You work full time, you try to put back cash, but the bills are piling up and things just aren’t working. Don’t pull your hair out when budgeting isn’t enough – try these 5 tips, instead!
1. Begin to downsize your lifestyle
If you’re having trouble paying the bills despite full-time work, consider downsizing. If you have an extra car, RV, motorcycle, etc. that you never use anymore – sell it (or see #2 on the list!). If your home is too big, go for something more minimalistic with lower monthly payments. Have a garage sale and get rid of some of the stuff you’re just storing away (which can cut down on storage unit costs).
2. Dip into the gig economy
Get your side hustle on with some gig economy jobs and freelance business opportunities. This can be anything from writing for article sites like Textbroker or HubPages to courier work through services like DoorDash and GrubHub. You can even teach a second language from the comfort of your home through sites like iTalki or rent your car out with services like Turo. If you have a larger home, you can look into renting a spare room through Airbnb. These types of jobs are easy to begin, payout daily – weekly, and will give you as much as you put in.
3. Cut back on the unnecessary
We aren’t saying never have fun and don’t enjoy life, but you should grab one of each of your bills and ask yourself “Do I need this?” If you answer “No.”, then you can get rid of it or replace it with something cheaper. (Like replacing traditional cable with Netflix.) If you have subscription services, put them on hold until you get things under control. Furthermore, be conservative when it comes to loans and credit. Just because you qualify for quick installment loan options doesn’t mean you should apply for one without good reason. The same goes for using your available lines of credit.
4. Find ways to save on necessities
There are some things you just can’t avoid: food, gas, electricity, and so on. But you can find ways to save and stretch them. For example, there are fuel additives that can be as cheap as $1 that can make your gas go much further. Similarly, using services like Imperfect Produce can help save a ton on your grocery bill – plus it’s delivered right to your door! Zaycon Fresh also has meats and produce much cheaper than regular grocery stores – but you have to go to specific locations to pick up your farm-fresh groceries. Even just remembering to turn off the light when you leave a room can help cut costs on must-have bills.
5. Find free ways to enjoy life
If you’re used to being super active, you’re probably thinking your life is over. But if you live in or near a big city, you have tons of free fun just waiting for you. Ladies and gentlemen nights are becoming more popular – meaning you can skip the cover charge and even save money on drinks when you go out. Meet up groups and things like Groupon mean you can even take skydiving trips for a fraction of the cost (though not free). On certain days, kids (sometimes as old as 12) eat free at popular restaurants. Check your city’s official website for event calendars, as there is often a lot of free fun to be had that you’ll only find out about via the city’s Facebook or official website.
Life is all about building up. If you find that you’re in need of a better foundation, don’t fret. It’s easy to build up a better life if you’re willing to give up a little bit of comfort and a lot of stress right now. Whatever route you choose to go, good luck and have fun!
