4 Key Operations on a Tight Budget
Spending Choices in these tough economic times are a constant challenge to families, in the United States, Europe, Asia and other parts of the World. The Budget for struggling families is ever calling for painful adjustments to our lifestyle and spending habits. The Challenge to break even on the income and expenditure side can even get tougher, especially when the debts or credit card bills exceeds income. The down sizing challenges forces the average family today, how to shop and save, how to assess needs and wants, how to make the best of our tough choices, and making the best effort in desperate situation. The harsh economic reality is ever forcing families to recognize that these situation is not going to go away by themselves, so each household has the responsibility, to check and double check their budgets.
1. How to Grocery Shop and Save. Grocery shopping is the most challenging part on any family shopping list. It is said by a wise man: “food is the staff of life”. It means that no one can do without eating. This means that grocery shopping will have to be done on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on the family budget planning. In such case one need to understand what type foods are most consumed and what type are least consumed, make an inventory of each food group, and do a price estimate. Next one needs to compare each the price of each these categories of food and sees where savings can be made by coupons rebate or purchasing more or less of each group to meet the demands of the budget.
2. Another area of budgeting is assessing needs and wants. In this scenario one needs to access what he can or cannot do without. What I need, I cannot do without, but what I want I can do without. Facing such challenges in the family budget calls for careful consideration and calculations. Sometimes the considerations can be as though as can give up the latest fashion trend to put a little more food on the table. Even to the extreme the choices between food and medicine, energy or transportation cost.
3. Making the best of tough choices we make in these situations could be painful or adjustable. It may be hard for giving up a choice that is useful or beneficial at first, but as time goes by one learn to get along without it. Now it depends on the individual, for some it might be matter of days, for others it might be a matter of weeks or months. When making tough choices always keep a clear goal in mind, either to do without until the income get stronger, or to get rid of that choice once and for all.
4. The hash economic reality has thought us one thing that the current struggling situations are not going away by itself. It is incumbent to take the responsibility to making the best effort to keep out budget within our spending plans. If the first spending plan fails, don’t give up, go back and make another one, and be determining to keep, your spending under control.