How to save a family budget: table family budget

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Many people sometimes wonder why some people spend their holidays in the south, while others can only afford barbecue in the country? Or why, with the same income, one buys a second car, while the other travels by bus?

It's not about rich relatives or accidentally winning the lottery. Most likely, the reason is the ability to count the money you earn and spend it. How to save your family budget?

1. Always plan your income and expenses. Knowing the exact numbers will help you save money.
2. Refuse loans. The only exceptions can be loans for work, for example, for a car or for business development.
3. Start a piggy bank. This is not about a “pig” for collecting change, but about the fact that you need to learn to save 10% of your income for unexpected expenses. This will help you save a decent amount to buy something large-scale.
4. Buy gifts in advance. This is good advice for those who are used to visiting at the last minute. Often you have to take the first thing that catches your eye, since there is absolutely no time left to choose.
5. Don't give in to emotions. Before buying something very important, you should think carefully - is it really necessary?!
6. Divide all expenses into groups. Here we mean money for “food”, “transport”, “household chemicals”, “cosmetic products”, “utilities”, “communication expenses” and so on. You can then analyze and correct the resulting numbers.
7. Give up unnecessary little things. Snacks on the go, magazines for travel, water from vending machines - all this steals a lot of money from the family budget.
8. Prepare your own lunch for work. As a rule, home-cooked food is cheaper than in public catering establishments. If there is no way to eat at home, then it is necessary to include these expenses in the family budget.
9. Always buy quality things. Don't skimp on good clothes, shoes or electronics and household appliances. Most often, the price is a guarantee that the item will last longer.
10. Use concentrated products in the household. Despite their price, concentrates of washing powders, conditioners and other various means They last much longer and thus allow you to save on purchases.

By adhering to these rules, you can save enough money to buy something expensive or on a trip to hot countries, for example.

How to control the family budget using a table?

How to properly manage a family budget to save money? The first thing that comes to mind when you need to calculate something is to take a notebook with a pen. Of course, you can draw the table yourself, but it will be more convenient to use Microsoft services and document your expenses in Excel.

How to create a family budget? First, you need to clearly decide for yourself what to save for.

The main task, designed for a period of up to 5 years (medium term), is to reduce unimportant expenses in order to purchase something significant, such as a laptop or a professional camera.

The goal can also be short-term - to pay off some small debts, or long-term - to pay off a mortgage or buy a home.

The next step is to take into account all income per family. This may include wages, alimony, benefits, pension and others.

You should also enter into the table all expected expenses - fixed and variable. Here it is necessary to take into account the wishes of all family members so that no misunderstandings arise. An example of such a table (the data below should not be considered standard):

Maintaining such tables will help identify completely unnecessary expenses and accordingly save the family budget.

How to plan a family budget for a month?

To avoid the need to borrow money from neighbors or friends at the end of the month, you need to follow simple but very important rules.

1 rule. Put aside part of your income into a piggy bank!

The very first thing you need to do when your salary arrives is to put aside at least 10% and not spend it under any pretext. This family capital, which will only grow every month.

Rule 2. Learn to understand the difference between important expenses and non-essential ones.

To do this, make a list of constant expenses (rent, television, Internet, communications, etc.) and some variables (food, gasoline, household chemicals and cosmetic products, etc.). Place all this in order of importance - from the most important to those that you can do without.

Rule 3. Be sure to leave some amount for unforeseen (5-10%) and planned expenses.

This refers to purchases that are not permanent or variable, but are also necessary this month. An example would be buying gifts.

This “extra” money can be spent on expenses from the “want” category.

Rule 5. Adhere to the policy of saving and optimizing costs.

This means that you need to get rid of unnecessary waste and learn how to purchase goods for less money. Sales or promotions are perfect for this, as well as waivers. bad habits- the main devourers of the family budget.

How to save your family budget on groceries?

Food takes the lion's share of all income. And a reduction in prices for them is not expected in the near future. Therefore, it is worth learning to save on this expense item. You can start with your first trip to the store.

1. Having a pre-made grocery list can help you save your hard-earned money. It’s good if the family has a developed menu for the week, then it won’t be difficult to schedule the necessary purchases.
2. If you buy groceries for the week at once, you can avoid unplanned expenses.
3. Children should not be taken shopping as this may lead to additional expenses not on the list.
4. A good reason to save money is to avoid semi-finished products. They are more expensive than self-prepared dishes. By the way, this also applies to sliced ​​bread and sausage.
5. Looking at the bottom shelves in stores is a good habit. This is where the cheapest goods are usually found.

The right “policy” in the kitchen will also help you save money. Each season has its own dishes - for example, in winter you can abandon a salad of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes in favor of cabbage and carrots.

And expensive trout can be replaced with equally tasty, but inexpensive, pink salmon. You can turn your attention to offal, they are as nutritious as meat, but much cheaper.

Preparing food for future use can be a good habit for a housewife. For example, greens, if cut and frozen, will last well in this form for some time and will always delight you with their freshness.

The same can be done with vegetables, berries and homemade dumplings and cutlets. It’s always convenient to get a homemade semi-finished product and cook dinner from it.

Sometimes you can find budget recipes online that you can save for yourself and include in your weekly menu. This is another reason to browse thematic sites and please your household with new dishes. Cooking programs can also be suitable for the same purpose.

And the most important rule that will help you not throw money away is proper storage of food in the refrigerator. Throw away spoiled food in a timely manner, put raw and prepared foods in separate containers with lids, and separate meat, vegetables and various sausages into special compartments of the refrigerator. These simple principles will help you preserve food longer and save your family budget.

How to save your family budget using programs?

In the era of rapid development of various modern devices, you can choose an excellent assistant in managing home budget in the form of a ready-made service – Drebedengi, Finance PM or another. It is more convenient if the selected option has not only a website, but also a mobile application that is always at hand.

How can you save your family budget using a home computer? Exist free programs, such as “Home Finance 1.0.2.10” or “DomFin”, and paid ones - Family 11, AceMoney, MoneyTracker and others.

It is very convenient to do accounting with their help, since you don’t need to invent anything and do a lot of manipulations. And if you have constant access to the Internet, everything becomes much easier if you use the mobile version of such an application.

If your income turns out to be less than your expenses, you need to learn to control both. To avoid switching to crackers and water at the end of the month, you should get into the habit of sorting out your budget and keeping track of all your purchases.

Good afternoon, dear readers! The question of how to save money is one of the most popular and relevant in modern times. And in order to answer it as fully as possible, I have prepared a detailed article for you.

In it I will share personal experience and exclusively in practical ways that really (and not in words, as often happens 🙂) will help you seriously save your family budget.

Everyone knows that modern economy is of a consumer nature. Every day they try to sell us some product or a certain service. Advertising on television, on the Internet, and on radio runs around the clock. All this creates the perfect breeding ground for mindless consumption.

💡From personal experience!
Proper management of your finances will allow you to see how much money was actually wasted. And not just wasted, but on things you don’t need!

So, for example, often only by planning your spending and refusing spontaneous purchases you can save about 10-20% of your budget !

However, you should not think that saving money in the family means completely limiting yourself in everything. On the contrary, thanks to reasonable savings, you can afford more! Believe me, even with a small salary you can live quite normally - I tested it for myself!😀

Today you will learn:

• How to save money with a small salary;
• How much and how you can save on groceries, food and shopping in general;
• How to properly manage your finances and manage money;
• How to save on housing and communal services, transport, recreation...

In the article you will also find a table and can download the file for self-management accounting for income and expenses! 😀

1. How to learn to save money + table?

Unfortunately, in our country wages are not actually growing, and inflation is not standing still. Prices for food, services, clothing, entertainment, and utility bills are increasing.

Some people prefer to take out loans, but any financier will tell you that loans for life are madness, as debt bondage drags on more and more, preventing you from living a normal life.

Before moving on to specific ways to save, let's consider 4 basic rules for smart saving:

Rule #1: Take control of all your income and expenses.

Do not rush to immediately spend the money you earn on everything. First, try to plan your budget for the next month in detail!

❗️ For example, basic notes on income and expenses can be made in notebook or at a regular piece of paper . Write down all expenses for food, clothing, utilities, transportation, personal needs, etc. This will help you wisely save your salary and calculate unnecessary expenses at the end of the month.

Even simpler and convenient way— take advantage ready-made table(Excel) for maintaining income and expenses, it can be used. You will only need to enter basic data - all calculations will be done automatically, this is what it looks like:

Rule #2: AlwaysLive within your means.

Yes, sometimes you want to buy an expensive item, go to a restaurant or go on an unplanned vacation. But it’s better to do this if you have extra funds that are not included in your main monthly budget.

Never empty your budget to the ground and do not take out loans, even if the financial benefit seems obvious at first glance. Especially forever refuse loans , the interest rates on them are just crazy - more300% per annum!

Rule #3: Pay yourself first, then everyone else.

Make it a habit to immediately save a certain amount after each payday. Money. This way you will provide yourself with a certain safety cushion. In the future, this money may be useful for any major investment or purchase.

☝️ Also implement system of rewards and punishments for yourself. Let's say you can spend a specific amount of money once a month on what you want. However, if you couldn’t restrain yourself and spent more than planned, limit your spending next month.

Rule #4: Don't buy everything at once.

Don’t rush to buy new items or run to the first sale you come across. If you really want to buy something, then it’s worth doing a market analysis. For example, look for similar models on the Internet, you are 100% likely to find them much cheaper.

Using the table as an example, you can see how savings can be beneficial even in such small things as giving up cable television or installing a water meter.

№	Way	Saving
1	Buying clothes and things on Chinese sites	More than 30-50% savings compared to buying clothes and things in offline stores
2	Avoid spontaneous purchases	Saving about 10% of the family budget
3	Installation of a cold water meter	Saving from 200 rubles per month for water consumption
4	Installing a thermostat for heating equipment	Saving up to 30% of heat consumption in the house
5	Refusal of incandescent lamps in favor of energy-saving ones	up to 50-75% of electricity
6	Refusal of cable TV/replacement with free or digital TV via the Internet	up to 700 rub/month.
7	Replacing expensive medications with cheap analogues or using natural medicines	Save about 50% when purchasing medicines

The main thing in reasonable saving is discipline. Without it, it can be difficult to save or save money. It’s hard at the beginning when you are forced to give up certain benefits. But over time, you will understand that saving will bring you pleasure and practical benefits.

2. How to save money - 50 simple ways to save your family budget for all occasions

Aliexpress online store

Shopping with cashback is easy. Just register on the EPN service, click the button Buy with cashback» next to the desired online store and choose the products you like.

You in personal account EPN will return part of the money after purchases, which you can withdraw in a convenient way.

Method 3: Shop Smart by Making a List Before Going to the Store

If you are planning a lot of different purchases, then do not rush to take them thoughtlessly from store shelves. Always make lists of what you need.

It's optimal to not just make a list necessary goods or purchases, but also calculate the total cost of goods. This way you can compare the cost of purchases with your original budget.

⭐️ Usually a person without a grocery list in 20% cases it takes what he doesn't need . And with the list, you can easily avoid spending your last money in the store.

And yes, by the way, don’t go shopping on an empty stomach! 👍

Method 4: Forget about fast food and cafes. Inexpensive and healthy eating at home

Example of discounted products for Biglion

Discounts on electronics can be purchased in such large markets as Ozon, Enter, Aliexpress, M.Video, Svyaznoy, Eldorado, DNS.

⚡️ In addition, websites are very popular among buyers Biglion.ru and Frendi.ru where you can purchase items with discount coupons up to 90% percent . You can also go on a tour at very, very competitive prices!

Method 6: Save electricity and water wisely

If the family does not have enough money, then saving on utilities can always help out. Utility bills increase quite quickly, and the final amount depends on the area of ​​the apartment and the number of registered people. And, of course, there is no escape from the amount of energy consumed.

The most water consumed in everyday life is in the toilet. If possible, simply install an inexpensive combination toilet with dual flush and this will save money. up to 20 thousand liters of water per year . Replacing a bath with a shower can help you save money. up to 30% of water consumption.

Be sure to install meters (if they are not installed), since you have to pay more according to the standards. It is worth washing things when the drum is fully loaded.

You can save light by replacing incandescent lamps with energy-saving lamps, which help reduce energy consumption up to 30-50% .

Method 7: Charity stores and the Daru Dar website. Any things are free!

IN in social networks There are many communities where you can accept gifts, give away or exchange things. Just type in the search bar " I'll give it away for free» and you can find these communities. It’s worth mentioning separately about the site “ Daru dar ».

Things for free on Daru Dar (website: darudar.org)

❗️ The Daru Dar website appeared a long time ago, it is a huge all-Russian platform where you can get free clothes, things, electronics, household and care items. IN major cities there are entire communities of Darudarovites who meet and exchange gifts.

If we talk about the advantages of the site, then you can even get brand new equipment, clothes from store shelves, and jewelry absolutely free of charge. But if we mention the disadvantages, then Lately There is a huge amount of rubbish on the Daru Dar website.

Method 8: Buy cheap and accessible analogues of expensive drugs

Why are some medications incredibly expensive, while their analogues are much cheaper? The whole point lies in the aggressive marketing policy pursued by pharmaceutical companies.

You are offered regular aspirin, wrapped in beautiful packaging through advertising on television and radio, and you buy this drug, naively believing that it cures everything in the world. However, almost all expensive drugs have cheaper analogues.

⭐️ Example!
For example, Coldrex cold remedy costs from 150 rubles, and the same “Paracetamol”, from which the same Coldrex essentially consists, will cost you only 5-15 rubles. Do you see the difference in the price of drugs and there are a lot of such examples?

Better yet, use natural remedies, they will really help you cure this or that disease much faster!

Method 9: Make a budget for the month in advance

The budget must be planned. Especially if you don’t know if you have enough money for a particular purchase. It’s better to plan your budget not even for a month, but for two or more months in advance. You can adjust your purchases accordingly.

Get yourself a diary in which you can enter information about planned purchases or, which we talked about earlier. This way you will avoid unnecessary expenses that can hurt your family budget.

Method 10: Avoid frequent trips to hypermarkets and large shopping centers

According to statistics, in hypermarkets and large shopping centers we spend more money than we planned.

❗️ IN 48% cases, shoppers in large hypermarkets make thoughtless purchases . At the same time, a person is usually attracted by the abundance of goods, “mythical” promotions and discounts. It seems to us that we buy a lot and profitably, but this is not so.

In addition, in large hypermarkets, most goods (especially food) are of rather low quality, so if possible, try to buy from private sellers - it will also be cheaper! 🙂

Method 11: Repair rather than throw away clothes

Save on clothes - repair them

We constantly buy new clothes, gradually simply throwing away old things. You shouldn't do this. First of all, fashion is cyclical, and what looked ridiculous or caused laughter may now be at the peak of popularity.

Secondly, almost any clothing, even seemingly “hopeless” ones, can be repaired inexpensively! 😉

In addition, there are a lot of channels on YouTube that tell and show how you can make real masterpieces from old things. And vintage style is in fashion now. You can even make your own new shorts from old jeans or sew a vest from a shirt. All you need is your imagination and desire to change something.

Method 12: Buy things and clothes on sales in online stores, as well as on Avito and Yula

Nowadays, quite good, high-quality and sometimes even branded items can be bought on sites such as “ Avito" And " Yula", and much cheaper than they cost in stores.

Bargain purchases with savings on Avito and Yula

❗️Please note:
You can also buy in online stores such as " Lamoda», Wildberries, Joom. In such large online platforms there is the possibility of accumulative points that can be exchanged for clothes and shoes. At the same time, things are much cheaper than in regular shopping centers.

Buyers are provided with free fitting, delivery, return and exchange of goods. And during discount periods you can buy things for literally pennies.

Method 13: Forget about credit cards (take advantage of the interest-free period)

Ceramic heaters - real savings electricity

Secondly, install a programmable thermostat - it will allow you to save additional money up to 25% thermal energy. A thermostat is a special device that allows you to regulate a certain level of temperature in a living space.

In Europe, thermostats are used everywhere, but in Russia such devices appeared relatively recently. The thermostat is inexpensive and everyone can afford it.

Method 17: Save on pets. Homemade food prepared by yourself

If you have a cat or dog, then it is not necessary to feed the animal with specialized food. In nature, any animal eats meat, vegetables, and roots.

☝️ For example, you can replace dry or wet food with various cereals. At the same time, a kilogram of porridge is very inexpensive 25-40 rubles.

Porridges can be combined. Buckwheat, rice, millet, and oatmeal are suitable for feeding. Moreover, the diet will be balanced and healthy for your pet.

Method 18: Don’t rush to change gadgets and equipment

Every season, large companies present their new products, but does it make sense to chase fashion? I think not, especially since it’s usually new technology essentially no different from the old one.

It’s better to get by with one high-quality, but not too expensive gadget, which, if used carefully, can last at least a couple of years without problems. It doesn’t matter what it is: a personal computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone. The same can be applied to any other technique.

Method 19: Vegetable garden on the windowsill

⭐️Useful advice:
Try to buy equipment no lower than " A"or better yet" A+++ «, « A++" And " A+» - this technique will reduce the consumption of electricity up to 50-80%!

Method 24: Turn off cable TV and use the Internet

That's it now more people They prefer Internet to television. It’s simple and convenient, especially since you don’t have to wait for a particular program to air and switch channels while commercials are broadcast.

Cable TV along with the Internet costs about 1,000 rubles per month. Moreover, the amount varies depending on the provider you choose.

You can also connect the Internet to your TV via an adapter. Just a couple of manipulations, and you can also watch movies and favorite shows online. With all this, you will save a lot of money.

Method 25: Make meaningful purchases after the holidays

If you want to buy furniture, appliances or clothing, then try to make such purchases on weekdays, not on holidays. Usually, during the holidays, buyers are lured by various sales, but this is just an advertising trap (often the prices are first significantly inflated, and then they seem to offer “discounts” and “sales”).

In addition, sellers try to sell all goods, including illiquid goods. Therefore, on holidays there are high risk stumble upon low-quality and defective goods. So don't rush into sales. It's better to wait until the holiday rush subsides and make your purchases calmly.

Method 26: Quit cigarettes and alcohol

On average, a pack of cigarettes costs one hundred rubles. With daily consumption of one pack of cigarettes per day, you smoke for 3 thousand rubles per month ( 36 thousand rubles per year).

☝️ This money can be spent on recreation, entertainment, or buying yourself some clothes. It seems that a hundred rubles is not such a lot of money, but the amount changes dramatically if you add up the expenses for the month.

The same can be said about alcohol. People often buy light alcohol, which is also not cheap. Just break these habits and you can save money at least 3-5 thousand your budget, which can be spent on much more useful and pleasant things.

Method 27: Freeze for the winter

Saving on travel - a real example

❗️ There are special services through which you can find travel companions (for example, BlaBlaCar - blablacar.ru). You can also find other services offering carpooling services on the Play Market.

Method 30: Learn to save at least 10-15% of your salary

The trouble for many citizens is that they simply cannot plan their budget. It always seems that there will be money, but unforeseen circumstances will pass by. But, as practice shows, this is absolutely not the case.

What usually causes problems? We are spending our budget unwisely. But you need to accept just one rule for yourself.

Save after every paycheck at least 10% of money as a safety cushion. For example, you receive 30 thousand rubles monthly. Just put it off 3-7 thousand each in a safe place or on deposit in a bank (but it’s still better not to keep too large sums in the bank)!

Believe me, after about six months you will feel more confident knowing that you have a certain airbag.🙂

Method 31: Save on entertainment for children

If you have children, then you understand perfectly well that they are one of the main expenses in the family. Children require constant attention. And it’s no secret that now there is a lot of entertainment and all of them, as a rule, are paid.

Petting zoos, trampolines, cafes, children's rooms, water parks - all this costs a pretty penny. You shouldn’t limit your child in everything, but you can come up with a lot of entertainment for children that will be absolutely free.

Look at the schedule of events on city posters. In any case there is Board games, free parks and imagination, with which you can keep even the most mischievous child occupied.

Method 32: Sell old things

Don't accumulate junk at home. And if you have antique things, you can take them to an antique store. Perhaps you yourself, without knowing it, are the owner of real treasures. Of particular value are ancient medals and stamps, utensils, porcelain and crystal products, books, icons, and jewelry.

✅You can sell not only rarities, but also quite modern items for sale. For example, old fur coats and coats, unnecessary equipment, furniture.

Of course, it shouldn't be outright junk, so carefully sort through your treasures and get rid of them. Moreover, they will bring you income and will not take up much space in the apartment.

Method 33: Bring lunch to work from home

Try not to have lunch at a cafe or snack on fast food at work. In such establishments, food is expensive, and it is not always tasty and healthy. So cook for yourself at home.

Buy yourself an inexpensive lunch box that can hold sandwiches and don't forget about containers for hot food. This way you can eat tasty, inexpensive and healthy!

Method 34: Watch out for Black Friday. Products with discounts up to 90%

It's possible to buy cheap. Keep an eye out for discounts and promotions. In particular, on the last Friday of November, gigantic sales start all over the world. In some stores you can purchase quality products at a discount up to 70-90% .

As a marketing and social phenomenon, Black Friday originated in the United States and is associated with Thanksgiving, after which stores typically faced months of stagnation. It was in America that they came up with the idea of ​​completely selling out goods once a year at crazy discounts.

⭐️ During Black Friday, you can buy cheap clothes, shoes, appliances, jewelry, gadgets and much more. At the same time, both regular hypermarkets and large retail chains, as well as online stores.

Method 35: Reduce your vacation expenses. Camping instead of a hotel

Rest is not a luxury, but a right of every working person. If you do not have the opportunity to relax in a five-star hotel, then there are always available options that will cost you little.

Are you planning a holiday abroad? Do not buy tickets during the high season, as they will be quite expensive. It is better to choose off-season destinations.

When planning a trip to the Russian south, you don’t have to book hotels, but rather find a campsite that has everything for a normal life. Camping costs 3-4 times less than a room in a three-star hotel.

☝️ Take note!
Another way to save significantly on housing is to book it from private owners through an online service AirBnb.ru.

Method 36: Don't spend money to relieve stress

Shopaholism is officially recognized as a form of psychological addiction. A person can spend a huge amount of money just like that. Many psychologists claim that thoughtless and spontaneous purchases are akin to a soft drug and bring pleasure.

Usually, after such purchases, a person becomes upset and begins to analyze his behavior, realizing that he is spending money on the wrong things. But then he begins to calm himself down, justifying himself.

Stress shopping can get you into a dangerous quagmire, so before you clear out all the shelves in the store, just think about whether you need it? After all, by saving money you can spend it on things you really need.

Method 37: Look for free events in your city

Of course, sometimes you want to go somewhere to relax. However, mass events can be expensive, and a ticket to a concert of a capital or foreign star can cost tens of thousands of rubles.

If you don’t want to sit at home and you’re thinking of joining cultural life, then you don’t have to spend all your savings on going to a club or theater.

Every day, dozens of advertisements are published on the Internet about free events that may take place in your city. These include various premieres of performances, films, exhibitions, concerts, showrooms and much more. You don't need a ticket, and you can make good use of your personal time.

Method 38: Get yourself a piggy bank

As a child, almost all of us had a piggy bank. An ordinary porcelain pig or cat with a slot on the back, into which we carefully put our precious coins.

You can use this method as an adult. Change will always come in handy for travel or small purchases at the store.

⭐️ Often we do not attach any importance to small money. It's not worth doing this. Just buy yourself a piggy bank and put coins in it. In this way, you can easily accumulate a more or less significant amount in a month.

Method 39: Buy a home in another area

Earlier apartment buildings, located far from the city center, were considered not prestigious. It takes a long time to get there, it’s inconvenient, and there’s no public transport. But times are changing, and developers are creating huge residential complexes with inexpensive apartments and their own developed infrastructure.

✅ Let's say you live in the city center and have one-room apartment. You may well sell your apartment (or rent it out) and buy a two-room apartment in another, less prestigious area.

In any case, pay attention to the number of storeys of the house, transport accessibility, the presence of socially significant facilities and infrastructure.

Method 40: Insulate and seal your home

You can also save on utility bills. For example, this can be done by insulating and sealing your home. By the way, you can insulate it as a private house, and an apartment.

Insulation is usually used for these purposes, which is inexpensive and is sold on any market. Suitable materials for insulation include ecowool, mineral wool, and polyurethane foam. Properly selected insulation allows you to save money up to 45% of heat in the house !

Also, if necessary, it makes sense to seal and insulate the windows.

Method 41: DIY homemade cosmetics and personal care products

Cosmetics and personal care products are not cheap, especially if they are popular and advertised brands. Believe me, the simple products you have at hand can replace expensive creams and masks.

What can you use to make homemade cosmetics? Regular oatmeal, crushed into powder, can replace powder. At the same time, it does not irritate the skin and looks natural. You can also use chamomile decoction instead of tonic. Honey is suitable for wraps and steam baths. Egg and baking soda can easily be used to replace shampoo and hair conditioner.

Salt and turmeric can be used as a natural and natural skin scrub. And as nourishing oils and massage products, you can use regular sunflower oil, sold in any store.

👍 Natural cosmetic- it's not only cheap. All over the world they are abandoning sulfate shampoos or creams containing hormones. Therefore, you not only save your family budget, but also make your body healthy thanks to such simple and affordable folk remedies.

Method 42: Get free preventive examinations

Taking care of your health has become expensive these days. But you don’t have to go to expensive clinics. Every year, many cities organize free monitoring of the health of citizens.

Just follow the news and come for a preventive examination with your passport and pole. You can go through all the doctors and not pay a penny for it.

Dental services are incredibly expensive today. But when it comes to dental treatment, all therapeutic procedures can be performed absolutely free of charge in the city dental clinic.

⭐️ Do not rush to give all your money for dental treatment. Just go to a simple clinic, and then go see a paid doctor. Be sure that in addition to one diseased tooth, you will be treated with a dozen more healthy ones.

Don’t ignore free medicine, because sometimes really experienced dentists work in city clinics. If you need to install an implant or prosthesis, then in ordinary social dentistry they will make it and install it at several times cheaper than in a well-promoted and often advertised clinic.

Method 44: Exchange things with friends

Getting a new item or exchanging an old one is absolutely not difficult. You can exchange things, clothes, gadgets with friends. At the same time, you get what you need at the moment completely free of charge.

The method is suitable for those who do not want to take other people's things on the same " Avito" or " Yule" You trust your friends and relatives more, and you definitely won’t have any problems with the exchange. As you can see, this is also a good way to save the family budget.

Method 45: Find a roommate or apartmentmate

The method is suitable for those who have their own two-room or three-room housing. Of course, you can put a neighbor in your room or a one-room apartment for money, but you are unlikely to feel comfortable with a stranger in the same room.

The neighbor can pay you for utilities or pay for the room at a price set by you. Living with an owner is not a simple psychological thing, so try to choose a tenant to your liking. This is a good way to save your budget and not pay utility bills yourself.

Useful information often appears on the Internet. You just need to learn to filter it from unnecessary garbage. There are a lot of useful blogs about making money and financial planning, our site is no exception!

You just choose the optimal resource and select relevant information that can really be useful in your life. Tips and life hacks help you plan your budget correctly and optimally without unnecessary and thoughtless spending.

Believe me, even with a modest salary you can save and live quite decently. Therefore, we look for information, write it down and then apply it in practice. Try to constantly develop and learn something new!😀

Method 47: Making things with your own hands. How can you make money and save your budget using handmade products?

Did you know that with a little imagination and skillful hands you can make beautiful and interesting things? You can sew pillows with your own hands, create decor for your home or interior, while spending a minimum of money. And such things can be sold.

The following are popular:

• Creating paintings and portraits with your own hands. There will always be clients for such work who can be looked for on social networks;
• Knitwear for the home, pillows, sachets, bedspreads in patchwork style;
• Knitted products for children and adults;
• Handmade clothing and accessories.

Think about what you can do best? For example, you knit well. In this case, you can look for clients on social networks and offer them your services.

Method 48: Looking for additional part-time work

There is never too much work, especially if you don't have enough money. You can earn extra money even if you have official work. For example, you can get a job as a weekend salesperson in a shopping center.

Such vacancies are often posted online, and weekend sellers can receive about 10-15 thousand rubles in addition to their basic earnings. And this amount is typical for the regions, and in Moscow the payment is even higher.

Freelancing articles can be a good help. At the same time, you can write articles, give consultations, and do minor work. Fortunately, there are a great many freelance exchanges. The most popular of them are:

• Yandex.toloka.ru is a service for making money from Yandex, suitable for almost everyone for a small part-time job (the tasks here are very simple, so initially no skills are required).
• Kwork.ru. The site is relatively young, but it is very popular among freelancers. You can create so-called quacks, and the customer chooses you and pays for them.
• Pchel.net. The resource is not bad, it is suitable for beginning freelancers. The site appeared back in 2007 and it is still operating. There you can find tasks on naming, rewriting, copywriting;
• Fl.ru. The site is considered one of the first Russian-language exchanges, which has a lot of different tasks and orders. But there is also a minus. You'll have to buy a professional account, and it's not a fact that it will pay off for you in the first month;
• Moguza.ru. Pricing policy Freelancers themselves dictate on this site. You can come up with a task and set any price for it. If your proposal and price suit the customer, he will be able to order the work;

You can also earn extra money on text copywriting exchanges, such as ETXT or Advego. In any case, choose large sites and do not agree to offers that are obviously unfavorable for you.

Method 49: Join volunteer programs

Volunteering is a special kind of mutual assistance between different people. Volunteers carry out different programs and there is no shame in making friends with them. Did you know that volunteer programs allow you to earn money and see the world around you? Let's look at the most unusual and interesting of them:

• Company World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farm s helps volunteers from all over the world grow vegetables and fruits in different countries, starting from Holland and ending with French Polynesia. At the same time, volunteers are provided with housing, food, and pay. You can choose the scheme and country yourself;
• We save turtles in Thailand. You can join the environmental project Naucrates. Accommodation and meals are provided. Volunteers monitor Thai beaches and help turtles not die. The volunteer contract is for 9-12 weeks;
• Education of children in Peru. There is a chance to visit one of the most unusual countries in the world. And at the same time, not just visit, but spend time usefully, teaching children in Peru computer literacy, language, art, and literature. The Santa Marta International Foundation invites volunteers to work;
• Education of children in Brazil. You can go with volunteers to Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. The MonteAzul organization provides an opportunity not only to see Brazil, but also to help children in need. Volunteers are provided with housing and free food.

Volunteering isn't exactly a classic way to save money. This is a way to earn extra money, allowing you to get to know different countries and different people.

Method 50: Use cash more often than bank cards

It would seem, what does cash and savings have to do with it? But it turns out there is a relationship!🙂

IN Everyday life we pay for many purchases bank cards and we simply don’t notice how we spend money, and all because we don’t have the feeling of money!

Agree, when the money is in your wallet and you can touch it, then it’s even a pity to part with it, and even more so you don’t want to spend it on unnecessary things.

The situation is completely different with bank cards. I have noticed more than once that when making purchases with a card, you are more likely to collect much more than you need!

Take care of yourself, I’m sure, and you will notice a clear difference! Trite advice, but it really works! 😀

3. Change your thinking and your life will change.

You always want to earn more. And you can do it. The main thing is your desire and motivation. If you don’t like your job, then look for a replacement, since now there are a lot of offers and good specialists will always be needed.

There are people who simply do not know how to increase their capital. It seems as if money is slipping through your fingers like water. You need to change certain outlooks on life, such as:

• The subconscious belief that you need to hold on to your job. No need, because you can change your life for the better at any moment. Always look for and test the best options for yourself at the same time;
• Patterns and habits of behavior. You can't be a slave to life's circumstances. There is only one life and don’t be afraid to change it;
• Use any options for part-time work. For example, the same freelancing, when you do not depend on your bosses and colleagues;
• Don't let your development stagnate. Always try to improve your professional skills.

The most important thing is your social circle. Don't be afraid to make new acquaintances, thanks to which you can find a new, higher-paying job. Therefore, you should not avoid meeting new people who may bring potential benefits.

4. Conclusion

So, we looked at the most interesting ways that will help you save your budget. Do not be afraid. If you learn to plan your finances correctly, then you will understand that money does not go to waste.

Simple methods are available to everyone. Some of them are already familiar to you, while others will be a pleasant discovery for you. Don't be afraid to change your life. And then it will definitely change for the better with you!

I really hope that this article was at least somewhat useful to you, I really tried my best! 😀

I wish you a good mood and profitable savings! 👍👍👍

❗️ If I missed something, be sure to write about it in the comments below. Also tell us how you manage to save money - many will appreciate your experience!

We will be very grateful if you rate this article and share it on social networks! 😀👍👇

The ability not only to earn, but also to spend money is a real art - only a small percentage of people competently manage income and expenses, while making savings. But how to learn this? What to do so that in pursuit of savings you don’t start to limit yourself in everything, not ruin relationships with family members, determine weak sides your budget?

Family budget - family income and expenses that allow you to save

To learn how to save wisely, you don’t need an accountant’s education. It is enough to discipline yourself, understand where you spend your money, making thoughtless purchases. The savings are justified on the purchase:

• Expensive things that you don’t like, but serve to impress others. Smartphone, new car, a beautiful bag - you can safely refuse many purchases;
• Excess food going into the trash bag. Many families buy food with extra food. The bread dries out, the milk spoils, and the household doesn’t have time to eat a whole pot of cooked soup. As a result, you throw away food and money;
• Clothing and shoes purchased for reasons of fashion rather than practicality. Women who buy things just to please themselves, wear them a couple of times and hang them in the closet are usually prone to such wastefulness.

To save the family budget, family income and expenses must be controlled. Without taking into account all expenses, it will be difficult - you may not even notice where you spent your entire salary, because you only bought small things.

Family budget - family income and expenses, savings table

You can keep a family budget the old fashioned way - in a notebook, or use modern tools - Microsoft Excel, mobile applications. For example, the program “ Home accounting" How to make a table of income and expenses for the month? Her example looks like this:

Family budget for April 2018
Income
Wife's salary	20 000
Husband's salary	35 000
Renting an apartment	12 000
Social benefits for children	1 000
TOTAL income	68 000
Expenses
Communal payments	5 000
Loan payments	10 000
Products	8 000
gas station	3 000
Machine Maintenance	4 000
Cloth	6 000
Kindergarten	2 000
other expenses	5 000
Money box	10 000
TOTAL expenses	53 000
Money saved (income - expenses)	15 000

In order not to buy too much during the month, it is recommended to first make a list of upcoming expenses. In addition to paying loans, taxes, utilities and other payments, you need to enter planned purchases here, calculating the amount you can spend. At the end of the month, you will check whether you managed to invest in the budget by purchasing everything you needed.

What can and cannot be saved on?

To begin limiting your needs and cutting down your family spending budget, you need to find out what exactly you can save on. The expenses of each person are individual: some people like to go to restaurants and clubs, many like to take a comfortable taxi, other people do not want to cook and buy semi-finished products. Traditionally, all expenses can be divided into groups.

№	What you can't save on	Unnecessary expenses that you can refuse	Expenses that definitely need to be removed from your budget
1	healthy eating, medical services, hygiene items;	Household appliances, mobile devices;	Visiting cafes, restaurants, eating places;
2	Utilities, payment of loans, taxes;	Furniture, if old household items can still serve;	Bad habits, alcohol, cigarettes, as they also entail expenses for medical services;
3	Travel expenses;	Interests and hobbies related to financial spending;	Food products that are only harmful to the body - semi-finished products, sweets, chips, carbonated drinks;
4	Internet and communication services;	Clothing from famous brands;	Games, purchase lottery tickets, participation in sweepstakes;
5	Purchasing clothes needed for the season;	Services of specialized companies - for example, cleaning services, delivery;	Services that you do not use - landline telephone, radio point and others;
6	Education, if it is required to obtain a well-paid job.	Jewelry, expensive accessories.	Items purchased on promotions and sales that you did not plan to purchase.

Saving does not mean giving up any vacation or usual pleasures. You can always find an alternative and more attractive option for a modest fee. For example, if you like to go to the sea every year, consider Turkey or Crimea instead of Europe.

When managing your household finances, it is important to follow simple rules that will help you save your budget and use money wisely:

1. Keep strict records of income and expenses. At first glance, it seems that this is of no use - you know how much you earn and spend. But only a few can accurately say the size of the family budget and the cost of purchases even in a day;
2. Give up loans - they eat up the lion's share of your funds, the interest goes into emptiness. If possible, try to pay off outstanding debts faster;
3. Put at least 10% of your income into a piggy bank. This small amount invisible to the budget, but in a few months it will allow you to make the desired purchases;
4. Don’t buy things spontaneously - because you want to, or you suddenly walked into a store and saw the object of your adoration. Wait until tomorrow, perhaps the ardor will subside along with the desire to spend money;
5. Go to the grocery store less often - buy basic goods for the week, and bread and milk - in small stalls, where there is no temptation to spend a large sum;
6. Eat homemade food - it's healthier and cheaper. It’s better to prepare soup and main course than to buy semi-finished products, ready-made salads and buns with coffee on the road; they are not cheap. The same applies to home delivery - sushi and pizza will cost too much;
7. Do not run to the store immediately after receiving the money - having a large amount in your pocket, it is easier to make thoughtless expenses;
8. Monitor communication services and mobile internet– often operators enable options that the user does not need, for example, music instead of beeps;
9. Start a piggy bank for small change and send all the iron coins from your pockets into it - in a year you can save tens of thousands of rubles without much effort;
10. Buy groceries in bulk, clothes out of season, and various small items online, it’s more profitable.

The main thing when saving is to see the problem, realize that it exists, and you need to fight it. If you think that you can’t live without chips, fish, nuts for beer and new shoes every month, you definitely won’t be able to plan your budget correctly.

The main mistakes when saving the family budget

You may decide that saving is so easy that you don’t even need to attach importance to this activity. But in reality, your efforts will be in vain if you get caught in a web of errors. The most common of them are:

• Lack of agreements between spouses, when the wife decides to control the budget and the husband is against it, or vice versa. Convince your other half of the benefits of saving, and if this fails, offer to just try for a week;
• There is no reserve fund - you need to save money for unexpected expenses that you cannot save on. Who knows what will happen in a month or tomorrow, but a financial cushion will allow you to survive difficult times without prejudice;
• Too much austerity, which results in moral exhaustion and stress. This happens when there is not enough motivation to plan a budget, a person denies himself the slightest pleasure and works a lot;
• Children are not involved in the process family savings. Not only will they not strive for the goal, they will not receive useful knowledge for the future, and will not be able to manage their finances rationally in their independent lives.

In pursuit of savings, you should clearly set goals, understand what you can refuse, and what purchases are mandatory. Allowing yourself a break from the everyday routine is a prerequisite, and there is no need to go to resorts. A hike, a trip to nature, a walk in the park or a picnic by the river - city residents often forget about pleasant and inexpensive pleasures.

You should start saving your family budget by involving all family members in this activity and controlling expenses. Keep a separate notebook for recording expenses, and you will see that a considerable share of your salary goes to unexpected little things, spontaneous purchases and unnecessary acquisitions. By giving up on them and starting to save money, you will be able to use your family income wisely.

I welcome all readers to the pages of my blog. I have already devoted more than one article to ways to make money. A huge number of people are looking for opportunities to earn extra money, because there is never enough money. Let's try to look at the problem from the other side. How to save your family budget without limiting your basic needs. I collected real advice, and even managed to test some things on myself.

From this article you will learn:

Sooner or later, the question of optimizing the budget arises in any family. Some people simply like order in their financial affairs, others are looking for ways to save money in order to save money to buy some expensive item. And for some, saving is the only way to make ends meet. This is especially true when the salary is low.

As they say, money loves counting, and planning a family budget is not a shameful activity at all. After all, the same Bill Gates would not have topped the Forbes list if he was throwing money left and right.
Let's figure out what conditions must be met for proper accounting and planning of your finances.

Calculation period

First of all, determine the period for which you will draw up your financial plan. This is the period during which money will “circulate” in your home. After this period, you will calculate your income and expenses, analyze and draw conclusions.

Behind billing period Most often they accept a month, since every month we receive a salary, pay for utilities, children's sections, etc.

You can set any other time period for yourself if it is more convenient for you.

Determining income items

In our case, income is all the money that will flow into your wallet during the billing period.

This could be a salary, unemployment benefits, child care benefits, profits from your own business, a scholarship, or interest on deposits.

The main thing here is to take into account only those amounts that come to you regularly. If you do not receive a fixed salary, but, for example, a percentage of sales, then take the average value for calculation. It’s better to slightly underestimate the amount than to hope for more and end up losing money.

You should not think that the friend to whom you lent will return the amount on time. Or that you will win a million in the lottery. This may or may not happen. Your income is small, but constant. That money that comes to you spontaneously or beyond yours ordinary income, it is better to postpone reserve fund, so to speak, for a rainy day.

If you live alone, you clearly understand all your income and can easily track it.
If you are a family person, then it would be right to discuss everything with your spouse in advance. And here it is important to be on the same page, because if your spouse does not support your desire to save, then you will have quarrels and misunderstandings, which should not be allowed when planning a family budget. Try to find a compromise.

Unfortunately or fortunately, now 90 percent of people receive their salaries on a card. Therefore, it is no longer possible to put all the money in one box the old way. Some families consciously maintain separate budgets. And there is nothing reprehensible in this either. But then you need to distribute areas of responsibility. For example, the husband takes upon himself rent and maintaining a car, and the wife buys food for the house and makes sure that utilities are paid on time.

Main Cost Items

The most important step towards savings will be identifying cost items. For convenience, you can write them down on a piece of paper or make a table in Excel. It will be more clear this way, and you will be able to correctly distribute between all the articles, without losing sight of anything.

This should include all expenses that cannot be avoided and purchases without which it is impossible to live during the billing period.

So, the main cost items include:

1. Food.
2. Household chemicals and hygiene products.
3. Communal payments.
4. Rent (if you are renting).
5. Loans, mortgages, taxes.
6. Fare.
7. Car maintenance and repair.
8. Children's clubs and sections.

Your list may be shorter or longer, depending on your family size, needs and lifestyle.

Now let’s go through each article in detail and figure out what you can save on.

Nutrition

It was not for nothing that I wrote this article number one. For most families, the biggest expense is food. And this is absolutely normal, because this is a basic human need.

The main rule of saving on groceries is to go to the store well-fed with a pre-compiled shopping list so as not to grab too much.

1. Choose simple foods that will be the basis of your diet. For example, meat and poultry, instead of ready-made cutlets, sausages and sausages. This is not only profitable, but also useful. As a rule, a kilogram of meat costs less than a kilogram of sausage. And too cheap sausage should make you think about its quality. Judge for yourself, because for its production, in addition to meat, many additional ingredients were used, work force, time and resources.
2. Although there is a popular saying that a chicken is not a bird, however, this is not at all true. And this bird is very good. Do you know how to make the most of one chicken and cook three whole dishes? But I know: bake the wings, thighs and drumsticks in the oven, prepare the basics from the breast, and make broth for soup from the leftovers and bones.
3. Try to avoid ready-made and semi-finished products. They always cost more, and besides, you cannot judge their quality for sure. As an exception, there may be canned food and stewed meat. You can buy a few cans and put them in the cupboard for emergencies. The main thing is not to forget about the shelf life.
4. Don't buy too many perishable foods. This applies to dairy products, bread, vegetables, and fruits. I try not to strategically stock up and only buy what I can eat within a week or within its shelf life. A bunch of bananas thrown into the trash will not return back to your wallet!
5. Remember about the promotions and discounts that can now be found in any chain store and supermarket. But pay attention to the manufacturing date of the products. Sometimes promotions are organized to attract customers, and sometimes due to the urgent need to urgently sell unusable goods. To track stocks, it is convenient to use mobile applications, such as Edadil. The service determines your location by geolocation and finds the nearest stores. Catalogs with discounts and promotions are updated in a timely manner, and you can always choose one or another product at the best price.
6. One of my friends, in order not to buy too much, always makes a menu for the week. For example, she prepares soup for three days, and main courses every day. On Mondays she has mashed potatoes with cutlets, on Tuesdays pilaf, on Wednesdays pasta with sausages, and Thursday, as in the Soviet Union, is fish day. It's comfortable. Firstly, you don’t have to rack your brains over what to cook, and secondly, you will know exactly what products and in what quantities you will need.
7. For those who want to save money, it is better to eat at home and take ready-made food in containers to work. Eating in canteens and restaurants is always more expensive, especially if you have a large family.
8. Do not write off pets. It is good if you have taught them to eat the leftovers of their own food. But, for example, feeding my Luntik costs about 1000 rubles a month.

Household chemicals, hygiene and care products

As a rule, there are no problems with the first part. Every housewife has her own tricks, but everyone has long known that, for example, it is more profitable to buy a large pack of washing powder than several small ones. The problems begin with the second part. And specifically for women. I mean cosmetics. Girls are such girls, you want to sweep everything related to this topic off the shelves, try new items and take possession of the entire palette of shadows and shades of nail polishes.

How can you learn to save on cosmetics? How to awaken a sense of proportion that is either asleep or has long died?

Let's judge objectively.

1. We leave care products that you cannot do without due to age or health problems. For example, if you have dry skin, then of course you can’t do without a moisturizer. But there is no need to produce thousands of tubes. Firstly, you simply cannot use them all up and sooner or later they will go bad. Secondly, take pity on your skin. She is unlikely to appreciate constant experiments.
2. With decorative cosmetics everything is simple. Any woman needs 2 sets - for daytime makeup and for evening makeup. The remaining 150 shades of lipstick and eye shadow are not always needed even by professional makeup artists, not to mention you and me.

Communal payments

You can save money on this too. First, make sure that you have meters installed for all types of resources - water, gas, electricity. Payments according to meters are significantly lower than according to standards. This is especially true for water. I don’t know who came up with the standard, but since we installed flow meters, our expenses for cold and hot water have decreased by about three times.

Secondly, use resources sparingly. I have one bad habit. I walk around the house and leave the lights on everywhere. This is why my husband calls me the electric fairy. I am slowly starting to fight with myself, but this is not always possible. And electricity, by the way, is not cheap.

By the way, energy-saving light bulbs really help you save money. Tested by personal experience.

Instead of long “swims” in a bath with foam and salt, give preference to washing in the shower. By the way, scientists have proven that excessive washing dries and spoils the skin.

Other types of payments (rent, loans, children's sections) are fixed. It is unlikely that they will be reduced.

Although, you can try to reduce monthly payment on loan. This is common practice. However, this is unlikely to be beneficial for you, because by reducing the monthly payment, you automatically extend the loan term, which means you will end up paying a larger amount due to interest.

Unforeseen expenses

This is the most insidious expense item. Such things always happen suddenly, and according to the law of meanness, also at the most inopportune moment, when money is already tight.

Anything can be here:

1. Diseases. Even for the treatment of a common ARVI, the doctor will write you a prescription for 500-1000 rubles.
2. Car repair. It is better to immediately include regular maintenance, oil changes and consumables in the main expense item. And unexpected expenses can be very different, from minor breakdowns to replacement of expensive parts.
3. Replacement of large and small household appliances due to breakdowns.
4. Buying clothes. This is the favorite topic of all girls. If you are a shopaholic, like me, there is no cure for this. But you can try to moderate your desires. Very often in glossy magazines and online publications there are articles about basic wardrobe. And I advise you to listen to them. Indeed, if you have a few simple things of a classic cut that go well with each other, you can create many interesting looks for any occasion, and diversify them with stylish accessories.

But don't rush into everything. And especially for discounts. Even if it seems that at a reduced price you can buy two things instead of one. Just imagine that you don’t have to buy the second thing, and put the saved money aside for a trip to the sea.

The situation is more complicated with children. After all, they grow quickly, and for almost every season they need a new set of clothes and shoes. But there is also back side medals. Due to its rapid growth, second-hand children's clothing is often sold on sites like Avito or Yula for a nominal fee. Moreover, they may turn out to be almost never worn. I myself have repeatedly bought clothes for my daughter for the next season, and missed the mark with the size.

To prevent unforeseen expenses from stumping you, you need to create a reserve fund. Set a certain amount that you will save from each paycheck. Or it could be money saved on purchases, bonuses, 13th salary, etc.

Mobile applications

Planning a family budget is not an easy task, so I recommend that you use special programs. It’s impossible to keep all the nuances in your head. Need to write it down. Fortunately, now, in addition to the barn book and diary, there are a lot of mobile applications and services that are very simple and easy to use. And most importantly, you will never forget them at home, because they will be on your phone.

There are simply a sea of ​​such applications in the AppStore and PlayMarket, for example Monefy, Spending Tracker, a journal of expenses and income. The principle of operation is the same for everyone - you enter data on all your income and expenses every day, while sorting them by category (food, housing, communications, etc.). And the application calculates your current balance.

They all have one drawback - sooner or later you will forget to contribute some small change, and then you will puzzle for a long time why the balance does not add up. Therefore, you should not rely entirely on such services. Use them mainly to analyze your spending.

All kinds of applications for tracking discounts and promotions are very convenient. I have already written about Edadil. This is probably my favorite app. I think its main advantage is that it works in all cities, even the smallest ones, where there are chain stores like Magnit, Pyaterochka and some local chains.

Residents of large cities will certainly appreciate the Biglion and KupiKupon applications.

Here you can find discount coupons for visiting museums, theaters, children's and entertainment facilities, as well as discounts on services, shops, hotel stays, etc.

Dear friends! It is impossible to teach someone how to spend money rationally; only you yourself can understand which ways to save your budget are right for you. Each person has certain needs, habits, principles and traditions. I wish you to be reasonable and moderate in your spending, not to get sick, not to fall into the hands of scammers, and to earn as much as you need for a comfortable existence. Treat money more simply, and it will come to you! Best wishes!

According to statistics, more than half of the Russian population lives from paycheck to paycheck. Some, with low incomes, simply have nothing to save; others do not know how to control and properly distribute their funds. Such problems lead to living on credit and even greater expenses due to overpayment to the bank.

Interesting! Most citizens in the developed and economically stable United States also spend their entire monthly income and do not save. According to Times Magazine research, 76% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. The reason for this apparent carelessness lies in the habit of living on credit, which is especially developed in the United States. Young people take out loans for education, and after starting a family, they take out new loans for real estate, one or more cars. Most people cannot deny themselves the pleasure and take out loans for all the things they like. As a result, all the impressive income is spent on paying off existing loans.

In the article we will tell youhow to save your family budgetto live a full life, not feel discomfort and save for important purchases.

Are commonrules, methods and principles of saving

The main rule of saving is to spend less than you earn. By following it, you can save money for large purchases, ensure financial stability and confidence in the future.

Among the saving methods are:

🔺 control of the level of income and expenses;

🔺 planning regular and periodic purchases;

🔺 search for alternative options when choosing goods and services.

There are also several principles for smart budgeting that work for both an individual and a family. Let's look at some of the most effective and common ones.

💲 Principle 50/20/30. According to its creators, everything is vital necessary expenses should be half monthly income. These include expenses for housing, utilities, food, transportation, necessary clothing and household items. 20% of each salary should be put aside into a savings account or used to pay off existing debts. 30% is expenses for pleasure: entertainment, travel, optional purchases. The 50/20/30 principle helps you save ⅕ of your annual income without much effort and supports self-motivation - almost a third of your salary can be spent on entertainment.

It is not always possible to implement the 50/20/30 principle. Naturally, if half of all money is spent on renting an apartment or paying off a mortgage, it is impossible to implement such a principle. But it is worth striving for it by increasing income and reducing the level of unreasonable expenses.
💲 The principle of several envelopes or piggy banks.It also implies a planned division of the budget, but into a larger number of parts. For example:

▪ 50-60% for current needs;

▪ 10% on large planned purchases;

▪ 10% for training and development;

▪ 10% on entertainment;

▪ 10% on deposit.

If you reduce mandatory expenses, you can allocate more money for entertainment or for development and deposit. Some include mandatory deductions for health, gifts, repairs, and charity.

Each part must be placed in a separate envelope or piggy bank. Funds for deposit should be sealed or transferred to a savings account with a bank in order to eliminate unnecessary expenses and receive additional interest. To make it easier to control and adjust spending, you can set a limit not for a month, but for a week.

Important! You cannot spend more than the pre-allocated amount. If you spent money on entertainment on one trip to a restaurant on the 5th, you will have to give up such expenses for the rest of the month.

This planning option is suitable for most, but does not take into account, for example, mortgage payments. If you don’t have your own home, it is more profitable to save up some and take out a loan, for which you will have to allocate 30-50% of the average income.

💲The principle of distribution based on real expenses.Over the course of several months, keep track of how much you spend on what, cutting back where possible. Analyze the numbers you get and create a clear budget based on them. You can plan to gradually reduce spending by 1-5% per month.

This principle is the easiest to implement because it requires fewer changes in habits and routine.

👉 Make an accurate budget.It is impossible to reduce expenses without taking them into account. Calculate how much money you need to allocate for each expense item and think about what you can reduce or eliminate.

👉 Plan all purchases in advance.This will help eliminate impulsive unnecessary purchases. You will have time to consider their necessity and consider alternative options.

👉 Get family support.If you save, but other family members do not, you will not be able to properly distribute the overall budget. So review your spending plan in a family meeting.

👉 Avoid loans if possible.In most cases, purchasing on credit involves an overpayment, which increases the final cost. You are overpaying and purchasing a product you cannot afford. Exceptions: buying a car, which will significantly increase your income, or a mortgage, the overpayment for which is lower than renting a home. In this case, you save by choosing a more profitable option and invest your money correctly.

Overall savings means reasonable spending on each expense item. Let's take a closer look at what and how you can save.

How to save your family budget

Every person and family has expenses that can be completely eliminated, reduced and optimized. Let's look at examples in table.

You can spend less not only on entertainment and leisure, but also on essential goods and services without losing their quality. It is not possible to completely eliminate mandatory expenses. We'll tell you how to save on them below.

On food

It is important to save not on the quality or quantity of food, but on its cost, which largely depends on the place of purchase. Revising your diet in favor of good nutrition can also bring positive results.

Interesting! According to some people, they spend up to 30% of all money on food on sweets, flour and snacks, which are expensive per gram, do not bring long-term satiety and are harmful to health. By refusing or reducing your consumption of sweets, you can save 3,000 rubles out of a total of 9,000 rubles on food, improve your health and get rid of excess weight.

How to save money on food:

🍏 Cook at home.Homemade food is much cheaper than semi-finished or ready-made meals in a canteen or restaurant. For example, the price of a serving of salad in public catering can be equal to the cost of a kilogram of vegetables, and a chop weighing 200 grams can cost the same as 500-600 grams of fresh meat. To save money, eat breakfast and dinner at home and take lunch with you.

🍏 Plan your diet and buy groceries for the week.A clear nutrition schedule saves time on trips to supermarkets and money, making your diet more balanced.

🍏 Go to the store with a list.This way you won’t fall for the tricks of marketers and eliminate unplanned purchases.

🍏Shop rationally.For example, goods with for a long time purchase sales in bulk. Remember that packaged, washed or cut foods cost more. This way you can save on potatoes, carrots, cabbage, cereals, sugar, flour. It is better to take perishable products - milk, cottage cheese - in limited quantities, so as not to throw away spoiled ones later.

🍏 Buy at a discount.Complete bonus cards, pay attention to promotions and sales.

Advice from an experienced housewife:

❗ Buy at right place. For example, fruits and vegetables are better and cheaper in the market, and supermarkets often have sales.

❗ Make semi-finished products yourself - cutlets, dumplings, cheesecakes - and store them in the freezer. Their cost will be 1.5 times cheaper than store products.

❗ Make preparations - freeze vegetables, berries, canned vegetable salads. By purchasing fruits and vegetables in the summer at the lowest price, in the winter you will not overpay and will receive a valuable source of vitamins.

❗ Prepare simple, healthy and inexpensive dishes. For example, oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, legume and seasonal vegetable soups for lunch, baked fish for dinner. Replace store-bought sweets with homemade jam, pastries, and dried fruits.

You can not only cook on your own, but also make cheap cleaning products. For example, do not buy dishwashing detergent and tile detergent, but replace it with a mixture of soda and dry mustard.

On clothes and shoes

Don't buy trendy things.Already next season they may become irrelevant. Choose classic models that never go out of date, for example, straight trousers and jeans, pencil skirts, knee socks, shirts, classic coats.

Make sure that each item of clothing matches the others.So you can buy 6-10 things and use them to create dozens of looks.

Send things in for repairs instead of throwing them away.To ensure that clothes and shoes last for years and look good, use the right approaches to cleaning, washing, and have them repaired on time.

On technology

Choose a technique:

💿 with a maximum warranty period - eliminate unexpected repair costs;

💿 with a minimum margin - in online stores or large chain markets;

💿 on sale - during seasonal discounts.

Buy functional devices that you will definitely use. For example, an expensive dishwasher or washing machine may have dozens of operating modes, but usually only 2-3 are used. An iPhone costs 3 times more than a regular smartphone, but calls, messages and social networks work the same.

Interesting! Now many people order cheap equipment directly from manufacturers in China via ebay or Aliexpress. But, if the device is defective, you will not be able to quickly replace the product or get your money back. In this case, primary savings can cause additional expenses, loss of time and nerves.

On utilities

📌 Install counters.Without metering devices, you will have to pay standard tariffs per person, which are 1.5 times higher than real ones. If you install a two-phase electric meter and turn on the washing machine, dishwasher, electric heating and water heating only at night, you can save up to 50% on electricity.

📌 Use resources economically.Wash dishes in a closed sink, take a shower instead of a bath, turn off the lights when you leave the room, use energy-efficient light bulbs. Remember basic principles reasonable consumption of resources is used in all wealthy European countries.

📌 Choose the right cooking modes and appliance operation.For example, after boiling water for soup, reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid - you will use less gas. Run the washing machine with a full load rather than washing one item at a time.

📌 Reduce utility fees.For example, pay directly from your card rather than through the post office. This way you can reduce commissions by 50%.

📌 Refuse to pay for services you don’t use.For example, from home phone or from replenishing a second SIM card if you use it once a month or less. This way you can save from 50 ₽ per month to 600 ₽ and more.

📌 Regularly review available tariff plans for communications and television.Annually check contracts with cellular, Internet and TV companies and compare their terms with other current tariffs. Companies usually offer the most profitable terms for new subscribers, gradually increasing prices over time. You may be paying the worst rates available.

On items not used daily

Items that are needed several times a year or less often are best rented from specialized centers or from friends. Such items include repair tools, sports equipment, and a travel suitcase.

By transport

Travel tickets reduce the cost of each trip, and train and air tickets purchased in advance can cost up to 50% less.

In warmer months, you can ride a bicycle to work. If you previously used public transport, you can reduce your expenses by about 1000 rubles every month. This way, buying a bike will pay for itself in a year, and then you will save money. If you usually drive your own car, the benefits will be even greater.

To avoid spending too much on travel, follow simple tips:

🔹 plan and pay for your vacation in advance - when booking tickets and hotels early, you will pay less;

🔹 look for the most profitable proposition- the price of similar tours in different companies may differ by 10-20%, and if you organize the trip yourself, it will be even cheaper;

🔹 think over your travel plan and collect as much information as possible about convenient and inexpensive catering establishments, free attractions, available methods movement.

These and other simpleways to save family budgetwill help you reduce your monthly expenses by almost 30%, not limit yourself to what you need, have fun and live a full life.

What you can't save on

“I earn too little to buy cheap things” - this principle works quite often.Tough savings on everythingmay ultimately lead to even greater costs. For example:

🚫 a cheap pair of shoes can fall apart in a month and you will have to buy a new one, but shoes that are 10-30% more expensive will last 5 years;

🚫 Ignoring dental or health problems causes serious problems and expensive treatment, it is cheaper to undergo preventive examinations;

🚫 food of questionable quality causes problems with the gastrointestinal tract, disrupts metabolism, and you have to spend money on treatment.

Conclusion: you need to save wisely - choose quality products at the lowest possible price.