Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Simple Savings: Avoid the Temptation

Picture from Glorious Treats

We visited with relatives this past week, and one comment was made that got me thinking.  They said that they are really bad at snacking, so they don't buy snack foods.  I know some other friends who have the same challenge, but they will go out for ice cream if they want a treat instead of bringing it home.  It costs a little more, but they don't have junk food hanging around.  This same idea can be used in many different ways.  Most of us probably have areas where we can improve.  The habits we have developed that waste time and money can be tamed and we can find a solution where we don't have to give up everything, but just find a way to make it work in a positive way.

If you eat too much at an all you can eat buffet, stop going.  Find a restaurant that gives you a limited portion on your plate.  You may not get as much food to eat, but you won't tempt yourself to overeat.  Plus, if you have too much on your plate, you can take home the leftovers.  You can't do that with an all you can eat buffet.

Picture from 7 Tips on Saving Money on Clothes

If you find that it is easy for you to spend too much money when you go shopping, find a solution that will work for you so you don't spend as much.  You can either shop less, take a certain amount of cash with you and leave your credit card at home, put everything on hold and give yourself 24 hours to think about it, etc.  Maybe you can even put the money you would have spent in an account and save for something you really want in the future.





Picture from House About it Garage Sales

If you have too much clutter in your home from going to garage sales and getting good deals, figure out a way to tame the problem.  Choose to go to a limited amount of sales, bring a limited amount of cash so you need to be picky about what you buy, write a list beforehand of what you need and don't buy anything that isn't on the list, go with your spouse and have them look over everything before you buy to help you cut down on your purchases, take your 2 year old - you won't stay at any garage sales very long at all, because you will be chasing them and trying to keep an eye on them.  That will help you save money!  (Just Kidding)

Picture from article by The Telegraph:  Mothers Still Do Housework

Instead of reading your favorite book when you know you should be making dinner or cleaning the house, figure out a win-win system like work for 30 minutes and then read a chapter.  When you have a reward of doing something you want to do, it is easier to make it through the stuff you don't want to do.  Use a timer.  It can also help.

We all have things we can improve on.  The key is to find what you need to improve on and find a positive way to work it out.

3 comments:

  1. This is a great idea. I've been trying to drink less soda, so I no longer keep any at home but instead make myself buy individual bottles. It sounds more expensive and wasteful, but I actually end up drinking less because I have to put effort into getting a soda now. I'm saving money too.

    Now, if you have any ideas about how I can reduce the temptations from online shopping....I can't make the computer go away so I'm not sure what to do!

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    Replies
    1. As for the online shopping, I would limit the time on the computer, have a list of things that you need and stick to it, and put your credit card in a bowl of water and freeze it if it will make it so you can't see the numbers! Or, you can just set a limit of the amount of money you have each month to spend, and enjoy deciding what you will buy with the money you have budgeted, but don't go over budget. You could also make a commitment to put as much money in the bank as you spend on your online shopping. That would help to slow it down a bit. We all have weaknesses, but what really matters is not that we have them but what we do with them. If we can find ways to overcome them, or at least slow them down, then we have made progress.

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