You are reading Week 37 of 52 Weeks to Eliminate Debt & Curb Spending. Please read the overview here to learn more about the series & get your FREE financial planner. If you just joined us, please start with week 1.

At this point in the year, you may be feeling elated at your lower debt, or perhaps you have found yourself frustrated due to how slow your debt payoff is going.  This week we are going to share how you should focus on long term debt changes and not just immediate results.

Yes, it is imperative to get rid of debt as quickly as possible, but you must also remember that it took months or years to create debt.  You can’t expect it to be eliminated immediately.  You should learn to be patient in this process as well.

Focus On Long Term Debt Changes:

Rethink your spending habits. While this isn’t always the reason behind debt, it can be a contributing factor. As you learn about getting rid of debt, let your focus be on how to change your spending habits. Learn your triggers and fix the problems that cause them to be an issue. Financial struggles can simply be from poor habits, but they can also be caused by underlying emotional needs. Rethink your spending habits by thinking about the cause behind them.

Make savings accounts and retirement priorities. We have repeated this many times throughout this year and will continue to do so. Savings accounts and retirement plans are just not optional. Make them a priority. Even if you are only contributing a few dollars a week to these funds, that is more than you had before and it will add up over time.

Learn to appreciate a simpler lifestyle. We are a society driven for material possessions and this has definitely contributed to our extreme debt issues. Learn to appreciate a much simpler lifestyle.  Spend more time on learning and growing together as a family, and less time on getting the latest, greatest or most popular product, clothing or vacation destination.

Staying debt free is all about long term debt changes. Changing how you view money, possessions and happiness in life will give you a foundation for financial success.

Week 37 Challenge:

I might sound like a broken record.  This post has been a repeat of many principles that I’ve been sharing for the past 9 months.  To truly live debt free, you need to change your lifestyle and attitude toward money.  Have patience and focus on sustaining the new future you have been working so hard to obtain.

Disclosure: I am not a financial adviser nor do I have formal financial training. All articles are for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial advice or consultation. Please consult your account and/or financial adviser before making changes to your finances. All situations are different, so please consult a professional to determine your individual needs.

This week in our journey to get rid of debt, we are going to focus on the 5 best grocery store savings items. These are things that you can almost always take advantage of to stretch your grocery budget without using coupons. Remember that each of these small things is something that can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars per year to pay off your debt.

1. Discount produce items. This is one of the best places to find savings in your grocery store. The markdowns usually located near the back of the produce department at the end of the night, or early in the morning. This is the basket that contains items that are at or just past their prime, but still great to eat. Things like bell peppers that aren’t as crisp, apples that are starting to get softer or bananas that are turning brown. Stock up on items that are at great prices in these bins. Take them home, wash, prep and freeze or can immediately. This is a favorite place to pick up things like onions, bell peppers, bananas and tomatoes to be used in recipes where being crisp and just perfectly ripened doesn’t matter.I actually prefer to use the discounted bananas in my easy banana bread recipe.  I save money and the consistency is perfect.
2. Discount bakery items. At the end of the day or early morning you will often find things like store baked breads, cookies, cakes and pie for up to 75% off regular price. This is a favorite for finding things like breads, rolls and treats that can be used in recipes, or frozen and used within a day or two of thawing for future meals.
3. End of day discounts at meat counter. Just because a meat has been reduced by the butcher doesn’t mean it is bad. There are many times you can pick up great prices on quality meat at the end of the day. Cook it when you get home, and store in freezer, or freeze immediately and make note it should be used the same day it thaws.  This is one of my top ways to save money on meat.
4. Dry beans and rice. These staple items are some of the best deals in your grocery store. For under $1 per pound you can create a large pot of rice or beans that will stretch your menu plan for the whole week. Beans are great fillers in casseroles, soups and even tacos. Rice is a great starch that is filling and can be used alone, in casseroles, desserts and any number of savory meals.  I love to purchase a bag of pinto beans and cook them up in the crock pot to make homemade refried beans.  It’s 100% better than canned!
5. Generic cereals. One of the best generic food deals you will find in your grocery store will be the generic cereals. These are often up to half the price of the name brand, and we find to be just as good if not better.

As you continue looking at all of the ways you can get rid of debt, focus on things like making the most of your money in the grocery store. Not only will coupons and savings apps help, but using these simple grocery store savings items you can really stretch your budget farther than you imagined.

Week 35 Challenge:

Choose just one of these tips and give it a try this week when you head to the grocery store.  Let us know how much you saved.

Disclosure: I am not a financial adviser nor do I have formal financial training. All articles are for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial advice or consultation. Please consult your account and/or financial adviser before making changes to your finances. All situations are different, so please consult a professional to determine your individual needs.

You are reading Week 34 of 52 Weeks to Eliminate Debt & Curb Spending. Please read the overview here to learn more about the series & get your FREE financial planner. If you just joined us, please start with week 1.

This year we have already covered how downsizing can make a drastic impact in your finances and how to get rid of debt. This week we are specifically going to look at ways you can easily begin creating income with yard sales. This income can be used to pay off debt faster or to help beef up your savings account.

Creating Income With Yard Sales

Sell seasonal clothing. One of the biggest ways to make money with yard sales is to sell off your seasonal clothing. Kids clothing is always a hot seller, but so are quality name brand clothing for men and women. Quality maternity and plus size clothing is also very popular in yard sales. While you typically will only be able to sell items for $1-$5 per piece, you can easily make hundreds of dollars at the change of seasons on quality gently used clothing items.

Summer is quickly coming to a close.  Take this time to purge more from your home as well as summer clothes and accessories your kids won’t be able to use next year.

Sell unused tools, lawn care supplies and appliances. Tools, lawn equipment and appliances are bigger ticket items that sell great in yard sales. If your husband has multiple tool sets, it is time to go through each and create the one master kit. Afterwards, he should have a set or 2 that can be sold.

Lawn mowers, weed eaters, hedge trimmers and tillers are all excellent items to sell in Spring and Summer sales. Appliances sell fast year round. These are items that go for much higher prices and can bring in upwards of $1000 in one sale depending on the number you have available for sale. Downsizing items you no longer use can truly pay off debt fast.

Sell handmade crafts. If you are good at making fun wreaths, crocheted or knitted items, art work or even glass pieces this is the best time to sell them. Use what you have on hand, and sell at your next yard sale. Seasonal décor is almost always a hot item when unique and well made.

Sell books and furniture. Books are always a great item to unload in a yard sale. Prices will be super low, but you can get rid of boxes of kids and adult books. If you have a lot, and don’t care about parting with them, you can boost your sales by $0.50-$3 per book. Hardback books go for an average of $1 – $1.50 with paperbacks selling around $0.50.

Furniture is always a great seller. No matter what it is, if the price is reasonable and the condition is good, you’ll see it disappear fast.

Sell collectibles.  Do you have a Cherished Teddy collection that has been collecting dust in the attic?  Selling collect items can greatly increase your sales.  Do your research to understand current prices.  Just remember that you will get less for selling these items at a yard sale than if you listed them on Craigslist.

The key is to price items to sell.  If you overprice items, they are not going to sell. Period. Why would someone pay $10 for a used dress when they could buy it new at the store for the same price on clearance?

Creating income with yard sales is one of the easiest ways you can start paying down your debt. Not only can a one or two day sale give you hundreds to thousands of dollars, it will also clean out your home leaving you feeling more organized.

Week 34 Challenge:

Start collecting items throughout your home that can be sold.  Go room by room until you’ve checked all closets, drawers, containers and the attic.  If you’re not comfortable hosting your own yard sale, talk with friends and family about a family sale.  Multi-family yard sales are usually huge draws when advertised.  You can also look into joining community yard sales in your neighborhood or church.

 

Disclosure: I am not a financial adviser nor do I have formal financial training. All articles are for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial advice or consultation. Please consult your account and/or financial adviser before making changes to your finances. All situations are different, so please consult a professional to determine your individual needs.