Stress and life go hand in hand especially if you are trying to raise a healthy family on a budget.
The word "budget" implies that one has an organized plan to tackle the problem of limited resources.
Did you know that most married couple fight over money issues?
Stress can be a good thing. I just depends on how you you view each issues. By that I mean we have to break those stressors down into little bitty pieces parts or we crumble under the load.
Some say that Plato said,
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Well, I am not THAT old so I don't remember who said it, but I do know that this is very true. When I said "stress can be a good thing", think about all of the modern inventions having been thunk up to try to solve a huge stresses/needs in someone life. Using problem solving skills we CAN come up with solutions to those stresssors/ problems that overwhelm us.
Really! so let's do something about that. We are going to break things down and get a plan of action . Are you ready? OK, let's do it!
This post will be the first in a new series I titled Things Families Stress Over and Tips How to Fix it on a Shoestring Budget #1
Tip #1 You don't need to be clipping coupons to be buying fancy labels that you don't need!
Saving money with coupons is a crock. I know. I have used coupons. I admit, I still may use some.
Do you know why manufactures pay the paper print industry to print up brightly colored coupons to send out in the newspapers and what have you?
They are not being nice.
They are advertising to get you to buy a product you may not really need. Other wise you might just pass that item over and buy a generic label. Yep, the plain generic label which will cost you less money and is probably just as good.
That coupon makes you feel good about buying a more expensive item that you are paying for that fancy label and marketing.
The same goes for having a coupon to eat out and gain more weight which forces you to go spend money on clothes you buy on sale which is not really a sale. You justify this to your honey, whom you are currently arguing with over ,"Where is the money going?"
There are a lot of things you can make yourself in a very littleamount of time with very little money.
TIP#2: Never try to reinvent the wheel: ask for help!
Believe it or not No Non-cents Nanna, that is I, does not try to pull the wool over your eyes to make you believe she knows it all. I do know how to find resosurces. I have been doing that with the card catalog and phone book since I was 14 and worked in the public library for 25 cents and hour.
Learn to look up recipes and instructions for the basics. There are recipes for hygiene and laundry products that will cost you a fraction of what the product you are buying in the marketed packaging that will not ever breakdown in the landfill.
I will be sending to:
Budget 101.com
Check the recipes for:
- Make your own foot long fruit snacks
- Make your own granola bars
- Make your own copycat York pepeprmint patties
- Super laundry bombs
- Tips about Tax Free Weekend
- Make your own anti-cellulite cream
Yes, you and the kids can kill two stressors with one recipe. Budget101 will keep you and the kids busy for weeks picking out new things to DIY, do it yourself.
- make your own fun stuff to eat or wear on a budget and
- have fun communciating while learning new skills.
Did you ever stop to think that some one had a recipe, they whipped it up and packaged it. Why can't you do the same while spending time together? Well, you CAN do this on your shoestring budget. If you or the kids are thinking you need a fancy label to feel good about your DIY product, then design your own. You all will learn something about marketing/ business.
Otne times we make poor choices that increase our unhealthy stress load.
Now it is your turn...
After looking through budget101.com what are 2 things you will try in the next week or two that will change you money spending habits? How do you think it will reduce stress to do these things?
Please share an ah-ha! moment when you are ready.
I am Malika Bourne the No Non-cents Nanna saying, "Make good choices.
Teaser: So NOT Betty review/ referral coming up.
Click this link to read more shoot form hip tips in part 2 :http://nanna.teoe.com/b2evolution/blog1.php/things-families-stress-over-and-tips-how-to-fix-it-on-a-shoestring-budget-2