Strrrretching Your Money

How far can you make your money go? The likely answer to this question will be "not very far" if you make a habit of overspending each month. With nothing (or nearly nothing) to show for your hard work, you may begin to wonder if it's really worth all the hassle. But with such an attitude, you'd be missing the forest for the trees. The most effective thing to do would be to learn how to get the most from your money every time you spend some of it.

Cutting costs is the best way to make your dollars stretch to the limit. Of course, there's no need to re-enact Ebenezer Scrooge in the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol. You don't have to turn into a complete miser, but it will help to pinch a few pennies here and there. Doing it this way will only cause you slight discomfort. For some examples, read on.

When it comes to groceries, everyone needs to get the most from his/her shopping dollars. Spend less and get more by purchasing common staples like flour, rice, pasta and canned vegetables in bulk. Find a good butcher shop to buy meat; they're also the experts on the best cuts for your money. Even when shopping in a regular grocery store, it's more economical to purchase a large piece of meat and have the butcher slice it into smaller cuts for you.

Also, be sure to use coupons whenever possible. You don't need a newspaper subscription. Buy the Sunday paper each week and clip every coupon. The ones that you don't need can be left in a bin at the store (if they participate) for other shoppers; of course, while you're there, check through the bin yourself for discarded coupons from others that you may want. And, don't forget about online coupons. They're usually free and can be downloaded periodically for extra savings. Combining coupons with discount store cards could shave as much as thirty or forty dollars or more from your family's weekly food bill.

Let your home save you some money. With many adjustable rates set to move in the wrong direction (upwards), now may be the perfect time to refinance your mortgage into a lower fixed rate. With a fixed-rate loan, you won't have to be concerned with the amount of your monthly mortgage payment changing again, which could be very good news for your budget.

Do you shy away from discount stores? There's really no need to. Most discount retail chains sell quality products at a fraction of the regular cost, and even offer name brands. One great way to lower your overall household expenses is to get all of your cleaning supplies and paper products from discount stores.

Save your change. After all, every little bit counts. You'll be surprised at how fast those pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters add up when you start putting all your loose change into a jar each day. Not only will it help to keep your pockets, wallet and night stand uncluttered, you also could effortlessly realize a few hundred dollars from the deal.

Be proactive; take control of your finances. If you don't like the way things are going, do something about it. It only takes a few small changes to make a substantial difference. Your money will go much further when you begin to spend it wisely.