Saving and low budget

 Assalamu aleikum wa rahmatullah. How are you?

I'm alright, alhamdulillah. Still going a little bit back and forth but all in all I am ok.

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I have been thinking about saving with having a low budget. It's not easy now when the food prices and electricity bills are rising. But those are few of the reasons saving is a real must right now.

I have few tips that I'd like to share with you, meaning how to save money if you have low budget to start with. These are some of the things that have personally been good ways to save.

1. Counting a monthly budget

Calculate your monthly budget by listing all your monthly bills and rent etc. And then list all your monthly income. Count how much is left after bills. That is for food, hygiene products and all the extra. Count how much money you can use in one week or, for example, three days.

2. Shopping list/Meal planning

When you go do your regular groceries, have a list and buy only the items on it. Plan your meals ahead for couple of days. This way you will always have your breakfasts and dinners etc. And you probably don't have to throw any food away.

3. Reducing costs

Think carefully, what you can't live without and what costs you could easily reduce. Do you need Netflix? (I need HBO..) Or do you need to buy new makeup every month? Or clothes? Do you order food often or could you eat more nice, home cooked meals? This is where minimalism comes handy. Living with less materia might sound boring but it's good for your wallet and the enviroment too.

4. A savings account

You need to have two bank accounts. Other for spending and other for saving. Save all the extra you have, and don't touch the money unless it's really needed.

 

5. Sometimes even few euros count

If I have on my account for example 63,74 euros, I even my spending account by saving that 3,74 in my savings account. Might sound petty but those few euros here and there make a difference and it's easier to save these little amounts.

 

6. Giving sadaqah

Giving money to charity is recommended in islam, even if we don't have much. And it will always come back to you one way or another, ma sha Allah.

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Today we had a beautiful sunshine. I started wearing glasses because I have an appointment to an eye doctor soonish. It's not my favourite thing at all, but it's manageable.

Alhamdulillah for everything.. in sha Allah we will get some snow soon and this winter would be good for us.

Thank you for reading,

Aisha