How to Stay on Budget When You Have to Shop

It is harder to save money in today market when everything has a higher price tag than before.

However, we can't stop living! We must change our ways to accommodate our situation. We must cut down on our spending, and make a budget sheet to follow.

We have to know the difference between need and want. Prioritize these items on our list will help us to make a better decision on our spending.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Determination
• Have a friend
• Be creative
• Plan ahead
• Prioritize your want and need

1. Plan ahead!
   
   If an occasion arises, brainstorm for some items to buy, and put them down on a list. Having these items on the list help to keep us focus on finding them, and look out for the price that we can afford.

2. Prioritize the items!
   
   If you rate the items on your list from one to five, the number one would have the first priority rating.
   
   Having a rating system will narrow down on which one to buy first.

3. Share the expense with a family or friend!
   
   If the present is a big item, it would be wise to ask a family member or friend to go in and split the expense. This way, both sides won't suffer a big hole in their budget.

4. Get creative!
   
   Tap into your creativity side, and make a unique gift instead of buying. Look around the house first to see what you have on hands, and then look at craft sites online for ideas.
   
   I found my creativity and inspiring from just be opened and looking at websites or in store.

5. Compare prices!
   
   To stay on budget, check the prices at different stores before buying.
   
   The best way to do this is to spend a little time online, and check out the stores that you plan to shop at. It will quickly give you an idea how much the item costs at these stores. It will also save you on time and gas running around.

Tips & Warnings

• Occasion such as birthday, baby shower, bridal shower, and wedding often require big item. Use the share expense method to cut down cost.
• Window shop is fun, but also helpful to keep your eyes on the price of your items
• Understand the difference between want and need!

Resources

• Bargain for a Cheaper Price on Everything

[vintage]

on 9/4/2009 good article 5*

[mommyhen42]

on 8/24/2009 great informatio when buying big ticket items

[Barry331]

on 8/20/2009 Very useful article on staying on budget-5 stars

[tracysmith159]

on 7/5/2009 Good article staying on budget in today hard economy is very important. I see many people complain about not having enough money, yet they buy an $80 purse when you can find purse that look just as good for around $20. Having a hard time with the budget, get rid of designer labels.

[HardworkinJudy]

on 5/24/2009 Great tips, Icy, on saving money when shopping. We need to tighten our belts. Bookmarked.