I'm no guru but I just want to share some of the things I do in order to save.
Write down all expenses, however small the amount is. Remember, those small amounts add up, too.
I have been writing my expenses down for as long as I can remember. My friends think it's weird but I swear it helps. By doing so, I am able to track my spending habits. It gives me a 'picture' of where all the money goes which in turn helps make my budgeting easier.
Learn to differentiate between NEED and WANT.
I only recently learned to do this. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I used to work and I used to have my own money to spend whenever I fancied. Now that I don't work anymore, having an enabler husband doesn't help, either. Don't get me wrong. I love that he lets me splurge sometimes but I'm in charge of our finances so I should be the responsible one. Nowadays whenever I fancy something, I don't buy on impulse. I sleep on it. I ask myself three, four, five times if I really need it. I sometimes even wait for an item that I need to go on sale before buying it. It's not easy but I'm getting there.
Make a list of things to buy before going into the shops.
I've noticed that if I don't have a list with me whenever we do our grocery shopping I tend to just grab anything from the shelves even if we don't need them. My husband goes mad. He says we always go over budget when we go shopping 'unprepared' and he's right.
Bring packed lunch to work.
My husband brings packed lunch to work. I did the same thing when I was still working. It's definitely cheaper than buying take-away.
I'll add to this list from time to time. In the meantime, I hope you find these saving tips helpful.
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