Stick to your budget, live within your means

Some people spend beyond proportion by making the mistake of “upgrading” their lifestyle thereby inflating their cost of living.

To avoid the trap of spending beyond your budget, cut down your excesses.

Limiting the number of cars you use can save you the cost of maintaining the cars on fuel purchase and car servicing.

Sometimes people may want to show up they number of cars they own and a wife and a husband can be riding different cars to the same place even if one of the cars is not fully occupied.

Connecting your movements by making proper plans in a way that connects places you intend to go to will save you much cost on transportation and fuelling your car.

Stocking of wardrobe can be demanding financially hence stocking your wardrobe  moderately and trying to match up colours and fabrics to fit your style instead of spending excessively on clothes because you feel it is in vogue and a must-have for you, will be as wise decision.

Current trends may not necessarily fit you and may not even match your personality; so going with a classical wardrobe will solve your clothing dilemma and save you some money.

Avoid impulse buying or buying things when your are too excited to make rational decision on your purchase because you have excess money at hand. Perhaps pausing a little to ask yourself if you need it may save you the regrets of buying something you may not need.

Going to eateries more often even if you feel you can afford it can cost you a lot when compared to preparing your food at home and probably packaging it to work. Moreover, it is more healthy eating the food you prepare as you can ascertain that the food is properly cooked and prepared under good condition to guard against sicknesses and diseases.

Eliminate injurious habits such as substituting soft drinks in place of water which is not cost effect, taking too much of them can be injurious to health and can drain your wealth.

You can cut the cost on gym by doing some simple regular exercises on your own to keep fit. Exercise is important to the body but it must not necessarily cost you so much. You can take short distance walks instead of using your car all the time.

While some people have the problem of making budget and spending above their budget, others make budgets that are not realistic. Some people in an attempt to manage their resources make budget far below the cost of goods and services in the market.

The bottom line is that while you try to cut cost and stay within budget, make it as realistic as possible and based on the actual cost of essential commodities and services making room for miscellaneous expenditures.

Hope Ikwe