How to live with very little money
Not so long time ago, I was asking myself this question. In this consumer world that we live in, can I have a simple life and stop purchasing everything I saw? Can I live with very little money? Because I was really on a shoestring budget.
Now I can assure you that anyone can do the same. Living simply and cheaply doesn’t mean living poorly. It’s just a way that we choose because sometimes the monthly budget doesn’t seem to cover all our expenses, does it?
It often occurs because we live a life of high expenses with our small salaries. I can assure you that it is not difficult to start living on a small budget. I did it, and you too can do it!
We have to make it a discipline habit by being consistent and careful about managing our money and expenses. Unfortunately, this is only true in the long run, because you will see that your life will be better and save more money every month.
Let’s get started. Here are some of my tips for living with very little money that helped me tighten my budget.
Tips For Living With Very Little Money
Start to think small.
We live in a society that teaches us to prioritize the big over the small
Having a big house, a big car is excellent, and people think those having them are rich, but they didn’t know that somehow we need a lot of money to maintain all these. That’s why Bigger doesn’t always mean better.
Living in a small cozy house with your family could be wonderful too. My first house was small but comfortable. It was great living in it, and I have beautiful memories with my son and husband.
Furthermore, we still have only one car. When my husband and I started to work from home, he got rid of his car. Having only one car keeps more money in our pockets every month.
Start an emergency fund.
No matter what you do, debts happen!
There can be an emergency, illness, a house repair, and many other unplanned events. Because of this, it is crucial to have some emergency funds.
It’s straightforward to say but not always easy to do when you live on a small budget. If you can save at least some dollars every month, it will make your fund grow slowly but steadily. Save this money and forget it like if you already use it. It will be beneficial if you happen to need an emergency.
Dont’s abuse of credit cards
A credit card can be a hazardous tool if not used wisely. It’s very easy to spend more money with a credit card because you don’t feel the pain of money leaving your wallet.
If you used a credit card, try to pay the total balance at the end of each month. Like this, you will not have to pay any interest. If you are on a tight budget, accumulated interest can negatively impact it if you can’t pay.
For my part, I try using a minimal amount or only as an emergency fund, and I try to pay the total amount at the end of each month to avoid debt.
Do not purchase unnecessary things (Consumer dept)
When we have to live on a small income, it is essential to avoid unnecessary expenses. Because if you have to pay many debts every month, you will not save money.
Every month, we think of buying new things, furniture, kitchen equipment, a giant screen TV, the latest mobile phone, etc.. for ourselves that is finally of no use. We are tempted to buy attractive, beautiful stuff when going shopping, but I can assure you it’s a waste of time and money.
I’ve decided to stop wasting money on it. If one day you ever come to my place, you will see only the necessary things.
If you can try to avoid having consumer debt, your finance will get healthier.
Sell unnecessary things you already have
Selling your unwanted items can be an excellent way of making extra money and freeing up space in your home.
I started searching in and outside my house and in one hour I found many kinds of stuff that I didn’t use or only used for once. I put some advertising on Facebook and sold them. We got some money, and we free up some places in our home at the same time. I am still in awe of how easy it is
Prepare your meals at home.
Oh my God, this one drives me crazy because I’m having fun eating outside. It was very hard, but I realized now that this had a significant impact on my finance. I’m not telling you not to eat outside every day and ever. You have to please yourself sometimes but don’t do it too frequently.
For the exact amount that you spent at the restaurant, you can have much more food. Plus, you know exactly what you cook and eat. This will save you a lot of money.
You can also make your coffee at home. I know the taste will not be the same as the one at the coffee shop, but it will be much cheaper. If you can afford to buy a coffee maker, the taste could be better, and you will profit in a long time.
Prepare a grocery list.
Going to buy groceries can be boring sometimes. My recommendation for you to save some more money is to list what you need. You can also go for discounted products. If you don’t prepare your grocery list, you will be tempted to buy unnecessary things that could stay in your storage for months.
If you have children, avoid taking them with you to the supermarket. They will take all the things they want to eat, and if they are small, they could start crying and creating an unpleasant moment. I know it is not always possible to leave your children at home, but from my experience, it makes me save money and time.
Starting your garden
What a great feeling to put something on your table that comes from your garden.
During the confinement due to Covid 19, many people have started to plant fruits, vegetables, and herbs for their use, and it works. I decided to do the same thing, and With the help of my husband and my son, we decided that we can grow our vegetables and salad in our small improvised garden, and the result was amazing.
You can start with very little money, and there are many shops where you can buy seeds, soil, and even pots to plant—no need to have a big garden. Many vegetables didn’t need space to grow.
Just sprinkle water, enough sunlight, and you will have healthy fruits and vegetables at home.
Conclusion
Don’t lose hope!
With time I learn something. Even if we have millions, we are not always happy. So, learn to live a simple life without debts because debt kills us nowadays.
Just because we live with little money, it doesn’t have to be filled with sadness. It can be a great benefit. We have more control in this materialist world and even could save more money than you think.
But sometimes, there are situations that you are not in control of. If you are having some financial difficulties, don’t lose hope. Stay focus on what you have decided to do, and you will overcome any difficult situation on your way.
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Check the best business to start with little money.
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