5 Things I Cut From my Budget

Do you find yourself struggling to get on top of your budget but you aren’t sure what to cut out of your spending? These are 5 things that I realized that I could do in a more affordable way or cut altogether!

1. Buying Name Brand Products. Let me tell you…if they have the same ingredients as the name brand product then they are pretty much the same thing. Other than maybe how they process their stuff or what it’s packaged in. If you want to save money this is the most simple way to do it. If you are really concerned you can do your research and see how the product brands make their products and you might even find reasons for not buying name brand other than saving money. For me it was buying cruelty free make-up. And most big name brands aren’t cruelty free!
2. Buying Books. Use a Kindle, Nook, or E-Reader over buying books. Now, if you are anything like me you cringe at that idea. I was gifted a Kindle years ago by my parents and while I miss the smell and feel of books I was amazed at the benefits. I have pretty much any book at my dispense. Which I guess for some people could hurt more than help! But the price of an E-book over a real book, on average, is half the cost!!! And if you are like me and like to hide away in a room full of real books, go to your local library.
3. I Don’t Buy Meat! Go Vegan! This post is not a ploy to make all of you go vegan! I am honestly one of those vegans that doesn’t care what you do or not. But the positives of going vegan when it comes to your budget is that you don’t buy meat, and in turn you save so much from that. You’ll also have better health and feel more alert. People have the misconception that going vegan will cost more. But with places like Aldi at our dispense it is completely affordable and my personal opinion is to supplement with a plant-based vitamin like Rainbow Light. Not because you can’t get enough nutrients without it, but because it makes getting your daily nutrients that much easier in such a fast paced world.
4. Boutique shopping. Thrift shop!!! One of my favorite past-times! Clothes depreciate so fast, so why not buy them gently used in the first place. Sometimes you can even find them brand new with the tags still on. And if you find that you don’t like the piece two weeks later because the fabric stretched out or shrunk it won’t be a huge loss! My favorite finds are the vintage 90’s pieces the child in me always wanted to wear but was still too young for!
5. Going out to Eat. Learn to cook. There is such a joy from cooking and eating food you make. For me it’s stress relieving, and over time you may learn to love the food you make more than a restaurants! I find that I can make my meals 100% healthier by making them myself. You can also start incorporating one new food to try each time you make something so you can broaden your palate! Never tried Eggplant? Now’s the time! Try making an Eggplant Parmesan!