Sacrifice? No Thanks! How To Budget For The Fun Stuff…

When I think “budget” my mind drifts to sacrifice. Ugh….sacrifice? None of us really want to do that. How can I budget my money and still enjoy life’s little luxuries and my “fun” stuff? It’s easy with a little creativity, organization and moderation. Let’s have fun without having ALL the fun, ALL the time. Here are some of my tips for my three favorite “fun” categories!

Sacrifice? No Thanks! How To Budget For The Fun Stuff…

Tips For Travel

Budgeting and saving while still enjoying travel can be a little tricky. However, there are still plenty of ways to do so. This one starts with research, research, research. I try to travel off of peak times. I also find a list of restaurants and activities ahead of time so that I have plenty to choose from in my budget. Then I know which places I can skip and which ones are a must-see or must-experience.

Tips For Eating

When my budget is over, I blame my stomach! This is an area of my budget that is so easy to ignore or go over on. I love food, outings, parties, dinner with friends and date nights with my husband. I also like trying out the latest recipes that sometimes call for obscure ingredients. These interests can often lead me down an expensive road.

Here are my tips for staying within my budget:

• Meal planning…having a plan will keep you in the right frame of mind so you don’t have to count on willpower when you are on your way home from work.
• If you like to try new dishes, try them one at a time so you don’t need to buy a lot of unique ingredients at one time.
• Keep a list of restaurants you would like to try and refer back to it. Sometimes I want to visit a new restaurant just for the ambiance. When that’s the case I can meet a friend there for an appetizer and not have the expense of a full dinner…but I still got to try it out.
• Simple breakfasts and lunches are something I focus on so I can spend more on dinner. Organic bananas are a staple at my house!

Tips For Decorating

I love to love the space I am. As my style and my life changes I like to make changes to my living area too. Decorating on a budget may not be the same kind of fun as just ordering or picking out whatever I want. Sometimes, I do have a sense of sacrifice when making my decisions. I allocate my budget to a statement piece or something I know won’t be as special if I try to get something else. There is a re-sale store I like to frequent as well. Sometimes I buy things there and then I resell them right at the same shop! Sticking to accents and paint is a great way to remodel an area without emptying your pockets.