When it comes to living well for less, a considered plan of action is more important than anything else. You can try and cut out certain expenses, but keeping your health and wellbeing on track isn’t always easy on the budget. The most sure-fire way of reducing your costs is to have a detailed budget to stick to; in fact, right amount of savvy in your budgetary choices can save you thousands of dollars a year. Discipline and forward planning are key to making sure you don’t overspend.
The term lifestyle covers a variety of different health and wellbeing areas, which all have an effect on our budget – for example medical prescriptions, eyewear such as contact lenses, and skin products to keep us looking fresh, of course don’t forget food shopping! We have some pro-tips for effectively planning your monthly budget – and sticking to it, from ordering no RX contacts online, to forming a weekly meal plan.
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Eating well is essential to enjoying a high quality of life, but saving money never has to mean compromising a well-balanced diet. The golden rule of eating well for less is to have a detailed meal plan and buying everything you need at once to prepare throughout the week. When grocery shopping, always have a list that covers all of the meals in your plan. Your schedule should also factors in all of your nutritional needs.
The smartest way to do your grocery shopping is to form a weekly meal plan and order it online. Not only does this prevent a wandering eye that would otherwise tempt you to pack your shopping cart with unnecessary treats, but you will also be able to browse the vast expanse of the Internet to find the best deals on nutritional essentials such as vegetables, vitamin supplements, fruits and grains that you can order in bulk.
Everyday Essentials
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It’s the everyday essentials you need to function that probably make you think, “Why is life so expensive?” Luckily, with the right approach, you can grab the things you need at a cost that suits your budget. Again, shopping online is one of the most straightforward ways to achieve this. Essentials such as toiletries, cleaning products and even public transport tickets can all be found online at a greatly reduced cost.
For example, if you’re visually impaired, you can pick up contact lenses – no prescription – avoiding the crippling charges at the opticians. By shopping for your contact lenses online and seeking the other medical or home expenses from a range of digital retailers, you can save hundreds of dollars: all you need to do is invest the time to do your research.
The Little Extras
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We all deserve to treat ourselves, no matter what our budgets. It’s possible to enjoy the finer things in life with a little budget savvy. For a nice meal out, consult discount sites like Groupon to see the discounts available in your local area or avoid eating out at expensive, popular times (weekends and evenings). If you fancy going for a drink, happy hours are your friend. Before indulging in some new clothes or a new video game, check out the thrift stores beforehand – you’ll likely pay several times less than you would at a regular retailer.
Budgeting can seem like a burden, but actually it can be an exciting challenge. Wasting your hard-earned money for no reason won’t make you feel good, but successfully pulling off a budget will make you feel organised, accomplished and intelligent.
About Carson Derrow
