12 Ways To Save Money On A Tight Budget

Living on a tight budget can be hard, but there are ways to save money and ease the stress. Here are some easy changes you can make that will help you save money without sacrificing too much.

1. Dine in, at home

Regardless of where you eat out, it will cost more than eating at home. Try some new recipes to make it interesting. Leftovers can be served again the next day for even greater money savings.

2. Choose fresh air over the aircon

Opening the windows and running a few fans will cost far less on the electric bill than running an aircon unit throughout the day.

3. Make your lunch at home and take it with you

This goes along with eating out less. Dining out at lunch with friends is enjoyable, but you'll save more money by taking your own lunch to the office. Take leftovers to save even more money.

4. Get the right mobile phone plan and drop the home phone

Make sure your plan has enough minutes and long-distance coverage to make this the right deal. Otherwise you could find yourself facing heavy fees for overages.

5. Carry cash, leave the cards at home

Carrying cash forces you to stick to your budget. You can't spend what isn't in your wallet, and knowing that you are truly limited to that cash will force you to watch what you spend.

6. Pay the bills on time, every time

Late fees are expensive and they add up fast. To avoid paying them, start using online banking. You can program the system to pay the bills on certain dates and in the amount that you require.

7. Check thrift stores

Local thrift stores can offer everything from clothing to household appliances at incredibly low prices. Most items are gently used and have plenty of life left in them.

8. Clip coupons

Coupons save money so take advantage of them. Watch the paper, magazine and flyers that arrive in the mail for coupons that can save you a great deal of money. You can also find Cashback deals & Voucher codes online and with free iPhone apps.

9. Free family fun

You don't have to spend a fortune at the movies, choose to stay home and play a board game. Take the kids for a walk, bike ride or picnic. Go outside and play a game of football with your kids. Take advantage of family time that doesn't cost any money to get your budget in order.

10. Raise the deductible

A quick and easy money saver is to increase the deductible on your insurance policy. Your coverage can stay the same but your premiums may drop substantially. This will work on home insurance policies and auto insurance.

11. Use less detergent

Most people use too much detergent in their washing machine. Run a load of towels through the wash without adding any detergent. If the water still foams, then you are routinely adding too much. Cut back on the amount to save money.

12. Buy what you will use

When it comes to groceries, buy only what you know will be used. It doesn't matter how cheap the item was if it winds up in the rubbish. Make purchases carefully and be sure to use what you buy.

Saving money can be done on any size budget. Diligence is required to continue working at it, but the rewards are well worth it. These tips are easy to follow and will help you save money on your tight budget.