How to save money in the family. How to save money correctly even with a modest family income. Should you save on food and electricity?

“Eh, if I received 50 thousand... (or maybe 100 - each person has their own figure) I would immediately start saving for a trip to Thailand, my own apartment and a car...” Are you familiar with such thoughts? Yes, half of the country is trampling on these “rake”! In fact, you will never become rich and fulfill your dreams unless you start saving money today.

Don't believe me? Then think about this:

• 10% of 15,000 rubles is 1,500, and from 100,000 is already 10,000. Which amount is easier to put aside: one and a half thousand or 10?
• One of the laws of the Universe says: “Emptiness does not exist - space is always filled with something.” Therefore, there is no “free money”. Even if you receive 200,000 a month, you will find where to spend it: you will buy more expensive clothes, you will want to make designer renovations in your apartment and buy an expensive foreign car;
• With the same level of income, people often live differently: some have enough salary for 2-3 days, others manage to pay for additional classes for their children and go on vacation to Turkey or Egypt with the same money.

Therefore, if you realized the need for savings and even set a goal ( buying a car, travel, household appliances or something else), do not expect a salary increase. Start saving today.

How to learn to save money with a small salary

Financial advisors recommend saving 10% of all your income. This is good advice, but not entirely constructive: for some this amount seems prohibitively small, while others stubbornly cannot free it from their immediate needs. Therefore, it is better to go another way:

• Analyze your real needs and identify ways to rationally save;
• Learn to plan a budget and be conscious about money;
• Give up living in debt and status things that bring momentary pleasure and nothing more.

The first step to saving and saving money is to control your budget. Start with a small exercise: write down all your expenses in a separate notebook. You can paste receipts from the store. In the evening, when you have recovered from the joy of shopping, highlight with a red marker everything that you could do without - candy, buns, another vase or a picture that captivated you with its beauty. In green, highlight what was spent on maintaining your bad habits - cigarettes, alcohol. Add these columns together - before you is the amount that you could put aside today.

Budget planning

The word “planning” is intimidating. After all, it clearly smacks of accounting, numbers and a little higher mathematics. But it's not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Now on the Internet you can find dozens of free financial planning programs and mobile applications that will constantly remind you of plans and goals, as well as record all your expenses and distribute them into categories.

You can cope with the task using the “old-fashioned” method, using an Excel table:

• It must be immediately divided into two columns - income and expenses. If you are a freelancer who receives payment for work almost every day, then you can designate separate Excel pages for “incoming” and “outgoing”;
• First, we record all income - salaries, bonuses, bonuses;
• Then expenses. Here we take into account everything we spend money on during the month - utility bills, food, apartment rent, car maintenance, payment for additional education for children, etc.;
• In 90% of cases, the difference between income and planned expenses are expressed as a positive number. This is the amount you can save monthly.

The purpose of planning a family budget is to identify the optimal amount of savings. When you receive a salary, you can immediately put this money into a piggy bank or bank account so that there is no illusion of excess money. Another important aspect of planning is identifying expenses that could be cut in favor of savings. For example, if you regularly spend half your salary or more on repairing a 20-year-old car, then it makes sense to abandon it in favor of public transport.

Accounting for expenses and income

A person whose plans coincide 100% with his actions is simply a god. For mere mortals, it often happens like this: I went to the store for milk, and at the same time bought buns, sweets, coffee on sale and a couple more tights at a discount. Yes, and similar situations happen with income: sometimes you receive bonuses, and sometimes you lose them. The “carrot and stick” system at some enterprises causes a “spread” in the amount of wages by 3-10 thousand.

Therefore, you need not only to plan a budget, but also to record real income and expenses:

• Feel free to set aside payment for part-time jobs, bonuses, and just randomly found money. Savings will increase, but this will not affect the standard of living;
• By periodically checking your expenses against your financial plan, you will stay within your budget;
• Sometimes you can save money. For example, having paid less for electricity than planned, you can immediately replenish your piggy bank.

To track expenses, you can use programs and applications such as Easy Finance, Drebedengi, Money Zen and others. Each of them has its own functionality and allows you to break down expenses into categories. If you manage your entire family budget in them, you will see their relationship with your plan, and if the limit is exceeded, you will receive a notification. A completely ordinary notebook will also help out, in which you can paste receipts and highlight expense columns in different colors.

The more consciously and punctually you approach the accounting process, the higher the likelihood that even with small incomes you will be able to save a good amount.

Give up loans

If you have loans and debts, set yourself a goal to close them in the coming months. But when you repay early, don’t forget to build savings. Divide the “extra amount” that you have as a result of saving in half - give 50% for early repayment, save 50%.

If you spend all your money on closing debts, then there is a high probability that you will soon take on new ones. For example, if a refrigerator or washing machine breaks down, and you don’t have enough money to buy a new one, you’ll have to apply for a loan again.

Saving money

Saving is the most painful moment in the formation of savings. Especially if you try to “tighten your belt” with all your might. By giving up all pleasures and entertainment, buying cheap household chemicals of dubious origin and clothes only from second-hand stores, you risk tightening the belt around your own neck. Because balance is important - you won’t have a second life, and not everyone will agree to live luxuriously only in retirement.

Look for smart ways to save:

• For example, you can replace all the light bulbs in your apartment with energy-saving ones. Their service life is 15 times longer than conventional ones, and they consume 9-10 times less energy at the same level of lighting;
• Save electricity Correctly selected household appliances also help. Pay attention to power and energy consumption when purchasing;
• Save water. A simple 5-minute shower in the evening is enough to keep you fresh. And dishes can be washed not under running water, but by filling the sink. The plug will save you up to 2 cubic meters per month;
• Plan your menu for the week. Divide all finances planned for food into 4 envelopes. Make a menu for the week in advance and purchase products in accordance with this plan. Going to the store 4 times a month will save you from unnecessary temptations;
• Keep an eye out for discounts and promotions in your nearest supermarkets. Sometimes it is profitable to buy tea, coffee, cereals a month in advance at a significant discount;
• Put a note in your wallet: “Do you really need this?” Then at the checkout you will review the contents of the basket and put out the excess.

There are other ways to save money. For example, giving up public transport if you have to walk two stops to work, moving to an apartment with a lower rent. Already in the first month of budget planning and rational saving, you will accurately determine which expenses in your life can be reduced without compromising your quality of life.

The hardest part about saving money is starting and sticking with a new routine for the first few months while the habit forms. After which you yourself will be surprised at how you could live so wastefully and ineffectively. However, in order to properly organize your financial situation, you need to get an idea of ​​ways to save.

• public utilities
• Food
• mortgage
• clothes, etc

• After calculating the budget, your income should exceed expenses by 10-15%
• As a rule, 60% of unnecessary spending occurs when purchasing food and interior items
• Try to cook yourself instead of eating in a cafe

How and how much to save money from your salary

What can you effectively save on?

Important! Particular attention should be paid to food and shopping. Often, by spending a little every day, a significant amount accumulates over the course of a month.

Save on products

Advice! We should not forget that cheap goods are not always of poor quality. Some of them taste quite similar to their expensive branded counterparts.

Save on electricity

Kitchen

• Reduce your energy consumption by 40% by purchasing a new refrigerator model
• Look for energy-saving features such as an energy-saving switch and improved insulation materials
• Use your microwave if possible as it uses less than half the power of a conventional oven and cooks in a much shorter period of time
• Only load large quantities of dishes into the dishwasher

• Follow washing instructions carefully. Adding too much detergent actually interferes with the effective cleaning action and may require more energy in the form of additional rinses.
• Set the washing machine temperature to cold or warm and the rinse temperature to cold as often as possible
• Wash only full loads of clothes, but do not overload the machine
• Hang your laundry outside when the weather permits.
• Clean the lint filter thoroughly after each use
• Avoid over-drying. This not only wastes energy, but also harms tissue

• Reduce water consumption by 10% by lowering the water heater temperature from 60°C to 48°C. (The temperature should be kept at 60°C if you are using a dishwasher without a temperature booster.)
• Once a year, empty a bucket of water from the bottom of the water heater tank. This gets rid of sediment, which can waste energy by "blocking" the water in the tank from the heating element
• Insulate hot water pipes to reduce heat loss. Hardware stores sell pipe insulation kits
• Take a shower instead of a bath

• Turn off the lights when leaving the room
• Provide lighting on tables, tool benches, etc. so that events can be held without lighting entire rooms
• Use compact fluorescent lamps

• Try not to use colorizers and other heaters, they are usually extremely energy-consuming

• Laptops use about 15-45 watts, which is much less than desktops (they use 65 to 250)
• A screensaver that shows any image on the screen does not save energy. Make sure you put your computer to sleep or simply turn it off if you won't be using it for a while
• Buy an LCD monitor and get rid of your old convex monitor. LCD is typically twice as efficient
• Unplug appliances that no one is using. Turning off televisions, lamps, computers, VCRs, ovens and other appliances that are not in use can reduce energy consumption

Save on water

• Check faucets, toilets and pipes for leaks. If you find a leak, find out the source and try to fix it
• Turn on the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving. Instead of letting the water run the entire time you brush your teeth, turn it off for a while. When shaving, turn off the water between rinsing the razor.
• Install waterproof shower heads. Many shower heads use 9.5 liters of water per minute, while others use up to 5. Install a waterproof shower head that will maintain pressure and flow sensation when using only half the water as usual. You can also install a valve behind your shower that will allow you to turn off the water while you lather up, then turn the water back on while maintaining the temperature
• Install the faucet aerator. Adding an aerator to your faucet will add air to the water flow, giving you a more consistent flow as well as using less water overall
• Take a timer or clock with you into the bathroom and challenge yourself to shorten your shower time or play one song and try to finish showering by the time the song ends. Reducing your shower time to just two minutes can save 37.9 liters of water per month

Save on the Internet

Save on purchases

Important! Don't make hasty decisions - it will always be a bad idea.

What should you never skimp on?

• Health. If you ignore a minor problem for too long, it can become very serious and costly. The ability to work and earn money also depends on the state of health.
• Acquisition of knowledge. Having gained new knowledge, you can expand your horizons and subsequently understand how to earn more or where to invest correctly
• Impressions and emotions. Due to the characteristics of our psyche, a person needs to receive new emotions; without them, one can become depressed. And this, in turn, will be reflected in finances.
• Rest. Everything has a limit, including the brain. Quality rest will allow you to look at problems in a new way
• Insurance (car, health, apartment). Yes, insurance claims may never occur. However, if this happens, you will lose a lot

Where is the best place to save money?

• Convert your savings into foreign currencies (such as dollars) first. This is necessary to protect them from constant inflation and depreciation.
• You can put your savings in a bank deposit (the interest on it will cover inflation). Here you need to take care of the reputation of such an institution
• You can open a savings card at a bank (again, you should check its reputation before doing this)
• Some of the money can be invested, for example, in cryptocurrencies or business

How to save money with a small salary: video

Saving money every month can feel like an impossible task, especially when inflation is rising and the pace of wage increases is slowing. Many people are familiar with the situation when at the end of the month money practically runs out, which forces valiant citizens to use loans or borrow money from friends.

For some, this situation is inevitable, but there are real ways to save money without causing inconvenience to your life.

How to save money

1. Start saving money in bank accounts

The problem of saving money closely intersects with the question. If you think that you have nothing to save, this is self-deception. Any person, without exception, can painlessly start saving monthly in an amount equivalent to 10% of his income.

But that's not the point. Believe me, if immediately after receiving your income (salary) you transfer part of the funds to a bank account (deposit), you will not spend this money and, thus, will be able to save. The most interesting thing is that the remaining money will last you until your next paycheck.

In addition, do not forget that interest is charged on deposits.

2. Stop watching TV

There are many financial benefits to doing this: reduced exposure to spending incentives, reduced energy bills and reduced cable bills (if you choose a budget TV package).

An additional benefit will be the freeing up of free time, so you can focus on more important things in life, for example.

3. Stop stockpiling old items and sell them.

Is your balcony, pantry, garage at the dacha filled to capacity with unnecessary junk? Get rid of it.

Do not collect items of dubious value. Sell ​​what you can, and say goodbye to the rest. Internet sites for posting advertisements can help you.

4. Participate in all kinds of loyalty programs

No matter where you live, there are plenty of retailers nearby that are ready to reward you for shopping at their store.

5. Master the “30-Day Reasonable Wait Rule”

Many purchases, like decisions in life, are made not from the mind, but from the heart. Avoiding immediate gratification of a desire to acquire a completely unnecessary or completely unnecessary thing is one of the most important rules of personal finance. Waiting and thinking about your purchase decision for 30 days is a great way to implement this rule.

At the end of the month, you may find that the urge to buy has gone away like the rain in a dry summer, and you'll have saved yourself money by simply taking a break. Cool, isn't it?

13. Turn off the lights at home

Savings on electricity may seem insignificant, but over a long period of time, a sufficient amount of hard-earned and family money is sure to accumulate.

To save as much as possible, turn off the lights every time you leave your home, leave a room, or have plenty of natural sunlight.

14. Install energy-saving light bulbs

These bulbs are more expensive, but have a much longer lifespan than conventional incandescent bulbs and consume much less electricity.

You don't have to replace all the light bulbs in your house at once; you can do it as they wear out.

15. Install a programmable thermostat in your home

If your home is heated by a boiler, then a room thermostat can help reduce energy consumption by up to 30%. By setting it to heat or cool your home at the right time, you'll see for yourself how easy it is to automate the process of saving money.

16. Buy only high-quality household appliances

When purchasing a new home appliance, it is wise to spend time researching similar products on the market. A reliable, energy-efficient washing machine may cost more, but if it consistently saves energy and has a lifespan of 15 years instead of five, you'll see benefits in the long run.

17. Change the air filter in your car in a timely manner

A clean air filter will reduce your fuel consumption by up to 7%, which is sure to make a difference in your wallet, allowing it to stay tighter.

18. Forget the credit card

If you've gotten into the habit of getting into trouble with credit cards because you use them so heavily, hide them and keep them in a safe place in your home, not in your wallet. An emergency credit card can come in handy, just don't carry it with you.

19. Find a cheaper grocery store

Most of us get stuck in a cycle of shopping at the same grocery store, and we may not even realize that there are better options.

Luckily, there is an easy way to find the cheapest store. Simply identify the 20 products you buy most often, and then purchase them from a wide variety of stores. As a result, you will identify the “cheapest store”, make it your main place for shopping, and automatically save money.

20. Avoid spending to reduce stress

It's easy to succumb to spending just to recover from a stressful day at work, but this is rarely the right thought. Instead of buying things, it's smart to find other ways to relieve stress so you can feel better.

Exercise is a great idea, as is some good old-fashioned sleep. Read books, watch or take an evening walk, as spending money will not improve your emotional well-being in the long run.

21. Stop paying for services you don’t use.

Do you have monthly expenses for using your landline at home, but have forgotten the last time you touched it? Are you paying for a gym membership or golf club membership that you don't attend? Every week the postman brings you a newspaper for a paid subscription, which you use to light the barbecue in the country? Stop this wastefulness immediately.

Remember that you can always resume using such services later if you still need them.

22. Shop after the holidays

Some crafty people use this method after New Year's or Christmas, but it works for every holiday.

Take a break for 1-2 days after the holiday, and then go shopping for the things you need, which will be subject to discounts and sales.

Buy your girlfriend flowers on March 9th, give her a teddy bear on February 15th. Just a joke, but you get the point.

23. Become a volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and get involved in a positive project without incurring any expenses.

By taking an organizing role in various communities and movements, you can have fun and save money at the same time.

24. Reduce your use of laundry detergent

Today you can buy highly concentrated washing powder, which is recommended to be used in smaller proportions, while still getting the same clean clothes.

25. Drive a reliable, fuel-efficient car.

A reliable and economical car will save you a tidy sum of money. This applies to both lower fuel consumption and fewer visits to a car service center.

26. Avoid shopping centers

The mall can be a fun place to kill your time, but it is also full of temptation. So unless you really need to buy something, stay away from these tempting objects.

A walk in the fresh air, a trip to the cinema and a good movie can easily replace your usual adventures in shopping centers.

27. Master the “10 second rule”

Every time you pick up a potential purchase, stop for 10 seconds and ask yourself why you want to buy this item and whether there is really a pressing need for it. If a convincing answer doesn't come to mind, put the product back on the counter. Taking such meaningful actions will definitely allow you to save money.

28. Streamline your wardrobe

Following the speed limit will help you protect yourself from unnecessary problems and save money.

41. Making smart choices when buying a home

There are many reasons to buy a smaller home. You don't have to live in a giant mansion that requires more maintenance, cleaning, repairs and heating. Buy something more modest and you'll find yourself with plenty of space and some extra cash in your pocket.

42. Change your route to work

This is especially powerful advice if you find yourself “automatically” stopping on your way to work or on your way home. Get rid of this constant leak by choosing a different route that doesn't come from temptation, even if the new route is a little longer. You'll still save time by not stopping, and the money you save on any unnecessary indulgences you avoid will add up over time.

43. Always ask for a discount

This is especially true if you are buying something at the market, and more often than not you will get a discount if you ask.

44. Optimize your spending on hygiene products

Many people have already been able to see that inexpensive hygiene products are no worse than their expensive counterparts. This approach can be applied to toothpaste, deodorant, etc.

45. Eat less meat

Meat is not the cheapest product, especially when you compare its nutritional value to vegetables and fruits. But even if you are not eager to become an absolute vegetarian, you can save a lot of money by simply eating meat less often.

46. ​​Insulate your home

Many homes have air leaks that have a negative impact on keeping them cool in the summer and warm in the winter, ultimately resulting in a waste of money. Insulate your home and save yourself from unnecessary expenses.

47. Cut your vacation expenses

Instead of going on a long, hair-raising journey, get into your car and take a road trip around your local area.

Such a vacation can be incredibly cheap and quite memorable.

If you do decide to go to, for example, why not choose a last minute tour or the cheapest season.

48. Get preventive medical examinations

It is much easier and cheaper to prevent a disease or cure it at an early stage than to do it in an advanced form.

49. Determine your budget

From the first day of the new month, keep receipts for all purchases made. Distribute receipts by category: food, hygiene products, clothing, etc. At the end of the month, you will be able to clearly see where your funds are going. You can save money only by clearly understanding your expenses.

50. Restrictions on bank cards

Are you an active user of bank cards? In this case, you probably felt that money sometimes runs out unnoticed.

If you have trouble overspending on cash, try a cash budget system where you use a certain amount of cash for most expenses. And as soon as the amount allocated for expenses runs out, your expenses stop.

By the way, do not forget to withdraw cash only from ATMs of banks that do not charge a commission.

Bonus 51st method. Stop overeating

This way you can not only save money, but also, if, of course, you need it.

Saving money is difficult, but it is possible; I will say more - this can be turned into a way of life that is not only not annoying, but rather brings joy and pleasure.

Of course, the key condition that puts this mechanism into action remains motivation: someone wants to accumulate start-up capital for an apartment, someone invests money at interest and receive passive income, someone dreams of buying a car or going on a trip around the world. “It’s good when you have something to save,” says popular wisdom, and I will talk further about how to accustom yourself to such a sometimes complex method.

How to save on a small salary

Few people can boast of having too much salary, and if they can, they are silent about it, which is also quite fair and understandable. If you don’t know how to start saving and saving money, and if you do, then for some reason you don’t use these important recommendations - I advise you to choose a goal for yourself and, after implementing one, set a more complex one and so gradually reach a more expensive project.

“Economy should be economical,” says popular wisdom, but when it comes to fanaticism, then all attempts to save money and enjoy life are destroyed, so always know a sense of proportion.

Feel the value of money

I think many people have now remembered the period of childhood, or even youth, when our parents told us that we simply must feel the value of money. If 20-25 years ago it seemed too complicated, then over the years and wisdom, we still managed to understand what the point of such an expression is. Of course, you can earn a million and throw money around left and right, or you can use capital rationally, putting it to work.

I always use the rule: each product has its own price, but it must be adequate.

To feel the value of money and start spending truly rationally, you can:

1. Having earned a large sum for the first time;
2. Finding yourself at a broken trough;
3. Starting to regularly receive a stable profit and constantly allow yourself a little more than before.

Determine your savings goal

I will agree with those psychologists and coaches who insist on why it is necessary to limit - in fact, the juice of the process itself is not so much about testing yourself - you can or cannot give up something or on what minimum amount you can live for a week, but about why are you doing this? Thanks to a series of webinars for investors, we will not only be able to identify important points in saving for ourselves, but also understand what motivates each of us in the investment process.

Keep your savings

I am convinced that successful people are more likely to save. In my life, I often observe that even with a small income, people manage to keep their funds intact and accumulate capital. And the stories that after leaving for a better world pensioners have millions of rubles left in their mattresses are significant evidence of this. To make it easier to accumulate, use the following rules: 1. A stable amount or percentage should always be set aside after receiving a profit; 2. Have NZ (emergency reserve). You cannot spend it, as you understand.

Keep your home accounting

Smart saving of money should be like this, and for this it is worth keeping track of expenses and profits. I’m not so pedantic about regularly entering data into a program or a regular Excel file, but I think in order not to get lost in the financial world it is necessary to at least sometimes, or better yet, once a month, take stock, taking into account:

1. How much did you receive?
2. How much did you spend?
3. How much did you put aside?

At first it seems tedious and ineffective, but seeing specific numbers, you can quickly learn not to spend a lot.

Learn to allocate expenses

When you want to buy both, then you should answer the question: “Do you really need this,” or even better, sleep with this thought; if the desire is not gone, then buy. Sometimes, in order to save more efficiently, everyone sets themselves a certain amount that can be spent this month on certain things, and strictly follows the established limit amounts.

Avoid brands

This rule is relevant for those who are not too dependent on branded items. You can find a stylish item without the label of a famous designer, which, in fact, makes up 80% of the entire price. If you give preference to not expensive things, but only buy some with a distinctive brand, for example, shoes, watches, accessories, then it is quite possible to save up for an apartment much faster.

Don't use credit cards

I love this rule because I share and understand the philosophy of those people who are considered anti-lenders. In fact, once you forbid yourself to use a credit card, or borrow money from friends and acquaintances, and then repeat to consolidate the position, you can learn to “feel money” and, as they say in popular wisdom, stretch your legs over your clothes - save and follow strictly designated goals.

In Japan, for example, wallets have only 1 slot for a plastic card - for the one where the income from the main job comes. And if it becomes known that someone has used the loan services, no, there will be no execution, but the employee’s reputation may significantly deteriorate.

Buy only what you need

In order to determine what exactly is necessary and what is excessive spending, evaluate your usual life and see what you are used to and highlight where you can save. This method most effectively allows you to save on food, as well as all sorts of pleasant little things, such as photo frames that have nowhere to put and candlesticks.

NLP trainers who conduct master classes with avid shopaholics suggest never buying anything on promotional displays in hypermarkets, as well as on shelves at eye level, and always carefully study the price tag. After all, let’s be honest that in stores, seeing the word “Promotion”, “Sale”, certain centers in the brain that are responsible for rational spending are switched off. If these tips do not allow you not to spend money, then when going to the store, take out all the cards from your wallet and leave a certain amount of money. Don’t buy anything unnecessary, because few people will give you goods on credit.

Make a shopping plan

This rule applies to everyone and at any age. This way, you will learn to coordinate your spending and develop yourself to become financially independent. There are several strategies for creating a shopping list, which I discuss below.

1. The accumulative strategy: you evaluate your reserves, and strictly write down what you need in the long term.
2. Instant: the list is compiled only for today. According to him, no one will buy a new bottle of shower gel if the old one has not yet run out or accumulate packs of salt in the kitchen drawer.

The world does not stand still, and today, in order to save money, there are even special applications in which you enter a shopping plan, and based on the analysis of “habits”, artificial intelligence removes unnecessary things, and you may not even notice that some item has simply disappeared from list. And one more piece of advice: if you plan to spend a large sum today, then it is better to go to the hypermarket after eating well, because it has been proven that on an empty stomach, we make more unconscious expenses.

Eat at home

Food remains one of the largest expense categories, and if you eat outside the home at least once a day, your expenses increase. This applies to both a basic lunch in the canteen and a friendly dinner in a cafe. To spend money rationally in this segment, you can:

• Take food from home, and the design, shape and volume of lunch boxes have improved so much lately that now there is no shame in coming to the office with your own “containers”;
• Make it a rule how many times a month you can eat outside the home;
• Use an alternative: for example, barbecuing outdoors is also eating out, but it saves you money if you just went to a kebab shop. In many cities, family picnics in parks and squares are also popular in the spring.

Plus, you can buy food in the culinary departments of hypermarkets, or order from companies that specialize in this, and not directly from restaurants.

Save on entertainment

I am for saving, but in reasonable forms, so I think it’s stupid to visit a roller skating rink every day or swim with dolphins, but if you do this at least once every six months, then you can get pleasure from life and feel the elementary joy of being just spent money. This rule is important especially for those who do not know how to save money in the family, because both newlyweds, children, and parents want entertainment.

If you believe the advice of experts and trainers, you can spend up to 10% of your income per month on entertainment. But this is an average figure, since a vacation or visit to another country can also be classified as entertainment, and therefore, you need to slightly reduce spending in one month in order to afford more in another.

How to save on food

Since one of the biggest expenses in our lives falls on the grocery basket, it is necessary to understand how you can learn not to spend your entire budget on it. Let me point out right away that starving or eating spoiled food is definitely not right, because you can save money in other absolutely normal ways. Respect yourself and respect your money. This is where you can save money - expert advice will help us, in particular:

1. Buy only those products that are currently on sale.
2. Clearly create a menu (at least in your head), and do not buy products that are not part of it.
3. Plan your family menu several days in advance.
4. Remember, the smaller the packaging, the more expensive it is.
5. Stock up wisely.
6. Abundance on the table can be organized without delicacies. For example, simply by preparing several options for side dishes and salads for the same meat dish, such as chops.

In Asian practice, people value their time spent on buying groceries so much that they go on general purchases only once a week, or even every 2 weeks.

By choosing this method, which helps you spend money rationally, you can use your time profitably and make a list in advance of exactly what you need. Agree, if you go to the supermarket every day, then in addition to the necessary milk, yogurt and sausages, you immediately have a desire to buy seasonings, sunflower oil and something else. And this is not particularly profitable.

How to learn to save money

Today, this art (and there is no other way to call this skill) is taught by professional trainers, and my recommendations are absolutely free for GQ Blog Monitor readers. I am convinced that this art can be taught only superficially, in fact showing the basic techniques that will help you maintain a budget in order to save up for some large-scale purchase. I completely share the opinion that saving can and should be taught from childhood, and examples from some countries demonstrate this.

For example, in Spain and Portugal, during mathematics lessons, children are taught the nuances of financial literacy, which can be useful in real life, and are not forced to memorize rules that will never help with anything practical in their lives. Secondly, I think that in order to learn not to spend a lot, you need to:

1. Live without saving and live saving on everything in order to feel the extremes. A week in both modes is enough to feel the difference.
2. Choose a significant motivation for yourself.
3. Use control and monitor spending.

Remember that saving is not a matter of one day or month, in fact, it is a conscious choice for many years or until a certain goal is achieved or another appears on the horizon.

Saving wisely and not spending money, I believe, means living for your own pleasure and systematically increasing your capital. Both basic classic work in the office and remote work can help with this, which may even be more cost-effective: you don’t have to waste time and money on travel, you can eat regular food in the kitchen and work on your laptop right away. For those for whom it is important to use funds rationally, it is worth setting limits for yourself and trying to stick to them. Although sometimes you need to give yourself some slack, otherwise you can lose the basic satisfaction from the money you earn and still undermine your mental health. It is much more effective not to spend a lot when the whole family is interested in it.

This is not only more practical, but also honest, in the sense that everyone is working towards a certain result - going on vacation to Turkey, buying an apartment, providing a proper education for the child. It is correct not only not to spend money in all directions, without denying yourself everything, much less what is necessary, but also that you need to look for new, alternative and additional ways to increase capital, especially since today there is plenty to choose from, given that how much risk you are willing to take or what conservative positions you take.

It is necessary to use it rationally, not to spend everything and to accumulate money, but it is also worth objectively assessing that very important threshold, which you should never cross, otherwise you can simply lose the pleasure of life, and even the accumulated capital will not return psychological stability and joy to spending. Don’t spend your entire salary, look for new sources of investment, organize your expenses rationally, buy only what you really need, and not what you want - the basic rules on this long journey.

And, of course, you must be guided by a specific goal - why you are doing this. Traditionally, I wish you not only to learn how to use funds wisely, but also to earn more, and also to enjoy the financial situation of your life.

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How to save money so that you always have enough, don’t have to go into debt, but at the same time feel comfortable and start saving for vacation and old age? Unfortunately, there are no lessons on budget planning at school, so you have to learn this science immediately in practice in real life. We conducted several surveys, found out the opinions of successful and wealthy people, and compiled the results into 10 simple lessons. They will help you get rid of unnecessary expenses forever and start living in abundance.

How to learn to save money

It’s worth immediately distinguishing between two concepts – “saving” and “saving”. Saving means not spending too much. Save - save for future use. You can start saving only if you have the funds for this, all expenses are successfully covered and something is left over, so first of all you need to learn how to save.

You shouldn’t immediately grimace and sigh: it’s not the poor and boring who save, but all those who value their work and look to the future. Smart and rationally thinking people who know how to live more than one day at a time are usually successful and wealthy, and it is unlikely that any of the readers of this article will refuse to become one of them! And this is possible even if until recently a person was a spendthrift and a spendthrift. The main thing is discipline and motivation.

So, lesson #1: It's never too late to learn how to save money. And when this science is mastered, you will be able to buy whatever you want, no matter how paradoxical it may sound.

More than 80% of the world's population are debtors to banking institutions and live in debt. More than half of people whose annual income is above average believe that they live in poverty: wages are too low and taxes are too high. And only 12% believe that they have enough - and these are far from the millionaires on the Forbes magazine list.

Any savings starts with planning. To understand the reasons for the constant lack of money, you should clearly calculate your income and make a list of expenses. And then set priorities and plan what you need to buy and pay for first, and what you can actually wait for. Or something to forget about altogether.

“Five envelopes” is one of the most popular ways to distribute finances

Regular control of income and expenses

Everyday life sometimes consumes all your free time and energy, so there is no time to deal with financial calculations. However, you need to do this to start saving money. For convenience, it is recommended to create a table on paper, on a smartphone or on a computer and regularly enter all income and expenses into it. To avoid confusion, you need to do this step by step:

1. Throughout the day, write down all expenses: for travel on public transport, for purchases in the supermarket, for takeaway coffee, for paying off a loan, for a new blouse, for topping up your phone.
2. Separately record all your income, including bonuses, lottery winnings, help from parents or birthday gifts.
3. After a week, add up your income and expenses and make a balance sheet.

As a rule, the results of this mini-research turn out to be disappointing and even shocking: a person spends more money than he thinks. Based on the data from the table, it is easier to determine where you can save money and when money was wasted.

Knowing the types of expenses, you can easily identify priority and secondary ones.

Balance between income and expenses

The balance between income and expenses is somewhat reminiscent of weight control. It is not the one who eats a lot who gets fat, but the one who expends less energy than he receives. The wallet will also get fatter if more comes into it than goes out. Some “how to become rich” manuals recommend abandoning the poor person’s mentality and thinking big.

To avoid getting into debt, you can find a part-time job on the Internet. We have collected today's information in one big article.

This does not mean that with a small salary you need to take a taxi instead of the subway, and eat in restaurants instead of at home, imitating the rich. Such ostentation is unwise and will inevitably lead to financial ruin, debt and starvation in peacetime. At the same time, to improve your financial situation and avoid getting into debt, you don’t have to give up absolutely everything.

It is enough to eliminate the most expensive and not the most necessary expense items one by one - one per week, for example. It could be cigarettes, coffee from the machine, a snack at the buffet instead of food from home in a container, a third robe in a new color, the twenty-fifth lipstick in a month. By gradually cutting back on non-essential expenses, you can save a lot.

Lesson No. 2: it is important to learn not to spend more than you can afford, and to be able to correctly assess the size of your wallet and the limit on your bank card - this is where saving begins.

How to effectively save money on food

Food is one of the largest and most obligatory expenses of every family. A person needs food, but for some, a weekly check from the supermarket amounts to 2,500 rubles, and what they bought is really enough for a week, while for others, even 4,000 rubles are not enough, and on Thursday they need to go shopping again.

There is an explanation for everything: smart and not lazy housewives can feed the whole family on 5,000 rubles a month. Not oysters with pineapples, of course, but not just pasta either. Practice and many years of experience of successful housewives show that this is real.

home kitchen

If you cook your own food, you can save a lot. For comparison: the cost of a standard lunch of a cutlet, side dish and salad in an inexpensive cafe will be at least 60–80 rubles, and the total amount of products used when preparing the same dishes at home will not exceed 30 rubles. If you are not lazy and prepare a full-fledged first course, second course and salad yourself every 2-3 days, then you can save at least 1,000 rubles per person per month.

If it’s difficult to decide on a diet, you can use the proper nutrition table

To motivate yourself to cook at home, and at the same time eat healthy and tasty, psychologists recommend setting any specific and realistically achievable goal in the near future. For example, not “buy an apartment and go on a trip around the world” (although this is also possible if a person is confident of success), but start with something small – “lose 3 kg by the next holiday.” It works. Over time, achieving your goals will become a habit.

Proper food storage

Thrift and the desire to stock up are not always justified measures. Sometimes it is better to dispose of a suspicious product so that later you do not have to spend money on medical examination and treatment of food poisoning.

According to research by American scientists, about 25% of purchased products end up in the trash because their expiration date has expired.

Often people buy more than they can eat: either they cannot correctly determine the amount of food they need, or they purchase unnecessary goods due to discounts. At the same time, storage recommendations are not always followed, which shortens the shelf life of products. The most often neglected nuances are:

• milk and yoghurts spoil within an hour in the summer if left on the table;
• any vegetables will begin to rot and mold if stored in the same compartment as tomatoes;
• the oil will absorb the smell of the cutlets if you place them on one shelf in the refrigerator;
• It is better to store bananas separately from each other, and not in one bunch - this way they stay fresh longer.

When purchasing a food product, it is very important to know exactly how to store it and how long it will stay fresh.

Lesson No. 3. You need to buy food in the quantity that is required for the family within a specified period of time. You can prepare cereals, sugar, flour, canned food for future use, and freeze several kilograms of meat or fish. But it is worth considering that these products also have an expiration date, and you also need to make sure that there are appropriate conditions and space for their storage. If there is no such place, then there is no need to worry: the shortage of the 90s is long behind us, supermarkets always have enough different products in their assortment - if only there was money, which we are just learning to save.

Changing eating habits

“The body itself senses what it needs and lets you know about it,” nutritionists say. This is true: every person feels certain signals from his body, although he does not always recognize them correctly. For example, if you want something sweet, you most likely need to make up for the lack of glucose. To do this, it is enough to eat a spoonful of honey, one caramel, a piece of white bread or a couple of spoons of oatmeal with milk and dried fruits, and not three chocolate bars and wash it all down with cola. By understanding the body's signals, you can learn to replenish missing vitamins with healthy and less expensive foods.

“I don’t have time to visit supermarkets often and cook food at home!” – a copywriter friend said confidently. She liked her job, she wrote articles continuously, really earning good money every hour. I wasn’t distracted by a full meal, but snacked on whatever I could get my hands on right in front of the monitor. This way of eating leads to not the most favorable consequences:

• Sandwiches, buns, chocolates and snacks that can be grabbed with one hand and immediately swallowed cost many times more money than chicken, from which you can prepare a stew for the whole family for two days;
• Snacking is bad for your stomach, promotes weight gain, and may result in you having to spend even more money on doctors and medications.

Lesson No. 4. You need to reconsider your eating habits: first of all, you should clearly think through your diet and start devoting enough time to preparing food. By the way, a trip to the supermarket can be considered as a healthy walk that helps generate fresh ideas for work - why not replace the usual snack for inspiration?

Discounts in supermarkets, promotions on grocery purchases

Most useful tips for saving money when shopping at the supermarket have been known for a long time, but practice shows that people forget them at the most inopportune times. It's time to remember valuable recommendations, print them out, laminate them and, if necessary, take them with you instead of a shopping list (although you also need one - remember the rule of planning expenses). So, five life hacks on how not to buy too much:

1. Think in advance about the menu for the family, taking into account the needs of everyone at home: who needs yoghurt, and who needs milk, who eats sausage, and who is a vegetarian. Decide which products can be replaced with cheaper analogues and which ones to discard.
2. Make a shopping list. Knowing at least a sample menu, it will be much easier to rationally compile a list of necessary products. If your current diet does not include fried fish and pilaf, then you do not need to buy fish, lamb and rice. If you are planning a busy week, the priority should be instant foods - minced meatballs, pasta, sausages, cheese and eggs. Life hack: just in case, you need to keep a pack of any semi-finished and canned foods in the refrigerator if you don’t have time to cook or go shopping.
3. Go to the store well-fed. A hungry person usually buys at least twice as much food as it should.
4. Choose the right retail outlets. Each supermarket has its own characteristics: somewhere bulk products are cheaper, somewhere meat, and somewhere – vegetables and fruits. It is better to purchase something at a wholesale base or on the market.
5. Consider shopping times. It's better to go to the store on Monday or Tuesday, when new promotions have started and the shelves are filled with fresh goods after the weekend. This approach saves both money and time.

Lesson No. 5. No need to take a bank card to the supermarket. It is better to withdraw the amount corresponding to the compiled list of products through an ATM in advance and go to the store with cash. Even if something extra is added to the cart, you will have to refuse it at the checkout if there is not enough money in your wallet.

Budget cafes and canteens

Even bachelors who have no idea where the pots are in the kitchen or what is included in an omelet can save on food. This does not mean that you have to eat only hot dogs and pizza delivered by courier. It is enough to find an inexpensive cafe with home cooking: set meals in such establishments are inexpensive, regular customers are given discounts and they allow you to make personal orders. It’s also worth taking advantage of the “Happy Auss” and “Business Lunch” offers, and using the money saved during your leisure time you can sign up for culinary courses. Complete benefit!

How to learn to save on utilities

Tariffs for gas, electricity and water are not set by the consumer, otherwise he would prefer not to pay at all. Some utilities have a fixed cost, but water, gas and electricity are metered, which means the consumer only pays for the amount of resources he uses.

Correct operation of electrical and gas appliances

You can significantly reduce gas and electricity consumption in a completely legal way, without dubious “bugs”. It is worth remembering these tricks and life hacks:

1. Turn off all electrical appliances, including chargers for gadgets, immediately after use. It may seem like a small thing, but next month's receipt will make you happy.
2. Do not use the gas stove for purposes other than its intended purpose, for example, for heating a room, drying hair or washing clothes.
3. Instead of a bath, take a shower during the week, which is faster and healthier, and uses much less water. Karl Lagerfeld believed that water procedures are harmful to physical and mental health: frequent washing washes away the protective layer on the skin and aura, and, as a result, a person becomes vulnerable. Whether to listen to the opinion of the master of Haute Couture or not is a personal matter for everyone. But still, the man lived an active life until he was 86 years old, and that says something.
4. Don’t be lazy to replace regular light bulbs with economical ones.
5. Buy devices that initially consume electricity in an economical mode. Now there are a lot of them, you just need to pay attention to the labeling.
6. Follow the rules for using electrical appliances. For example, an electric kettle coated with scale on the inside takes longer to heat water, which means it consumes more energy. Costs can be reduced if it is cleaned in a timely manner.

You can use electricity without compromising your comfort and at the same time save money

Lesson #6: You need to take a broader view of saving money. Saving on electricity, water and gas is not boring or stingy, but also respectful of the environment. The most progressive ones completely switch to a healthy lifestyle and a raw food diet - then a gas stove will not be needed at all, candles will replace light, and the Internet will be replaced by meditation. But this, of course, is an extreme. And a joke.

How to save money on purchases

Impulse purchases really take a toll on your pocket. Therefore, before you succumb to flashy advertising, a tempting promotion or an impassioned speech from a promoter, you need to consider whether the advertised item is really necessary. Usually in the course of such reasoning it turns out that it is not needed at all.

According to research by psychologists and marketers, more than 25% of purchases are made spontaneously and thoughtlessly, under the influence of momentary emotions. And more than 70% of things bought impulsively turn out to be forgotten and unclaimed after a few days, and sometimes even hours.

Sales, promotions, discounts

It will be easier to save and accumulate money if you regularly take advantage of special offers and participate in promotions and store loyalty programs. Psychologists have proven that it is easier to accumulate bonuses and points on a discount card than real money. They are not considered by the consumer as funds that can be spent on occasion in a store if suddenly there is not enough cash, so they remain safe and sound until a decent amount has accumulated.

Announcements about discounts and promotions are published in the public domain

Hence the next, seventh lesson: it is better to save and store money in a bank account. In this case, they do not encourage unexpected expenses, as happens with a cash stash that is always at hand. And if the account is a deposit account, then interest will also be added to the total amount at the end of the year.

Registration of services that provide bonuses and privileges

Before adding the selected product to a virtual or real cart, it makes sense to once again clarify the terms of payment, as well as possible discounts and benefits. You definitely need to find out when and under what conditions a club or discount card is issued, if available. The following promotions and loyalty systems are especially popular now:

1. Bonuses for newbies. For example, many online platforms immediately credit each new registered customer with a certain amount of points to their account as a welcome. Some online stores offer amounts up to $50 – isn’t it profitable?
2. Bonuses when paying by card online. It is important to clarify whether the cashback service works - returning part of the funds spent on a purchase. Its principle is that the buyer in a certain store pays for the goods with a card from a partner bank, part of the funds can be returned to his account in a set amount, which often reaches 30% of the payment amount. No hidden fees, no catch. The bank simply compensates for part of the money spent in the form of gratitude for the fact that the client uses its services and makes purchases from its partner.
3. Discounts during the holidays. People who want to save as much as possible are sure to subscribe to the newsletters of their favorite stores. Almost all retail outlets, restaurants, spas, hotels, tour operators and banks distribute hot offers with attractive discounts for the holidays. Also, many establishments give gifts and make special offers to birthday clients.

There are online services that collect and publish information about discounts

Lesson No. 8. Monitor promotions and sales. On the websites of large companies, a special section always sets out in detail the conditions for participation in bonus programs, loyalty programs, competitions and sweepstakes. You can subscribe to notifications and stay up to date with the latest offers.

Purchase of the main product and components in the set

Yes, this marketing trick works approximately as described in the old joke: “buy this food processor, and for half the price, a freezer for storing prepared semi-finished products and a dishwasher.” But sometimes such offers are really profitable and worthwhile.

For example, when buying a bicycle, a pump or a set of wrenches will definitely not hurt. A curling iron would come in handy when paired with a hairdryer. One girl I know bought a set of gels and bath salts just to get a free bamboo washcloth. This is also a saving if all the components from the promotional set are actually used.

Focus not only on famous brand products

A brand is prestige and recognition. Prestige and recognition are good advertising. Good advertising entails enormous costs that must be covered somehow. In Australia, marketing researchers conducted an analysis and came to the conclusion that the cost of a tunic from a famous Italian brand made from natural silk is $8.5, taking into account the cost of the fabric, the work of the seamstress and the consumables spent. In the boutique, a ready-made item costs $748.

Three main factors influence price formation, and in the case of a well-known product, an additional markup for the name is added

When buying a branded item, a person pays not only for the purchase itself, but also for prestige. Indeed, well-known brands guarantee quality, but often a product of this level can be obtained at a lower cost without overpaying for the name.

Luxury British brand Burberry once burned more than $39 million worth of unsold merchandise after the end of the season because the brand's internal store policy did not allow for sales. It would seem that the company could easily go bankrupt after such losses, but marketers calculated that based on the cost of the burned items, the losses amounted to no more than $800. This is how many people are deceived by brands.

Lesson No. 9. Don’t think that behind a loud label and a five-zero price tag there is always exceptional quality. An item whose cost is several times lower may be no worse than a branded one.

What you shouldn't save on

Saving should not reach the point of fanaticism, injure others, or harm both physical and mental health. There is a good life example. One woman, at a young age, arrived in a large city in a light summer dress and flip-flops. She did not have a brilliant career, since she was not endowed with great intelligence or talents. All her life she worked tirelessly in a restaurant, where she started as a dishwasher and eventually became the chief administrator. Then she retired, but continued to work hard at two summer cottages.

The woman managed to buy an apartment for herself and her children, a car for her son-in-law, and a dacha for her grandchildren. Such acquisitions were the result of her habit of saving on everything: she ate the cheapest bread with the cheapest sausage, replaced sweets with surrogate condensed milk, did not buy clothes at all, and took from her friends what they wanted to throw away.

At the age of 75, the woman began to go crazy and become lost in reality due to blockage of blood vessels with cholesterol due to progressive atherosclerosis. The brain stopped receiving oxygen and shut down. The relatives sent the deranged woman to a nursing home, since she could not be left unattended for even a minute, and there she died quietly a few months later, forgotten by everyone and of no use to anyone. She ate almost waste all her life, never went to the doctor or rested by the sea, and at the same time was an exemplary example of frugality, but this did not bring her happiness.

To determine important expenses, you need to compare them with the pyramid of needs

There is definitely no need to skimp on the following items:

• medicines;
• quality food products;
• medical examination and treatment;
• rest.

And the last, tenth, parting lesson: it’s not for nothing that they say that saving is a habit, and it takes 21 days to develop a habit. If you go through this stage correctly, in the future, control of income and expenses will be in order.

Personal experiences of people who have learned to manage money

There are many brochures on how to learn to be rich, self-sufficient and successful. The most impressive thing is the story of a teenager who started saving money for headphones for his phone, and in the end, six months later, he managed to buy a new iPhone and a powerful power bank to go with the headphones!

He didn’t do anything special: he simply began spending half the pocket money on cigarettes that his parents gave him for lunch at school. He didn’t spend it on lunches either, but began saving half of the amount for headphones, and lending the remaining half to friends if they asked. This teenager, at 14 years old, turned out to be more financially literate than his parents. He shrewdly kept cash in the wallets of friends and, if necessary, simply demanded to repay the debt, and therefore the amount in the deferred part grew.

Of course, these were pennies: the guy received the main amount for the new phone from his parents and friends for his birthday. But after purchasing the desired gadget, he did not return to smoking, but did the opposite: he began communicating on social networks with like-minded people, sharing his experiences and achievements. He believed in himself and learned to save on things that actually only ruin his life, taking away money, time and health. Small victories always inspire more and change a person’s consciousness.

Now the guy has a different goal: to save money to study in Prague. He has already made a plan on where to start, how to increase income and reduce expenses.

Learning to save money wisely does not mean learning not to eat, not drink and be content with second-hand clothes instead of decent clothes. It is really necessary to buy food, clothes, and spend money on entertainment, but wisely and without fanaticism.