment, you need to clearly understand which of its points you could save on first. Even small amounts for using a landline telephone for a year they can give a figure of several hundred, or even thousands of rubles. Do you really need this landline phone when today everyone has a personal mobile phone?

Travel and transport

Those who have their own car should cultivate a “logistician” in themselves. Think over your route so that you don’t have to make detours to stop at a store or take your child to school. All intermediate destinations must be on the way to the final destination of the trip. This will save both time and fuel consumption for the machine.

And if you are going on vacation, prepare for it in advance. Including in financially. Set aside a certain amount each month for the upcoming “voyage” and regularly study promotions from airlines and home rental services. Early booking sometimes allows you to save up to 50% or more from total cost flight or accommodation.

The key word is “family”

Since we are talking about how you can save your family budget, it is worth understanding that this concept includes general money. Those that belong to all family members. Even if there is an agreement that only one person will manage the finances. It is necessary to respect the right of other family members to purchase something specifically for themselves with this money, the same personal hygiene products, etc.

Let's learn to save the family budget. 6 jug method

An excellent way to manage a family budget, simple, like all ingenious things. If desired, the jugs can be replaced with boxes or envelopes, the essence will not change.

The main thing is to fill the “vessels” in proportion to your income and not use money from one jug to cover the needs of another. In practice it looks like this:

Jug No. 1 – daily expenses (55% of the money received)

Food, clothing, travel, housing and communal services, etc. living expenses.

Jug No. 2 – entertainment (10%)

Going to a cafe, cinema or sauna is all that you need for emotional release. But without fanaticism! We remember about mandatory and optional expenses.

Jug No. 3 – savings (10%)

IMPORTANT! This jug should be filled first. Understand one truth for yourself - part of the money you earn (in in this case– 10%) belongs to you. Immediately after receiving them, put them aside, henceforth operating only with the remaining 90%.

Jug No. 4 – large or unexpected purchases (10%)

The category of large purchases includes household appliances, electronics, etc. things. If you have separate funds to purchase them, this will save you from unnecessary loans and teach you to appreciate the purchased item itself. After all, this way you will remember how and how much you saved for it, unlike a loan, when you, in fact, spend money that has not yet been earned, in fact, someone else’s.

If you don’t plan to make major purchases, you can put money from this jug aside for a rainy day, when you might suddenly need it.

Jug No. 5 – gifts (10%)

Everything related to the holidays. Delighting friends and loved ones with gifts is a pleasant activity, but it requires money. It will be convenient if you can allocate separately accumulated funds for this expense item. But it may also happen that you completely forget about your friend’s upcoming birthday. But when he invites you, thanks to jug No. 5, there will be no problems with buying a gift.

Jug No. 6 – improving and developing (5%)

Courses, trainings, trips to the pool or gym - everything that contributes to your mental and physical development. You can’t do without all this, it’s “either or”. Either you develop or you degrade. Money for children is also stored in the same jug - for their visits to classes, tutors, etc.

The good thing about the 6 Jug Method is that it teaches you how to allocate funds clearly. With its help, we know exactly how much we can spend and on what. At the same time, you have the right to regulate the percentage for each of the jugs yourself; the figures given are just an example that is not required.

Fathers and Sons. Ways to save the family budget

You cannot save on children - this is an axiom. But only if you take this expression literally. In fact, you can save your home budget on children's purchases without damage and even benefit for the child himself! So, puree from natural fruits and vegetables will be much healthier for a child’s body than a store-bought mixture in bright packaging. And reusable diapers will cost you less in the long run than disposable ones.

Resources for joint purchases, whose main audience are young mothers, will help you save additional money. Cooperate and buy goods at discounts, as we have already said, it will be just a regular wholesale, in which the quality of the goods will not suffer at all.
Young children do not necessarily need to take expensive things from categories that the child will soon outgrow. Look first for the best value for money.

Advice: Teach your child from childhood to the value of money. If you don't currently have financial opportunity buy him his favorite toy, explain this by voicing the reason. Don’t just refuse, otherwise the baby may feel discriminated against. Better yet, stimulate him. For example, tell him that he will get a new robot if he helps you wash the dishes. The example is exaggerated, the main thing is that the child begins to understand at an early age that we get everything in life thanks to our own work. This sounds corny, but it is nonetheless true.

Saving in itself is of no benefit if you do not use the saved funds profitably. What's the point of saving if the money is spent on going to a restaurant that you previously refused in order, in fact, to save money. The main principle of material well-being is that money should work for you. So that their “team” constantly grows and expands. The book “The Richest Man in Babylon” talks about this in more detail, where the author, on behalf of the characters, introduces us to the laws of preserving and increasing money. In this book, as in the described method of 6 jugs, it is recommended to save 10% of your income and, moreover, invest.