How best to save the family budget. How to save a family budget - tips and practical recommendations

What can you save money on? This question worries many. Moreover, there is a crisis in the yard and prices are rising by leaps and bounds. Add mass layoffs, freezing (and even cuts) of salaries, and it becomes clear that the issue of savings is becoming very relevant.

So what can you save on? On everything!!! The main thing here is not to go too far, but to be content with the golden mean. After all, a synonym for the word economy, not greed, but thrift.

The simplest and most affordable methods of saving the family budget

Perhaps some of the tips for you will seem rather banal, others rather primitive, but in combination they can give you a strong economic effect.

Utilities payments

An essential item of expenditure in every family budget. Prices are rising from year to year, and far ahead of official inflation. So let's start with them. Using these rules, you can expect to reduce payments in the amount of 20-30%.

Electricity

1. Install energy-saving light bulbs. Although their cost is much higher, they last longer and save energy at times. Now LEDs are especially popular - 5 watts.

2. Turn on the light only where you are, and not in the entire apartment.

3. When leaving, turn off all electrical appliances that are in sleep mode (laptop, TV). Of course, they consume little energy, but in a year they can run decently.

4. Boil yourself water for tea, coffee, cocoa exactly as much as you need, and do not pour a full kettle to the brim. Drank, immediately pour water into the kettle (see paragraph 5)

5. Before cooking (soups, compote, cereals, tea) in advance (several hours) draw water into the pan. During this time, it will warm up to room temperature and the energy consumption for boiling will be halved.

6. Prepare food in large portions for several days in advance.

7. When buying household appliances, buy them with energy class A.

8. Install two-tariff electricity meters (day-night). All procedures (washing, cooking) that require significant energy consumption should be carried out in the evening, when its cost is 2 times lower than during the day.

Water

1. Install a low-flush toilet

2. Bath only on holidays and weekends. Taking a shower saves 80% of water.

3. Be sure to install water meters. This will reduce your water bills by 2-3 times, especially if 3-4 people live in the apartment. Don't be put off by their cost, they will pay off in just six months.

Heating

These rules apply if you have a heat meter installed, or if you additionally turn on the heater during the cold season.

1. We put plastic windows. Up to 70% heat loss in the apartment is due to windows (old wooden ones). Plastic reduce these losses by at least half.

Nutrition

1. Refuse lunches in cafes and restaurants. Take food in containers with you. As a last resort, eat at a cafe during a business lunch at the allotted time.

2. Say no to convenience foods. Cook at home from natural products. This is both cheaper and more useful.

3. Buy shelf-stable products in bulk in large packages. So you save at least 10-20%

4. Eat more simple foods and dishes prepared from them (cereals, soups, vegetable salads). They are not only several times cheaper, but not several times healthier than various delicacies.

5. Buy in the store only according to a pre-compiled list.

6. Go to the store at least once a week, buying products for 7 days. By doing so, you will reduce the likelihood of spontaneous (and usually unnecessary) purchases. Buy milk, bread in small stalls with a limited selection of other products.

7. Buy seasonal produce when it's the cheapest. Some of them can be purchased for the future, for the purpose of canning, freezing or salting.

8. Drink more compotes, not purchased juices (in which there is only one name from juice). This is both cheaper and more useful.

Clothes, shoes

When buying clothes and shoes, you can achieve significant savings of 20-30%, or even higher. And this despite the fact that you will dress (and put on shoes) almost the same.

1. Buy out of season. As a rule, such things can be bought at a discount of 20-50%.

2. Do not chase branded clothing. Why overpay for a name 50-100% of the cost.

3. Buy online. Savings start from 20-30%.

4. Careful shoe care, timely prevention. For example, buy special shoe polishes. So you extend the service life by at least 1.5 times.

Entertainment, recreation

This is an item of expenditure, which, in principle, can be completely abandoned. However, I don't recommend doing this. A person must relax. By simply analyzing your expenses in this category, you can remove something unnecessary, or by replacing or cutting other expenses. If you like to relax with a company in a cafe, you can sit quietly at home. If you like to go to the cinema - take tickets for morning screenings. Well, and so on.

Repair

Of course, renovations are expensive, and if you've already planned one, there are a few tips on how to keep the costs to a minimum.

1. Clearly calculate all the materials that you will need for repairs. And decide in advance what and how you will do. So that later you don’t have to change the plan of action on the go and redo what has already been started.

2. Buy immediately and in bulk in one place. Save on quantity discount and shipping.

3. Perhaps your friends have discount cards to buy, even if with small discounts. Remember "a penny saves a ruble."

4. Never buy building materials with a margin. This was earlier, during the period of shortage, the topic was relevant. Now it’s not at all a problem to buy the missing roll of wallpaper or tile than to throw away or put the surplus in the far corner (money down the drain).

We looked at the simplest and most affordable methods to save on food, utility bills, clothing, recreation and repairs. These costs can be reduced at least 30-40%. Imagine that you got a part-time job, and you are paid just the same 30-40%. Only you can earn (save) this money at home, in comfort, with your family, you don't have to go to work, you don't have bosses, all you need to do is follow simple rules saving.

Financial well-being is, at first glance, a purely business term, and in some ways even a slightly pretentious term. But in fact, under these two words lies a simple meaning. Especially if we use them in the context of the family budget. Many of us often deny ourselves certain purchases, citing the lack of extra funds. And this is true, since the funds in the family are never superfluous.

The easiest way, so that such difficulties do not arise, is to learn how to earn more. But sometimes, for certain reasons (lack of time, qualifications, caring for children), we really can’t do it. Therefore, in order to have enough money for everything that we need, they just need to be properly distributed. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to save the family budget, doing it right and in a balanced way.

How to save a family budget: Learn to count money

This is your first priority. You need to clearly understand how much your family receives every month and how much it spends. Moreover, not only the total amount is important, but also the items of income / expenses, indicating specific figures for each item. For calculations, take a regular piece of paper, write on it “Saving your home budget: tips” and indicate your salary, social benefits in a separate column. payments, income from deposits, rental of real estate, etc. Next, in the next column, in the same way, list where you spend money.

As a rule, the cost column looks like this:

• Food (for cooking at home);
• Rental housing (for those who rent housing);
• Housing and communal services;
• Transportation costs (public or fuel for your car);
• Internet and mobile connection;
• Going to cafes and restaurants;
• Clothing and footwear;
• Large purchases (household appliances, electronic devices, etc.);
• Sports and leisure;
• Other entertainment.

Separately write down the item “unplanned expenses” and be prepared to allocate the specified amount if any occur.

The described principle is used in today's popular board game called "Cashflow". The game itself is unofficially considered one of the best ways to train in financial management, learn how to plan your income and expenses, and ultimately form a cash flow that will allow you to live comfortably and to your heart's content. Special attention is paid to investment issues, which we will talk about later.

But, if we are learning to save the family budget, at the initial stage it is important to master the planning and cost control itself. And be financially disciplined by spending only as much money as you can afford. So that the totals for the columns "Income" and "Expenses" are at least the same. And ideally, to total figure in the first, it surpassed it in the list of costs.

IMPORTANT! If you see that at the end of the month you go beyond the available spending limit, look for how to save the budget for a specific item. Naturally, not at the expense of health and comfort. The question should be posed as follows - What on the list can we, as a family, do without? This can be understood by evaluating which of the costs already actually committed were mandatory and which were not. Conditionally - if you once again, instead of having lunch at home, popped into a restaurant during a break, try to avoid this next time.

Saving on mandatory costs should be the last thing. Because they are the basis of your family budget. Understand that the main thing is to learn how to reduce EXCESSIVE expenses.

Ways to save the family budget. When exactly to spend?

There are two opinions on this matter. Some experts in the field of personal and family finance say that all mandatory expenses should be made as soon as possible after receiving the main income (salary, pension, etc.). After you buy and pay for what is included in your main monthly list, you will have a limited amount in your hands, which you won’t “walk around” much. Thus, it will be easier for you to resist unnecessary temptations, knowing that there are not so many funds left.

But there is another point of view on this issue. If you do not have sufficient willpower, the relatively large amount you will receive may turn your head a little. And then, along with the obligatory expenses, those that might not have been slipped imperceptibly if you postponed the main purchases for more late period. But here we again return to the issue of control over finances. "Remember, the main thing is discipline" - with these words in the movie "Back to the Future-3" the dying sheriff addressed his son. And even though this scene was cut in the final version of the film, its essence and importance have not changed from this. Discipline is one of the most important components of our life. And in particular - its financial part.

How to save money - write everything down!

In contracts, agreements and other business documents, the content is usually presented in the form of lists. And these lists contain not only the main sections, but also subparagraphs that clarify or correct the general essence. Ways to save the family budget in this regard are no different. In addition to the main list, we recommend making additional ones - those with which you will go, for example, to the grocery store. Compiled - try not to go beyond this list, buy only what is indicated in it. And even better - take with you strictly the amount that came out according to the results of preliminary calculations.

Do not forget to issue discount and discount cards. Study the offers from banks, today the cashback tool is very popular - a partial refund for the purchased goods.

Products with a long shelf life, take in bulk if possible. But never go for a low price! Remember, we are not rich enough to buy ourselves cheap things. The exception is seasonal sales, for example, for winter shoes in early spring. Take advantage of such promotions, but, again, do not make spontaneous purchases, but plan your purchase in advance. A low cost is good only if it does not come at the expense of quality. Often, products of an unfamiliar brand with the same composition as an expensive analogue of a well-known brand can cost less simply because you do not overpay for the brand.

Tip - Morning is wiser than evening. If at the sight of any thing your eyes burn, and you think that you definitely need it, try to refuse the purchase right now and postpone it a day later. Tomorrow you will be able to assess the situation with a sober head - do you really need this product so much? According to statistics, more than half of purchases "in the heat of the moment" turn out to be unnecessary, taking their place of honor somewhere on the farthest shelf of the chest of drawers.

Never go grocery shopping if you are hungry. Otherwise, you will want to sweep everything from the shelves of the store.

In the process of shopping, it is important for you, as a consumer, not to become the so-called “victim of marketers”. All kinds of 2 + 1 promotions are worth your attention only if you planned to buy the product they apply to even before coming to the store. In other cases, you need to be resistant to this and other marketing techniques, avoiding unnecessary spending. And in no case do not provoke these expenses yourself! Even if you are a "girl who wants a dress". First of all, you are an adult, not a child, and all your whims and desires should be driven through the "sieve" of rationality.

Willpower will also help you to refuse bad habits. Excluding cigarettes and alcohol from the list of planned purchases are good ways to save the family budget. And yes, it will be good for your health.

How can you save your family budget? Housing and communal services tariffs

The growth of payments for housing and communal services is one of the main items of inflation in modern conditions. It is possible to survive it painlessly, the European experience will help us in this. The inhabitants of the Old World, not spoiled by socialism, learned how to use resources wisely a long time ago, and the methods they have chosen for this do not carry anything complicated.

Here are some of them:

1. Buy household appliances with an increased energy saving class. The most economical products are designated class "A".
2. Don't forget to turn off the lights in rooms where you don't need them at the moment. Use floor lamps, table lamps, if there is no need to illuminate the entire room. Buy energy-saving light bulbs.
3. Set up counters. With their help, you will pay only for the volume actually consumed by the resource. And not for those fictitious figures that are unreasonably included in the "average" tariff.
4. Do not turn on the products at full power when it is not required. This applies in particular to refrigerators and thermal heaters.
5. Install additional appliances that help save money. A conventional aerator for a mixer or a time switch will help you reduce resource consumption in the future. This is a kind of investment for the future, which, having paid off, will begin to bring additional “profit” in the form of savings. Also, get used to the fact that resources are important and should be saved. The included tap with water hardly creates any special atmosphere in the process of brushing teeth.
6. V. So, it can be screwed with a clear conscience. And household appliances, instead of being paused, it is better to fully disconnect from the outlet.

In such an item of expenditure as housing and communal services, all the principles that we spoke about earlier are relevant. Looking at the payment, you need to clearly understand on which of its points you could save in the first place. Even small amounts for using a landline phone for a year can give a figure of several hundred, or even thousands of rubles. Do you really need this landline phone, when today everyone has a personal mobile?

Travel and transport

Those who have their own car should cultivate a “logistician” in themselves. Think over your route so that you do not have to make detours in order to go to the store or take your child to school. All intermediate destinations must be on the way to the final point of the trip. This will save both time and fuel consumption for the car.

And if you are going on vacation, prepare for it in advance. Including financially. Set aside a certain amount every month for the upcoming “voyage” and regularly study promotions from airlines and rental services. Early booking sometimes allows you to save up to 50% or more of the total cost of a flight or accommodation.

Key word is "family"

Since we are talking about how you can save the family budget, it is worth understanding that this concept includes precisely the general money. Those that belong to all family members. Even if there is an agreement that someone alone will manage the finances. It is necessary to respect the right of other family members to purchase something specifically for themselves with this money, the same personal hygiene products, etc.

Learning to save the family budget. 6 jar method

A great way to manage a family budget, simple, like all ingenious. If desired, jugs can be replaced with caskets or envelopes, the essence of this will not change.

The main thing is to fill the "vessels" in proportion to your income and not use money from one jug to cover the needs of another. In practice, it looks like this:

Pitcher #1 - Daily Expenses (55% of Money Received)

Food, clothing, travel, utility bills, etc. living expenses.

Pitcher No. 2 - entertainment (10%)

A trip to a cafe, cinema or sauna is all that you need for emotional release. But without fanaticism! Remember about mandatory and optional expenses.

Pitcher #3 - Savings (10%)

IMPORTANT! This jug should be filled first. Understand for yourself one truth - part of the money you earn (in this case, 10%) belongs to you. Immediately after receiving, put them off, henceforth operating only with the remaining 90%.

Pitcher #4 - Large or unexpected purchases (10%)

The category of large purchases includes household appliances, electronics, etc. things. If you have separate funds to purchase them, this will save you from unnecessary loans and teach you to appreciate the item itself. After all, this way you will remember how and how much you saved for it, unlike a loan, when you, in fact, spend money that has not yet been earned, in fact, someone else's.

If no major purchases are planned, money from this jug can be saved for a rainy day, when you may need it suddenly.

Pitcher No. 5 - gifts (10%)

Everything related to the holidays. To please friends and relatives with gifts is a pleasant occupation, but it requires money. It will be convenient if you can send separately accumulated funds for this expense item. But it may happen that you completely forget about the imminent birthday of a friend. But when he invites you, thanks to jug No. 5, there will be no more problems with buying a gift.

Pitcher No. 6 - improving and developing (5%)

Courses, trainings, trips to the pool or gym - everything that contributes to your mental and physical development. It is impossible to do without all this, here “either or”. Either you develop or you degrade. The same jug also stores money for children - their visits to sections, tutors, etc.

The good thing about the 6-Pitcher Method is that it teaches you how to allocate funds. With it, we know exactly how much and on what we can spend. At the same time, you have the right to adjust the percentage for each of the jugs yourself, the figures given are just an example that is not mandatory.

Fathers and Sons. Ways to save the family budget

You can’t save on children - this is an axiom. But only if you take this expression literally. In fact, you can save the household budget on children's purchases without prejudice and even for the benefit of the child himself! So, puree from natural fruits and vegetables will be much more beneficial for the child's body than a store-bought mixture in bright packaging. And reusable diapers will cost you less than disposable diapers in the long run.

In addition, the resources of joint purchases, the main audience of which are young mothers, will help save money. Cooperate and buy goods at a discount, as we have already said, it will be just a regular wholesale, in which the quality of the goods will not suffer at all.
Young children do not have to take expensive things from categories that the child will soon outgrow. Look for the best value for money first.

Tip: Teach your child from childhood to the value of money. If you currently do not have the financial means to buy him his favorite toy, explain this by voicing the reason. Do not refuse just like that, otherwise the baby may feel slighted. Better yet, encourage him. For example, say that he will get a new robot if he helps you wash the dishes. An exaggerated example, the main thing is that a child at an early age begins to understand that in life we ​​get everything thanks to our own work. It sounds trite, but it's true nonetheless.

Savings in and of themselves are of no use if you don't put the savings to good use. What is the point of saving if the money goes to a trip to a restaurant that you previously refused in order to actually save money. Main principle material well-being - money should work for you. So that their "collective" is constantly growing and expanding. The book “The Richest Man in Babylon” tells about this in more detail, where the author, on behalf of the heroes, introduces us to the laws of preserving and increasing money. In this book, as in the described method of 6 jugs, it is recommended to save 10% of income and, moreover, invest.

The ability not only to earn, but also to spend money is a real art - only a small percentage of people competently manage their income and expenses, while making savings. But how to learn it? What to do so that, in the pursuit of savings, you do not start to limit yourself in everything, do not spoil relations with family members, and determine the weaknesses of your budget?

Family budget - income and expenses of the family, allowing you to save

You don't need an accountant's education to learn how to save money smartly. It is enough to discipline yourself, to understand where you spend money, making rash purchases. Savings are justified on the purchase:

• Expensive things that are not liked, but serve to impress others. A smartphone, a new car, a beautiful bag - many purchases can be painlessly abandoned;
• Excess food sent to the trash bag. Many families buy food "with a margin." Bread dries up, milk spoils, and a whole pot of boiled soup - the household does not have time to eat. As a result, you throw away food and money;
• Clothes and shoes purchased for fashion rather than practicality. Women who buy things only to please themselves, wear them a couple of times and hang them in the closet are usually prone to such extravagance.

To save the family budget, the income and expenses of the family must be controlled. Without taking into account all the expenses, it will be difficult - you may not even notice where you lowered your entire salary, because you only bought small things.

Family budget - family income and expenses, savings table

You can keep the family budget in the old fashioned way - in a notebook, or use modern facilities– Microsoft Excel, mobile applications. For example, the program "Home Accounting" is popular. How to make a table of income and expenses for a month? Her example looks like this:

Family budget for April 2018
Income
wife's salary	20 000
Husband's salary	35 000
Renting an apartment	12 000
Social payments per child	1 000
TOTAL income	68 000
Expenses
Communal payments	5 000
Loan payments	10 000
Products	8 000
gas station	3 000
Machine Maintenance	4 000
Cloth	6 000
Kindergarten	2 000
other expenses	5 000
Money box	10 000
TOTAL expenses	53 000
Saved money (income - expenses)	15 000

In order not to buy too much during the month, it is recommended to first make a list of upcoming expenses. In addition to paying loans, taxes, utilities and other payments, you need to make planned purchases here, calculating the amount that you can spend. At the end of the month, you will check whether you managed to invest in the budget by buying everything you need.

What can and cannot be saved?

Starting to limit your needs and cut the budget for family spending, it is necessary to find out what you can save on. The expenses of each person are individual: someone likes to go to restaurants and clubs, many like to ride a comfortable taxi, other people do not want to cook and buy semi-finished products. Traditionally, all expenses can be divided into groups.

№	What not to save	Unnecessary expenses that can be waived	Expenses that must be removed from the budget
1	Healthy food, medical services, hygiene items;	Household appliances, mobile devices;	Visiting cafes, restaurants, haunts;
2	Utilities, payment of loans, taxes;	Furniture, if old household items can still serve;	Bad habits, alcohol, cigarettes, as they also entail spending on medical services;
3	Travel expenses;	Interests and hobbies related to financial spending;	Food products that only harm the body - semi-finished products, sweets, chips, carbonated drinks;
4	Internet and communication services;	Clothes of famous brands;	Games, purchase of lottery tickets, participation in draws;
5	Purchase of clothes necessary for the season;	Services of specialized companies - for example, cleaning service, delivery;	Services that you do not use - a landline telephone, radio point and others;
6	Education, if it is required to get a high-paying job.	Jewelry, expensive accessories.	Items bought on promotions and sales that you did not plan to purchase.

Saving does not mean giving up any rest or habitual pleasures. You can always find an alternative and more attractive option for a modest fee. For example, if you like to go to the sea every year, consider Turkey or Crimea instead of Europe.

When managing home finances, it is important to follow simple rules that will help save the budget and use money rationally:

1. Keep accurate records of income and expenses. At first glance, it seems that this is useless - you know how much you earn and spend. But only a few can accurately say the size of the family budget and the cost of purchases even for a day;
2. Refuse loans - they eat up the lion's share of funds, interest goes into the void. If possible, try to pay off outstanding debts as soon as possible;
3. Set aside at least 10% of your income in a piggy bank. This small amount is invisible to the budget, but in a few months it will allow you to make the desired purchases;
4. Do not buy things spontaneously - because you wanted to, or you suddenly went into the store and saw the object of your adoration. Wait until tomorrow, perhaps the ardor will subside along with the desire to spend money;
5. Go to the grocery store less often - buy basic goods for a week, and bread and milk - in small stalls where there is no temptation to spend a large amount;
6. Eat homemade food - it's healthier and cheaper. It is better to cook soup and a main course than to buy semi-finished products, ready-made salads and buns with coffee on the road, they are not cheap. The same goes for home delivery - sushi and pizza will cost too much;
7. Do not run to the store immediately after receiving the money - having a large amount in your pocket, it is easier to make rash spending;
8. Control communication and mobile Internet services - often operators connect options that the user does not need, for example, music instead of beeps;
9. Get a piggy bank for change and send all the iron coins from your pockets into it - you can save tens of thousands of rubles in a year without much effort;
10. Buy groceries in bulk, clothes out of season, and various little things online, it’s more profitable.

The main thing when saving is to see the problem, realize that it exists, you need to fight it. If you think that you can’t live without chips, fish, beer nuts and new shoes every month, you definitely won’t be able to plan your budget correctly.

The main mistakes when saving the family budget

You may decide that saving is so easy that you can not even attach importance to this activity. But in fact, efforts will be in vain if you fall into the network of errors. The most common of them are:

• Lack of agreements between spouses, when the wife decides to control the budget, and the husband is against it, or vice versa. Convince your soulmate of the benefits of saving, and if this was not possible, offer to just try for a week;
• There is no reserve fund - it is necessary to set aside money for unforeseen expenses that cannot be saved on. Who knows what will happen in a month or tomorrow, and a financial pillow will allow you to survive difficult times without infringement;
• Too austerity, as a result - moral exhaustion, stress. This happens when there is not enough motivation for budget planning, a person denies himself the slightest pleasure and works hard;
• Children are not involved in the process of family saving. Not only will they not strive for the goal, they will not receive useful knowledge for the future, they will not be able to rationally manage their finances in an independent life.

In pursuit of savings, you should clearly set goals, understand what you can refuse, and what purchases are mandatory. Allow yourself a break from the daily routine required condition, while you do not need to go to resorts. Hiking, going out into nature, a walk in the park or a picnic by the river - city dwellers often forget about pleasant and inexpensive pleasures.

You should start saving the family budget by involving all family members in this activity and controlling expenses. Keep a separate notebook for recording expenses, and you will see that a large proportion of the salary goes to unexpected little things, spontaneous purchases and unnecessary purchases. By giving up on them and starting to save money, you will be able to use family income wisely.

“You cannot manage what you cannot measure”
(You can't manage what you can't measure)

Find the best exchange rate

Do not change the currency according to the principle “I will go to the nearest exchanger” or “I will change it in my bank”. Find the best currency exchange rate, for example at http://quote.rbc.ru/cash/ . The difference in the course in different banks can reach dabout a few rubles. Changing, for example, 500 dollars, you will lose 500 rubles in the exchanger, where the exchange rate is only 1 ruble worse than in another exchanger located also close to you.

Do not withdraw cash from a credit card

The bank charges a fine plus interest. Having withdrawn 1000 rubles from a credit card, you can pay the bank from 100 to 300 rubles, not counting the interest that the bank will charge on this amount at cosmic rates of 25-30%. By the way, when withdrawing cash from a credit card, there is no interest-free grace period.

Pay your credit card always on time

Fines for late repayment of payments can amount to hundreds or even thousands of rubles.

Pay yourself first!

(Text on the picture "Set aside money for your future")

When receiving a salary, first pay for loans, for a communal apartment and other obligatory payments, and then for your loved one! Set aside a minimum of 15% for your future goals (unforeseen circumstances, big purchases, travel, education, your children's future and yours). Thus, you will not spend this money on all sorts of nonsense and spontaneous purchases. Why is this important - read.

Pay off more expensive debts first

First of all, pay off debts on credit cards and consumer loans. For more information, "How to get rid of debt," read the Guide.

Refinance expensive debt with cheaper debt.

Credit card debt with an interest rate of 26-30% can be refinanced by taking a consumer loan with an interest rate of 15-17%.

Use your bank's ATMs

If you do open a credit card, open a card where you can earn miles or receive cash-back.

With the accumulated miles it will be possible to fly somewhere by plane or pay for a hotel and a car with them. Miles are credited not even for credit money, i.е. a large and expensive purchase (for example, furniture) can be paid for with this credit card, putting your money on it. Personally, I have flown dozens of times to Europe for miles (for free).

Transport

Replace transportation with walking.

For example, you can walk from and to the subway to save on travel. With a fare of 25-30 rubles, the annual savings will be 12-15,000 rubles. And it's good for health, especially with a sedentary lifestyle!

From a personal point of view 🙂 I sold my (beloved) car a few years ago and started walking, every day, in any weather! Now I walk, on average, 1500 km. in year. At the same time, including because of walking, my hernia in the lumbar spine almost completely disappeared (sorry for personal details).

Here are 25 more ways to save money on your car!!!

Health and medicine

Optimize your drug costs

Sport sport sport!!!

Regular exercise eventually saves a lot of money on doctors and medicines, gives a powerful vitality, and helps to give up bad and costly habits. Do not set difficult and sometimes unrealistic goals for yourself, such as “lose 10 kg in a month”, “go to the gym 15 times this month”, etc. Start small, start exercising in the morning, drink more water and give up junk drinks, start walking, set a goal to go to the gym once a week for the first month. Make every goal small and hit them. This will give you strength and inspiration, and further, it will be easier for you to set and achieve bigger goals.

Learn how to do a simple massage (legs, neck, back)

and do it for yourself and your partner. This is an excellent and uncomplicated skill, and besides, it is very pleasant and useful, including for the relationship of spouses.

Do sports for free

It is not necessary to go to an expensive gym and hire an expensive trainer. You can go in for sports for free, distributing activities throughout the day. Charging in the morning, walking from one metro station to another, you can walk 1-2 bus stops, walk 15-30 minutes after lunch, do push-ups and squats at the workplace, pull yourself up on the horizontal bar and parallel bars in your yard, do a hitch and stretch after a working day - each of these activities takes minutes and costs nothing. Your body and wallet will thank you!

Also read:

🔴 Sports videos from MoneyPapa!

At home

Utilities and electricity

Installing a water meter can save several thousand rubles a year. I did it repeatedly in several apartments that I owned or rented.

I know that there are families where washing machine they turn on only at night (due to the cheaper electricity rate at night) and abandon the electric kettle in favor of a regular one that heats water on the stove. And even great savings on it.

Sell ​​or throw away the TV!)))

One of best advice tested on yourself! It does not “eat” a lot of energy, but at the same time, you and your family will not receive a narcotic dose of 100 advertisements in 4 hours, as a result of which you will save on unnecessary purchases in the future. Also, spare yourself the hellish news that makes it difficult to fall asleep and that keeps a person in constant negativity and fear, as well as stupid shows.

Replace (gradually) conventional light bulbs with energy-saving (ECL)

These lamps use 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer.

We consider: we take an ordinary incandescent lamp with a power of 0.1 kW, multiply by 1000 hours of its service life. And another 7, because these lamps last 7-10 times less than ESL. We get 700 kW. We take a tariff of 3 rubles per 1 kW. We get 2100 rubles. ESL, with a capacity of 0.024 kW, multiplied by 7000 hours of its service and by the tariff, give 504 rubles. How do you save more than four times?! And this is only from one lamp, and in an average apartment there are at least ten of them. Total: 15960 rubles only for light bulbs!

Sell ​​junk on free classified sites! Get rid of junk (for money!)

“From personal experience: in 2015 and 2016, my wife and I sold all sorts of nonsense in the amount of more than 100,000 rubles. These are old videos. old tv and a barely working computer, old clothes, 3-year-old sneakers, a puncher given to me 10 years ago, etc. It takes 1-2 minutes to post an ad directly from a smartphone or computer”

Look, my wife and I have a sales report.

Few? Here's another

At work

Take lunch to work

If not every day, then at least a couple of times a week. As a rule, homemade food is healthier, tastier, better and much cheaper than food in public catering. Eating twice a week at the office can save you (40 weeks x 2 times x 300 rubles minus the cost of your own food) about 10-15,000 rubles a year.

Don't buy drinks during lunch

Why pay 50-100-150 rubles when you can drink water, tea or coffee in the office?! Liquid, especially cold, entering the stomach with food, diluting the gastric juice, slows down the process of assimilation of food. Cold drinks have a negative effect on the intestines, and also speed up digestion, quickly causing a false feeling of hunger, which is actively used by fast food chains. Drinking a glass of water before meals will help your stomach prepare for the meal. Ditching the $50 daily after-dinner drink will save you over $10,000 a year.

Drink more water

Water increases efficiency, cleanses the body, it is non-caloric. This tip is obvious for maintaining health, but it can also save you a lot of money. Drinks, juice, alcohol, coffee, etc. are very expensive, especially if you buy them in a cafe. In addition, many of these drinks are not healthy. Giving up your $100-150 daily fizzy drink will save you $20-30,000 a year.

I personally gave for examination purchased water (which I bought for many years in a row) and tap water that passed through the filter. As a result, tap water turned out to be better in all respects. As a result, we abandoned purchased water - saving more than 20 thousand rubles. per year (or >$300).

Family and Children

Share your plans with your family

None of your strategies will work if family members have different expectations and goals. It will be much easier for you to have difficult conversations with your spouse or children if you agree on your goals in advance. This will allow you not to spend money on unplanned purchases.

Learn to say "No" to your child

There are several important points here. It is important to explain why this or that desire is unfulfilled. It is even better to explain how this desire can be realized. For example, you can save up for an expensive gadget with your child. You can also give your child the opportunity to earn money to buy it. Read how to do it right.

Take food and drinks with you on a trip or outing

Take food and drinks with you when going on a long walk or on a trip with your family so that you do not buy expensive and unhealthy food on the street, in fast foods and at gas stations. This will save time, money and health.

Do not entertain your children with shopping malls, shopping and expensive rides

Pay your kids pocket money for housework

There is no better way to explain to children that money does not grow on trees or fall from the sky than to include earning pocket money in the education process. Pocket money is an ideal tool for explaining the value of money and things, as well as the need for certain purchases. You can not refuse your child an expensive toy - let him earn money for it himself.

Fix, don't change

Did a thing break down around the house, clothes were torn, or something else was out of order? Don't rush to throw it away. Very often (favorite) things can be repaired and they will last for years. Two real life examples:

Somehow I caught and tore (below the knee) very cool trousers. It was impossible to fix, it's a pity to throw it away. As a result, I made shorts out of them (in the studio for a penny) and have been wearing them on vacation for several years :))

At the airport, the cover for the (large) stroller was torn for us. A new cover is quite expensive. I gave it to the House of Life near the house and for 300 rubles ($5) they repaired and strengthened it so that it became better than new.

In gym

Takeaway protein, food and drinks

Save a couple of hundred rubles for one lesson. If you visit the hall more than 50-80 times a year, the savings will be tens of thousands of rubles.

Entertainment

Invite your friends over and cook your own dinner instead of going to a restaurant

You can watch movies at home by downloading the movie online

This will save you time as well as money on tickets, parking, popcorn, drinks and transportation. Saving 500-1000 rubles per person for one trip.

Watch free or low-cost events that will take place in your city on city websites / portals

These can be festivals, fairs, exhibitions, museums, concerts, public lectures, etc.

Read books!

Reading is one of the cheapest and most rewarding habits on earth. A huge number of books can be downloaded on the Internet either for free or for very little money. Reading is a great and cheap way to pass the time. You will learn something new, experience many feelings, entertain yourself - and all this is almost free.

If today you want to drink and have fun in a bar or club, drink some alcohol at home

This can save several thousand rubles, given the cost of alcohol in establishments. In addition, you will be sure of the quality of alcohol. By the way, the taste of a drink, for example, wine, can be easily improved by knowing a few secrets. Read about it in detail here:.Also, don't go to bars or clubs hungry..

Buy tickets for exhibitions, museums and attractions online

This is usually cheaper than if you buy tickets at the entrance. This method will save not only money, but also time - often a separate entrance with a smaller queue is provided for tickets purchased online. However, it is better to buy tickets to the theater at the box office of the theater itself - saving up to 10% of the cost of tickets on commissions. (Anna B., St. Petersburg)

Phone and Internet

Check the tariff on your mobile phone.

It often happens that the operator has been offering its customers a more profitable tariff plan for a long time, but we continue to use the old one in the old fashioned way. From my own experience, having called the operator, I learned that I was connected to some obscure paid information services that I did not subscribe to and that I do not need. Such subscriptions can imperceptibly (a few rubles a day) write off several hundred rubles a month.

Use IP telephony, skype, whatsapp, etc. for international and long-distance calls.

The quality of course may be a little lower than a traditional or mobile phone, but you will save a huge amount of money. Personally, I completely replaced phone calls with video or audio conversations through instant messengers!

Turn off your home phone.

If your friends, acquaintances and relatives call you on a mobile phone, why pay for a landline?! Just turn it off! Saving several thousand rubles a year.

Trips

Before traveling, try to think over possible expenses in advance - make a list or use a convenient one.

Buy tickets in advance.

When it comes to international flights, the best time varies depending on the continent. But in general, it is clear that it is better to buy tickets for a few months.

From my own experience, I can say that half a year is the optimal period - the difference in the cost of tickets purchased 6 months in advance and the same tickets purchased a month before departure can be 50 percent or more.

Fly low-cost!

See the list . It is important to carefully read the rules of the airlines. From personal experience, I paid 30-40 euros for one suitcase, because. did not read the rules of the airline, which limited the amount of luggage.

Use aggregator sites to buy air tickets

such as www.kayak.com ., www.expedia.com and others, where you can select tickets by setting criteria such as departure time and flight duration, airlines, number of transfers, price limit, etc. On some of these sites, you can watch package deals flight + hotel + car - savings on such orders can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

It is also profitable to book accommodation on aggregator sites

such as (hotels) and www.airbnb.com (apartments). Often, these sites offer discounts, promotions, and pay-as-you-go, which is also better than paying months in advance. Booking a hotel in advance is also much more profitable. From my own experience, a difference of 6 months can save between 30 and 50%. If you are afraid that the dollar or euro will fly up and a huge amount will be withdrawn from your card, write a letter to the hotel (via) and the hotel will withdraw money earlier (many times I successfully did this personally).

Opt out of insurances offered by visa services, tour operators and booking sites,

if you already have travel insurance, such as through your credit cards or from your employer. Read all about insurance.

taxes

Get tax deductions and save 13% on expenses

for education (regardless of the existence of an employment relationship), for the purchase of housing / land (including mortgage costs), medical treatment (including treatment of spouses, parents and children under 18), etc. For example, by buying a house, you can save up to 390,000 rubles. on income tax. You will put this money in your family's pocket.

Automobile

Get rid of the car.

If you have two cars in your family or you use your car once a week, get rid of the car. The cost of an average car, taking into account the costs of gasoline, repairs, parking, fines and other expenses, can easily be 60-100,000 or more rubles per year, per car. Use public transport, cheap taxi and walk. Again, useful, and often faster than by car.

(!) Another 25 ways to save money on your car.

The value of the car must not exceed 35% of your family's annual income (before taxes).

Perhaps right now, it makes sense to postpone the purchase of a new car, at least for a year.

You will save on diagnostics, on fuel and taxes (if you are thinking of buying a more expensive and / or powerful car), on tires, on credit costs if you buy on credit, on maintenance and spare parts. Save up to 100,000 rubles ($1,500) this year by postponing your purchase.

Cars are a terrible investment.

Pay attention to the insurance deductible.

In the shop

Make a list of what you need to buy.

Before you go to the store, make a list of what you need to buy and follow that list. If you are taking children with you, before going to the store, tell them why you are going there and what you are going to buy.

More than 20 tips (!!!) how to save money in the store.

Don't go to grocery stores and malls hungry.

Otherwise, for sure, your hungry eyes will buy what you do not need. You will also want to go to a cafe, drink coffee, etc.

Do not go shopping to treat stress or depression.

According to statistics, the joy of new things lasts only a few days, and then you are left with your depression and spent money or debt. Find out about other habits of the poor.

Give yourself 24 hours to think before making a big purchase.

If during this time your desire does not change - buy. In most cases, this technique helps to avoid making spontaneous and unnecessary purchases.

Pay with cash, not cards.

According to, when paying with cards, we spend 30 percent or more in stores more money than when paying in cash. Paying with a card, we do not feel that we are parting with money. Paying in cash causes moral/psychological pain. Take cash to the store, exactly for the purchases that you need, according to the list. This will save you from spontaneous and unnecessary purchases and reduce your monthly bill.

Switch to new Russian brands.

Are you used to hyped European clothing brands? With the growth of the euro, the acquisition of luxury brands hits the family budget hard. It's time to discover the products of non-mass local designers - original, high quality, and relatively inexpensive.

From readers:

Compare prices in online stores and buy the right product in the store where it is cheaper

For example, I have 4 chain supermarkets on my way home from work. Eggs from the same poultry farm in one cost 55 rubles. for a dozen, in another 70. My favorite bread in one store is 52 rubles, in another 45. And so on. At first glance, it seems that it’s nonsense to gain 10 rubles on pasta! However, I have been doing home bookkeeping for a long time, and in my case, the annual savings only due to the difference in prices for the same food products (i.e., one manufacturer and one brand) in 2014 amounted to about 20,000 rubles, in 2015 about 25,000 rubles.

At the same time, you don’t need to spend a lot of time and effort rushing between four stores in search of profit. Today I will go to one store and buy eggs and butter in it cheaper than in other stores; tomorrow I will go to the second store, which has the best price for bread and milk, and so on.

So, if I buy clothes or a bag in a private store (speaking of domestic designers), I always ask for a discount, and I have never (!) been refused! Some reduced the price by 10, and some by 40 percent, and no sidelong glances. I always trade in travel agencies. I always haggle where they make anything to order, from birthday cakes to tailoring of shoes. We recently did a renovation, and I negotiated a discount of 18,000 rubles when buying a kitchen.

Someone believes that saving in such ways, and indeed saving in general, is almost beneath his dignity. Let them count. And in my opinion, paying for someone's inflated appetites, just to seem richer to oneself, is a rare stupidity. 🙂

Happiness and prosperity to all of us! Looking forward to new articles.

(Evelina, St. Petersburg)

23 more ideas

Conclusion

The article is called “100 Ideas…” which is exactly what I collected when I wrote it for the first time. Now there are several hundred ideas in it! Now take your time and see how much your family can save on each item that applies to you, and you will get a total amount with 4-5 zeros in rubles. The money you save can be spent on things that are really important for the family - buying a house, vacation, education, sports, savings, spending time together, etc.

👋 And I wish you well-being in finances, family and in life!
Timur Mazaev was with you, aka MoneyPapa, an expert in family finance.

Hello dear readers! You have probably noticed that families with a small income manage to buy expensive things, go on vacation regularly and save something else. On the other hand, families with a decent income constantly do not get out of debt, constantly pay off some loans and constantly complain about the eternal lack of money. How so? Secret, in Let's take a look at the most effective (and at the same time the most affordable) tips for saving your hard-earned money.

1. Accounting for income and expenses

You need to start with this. You must have a clear idea of ​​how much you are getting and how much you are spending, and most importantly, what you are spending on. Most people don't even know where all their money goes, it's just that by the end of the month they don't have anything left of their earnings.

2. No loans

If you still can’t save up for the thing you like, then what’s the point in order to give back the same money + huge interest overpayments later. The exceptions here are loans that increase your income (for a business, for a car for work) or very expensive loans, such as mortgages.

Usually 30-40% of all your food expenses are spent on all kinds of harmful products: chips, beer snacks, sweets. After analyzing, you can delete it from your diet, or replace it with something more useful or cheaper. In extreme cases, if it will be completely difficult for you without it, reduce the consumption of harmful (but so tasty) foods.

10. No petty expenses

We bet you did not know, and did not even guess that buying a new mobile phone costs you less than various small expenses: snacks in a cafe during a walk, various chocolates, books for the road, coffee from vending machines.
It seems like a small expense, but it happens every day. And every day they steal from your family budget. A rather large amount (or rather, a very large amount) accumulates over the year.

As a rule, all this can be abandoned, if not all, then more. There is nothing complicated, go for a walk, take a bottle of water with you and be sure to eat before going out. You constantly buy coffee from a machine at work - buy yourself a jar of coffee, sugar, cream. If you like to read, buy yourself an e-book.

11. Extend your buying time horizon

Plan ahead for expensive purchases. During this time, you can decide in advance on the characteristics of the purchased product, find where you can buy it cheaper. Thus, you can buy a thing for another 10-20 percent cheaper than in a nearby store.

12. Before leaving their home turn off all electrical appliances(light, computers, etc.). Of course, now most of the devices are operating in energy saving mode, but again, a decent amount accumulates a pretty penny a year.

13. Eat at home.

Spending on various snacks, lunches at a cafe, and even just buying a glass of juice or tea steal a fair share of the funds from your budget. Of course, if you cannot do without it, then include these expenses in your family budget and try not to go beyond the funds allocated for this.

14. Buy only expensive and high-quality

Remember the saying " Miser pays twice". This is just our case. Buying expensive and high-quality things, you will be sure that you need to change them every year or carry them in for repairs.

Advice. Going to extremes and buying expensive branded items is also not worth it. Why pay more for a name. You can find a cheaper (BUT QUALITY) analogue.

15. Buy tomorrow

If you saw a product at a super discount in a store or you came across a thing, and it seems to you that you just need to buy it, postpone the purchase until tomorrow.

According to statistics, up to 70% of all spontaneous purchases, as a rule, in the distant (in one or two weeks) are not used by buyers and then gather dust in the closet.

You will have time to think, and in the morning, it may turn out that you don’t need it so much (or even don’t need it at all).

Using these very simple tips, you can more rationally manage your family budget. You will see that, in principle, it is not at all difficult to allocate money to buy a new TV, or save up for a family vacation. You will learn to control and manage your money and they will become under your control.