10 tricks to stay on budget

I’m constantly researching tips and tricks for things that I don’t want to do. Weight loss, concentration, budgets.

If I don’t want to do it, I’ll invest a lot of time in working out any way that I can do it more quickly and with less pain.

This list is made up on ten tricks that will make your life a bit easier without detracting from the quality of your budget.

1. See the big picture

Visualise what you want to achieve with your budget. Get some post-it notes and stick it up around your room, in your wallet, on your youngest child’s forehead- whatever. If you remind yourself what you are aiming for, you’re more likely to stick to the budget.

2. Get into the day by the day

Note down what you’ve spent every day, including the sneaky coffees and guilt Kit Kat. Don’t shirk from the truth, and write it down every night before you sleep. Knowing what you spend is as important as projecting what you need to save,

3. Reward thyself

Make allowances, you’re not superhuman. Set aside a little bit of money, and reward yourself with it if you stick to your budget at the end of week or month. It shouldn’t be a lot of money, just enough to feel good about what you’re doing and reignite your purpose.

4. Have no money in your wallet

If you leave large amounts of money in your wallet, you’ll be more likely to spend it. Put as much as you need every morning (bus tickets, groceries) and you’ll find you spend a lot less money if you’ve got none on you.

5. Don’t go rounds

Friday drinks after work are fantastic, but they will sink your budget very quickly. Instead of becoming a social pariah, just refuse to go rounds. That way you can sit on a drink without any pressure, and have a cheap night. When researching this article, someone suggested that you just should leave before it’s your round. While it certainly would help you stay on budget, it won’t help you with your mates.

6. Sell the flotsam and jetsam

Clean out your house, and sell everything you need. Incorporate the extra money into your weekly budget, and resist the urge to buy more junk to replace the stuff you’ve just discarded.

7. Late afternoon discounts

Coles late at night will always have discounted bread, green grocers will have cheaper fruit and vegetables on a Sunday afternoon. Staying on budget is about frugality, so work out where you can find the necessities cheaply.

8. Stay centered

Beating yourself up because you’ve gone over budget isn’t going to make the problem go away. Punishing yourself with an extra stringent regime will only make the splurge all the greater. Stay realistic- budgets get blown out on occasion. Staying sensible is an important part of staying on budget.

9. Cheap nights

Cheap luxuries are as important as cheap necessities. Tuesday nights at the movies are cheap, as are gigs for up and coming bands. If you’re having a night out, search out the cheaper versions.

10. Revisit

Budgets are only effective if they accurately represent your financial state. Revisit your budget regularly to ensure that you’ve accurately accounted for your income and expenditure. Don’t use a three-year-old budget if you’ve changed jobs and had a child in that time. It won’t work. Revisiting your budget is an effective means of sticking to it.

What tricks do you have to stay on budget?

Tell us below!

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