Families to Spend less: A Simple Briefing

While there are plenty of budgeting tips out there, many of them drive home the idea that a single expense (like a daily coffee) can add up and save you hundreds of dollars every month. And this may be true, but one expense is unlikely to make or break your budget. Budgeting requires a steadfast look at all of your expenses to determine what cuts can be made and what you can save on in a mix of different ways. Some useful ways some families have opted to keep more cash include:

• Create a strict food schedule you plan to stick to and clip associated coupons to get the best possible deals on your meals.
• Go to the grocery store during off times when it's quieter and less stressful so you don't feel rushed to move through the store as quickly as possible and veer off your grocery list.
• Use rewards programs for businesses you spend plenty of money on to get some of your money back or put those points towards something you need or want. It's an extra achievement for being a good shopper and paying off your bills in a timely manner.
• Go through all the services you spend money for: landline phones, streaming services cable TV, gym memberships, etc. Take stock of which services you use often and which ones you barely use. Ask yourself as a family if you all feel comfortable cutting those barely used services to save some money every month.
• Before you purchase something, especially something costly, do your homework to see if there are any upcoming sales, what coupons are offered, and if somebody is selling that item secondhand at a better price.
• Go through your stuff and see if there's anything you're willing to part with and sell on Facebook marketplace, eBay, Poshmark, or any other related platform.
• Don't use credit cards if you can help it. There may be times when the extra money it provides can be useful, but if you can't pay it off as soon as possible, you're paying for what you used it on plus interest! This can put you into debt if you're not careful.
• Take care of your health! Many people don't consider how key their health is to their budgeting needs, but health and energy have a direct correlation to income! Not to mention items that can be hazardous to your health like cigarettes can eat up your budget.

Budgets can be hard to stick with if you're just starting out, but it pays to stick it out to help you spend less for what matters. Financial responsibility requires constant effort, but having some resources offered to get you started can help you with the initial steps.

• Budget Calculator: If you are unsure of where to start, try this calculator to see a normal budget for your region.
• Ways to Create a Family Budget: Learn ways to budget for your family applying the Dave Ramsey method, then find some other tips for getting out of debt and living frugally.
• Tips for Applying Credit Cards Wisely: Cash back and points can make credit cards a valuable cash-saving resource for families. Just follow these tips to avoid debt that can accrue.
• 17 Cash-saving Tips for Families on a tight budget: Keeping more cash as a family could lead you to a wealthier lifestyle, as these tips demonstrate.
• 12 Easy Ways to Cut Your Expenses: Among the best ways to save on living expenses as a family is to simply cut back on spending.
• Couponing Could Save Average Households $1,000+ Each year: Check out just how much you could be saving every year with coupons and get some great couponing tips from an expert.
• Spending less With Coupons: Follow these do's and don'ts for couponing for maximum savings.
• Healthy Eating on a tight budget: Find some simple steps and resources for ways to shop for and make healthy meals for your family.
• Six Inexpensive Ways to Eat Healthy at Home: With some creative tips for buying groceries, this briefing also provides a list of healthy and budget-friendly swaps when shopping.
• Ways to Eat Healthy on a tight budget: Discover even more ways to feed your family healthy meals on a tight budget.
• 25+ Easy, Economical Dinner Ideas: Brought to you by noted chef Cassie Marshall, these dinners can be made with those items tucked in the back of your pantry.
• Ten School Lunch Ideas Under $1 per Serving: Learn ways to fill your child's stomach at school without emptying your wallet.
• Easy Ways to Save Energy at Home: Here are some simple tips for helping you cut back on your energy use.
• Top 11 Things You Didn't Know About Saving Energy at Home: This briefing from the Department of Energy can help you lower your energy bills in the summer.
• 52 Frugal Living Tips: This comprehensive briefing on spending less as a family includes a plethora of tips and resources.
• Five Steps to Help You Negotiate With Your Provider: Did you know that you can negotiate your Internet service costs? Here's an excellent resource to learn effective haggling.
• 12 Items That Can Save You Money for as Long as You Own Them: Stop buying disposable items that have reusable versions. You'll keep more cash and help the environment at the same time!
• Tips for Thrift Shopping: Expert thrifter and vintage shopper Julie Sharp provides some excellent tips for shopping for clothes at thrift stores.
• 53 Thrifting Tips the Pros Use to Score Big! It's still easy to overspend when thrift shopping, but this briefing provides the tips you need to ensure that thrifting saves your family money.
• Top Tips for Thrifting Kids' Clothes: Buying used clothes for kids can be a challenge, but Goodwill has some excellent tips to remember.
• Ways to Save on Back-to-School Shopping: Back-to-school shopping is costly, but you can learn ways to spend less when your kids return to school.
• Ways to Save for Vacation as a Parent: If you are unsure ways to even make vacation a part of your budget, this briefing will help you get started.
• 27 Smart Ways to Spend less on Family Vacations: Sticking to a budget on a family vacation can be difficult, but here are some clever tips and resources that can help you provide a memorable yet inexpensive trip for your family.
• Low-priced Family Fun Ideas: Learn some ways to have fun with your family on a tight budget from a mom and personal finance expert.

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