How To Be Smart With Your Expenses?

I will be very honest; I’m a big spender back in the days!

But then motherhood came. And my life changed. I know it’s a cliché but it’s so true. Now, I always think about the future. And I try to be smart with our money.

I try to manage our expenses well. I told you I’m a spender before and I really am! To the point that I’d buy stuff even without thinking it’s value for money. If I liked how it looked, I’ll buy it. I’ll just buy another if I end up not liking it. Crazy me. But I’m not that girl anymore.

I’m now a smart mum. Though some old habits die hard (I still find myself over-shopping sometimes! Especially baby items.), I try to manage it. And because I love you, I’m giving you tips on how to be smart with your expenses. I’ll share stuff that has worked for me so far, because every mum needs to know that.

Be smart with your electric and water consumption.

You are not only helping on your finances but you got to help save mother earth too. I’ve shared some Kuryente Tipid Tips While Using Your Home Air-Conditioner but you shouldn’t stop there. Continue finding ways to save up. Turn off unnecessary lights. Do not leave the television on. Stay on one room if you’re watching a telenovela. You got to bond and you save up - because you only use the AC, the television, the lights or the fan on one room. Do not leave the faucet on while brushing. Re-use the water you used in rinsing your clothes in cleaning the bathroom. You can do A LOT of things to help save up. And make sure that the rest of the family are doing the same things too.

Be smart with your credit card.

I know that most people say that you shouldn’t own a credit card if you want to save up. I say, credit cards are not the enemy here. And as long as you use it wisely, it could actually help you with your expenses. Most credit cards have reward points. Take advantage of those. I was able to drink free Starbucks coffee because of my points. The credit card I am using now actually has instant rebates. So I make sure that I take advantage of those also. The key here is this; make sure that you use the credit card that best suits you and your lifestyle. I know there are wide arrays of credit card types to choose from, and I just found the best tool that could help you decide which credit card to get – eCompareMo’s credit card comparison portal.

Through eCompareMo.com I was able to get a comprehensive list of the credit cards and their features. I was able to use this tool to help find the best card based on my preference (Low Interest Rate, Low Annual Fee, Rebates, Frequent Flyer, etc.). I don’t have to go to a gazillion websites and be overwhelmed with information. Here, I was able to compare the different credit cards and decide the one that best fits my lifestyle.

Be smart with your other home subscriptions.

Alright, who among you here have monthly subscriptions to internet, cable TV and home phone? I do! Nowadays, it’s a necessity. I mean, come on! Imagine not having internet for a day? Heck, imagine not having internet for an hour?!!! That’s crazy! So being smart with your home subscriptions is also essential. Make sure that you are getting the best value for money. eCompareMo also has that tool that compares cable, phone and internet providers. Showing us all the information we need at a glance. How convenient.

Be smart on shopping and groceries.

I totally understand you mums, sometimes it’s so hard to resist not buying those cutie rompers for the baby. I’m like that also. But I try to be smart with my shopping and grocery. I breastfeed Skye and save up a lot on formula milk. She’s also using cloth diapers so we didn’t have to buy disposables. We also buy our groceries in bulk to save up. We do our grocery on stores where I have a membership card so I could earn points too. I also use my credit card in doing my grocery to earn more points. I just make sure I pay it immediately. I also list down everything we need for the house and I try to stick to it. Also, I would usually buy Skye’s clothes on sale. Because honestly, baby’s clothes cost a fortune and they grow up too fast.

Be smart on your cash loans.

I know that it’s inevitable to file for a cash loan. Sometimes, you just need extra cash for your kid’s tuition or down payment for the house or the car or probably, just to start up a small business. Whatever it is, just make sure you get to the best offer for cash loans.

And eCompareMo’s personal loan calculator is the perfect tool for it. I was thinking of filing for a cash loan for a start-up business but I was so afraid of how much I have to pay. And of course I want to be smart about it. On eCompareMo, I given a list of banks that offer cash loans and all the information I need – how much I have to pay every month for a specific period, how much is the interest rate, how much would I end up paying. So easy. So convenient.

I was eyeing BDO personal loan actually because of the low interest rate and BDO is everywhere, paying them would be easy. So, let’s see.

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