You read that title correctly – How to Save Money when You’re a Broke Bitch, and I am a broke bitch, lol. I have a full time job and such, but bills are expensive and my student loan payment per month is a hefty one. But I still manage to save money. Now, this isn’t some fancy way to save that moola. It’s a basic bitch type of way – simple & easy to the point.
I tried talking myself out of this blog post because I felt like I didn’t have enough valuable information to give out, but screw it. I’m laying down how I save money and how you can too.
Here’s my thing: I need to learn how to save money now when I have little so I know how to save money when I have a lot of it, so to speak. I’m not trying to be a 30/40 year old with $20k in credit card debt while still trying to pay off my student loans. Thanks, but no thanks.
First thing I do is go into my Notes in my phone before a new month starts. I label it “February Payroll.” Then I do a “1. Paid on the 1st ($xxxx) – put $xxx to Nelnet Loans, $xxx to car payment, $xx to Xcel, $xxx to Navient loans.” Then I do “2. Paid on the 15th ($xxxx) – put $xxx to rent, $xxx to car insurance, $xxx is leftover (spend accordingly).” I do this so I know how much I am making, so I know how much I have to put towards my bills. This way I can see what is leftover. The leftover amount goes towards groceries, gas, or credit card payments. The reason all of this is done is so I don’t go spending $90 at Target when I only have $30 to spend. This also stops me from spending an unreasonable amount on getting coffee multiple times a week.
When you know how much money you’re making and how much money you have to spend on your necessities and bills, then you spend less on things that are not necessities and that you can’t afford.
I don’t have the perfect way for you to become rich by saving all of your money. Saving ALL of your money is pretty unrealistic if you’re supporting yourself. What I can tell you is that if you really want to save money even though you don’t make a lot of money, you need to hustle your little heart out. So you can make that extra money if you feel like money is tight or you want to start saving.
For example, I do Rover. Rover is basically babysitting other people’s dogs and getting paid for it. Most of the money I make from Rover, I save. I also have a second job I do on the weekends, which is bottle service. The money I make from that I also save. The money I make from my full time job is how I pay for my expenses. All of this money I save is stored in a completely different place from my checking account so I know to never pull money from it. I’ve got this strategy down and I am telling you it works.
Budget. Budget. Budget. Ask Zach. He’ll tell you that I without a doubt pay for my $900 student loan payment per month because I budget. Budgeting also means setting a limit on yourself when it comes to spending money on things that are not necessities. An example of this is when I limit myself to only buying coffee on one day of the week. My work is right across from a Starbucks so this is difficult but it needs to be done so I’m not spending $20+ a week on Starbucks.
Also, getting food or drinks during happy hour is a must if you’re the type of person who likes to socialize after work. Drinks and appetizers are usually half off or like $2. What is better than a $2 grilled tofu taco? Pretty much nothing, lol!
Finally, making your food at home is way cheaper and healthier. When you do this you don’t have to include an “eating out” budget because you’re rarely eating out. Make sense? Pack your own lunch for work or school. And make your dinners at home! Dinners can be so good if you’re using the right spices for your dishes. If you’re not a good cook, I’d seriously recommend trying out Hello Fresh or just jump on Pinterest and find some simple recipes to make. When all else fails, there’s nothing easier than a crockpot chili recipe. You can find my chili recipe here.
Hopefully you found some of these tips helpful so you can start saving that $$$$$!
Okay, I’m off to make my dinner (at home, lol) and finish watching Abducted in Plain Sight. Thanks for the rec, Monica!
xx, Aubrianna
Very proud of you. Very good advice hun.
Rule number 4. Get a sugar daddy.
mmmmm crockpot chili.