Spending Less and Living a More Fulfilled Life

Although the tough economic conditions of today has made people realize the need to be spending less, they are not sure about where to cut corners and end up making the wrong choices. This has a direct and adverse effect on their finances as well as quality of life. It would help to find out which are the areas where we can restrict our spending and where not to.

Let us look at some practical methods of spending less and living a more fulfilled life by living within your means:

Mindset

Our mindset goes a long way in determining if we are spending less or splurging. Mindset plays a larger role in our decisions and the way we generally go through our lives. We try to keep a standard of living equal to or above that of certain people or make an attempt to get at par with them.

For example: It is very common to notice people sending their kids to reputed (private) schools regardless of their affordability.

It is a proven fact that not all students attending prestigious schools make it big. It is also true that the children attending public schools and other lesser-known schools have excelled at academics and made it into the prestigious colleges or institutions of high ranking.

Is it not wise to send the children to a reasonably-good school that costs less and use the savings for some specialized training of the child?

The same mindset is responsible for buying gadgets, furniture and jewelry and so on, purely as status symbols. People do this even at the risk of running into huge debts that they cannot handle. Why? Just for the sake of false pride.

By assuming the mindset of living only on their means anyone can certainly create a secure financial future and not miss out on anything really worthwhile.

Curb your credit card spending

Credit cards tempt you to spend money that you have not earned yet and keep you indebted for years. Simply put, you spend money that you expect to earn in the future. So it is better to minimize your credit card spending as a first step towards spending less.

Read more tips on credit card usage at How to use credit cards effectively.

Buy things with cash only when you have the money. The bonus is that we even avoid unnecessary and impulsive buying on seemingly small things but add up to big outstanding balances on your credit card with the addition of fess and interest.

Planning

Big expenditures like going on a vacation, and buying a house should be planned in advance. This way we can start saving towards that purpose and also utilize discounts and offers for being early birds.

Read our post plan before you buy a home.

Avoid Leading Brands

Branded items are priced high because the cost of advertising is added to their price. Products from local brands are of equal or better quality and cost less. Make a sensible decision of purchasing quality products from local stores instead of opting for expensive brands. This is another way to live well by spending less.

Use Coupons

Most popular brands offer coupons allowing discounts of up to 10 to 50%. This is a good way to save significantly and spending less on your regular as well as seasonal purchases. Take care not to use the coupons for things you will not consider buying otherwise.

Conclusion – Spending less

Small things add up to surprising levels if you care to apply the above principles in your spending on a regular basis. You can spend your holidays and spare time in some hobby or volunteering work instead of going to the cinema hall and other pricey joints. You will see that it is more satisfying and gives you a sense of fulfillment.

You can restrict your spending on parties and outings and use that time for quiet walks and reading or simply being with your loved ones, while you discover the pleasures and benefits of these activities that do not necessarily require you to spend money.

Last Word: Money is necessary, but it is not all. Spending less doesn’t mean that you should become a miser and overdo it to the extent of being a miser.