Other than avoiding money pits like eating out or buying luxury items, those who spend as little money as possible may want to know what they can do to spend less money. While many of us try to cut as many corners as we can during the month, we may find that paycheck-to-paycheck living feels inevitable unless we do things to shake up our financial situation. If you’ve lowered your expenses as much as possible, and you’re still struggling, you should start thinking about what you can do to raise your income or avoid surprises that cost you.
Protect your Assets
When it comes to making the most of what you have for those who spend as little money as possible, you’ll want to ensure that your assets are protected. A home might not be cash in the bank, but it is something that you can use to prove creditworthiness in the future if you need to take out a loan to cover an unexpected expense or sell if you need some extra cash to survive.
If you worry about creditors or other entities taking your assets away from you, you’ll want to call an agency that specializes in asset protection right away.
Some people may be a part of those who spend as little money as possible because they lack financial literacy and find money stressful. In these situations, it can be helpful to have as many professionals on your side who can help you navigate finances and protect your assets. While you may have blindspots or things you don’t know about the financial sector, a good professional accountant and asset protection specialist can go a long way in making sure you have a secure financial future ahead of you.
Think Twice Before Home Improvement
As a home needs repaired for those who spend as little money as possible, it may seem like you’re between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, you want your home to be functional, presentable, and a place that makes you feel proud to own it and live there. On the other hand, it can be daunting to figure out how you’ll improve your home without spending a fortune.
Some options for home improvement like a custom home builder may be way out of your budget. Others, like DIY roof repair methods, may cost less money. Still, no matter how you spin it, it’ll cost money to replace parts of your house that are worn or dangerous to use.
Before you drop cash on a home improvement project, you should consider how necessary it may be. Some home improvement projects like fixing a leak in the ceiling or electrical issues may not be able to wait until you feel comfortable shelling out the money it takes to complete them. Other fixes like giving your home a fresh coat of paint or replacing the light switches with something that’s more aesthetically pleasing to you may be able to wait until you know you can afford to spend the money on them.
For most homeowners, labor costs from contractors are the thing that makes it hard for those who spend as little money as possible on home repairs. Skilled, specialized labor doesn’t come cheap and you also need to factor in the costs for materials or re-doing a job that wasn’t done correctly the first time. While there are some things you can’t do as an average DIY home improvement enthusiast like fixing pipes or electrical issues that may be too complex for you to handle, you can save some money by working on your house in ways that are appropriate for your level of skills and expertise.
Plan For Emergencies
While those who spend as little money as possible may want to avoid spending money in all situations, there are some scenarios where you have to spend money no matter what. If you haven’t saved for the future or gotten a dedicated line of credit for certain emergencies, you may find yourself scrambling when an emergency like a pet emergency vet visit crosses your path. It’s reasonable to worry about the future and how emergencies may hit your finances, but it’s also understandable if you don’t panic about these things because you already know how you’ll handle them when they come up.
When you plan for emergencies, you should consider not only how you’ll financially handle the emergency itself, but also how you’ll deal with the aftermath. In the case of a medical emergency, you may lose money from having to pay hefty hospital bills while also covering unrelated expenses like living costs due to lost hours at work or transportation costs if you had to take an ambulance to the hospital. You may also need to think about how you’ll save money in an emergency on babysitters if you can get a family friend or relative to offer to babysit your children in the case of an urgent situation. Additionally, it can help to have an emergency stash of food so that if you do have a month where you struggle to afford the bills, you’ll at least know that you can continue getting the nutrition you need until the situation resolves itself.
Sell Things Online!
In the age of the internet, it’s easier than ever for those who spend as little money as possible to make some extra cash from a side hustle. Whether you open a shop on an online platform like Etsy or you sell your items one at a time through a marketplace on a social media app, you’ll find that selling items online can make it easy to earn a little extra cash for fun purchases or unexpected bills. Sometimes, you may sell items that are already made like craft items or vintage finds. For others, you may want to sell old computer equipment for cash if you find random items that are disconnected from their original piece of technology.
When you sell things online, you should learn about your local business laws and factor things like fees from the platform or shipping costs into what it takes to sell items. You should also research laws around taxes and hire a tax accountant to help you file the appropriate tax forms for your business. Some folks may also benefit from having family members or friends help out with finding items to sell if they have a business model that relies on selling used items.
Once you become confident in your abilities to sell things on the internet, you can diversify your income by creating courses for other folks who want to start selling items or participating in online forums for sellers to learn new tricks while sharing your tips from your experiences. Even if you don’t intend for your online sales to become anything more substantial than a little side hustle, it can be nice to know that no matter what happens to you, you’ll always have an extra income stream to help you pay for bills in an emergency. For those who want flexible work that doesn’t cost a lot to start, selling things online can be an empowering path to independence from the typical 9-5 grind.
Maintain Your Car and Transportation
The cost of a new car can take a huge toll on anyone’s finances, let alone those who spend as little money as possible. If you don’t love the idea of dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars on a new car or car payment, you can save money in the long run by investing in a car part repair when it needs to get done. Holding off on maintaining your car or other mode of transportation like a motorcycle can make it so that you’re out of luck if it breaks down unless you want to spend a lot of money on your new wheels.
While it can cost some money upfront, you can save money in the long term by opting to take basic mechanic classes at a local community college or making friends with folks who are mechanics. While some mechanics may not offer a friends and family discount, others may be open to offering you a discount if you agree to offer useful skills to their business such as administrative work, customer service, or accounting. Although most mechanics would prefer that you pay in cash or credit upfront, others may be willing to have a bill or payment plan that you pay down monthly so you’re not spending all of the money you have on a car improvement or repair at once.
Start a Side Gig
Sometimes, those who spend as little money as possible should earn more money so that they don’t have to keep such a tight grip on the purse strings. Depending on your skills, you may be able to start a side hustle right away without attending any other classes or paying to set it up. If you’ve had experience working with a video production service, you may be able to provide those services to events on a freelance basis.
Some side gigs might not be as glamorous as booking events in the entertainment industry. Even if you work as a contractor for an office cleaning company once a week, you will still be able to benefit from the perks of having a side gig. Once you have a steady side hustle, you can either keep it as a part-time income to supplement your other income or you can grow it to replace your full-time income entirely.
As with selling things online, you’ll want to review local laws and regulations on taxes, business operations, sales licenses, and other considerations before you go full steam ahead with a new business idea. Once you earn a certain amount of money from your side gig, you’ll need to report that income and pay taxes on it to the IRS or the tax collecting agency in your country. To avoid having to pay hefty sums during tax season or pay late fees, you’ll want to stay on top of paying taxes on time and filing the appropriate paperwork. If all of this is mystifying to you, you may want to speak with an attorney who deals with business law and a tax accountant or preparer to get you on the right track before you start your side business endeavor.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
While those who spend as little money as possible may have a hard time asking for help, you need to develop this skill if you want to succeed in life. Everyone who has moved up in life and done well for themselves needed help at some point. It’s just part of human nature, so you shouldn’t be ashamed if you find yourself in a position where you can’t handle a situation on your own.
Sometimes, you will have to ask for help from family and friends. They can support you emotionally while also providing you with an informal loan if they trust that you’ll pay it back, and they believe that you will use it responsibly. They can also provide you with goods or services you need to get back on your feet like childcare, meal trains, and transportation if they have a car. While it might feel embarrassing or upsetting to rely on your family if you’re used to doing everything on your own, it can also feel good to know that the people you love have your back in the same way that you’d have their backs if they were in your position.
When you ask someone to help you, you allow them to show you that they care and even feel better about their place in the world. There may be situations where your friends, family, or community can’t help you given the magnitude of assistance you need. In cases where you defaulted on an investment loan or experienced another hefty issue, you may need to call in professional assistance from folks who know how to help better than your average layperson.
To cut down on expenses, follow our tips above. If they still don’t work, find ways to increase your income. For best results, do both.