With a new year rapidly approaching, many people are looking ahead at how they can improve their finances over the coming twelve months.
Christmas can screw the budget up big time and leave you looking for ways to improve your family’s finances in the coming year.
Look no further! I’ve put together this list of 47 practical things that you can do to improve your family’s financial situation. Most are simple and even if you only act on a few, you’ll be further ahead next year than you are today!
Getting on a budget is absolutely essential for your financial well-being. There is no better way to keep track of how you’re spending the money that you make. Budgeting helps you prioritize the things that you really need to pay for, and the things that you want most.
But even pro budgeters sometimes miss things that should be in their budget. In this article, I’m going to walk through 15 things that are commonly missed when putting together a budget. Make sure you’re budgeting for these expenses!
When I was a kid, we had a 1968 Toyota Corona. The predecessor to the Corolla, this beauty had vinyl seats that you could fry a steak on in the summertime. I remember when our parents would take us out to the park we would bring a stack of towels, not to sit on at the park, but to put on the car’s seats to prevent second degree burns haha.
It never crossed my mind that our car was too small. I mean, it’s a really tiny car, but we did just fine. At least I think we did, as a kid I didn’t agonize over these decisions like I do now…
Most of us love Christmas right? The music, the tree, the traditions etc. For many people, it’s their favorite time of year. The problem is that sometimes that holiday enthusiasm can find it’s way onto our credit cards.
Let’s face it, Christmas can get really expensive. I don’t know about you but we’ve had years where we were paying down Christmas credit card debt well into the new year.
Hands up if you like planning your summer camping trip while you’re still paying off Christmas debt?
*Crickets*
I like the dollar store as much as the next guy. Some things are just better bought super-cheap. Napkins and plastic cutlery are a couple of good examples.
Most of us want to use our money wisely, but that doesn’t mean always buying the cheapest version of everything. Sometimes, the cheapest thing that you can buy will cost you more in the long run. There are times where it makes more sense to invest some extra and buy a higher quality item that will last longer and add more value to your life.
If you need to get rid of a car payment, I feel you. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I’ve actually been through this twice… *facepalm*
The day you financed your new car, it probably felt like a great idea.
Do you remember the new car smell? That was probably part of what drew you in. That mixed with a savvy salesman and the alluring idea of years of maintenance-free driving.
So if you’re one of the 154 people on my email list (I know right…only 154?), you got the email I sent out the other day that eluded to something big that will be happening around here soon.
If you’re new to NinjaBudgeter, I started this site in late-2016 as a way to share my unique ideas about budgeting, side-hustling and financial management with the world. Oh, and hopefully make some money. That’s right, you are literally inside my side-hustle right now…awkward?
Quick financial wins is a major focus here at NinjaBudgeter and one of the fastest way to trim from your budget is to lower your cell phone bill.
Here’s the deal: the cost of cell phones is getting out of hand. My family is now up around $170/month, and that’s just my wife and I! It’s only going to go up as our children get older and need (or want?) phones of their own. My frustration with the constant price increases led me to do a bunch of research on how to reduce my monthly cell bill.
If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money, you’re not alone. Getting a second job is probably the quickest way to up your income, but who wants to get home from work and go straight back to work? Ain’t nobody got time for that #nothanks. Finding a hobby that makes money is a great way to balance doing something that you actually enjoy with making some extra cash.
Do you need to find a way to make $500 fast?
I think we’ve all been there at one time or another. Maybe your car or furnace broke down and you need to get it fixed asap or maybe you’ve just started a new job and rent day comes before payday.
No matter what the reason, you need some money…fast!
Quick cash isn’t going to set you down the road to long-term financial success, but it might be just what you need to get out of a bind.
The problem isn’t that you’re lazy, it’s that you just need a great idea to get you off to a head start. Every idea I’ve included here has been used by myself or somebody I know to make some quick cash. This isn’t an exhaustive list, these are simply the best ways I know of to make fast cash to get out of a financial bind.
Some of these ideas can make you $500 in less than a day!
You have the work ethic so strap on your steel toes and lets get you some cash!