Food prices are growing by leaps and bounds, and people spend their well-deserved vacations not abroad, basking in the rays of the scorching sun, but in a stuffy city or at a dacha. It would seem that it is time to get discouraged, but it is not in vain that they say: the ability to adapt to the ongoing changes is the key to success! We'll show you how to reduce your personal expenses without compromising your standard of living.
Where to begin?
The main item of expenditure of any family budget is food. Of course, cutting your diet to one buckwheat and a couple of vegetables a day is not worth it, as this is fraught with serious health problems. But it doesn't hurt to pacify your “gastronomic ardor”.
Firstly, never go to the store on an empty stomach and always make a grocery list in advance so that later inadvertently you will not find three packets of dumplings and two packets of marmalade in your bag. Ideally, create a menu for the whole week so that you can buy only the missing ingredients for cooking.
Secondly, do not get fooled by "profitable" promotions. A supermarket will never offer a well-selling product at a discount - this is against all business laws. A product promotion can be fair only if it is initiated by the manufacturer himself. Otherwise, the tempting phrase "two cartons of milk for the price of one" hides either a banal re-sticking of price tags, or an attempt to sell a product with an expiration date.
Thirdly, do not forget that the information on the packaging is a must-read! In this case, the "small print" scheme works in the official contract, since the attractive inscription: "According to GOST" can refer only to the packaging itself, and not to the product.
Fourth, give up semi-finished products. This will have a positive effect not only on your figure, but also on your wallet, since the processed product cannot be cheaper than raw materials. As a last resort, opt for semi-finished products of category "A" - they contain much more meat.
How to resist the temptation?
Before pampering yourself, you need to get rid of unnecessary financial habits and reconsider your spending. Unfortunately, the reality is that for most people, the information about how much and what they spend is a sealed secret. But just think: a glass of coffee on the way to work, lunch with colleagues, a movie ticket, a new pair of shoes, a trip to a cafe with friends - and half of the salary disappeared like magic. To avoid such misunderstandings, it is necessary to collect all receipts, keep track of income and expenses and take a specific amount for shopping, and not all the money available in the house. We also advise you to pay in cash, and not with a bank card - psychologically it is much easier to restrain yourself from a rash purchase, paying for it with hard earned real money, and not virtual money.
What can you not save on?
There are exceptions to any rule, and the mean sometimes pays twice. But only in cases when it comes to their own health and well-being. So, not every expensive medicine has a decent cheap analogue, and a foundation bought for a couple of dollars in a Chinese online store can cause skin irritation, itching and allergies. You shouldn't save on children's toys either. Among the "untouchable" goods are also auto parts and finishing materials for repairs.
