Before you ever start even thinking the word "coupon", or looking where the best places to shop are. Before you re-do you budget or even look at your last few months of bank statements. Before you can ever even hope or think about saving money... you need to do one thing first, be willing to make a lifestyle change!
Couponing in and of itself takes some major commitments to change your lifestyle. But coupons are just one teeny tiny part of really saving money. If you are serious about saving money, getting out of debt, paying cash for a house, or even just being able to live with the bare necessities, you have to be willing to make a choice to sacrifice.
One of the definitions of sacrifice in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else.
If you want to save money, one of the best things to do to motivate yourself to be able to sacrifice in the first place, is to realize that there is "something else" that you are saving, or sacrificing, for! Know what that reason is. Maybe there are a list of reasons, write them down!!! Keep them in a place where you can see it often. Keep a copy in your wallet, or your purse. Talk about that reason with your children and above all else make sure you and your partner are on the same page and agree on the same reasons. If you can't agree, then you have sabotaged your efforts before you've even tried. The whole family needs to be on the same page about why you are making these sacrifices. Young adults, teens, and children especially need to understand the reason behind the sacrifice and exactly what they need to do to help it along; what they will be giving, how they will be effected, and what benefits they will personally see.
If, for your family, a drastic change is needed. you will also want to sit back and look at everything this change will entail, as well as decide if it will be better to jump in and go all at once, or if it would be better to make those many changes one at a time. If you do the latter, make a list and a schedule so you can keep up with your ultimate goals. Remembering always that there is no one best way and that your family needs will be different from the next. Each family is different, so you may take a while in the process of trial and error until you find the best way for you and your family.
Whatever your situations or your personal goals, stick to your ultimate goal. Allow yourself room for re-evaluation if something isn't working but make sure it and give things enough time for you to adjust to it before you just scrap the idea because it is just "too hard".
Willingness to make those sacrifices has always been, and probably always will be, the hardest part of saving for me.
I grew up as the oldest of nine children (yes you read that right, 9 children) and we went without a lot. All of our needs were met; we had clothes to wear, food to eat, a warm place to live... But we never could afford that cool new toy. Movies were rarity. Even eating out only happened when a restaurant offered a promo that kids under 12 ate free, which didn't happen very often. We were home schooled so while we had friends, the time we got to see them wasn't as often as other kids. REALLY we had a good life, and I know we had a lot more than other kids did, but, when you're a kid, the only thing you can see is what you have compared to those around you. I really couldn't put myself in the place of others less fortunate than myself. I never complained about what we didn't have, I was happy. But being the oldest of nine kids, and having a Father who was never around made me step up and grow too quickly. Now, all the stepping in to fill dad's empty place was entirely me. My mother never told nor asked me to. In fact, she often told me I didn't have to. But she did appreciate the help, and I saw the need, so I did it anyway.
As a result of that, along with a huge list of past experiences that have shaped the person I am today, giving things up is very difficult for me. If I have extra money, I like to be able to take that and treat my children and/or husband to something special, whether it be a new toy, a night out or whatever else. So, we have always managed to live within our means, but at the same time, paying off old debt, not to mention building a savings, was impossible.
After Justin lost his first job shortly following the birth of our first baby, I realized that I had to be willing to give up those things now in order to be able to have even our needs met in the future if something like that ever happened again. I all likelihood it will, we just have no way of knowing when!
Now that we have paid off such a huge chunk of our debt, and our budget is so easily small for groceries, I'm starting to have those urges to spend that"extra money" on needless things again. I constantly have to remind myself to enjoy things in moderation. That our date nights can be Red Box rental and sandwiches in front of the TV.
Remembering that giving up spending doesn't have to mean giving up relationships or time with each other is paramount! The day we live in now, it is almost impossible not to have electronics or the influence of media. The "need" for convenience has over-ridden the need for thrift. And life seems meaningless if we aren't constantly on the run to the next task.
That willingness to save and sacrifice, I think, should be a primal want to get back to basics. Be happy with what you have. Be content in the now.
Remember and learn from the past.
Look forward and plan for tomorrow.
But NEVER forget today!
Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present.
HAPPY savings!
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