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5 budgeting hacks I learned from a friend that help me save an extra $1,000 a month
If the word “budget” makes you cringe, these hacks can help — they’ll help you build a budget that realistic and flexible.
By Jen Glantz
For most of my life, the idea of setting and sticking to a budget seemed impossible. I’d make a draft of how much I wanted to spend for the month ahead, have a loose plan, and end up forgetting about the budget a few days later.
One of my biggest goals for 2021 was to get over that bad habit and take budgeting more seriously. I researched other people’s best tricks and tips (using a budget worksheet, putting money in envelopes for the month, paying for things with just cash, etc.) but I found myself still weary that any of those approaches would stick with me.
I brought this up to a friend of mine, who is a mother of three kids and prides herself on being true to her budget. She sat me down, showed me her process, and sent me away with five techniques that I’ve put into place this year. The result? I’ve stayed on budget every month this year and even found ways to save an extra $1,000 a month. Here’s what has worked for me, inspired by that friend’s worthwhile advice.
