Happy New Years Eve Everyone! Since it’s January 1 tomorrow I thought I would start out the year with one of my resolutions –budgeting! Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities in the world. I am trying these 4 things out and I thought maybe you would like them, too! I have a ton of New Years resolutions and I’m pretty sure a lot of them carry over every year. Trying to be your best-self doesn’t happen in one single year, it’s something you have to continue year after year and push yourself. I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year! Lets make 2018 our best year yet!
1.] Eat at Home
Look, I am no Rachael Ray but I do like to make a good home cooked meal now and again. You can even make it into a date night if you prep before-hand and have all the ingredients on hand. I can’t tell you how many amazing meals I have made by throwing a bunch of veggies and spices into my crock pot and letting it cook all day. Not only do you come home to your house smelling like a restaurant, it’s pretty hard to go wrong with a crock pot. I know my man loves coming home to a homey meal at the end of a long day.
- Best Advice: Plan ahead. Write out all your meals for the week so that when you go to the grocery store you know exactly what you’re there for. I always find if I don’t know what I want to make for dinner I end up just grabbing a bunch of food that looks good and then I get home and still don’t know what to eat.
- Buy your own coffee grounds and/or tea. You will find a coffee shop on almost every corner in a big city and it is so tempting to pop in and grab a warm drink [especially on those cold rainy days here in Vancouver] but if you have a cute mug and make it at home it will save you hundreds of dollars every year. I just bought a milk frother and I can’t wait to put it to use
2.] Search for Affordable Events
There are a lot of things going on in big cities. A vast majority of them are quite expensive, but there are a few things you can find that are more affordable. It’s a simple shift that can make a huge difference on your monthly budgeting.
My tips:
- Watch social media for upcoming events around your area, many of them are free.
- Sign up for free workout classes -a lot of local gyms have them!
- Happy hour is your best friend. Drinks are way less during these times, and it’s much more enjoyable knowing you’ll be leaving with your wallet a little fuller than a regular girls night out!
- Go to the movies on Tuesday’s –you can’t go wrong with cheap night!
3.] Sell gently used items
We all have things at home that are sitting in boxes or in the back of your closet that you just don’t use anymore. Sell them! There are lots of websites and Facebook groups you can post your items on and sell for some quick cash. Make sure that when you do sell something, you put that money towards something you NEED or start saving/paying off debt. Sometimes opening up a separate bank account helps so that you don’t have easy access to it.
4.] Walk Everywhere
This is the best advice for your wallet and to help reach that half an hour of exercise we need everyday! Living in a big city, you can’t turn one corner without a grocery store, coffee shop, or even a financial institution. I suggest planning out the best route to hit all the places you need before you go. Make sure the groceries are last [you definitely don’t want to be lugging those around all day!] If you have a car, it will save you lots on gas. Other types of transportation such as a taxi, uber, or car2go will add up if you use them often, save them for special occasions.
I hope these tips help! I know they are hard to follow and I catch myself trying to adhere to them regularly. If you keep them in the back of your mind, it will help your bank account and your piece of mind knowing where your money is going. Overall, it will be a great way to start saving for your short and long term financial goals!
What do you think?