HOUSEKEEPING BUDGET

HOME BUDGET?

I receive a monthly house keeping allowance and I have a house keeping budget that equates it. Each month I promise myself that I would stick to the budget. But hard as I try, I just cannot stick to it. Once I get into the supermarket / open market, I shove my grocery list into my back pocket and pile up my trolley. 

It’s easy for me to stick to my personal monthly budget, but when it comes to the house keeping budget, it seems almost impossible. Two weeks into every new month, the allowance is all expended. I end up having to ask my hubby for additional house keeping allowance.

In the past, my tears and promises to use the funds wisely worked on him, and I’m able to extort more money. Yay! But not so anymore. He has really tried to teach me on how to practice my profession at home. (I am an accountant, budgeting and sticking to it is what I do best at work).  I end up including my monthly fuel allocation, hair upkeep allocation and my lunch allowance as part of the house keeping expense for the month.

Are you wondering how I survive the months? I dump my car and hitch a ride with my colleague, I wear wigs to cover my undone hair, and I have cereals for lunch!

So I did a bit of reminiscing and came up with the following tips;

1. I would always take stock of cupboards, fridge, and freezer before I head out shopping.  With this, I know what I have left and ensure that the older products get used up first before they expire. This would also help ensure I do not buy what I do not need.

2. I would always make a shopping list and include the budgeted price of each items and resolve to stick to it.

3. Leave my debit card at home and withdraw the cash I want to spend. The amount I have should equate the amount on the shopping list. No extra cash, no impulse buying.

4. Ditch the big brand names and go for store brand. They taste as good. For some items however, I would swap one of everything to a lower brand.

5. Don’t waste any food. I either only make what I need or freeze any leftovers.

6. Stay off Bogof for fresh food items! (BOGOF stands for ‘buy one, get one free’). They always end up in the bin because I didn’t need that much in the first place.

7. I would never shop when hungry. Hunger sparks off my impulse buying.

I pledge to stick to this and determined to achieve the desired result. I also hope my readers find these tips useful.