Friday, December 5, 2014

The Principles of Living a Thrifty Life

Tips on saving:


 1. Live within your means.
If you always buy expensive stuff or live extravagantly despite the fact that you don't have enough money, then you would always end up being broke or in debt.
This doesn't mean that you cannot get mortgage to buy a house. But you have to calculate what kind of house you can afford or whether it is the right time for you to get a house.

 2. Prioritize your needs. Food, house/apartment, clothes and health is your priority.
These are basic needs for most people. For some people their priorities might be different. Maybe they would prefer travel rather than having a house/apartment. That is fine as long as you know that is your priority.

 3. Keep track of your spending.
Little expenses that you think don't make a big deal would add up if you do it frequently. If you don't keep track, you won't know it until it's too late.

 4. Keep some money for rainy days. Be reasonable.
If you cannot afford something, consider an alternative. Is buying a gucci bag really necessary if you need to borrow money for your mortgage? If you cannot afford organic food, just get a regular produce but wash them well (salad for instance), or grow your own crops. If you must have organic food, consider to lower your expense for some other stuff. The essence is you don't spend money more than your budget or income.

 5. Swap ideas or stuff with your friends or family members. be resourceful.
Asking people close to you, like your friends or family members will open an opportunity to be thrifty. Sometimes i give my garden produce to my friend who in return brings me a really nice loaf of bread that she gets free from the senior center. I gave my unwanted nice clothes to another friend, while I get some other clothes she gets from her other friend. You get something you need (and something you want) without spending any money.

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