How to Stay Within Your Budget

Buying a new car

If you were already planning to buy a new car, now might be the time to do it. The new Fit, Honda subcompact is arriving in the dealer’s showroom and its biggest draw is the great fuel economy- up to 35 miles per gallon. “With the all new Fit, Honda is offering premium features and advanced technology within a high function, small vehicle package.” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. Prices start at $15,220 ( includes shipping) for the five-speed manual transmission Model, and $16,020 for the five speed models. It’s a great price for a new car – if you planned to buy a new one but if you are doing it only to save gas, it might not save you any money. If you have your old car paid off buying a new one might not be your best option. You will need to calculate the car payment and price of gas into the deal. Hanging onto the old car might even save you money.

Save money at the grocery store

Be sure you have eaten when you go to the grocery store. Leave your kids at home if you possibly can. They usually add from 10 to 20 dollars to your grocery bill. Cut out your coupons and have them with you but if you find sales or store brands that will cost you less, go with the flow.

Walk around the outside isle of the store. This isle contains almost everything you need for a healthy diet. Get everything you need here before you go to the inside isles, then choose from the inner isles only what you truly need. Remember the inner isles hold most of the tempting items that are not good for your family’s health anyway. Look on the labels of these goods to see all the salt and chemicals they contain. You don’t want to feed your family that stuff. Keep your family healthy and save on your grocery bill by feeding them veggies, fruit, whole grains, nuts, chicken, and fish.

Save on your energy bills

Heating and cooling your home accounts for about half of your energy bill. Heating oil is expected to go up 25% and natural gas is expected to go up by 17% next year so that’s going to take a handful more change. It might help to install a programmable thermostat ($60.) It could save you as much as $200 dollars a year, according to how much energy you normally use. When you turn off your lights tonight look at all the little lights from your computer, printer, and other gadgets. All that energy adds up. Unplug everything you can when you have finished using it.

Changing a dirty furnace filter and reinsulating your hot- water pipes will reduce your bill also. Most homes have air leaks equivalent to leaving a window open year round. So solve this problem by weather stripping and caulk foam spray. Don’t forget to check where telephone lines and water pipes come into the house. Go into your attic and check the insulation. You need at least seven inches of insulation there. .

Other savings

Check your spending habits carefully. You can almost always cut something out that will be for yours and your family’s betterment. You can take a thermos of coffee from home rather than stopping at Starbucks. You can pack a sandwich rather than eating out and as a bonus you might lose a few pounds. Pop your own corn rather than buying chips. Instead of renting or buying videos take the kids out to the park. They need the exercise and so do you. Go to the library and take home a load of books rather than going shopping. Get your spending under control and you will be under less stress and as a result a much happier person.