1. Ditch Cable: Trust me, I get it. I love watching The Bachelor (seriously) every week without having to wait for the spoilers the next day, but is it worth paying upwards of $50 or more? The truth is, internet is just as useful as cable. I am able to watch all of my shows, as well as some ones I missed on Netflix. You can also opt for a Blue Ray player or Roku that has Netflix and Hulu already installed. You can also watch most shows on the network's website.
2. Limit the Miscellaneous Purchases: I had a really hard time with this one (and still do). Miscellaneous includes a coffee purchase here, fast food there, Redbox purchases, gossip magazine purchases, etc. It's the purchases we don't think about, but they add up SO quickly. Give yourself an allowance each week or two weeks and don't go over that! Once your allowance is gone, you're done.
3. Buy groceries: As paaaainful and dramatic it is to now be cooking for one, its much cheaper than going out every meal (and a lot healthier). Give yourself the benefit of eating at home and bringing your lunch to work and you might can score those cute shoes you've been eyeing. Trust me, it saves tons!
4. Don't underestimate the power of savings: We aren't talking hundreds of dollars per month here. My savings consists of $10 increments, but that's what I can afford to save right now. You'll definitely be thanking yourself twenty $10 later...
5. Write it down: No one can do their budget in their head, even if they claim to be a math wizard. These things have to be recorded - so do that, or risk forgetting...Trust me, if I don't keep record of my budget or spending I go cray.
6. Don't rely on credit: I learned how easy it is to rack up credit card debt after my divorce. I went from two incomes to one and it quickly added up. Set a budget first and give yourself a couple of months to adjust. You may find yourself grabbing the credit card less.
Do you have any budgeting tips for single women? Share them below!
Do you use mint.com? It seems to be pretty helpful for budgeting!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list! I especially love the savings tip. As frustrating as it can be to be "good" and save money, I get an ego boost every time cross another $100 in my savings account.
ReplyDeleteWe ditched cable last year, and internet too. It was painful, it was HARD! I am getting internet back in a week...and we have a Wii, and a streaming DVD player. The kids can watch things on rainy days, and I can watch my shows too online. We did save over $100 a month on both, which went towards paying stuff off. Great list!
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