As the cost of basic necessities rises, you may be tempted to delay seeking care for a chronic illness. If that decision doesn’t cost you your life, it may cost you your home.
The problem will be more expensive to treat if you don’t address it early. Two friends of mine have lost their homes because of medical bills, and another came close.
So what do you do when there isn’t enough room in your budget for even a small installment payment? The following list is not original, but it may give you some idea of where to start.
Make a budget. You may have been living above your means for awhile. Maybe no one ever taught you how to budget. The days of easy credit are gone, so most of us will be making drastic changes in the way we spend our money. Focus on necessities, but leave room for inexpensive treats and local recreation. Try a free home budget planning website, use your computer’s checkbook program, ask a loved one to assist you, or seek professional help. Some home budget planning services provide free or low-cost services.
Buy food in bulk sizes. If you want to feel better, you’ll need to eat nutritious meals. Bulk sizes are usually much cheaper than the same amount of smaller servings.
Join with neighbors and loved ones to plant a garden. By sharing costs and labor, all involved can have affordable, nutritious food.
Shop at the local farmer’s market and roadside stands. Fresh produce in season is more affordable.
Check sale papers and online retailers for the items you need. Make a master list of products you buy on a regular basis. Buy several when they are on sale, or take advantage of shipping discounts for purchases above a certain amount.
Find coupons in the newspaper or online. Some merchants won’t honor coupons for sale merchandise, but some will. You can also reserve your coupons for when you run out of items you bought on sale.
Shop at thrift and consignment stores, pawnshops, and used appliance stores. The quality of the goods in these stores never ceases to amaze me. High quality products last longer, which will reduce your expenditures even more. Our family once bought a used washer for $50, and it lasted several years. Check for high energy efficiency ratings on home appliances.
Buy enough clothes, underwear, and linen to last a full week. Washers and dryers use a lot of electricity. Allow your clothes to hang dry when possible.
Plan your errands. Reduce gas consumption by completing all tasks near your primary destination while you are in the area.
Run the dishwasher only when it’s full. They also drink a lot of electricity. Wash dishes by hand as often as possible.
Stop buying bottled water. Purchase a refillable portable container (with #1, #2, or #4 on the bottom to avoid BPA toxicity), and fill it with water filtered through the Z-Pitcher, available at Walgreens stores and online at zerowater.com.
Unplug home appliances and computerswhen they’re not being used. They continue to use electricity after they have been turned off. Plug everything that does not need to run continuously into a power strip. Turn the strip off when you’re done.
Replace regular incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent (CFL) or light-emitting diode (LED) lights. Though they cost more upfront, they will last much longer and will reduce your energy bill significantly. LEDs are safer for the environment but cost much more than CFLs.
Eliminate debt. Start with the smallest bill, and add that amount to the next largest until you have nothing left but mortgage debt, everyday expenses, and savings for emergencies, large purchases, and your future.
Save until you buy everything with cash. This includes cars. A new car begins to depreciate the minute you drive it off the lot. Many drivers also have discovered that their new trucks and SUVs are not worth what they owe because of higher gasoline prices, and have had to trade them in or park them because they couldn’t afford the gas to keep them running. Interest rates also skyrocket on installment plans after late or missed payments. Check out used car auctions and sales by your local police or highway patrol.
As the cost of basic necessities rises, you may be tempted to delay seeking care for a chronic illness. If that decision doesn’t cost you your life, it may cost you your home.
The problem will be more expensive to treat if you don’t address it early. Two friends of mine have lost their homes because of medical bills, and another came close.
So what do you do when there isn’t enough room in your budget for even a small installment payment? The following list is not original, but it may give you some idea of where to start.
Make a budget. You may have been living above your means for awhile. Maybe no one ever taught you how to budget. The days of easy credit are gone, so most of us will be making drastic changes in the way we spend our money. Focus on necessities, but leave room for inexpensive treats and local recreation. Try a free home budget planning website, use your computer’s checkbook program, ask a loved one to assist you, or seek professional help. Some home budget planning services provide free or low-cost services.
Buy food in bulk sizes. If you want to feel better, you’ll need to eat nutritious meals. Bulk sizes are usually much cheaper than the same amount of smaller servings.
Join with neighbors and loved ones to plant a garden. By sharing costs and labor, all involved can have affordable, nutritious food.
Shop at the local farmer’s market and roadside stands. Fresh produce in season is more affordable.
Check sale papers and online retailers for the items you need. Make a master list of products you buy on a regular basis. Buy several when they are on sale, or take advantage of shipping discounts for purchases above a certain amount.
Find coupons in the newspaper or online. Some merchants won’t honor coupons for sale merchandise, but some will. You can also reserve your coupons for when you run out of items you bought on sale.
Shop at thrift and consignment stores, pawnshops, and used appliance stores. The quality of the goods in these stores never ceases to amaze me. High quality products last longer, which will reduce your expenditures even more. Our family once bought a used washer for $50, and it lasted several years. Check for high energy efficiency ratings on home appliances.
Buy enough clothes, underwear, and linen to last a full week. Washers and dryers use a lot of electricity. Allow your clothes to hang dry when possible.
Plan your errands. Reduce gas consumption by completing all tasks near your primary destination while you are in the area.
Run the dishwasher only when it’s full. They also drink a lot of electricity. Wash dishes by hand as often as possible.
Stop buying bottled water. Purchase a refillable portable container (with #1, #2, or #4 on the bottom to avoid BPA toxicity), and fill it with water filtered through the Z-Pitcher, available at Walgreens stores and online at zerowater.com.
Unplug home appliances and computerswhen they’re not being used. They continue to use electricity after they have been turned off. Plug everything that does not need to run continuously into a power strip. Turn the strip off when you’re done.
Replace regular incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent (CFL) or light-emitting diode (LED) lights. Though they cost more upfront, they will last much longer and will reduce your energy bill significantly. LEDs are safer for the environment but cost much more than CFLs.
Eliminate debt. Start with the smallest bill, and add that amount to the next largest until you have nothing left but mortgage debt, everyday expenses, and savings for emergencies, large purchases, and your future.
Save until you buy everything with cash. This includes cars. A new car begins to depreciate the minute you drive it off the lot. Many drivers also have discovered that their new trucks and SUVs are not worth what they owe because of higher gasoline prices, and have had to trade them in or park them because they couldn’t afford the gas to keep them running. Interest rates also skyrocket on installment plans after late or missed payments. Check out used car auctions and sales by your local police or highway patrol.