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Do these gas prices have you reeling a bit as you look at your budget? The weight of what you are experiencing is real, and today I want to share some practical tips with you so you can manage the items you CAN control in your life.
Focusing on our spending habits can seem like a big task and even downright overwhelming at times, but discretionary income can be broken into three main areas: groceries, gas, and entertainment.
Have you ever come home from the grocery store with items you never intended to purchase? We’ve all been there – shopping while hungry or drawn in by those brilliant marketers! You can make simple decisions like “shopping” from your own in-home supply, meal planning ahead, sticking to your grocery list, and cooking more things from scratch! Get creative and explore the many ways you can stay within your budget.
Then there is the gas bill. While many of us have been at home for so long now that we are itching to get out and enjoy a nice drive, gas is expensive! It’s important to live a life you love and live it well, so it’s also important to practice habits that can help you make the most of each trip you take in your car. Think about ways you can “batch process” your errands or maybe incorporate carpooling into your travel—what a great way to get to know your neighbors or help a friend out. Errands are better together, right??
Again, I WANT you to enjoy your life, but we all need to evaluate our spending habits and see if there are things we can either cut or access in a more cost-efficient way – especially when it comes to entertainment. There are so many services and apps out there to fit just about any need that can also help you trim your bottom line. Maybe instead of keeping that cable bill you try Roku, Firestick, or YouTube TV, to name a few?
In this episode of the podcast, I want to equip you with practical ideas for reducing your expenses, but my recommendations will only be helpful if you are tracking your expenses. So if you don’t have or maintain your budget, there are probably holes in your pocket, and you aren’t even noticing the money you are losing little by little every day. Do you have a budget? Are you using it? How often do you set aside time to reevaluate your financial goals and your progress towards them? God has granted us the responsibility to be good stewards of the resources He has provided in our lives, and adhering to a plan is one way we can honor Him in that.
The good news today is that you do not need to worry – even when gas prices are rising unexpectedly! You have more control than you think, and you are smart enough to make it through this chaotic season. I am here to keep cheering you on and providing those practical tips to get you through!
Highlights from Today’s Episode:
- Explore money saving practices
- Learn to batch errands
- Reach your financial goals
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- “You are powerful enough, smart enough, able enough, to make it through this crisis.” – Chrystal Hurst
- “Need to lower expenses? Buy less food. Shop what you already have, create a weekly meal plan, and learn to cook things that you would normally buy” – Chrystal Hurst
- “We don’t give ourselves enough credit for how much we can actually control our budgets.” – Chrystal Hurst
Other Stuff to Check Out
- Need help building your budget? Check out Dave Ramsey, His and Her Money, or MoneySmartFamily.com
- Consider exploring and purchasing a Roku, FireStick, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV
- Check out my favorite meal prepping tool, Plan to Eat
- Want to listen to other episodes with similar topics? Checkout #105 – The Girlfriend’s Guide to Managing Your Money and Money and Marriage {3 Ways to Make It Easier}.
- Want to join my Inner Circle? Click here for details!
Let’s Talk!
- What are some creative ways I can use the grocery items I already have at home?
- Who can I carpool with, or invite along, when I have errands to run?
- Could I remove a subscription service, even if just for a month, to see how it goes?
- How can I honor God with my resources and trust Him as I adjust my habits?
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How to Listen to The Podcast
If you’re new to podcasts, think of them like little radio shows that you can listen to at your convenience. They are perfect to listen to and learn from as you work out, fold laundry, wash dishes or conquer the world.
1. Listen right here on the blog. Click the little play button at the beginning of this post.
2. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher or Google Play! – Be sure and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Also, if you would be so kind as to leave a rating on iTunes and/or write a 2-3 sentence review there or on Stitcher? Your commentary or rating helps make the podcast more “findable” by others who might not know it exists!
3. Share today’s show – Email the link to a friend or share on social media. Just click on the sharing buttons at the bottom of this post!
You have been so great to join me on the journey here on the blog, I hope you jump right in and do the same on the podcast!
thank you helping me a good streward with what God has given me
Thank you so much for this, I will stop spending on things that I really do not need. I will be smart and grow wealth in my life and help my life. And the world too.