How Failing to Plan Costs You More

Planning is one of the simplest, but most effective, things you can do to really ramp up your savings.

Making a plan before you head out to the supermarket is our favourite way to save money on groceries.

I know you’ve ‘heard it all before’ but seriously, going to the supermarket without a plan is a bit like Ulysses sailing past the sexy sirens without a blindfold.  You have to block off your eyes and ears to all the ways that those supermarket chains know how to bleed your wallet dry.

Planning is one of the simplest, but most effective, things you can do to really ramp up your savings.  You could save yourself $50-100 every week by simply taking a well thought out list.

Create a monthly calendar of meals, which you can use when you’re planning meals for the week – you only need to do that once, or maybe once for each season.

Then once a week mark off any times you already plan to eat out and work around that.  By writing down exactly what ingredients you’ll need for all your meals, you’ll eliminate expensive mid-week trips back to the store for just one thing where you end up with an extra few packets of Tim Tams in your trolley.

And while we’re on the topic of planning…

What’s your plan this year for your money?

Because the same thing applies.  Without a plan, you’re actually planning to fail.

So do you have an emergency fund in place, so that when an emergency hits you don’t have to reach for a credit card? 

Are you paying off your debts?  

How’s your Superannuation balance looking? 

Are you building assets or liabilities? (And no, that flashy car you own is NOT an asset.)

If you’re not making a plan, then are you planning to fail?

That extra $50 – $100 a week that you could save by making a shopping list adds up fast.

What would you do with that extra $5000 a year?

 

Thumbnail Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

 

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