Money Hacks and the Envelope System: Making Your Budget Work for You

I’ve been paying the same amount for my cable bill for quite some time. I decided to call to check for available discounts. After my call, my bill was decreased by $37.

I encourage you to make a five-minute call and ask about discounts. You never know what’s available if you don’t seek or call for information that could save you money.

Send a message to customer support about things you’re currently paying for and see if they’ll give a discount for your continued loyalty. This could result in benefits like a lower rate on credit cards or a lower cable/internet bill, cell phone, car insurance, etc.

Here are a few more money hacks you might like to try to improve your finances:

• Use cash
• Small weekly savings transfer
• Stay at home
• Don’t get catalogs
• Keep a 30-day list
• Cook at home
• Exercise
• Employ the envelope system

Never heard of the envelope system? Here’s how it works: You have multiple envelopes and each one is labeled for groceries, gas, movies, etc. Place your budgeted amount of cash for that particular expense inside that envelope and use only what’s in the envelope for each expense. This method definitely takes discipline, but you can keep your expenses down and track them much more closely.

Have you ever considered having a no-spend day?

Sometimes spending can turn into a mindless habit. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

For just one day this month, commit to having a no-spend day. You could save anywhere from a couple of bucks to a lot more, depending on how much you typically spend. This is a good way to hit the reset button and re-evaluate your spending habits.

Test yourself and choose one day per month to not spend anything. Continue to graduate to more days per month with no spending. See how you feel when you experience the restraint of not spending; I think you might be surprised how it uplifts you.

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About Our Author

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Kia Wells

Kia Wells is passionate about the field of Accounting/Finance and assisting others in changing their lives. She has conducted workshops training organizations and individuals on the importance of credit repair, budgeting properly, debt elimination, bookkeeping and other topics over the past 6 years. Kia is a mother of three sons. In her spare time she enjoys reading, community involvement, and encouraging others to always love who they are no matter what.

Latest posts by Kia Wells (see all)

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