A lot of people who spend excessively do not have enough money or are always in debt. If you also spend excessively and you want to put an end to it, then this post is definitely for you!
1. Inculcate discipline: Discipline is act of the doing the right thing at the right time. It is synonymous to self control. Being disciplined is the surest way to cut down excessive spending. Discipline entails being able to spend in a wise and rational way without anyone compelling you to.
- Prepare meals yourself: Meals prepared at home are very cheap compared to meals that one buys at a cafeteria or at a restaurant though they might be tastier. However, as time goes on you will certainly improve- Cooking is an art that’s perfected day after day.
-
Have a plan … A budget: A budget is itemized summary of intended expenditure usually coupled with expected revenue. An expenditure is an amount of money to be spent while a revenue is a source of income. When making a budget, your intended expenditure must be lesser than the expected revenue so as to cater for contingencies that may arise.
-
Waste not and buy in bulk: Do not waste any valuable items or asset you have. If you find an item no longer useful, you can do well by selling or giving it out to charity. Also, buying things in bulk saves you a lot of money as the unit price of commodities are higher when compared to what you get for buying in bulk.
-
Learn to say no to volunteering your money and buying unnecessary things: Sometimes your inability to say no to certain things is the reason why you are always broke. You should avoid volunteering your money to events that come up too frequently and not occasionally. In addition, you should ask yourself of you really need what you are about to buy.
-
Reduce the use of credit cards
and online shopping : When you buy things using your ATM Card or credit card, there’s a probability that you will spend excessively. Online shopping, paying through the POS or buying airtime through your account is so convenient that you don’t realise you are already spending too much. So if you want to reduce excessive spending, cut down the use of credit cards and online shopping!
- Ignore some discounts and price slashes: Many malls and online shops increase their sales by occasionally providing discounts and price slashes but at a disadvantage to many people who buy things they do not need just because of incentives of this kind.
Do your laundry yourself: Doing your laundry yourself can be a very strenuous task but doing it yourself saves you a lot of money and makes you self reliant.
Drink more water: Water is the best liquid one can drink because of it health benefits and at the same time, it is one of the cheapest liquids you can find when compared to Soda, fruit juices, wines and beers. This is not to say you shouldn’t take other beverages but taking more water is cost effective and will make you healthier.
Don’t carry more cash than you need around: Let’s consider two individuals- John and Daniel. John leaves home with 6,000 Naira and Daniel leaves home with 1,400 Naira. Who is more likely to spend excessively during the day between the two individuals? Obviously, John is likely to spend excessively and Daniel is likely to spend reasonably.
Having read this, I hope you have learnt how to cut down on your expenses.