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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
Do you like to buy everything you see? Do you buy impulsively? Do you buy things you don't need? We all do occasionally, but if you do it often it can cause you some trouble.
One way to keep within your family budget is to stop your impulse buying. You know, we all do it, buy things that are not on our list because they are such a bargain. If we really don't need them, they are not a bargain. Most people don't even know they do this, and then cannot imagine why their budget is off after they planned so carefully to make ends meet this month.
One of the usual places where it is easy to impulse buy is the grocery store. I hope you already know never to go grocery shopping when you are hungry. Everything looks great when you are hungry, and your likely to come home with lots of stuff you did not plan on buying.
You may even tell yourself you did a good thing by stocking up on some bargains, but you should not do it. Follow the shopping list you made, and take your coupons. Don't go over your budget because your hungry, or thinking your going to buy just a few things not on your list. If you really need an item, it will be somewhere on your shopping list, if it is not, don't buy it.
This doesn't mean you can't treat yourself to something special, like a delicious dessert, or entertaining guests. Just make sure you add that expense to your family budget. Budgeting your money is similar to being on a diet. If you refuse everything you like to eat, or at least your favorites, you are going to find yourself going crazy and eating everything in sight. With the money, you will spend too much.
When you have the urge to buy something, look at it and ask yourself the question, "Do I really need this?" If you have to trick yourself into believing that you do, or justify it in anyway, than no, you do not need it. If you cannot just say yes, the answer is no. If you find that buying impulse sneaking up on you in the store...run. Get away from the item, just leave it where you found it.
If it turns out that you do need the item, but it on next week's shopping list. This way you can have your cake and eat it too...the item will be yours, and it will be worked in to your family weekly budget.
It is not always easy in the beginning to stick to your budget, but give it a try. Believe me, when you have money in the checking for bills, and in the savings for something special in your plans you will be very happy you stuck with your budget.
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