Taking Control Of Your Budget

Budgeting may not sound like a way of life for some, but there have been times where we have no idea where our money is gone! How did we spend so much in so little time? Well, we at Your Refund have thought about it and wanted to share our basic saving schemes with you. Start from the small things first is a practical way of going about it is what we feel.

Write it down: Easy right? The first step to budgeting is listing your expenditure for this month only. Start with the big ones - rent, debts, fees, etc. - and then go small - bottle of water, cab fare, snacks, etc. - no matter how trivial, try to remember as much as you can on your expenditures for this month alone.

When done, go over your list and for each item and ask yourself the following:

   ❯   Did I really need this or can I get by without it?

   ❯   If I really needed it, what is the best brand to buy?

   ❯   Is there a more economical way of buying it?

   ❯   What are the benefits of the item you bought?

   ❯   Are they worth the cost involved?

Most times, the things we buy are not necessary to have and we would have gotten by just fine without them. Highlight those as warning signs and keep the list.

Some of the things like books for children, for example, are expensive and could have been borrowed from the library. You can also avoid paying people to do services which you can do yourself, or learn to do from various websites. When it comes to electronics, you need to take into account the price, quality, reliability, guarantee and ease of use. Even then, it is best to check prices at different retailers or try waiting for a sale. If possible, buy second-hand. Those all are just options you can think about the next time you go shopping.

Always keep doing this and keep asking yourself the questions above before you buy anything and you will save a lot of money.

And lastly, keep a realistic short term and long term goal. It will help you figure out how much you need in order to achieve your goal.

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