Budgeting your money wisely is always a good thing, but in this economy, it’s certainly challenging. If you’re considering making room in your budget for a mortgage, the challenge might seem insurmountable. However, with a little trimming here and a little planning there, you can successfully work mortgage payments into your life.
Start With Life’s Little “Un-necessities”
Do you buy a lot of take-out, such as pizza and Chinese food? If so, you’re probably spending a lot more than you realize and quite possibly, a good portion of your potential mortgage! What about specialty coffee? At around five dollars a pop, that can add up quickly. Impulse items while you’re waiting in the check-out line, nearly all of which are not necessary, also might be consuming too much of your hard-earned cash. Think about everything you buy, and then start looking at better things you could be doing with that money.
Food And Clothing
In blind taste tests, most people can’t tell the difference between store and name brand items, but you’re bank account certainly can. Do you use coupons? Shop during sales and buy in bulk? There are a number of ways to reduce your grocery bills, freeing up some funds that can be diverted to a mortgage. The same principles apply to clothing, in that you’re often paying for the name more than the article. Can you shop at discount stores, or even second-hand shops? Do you really need all those new clothes? Are you buying high-end clothing that requires expensive dry-cleaning? Could that be curbed as well? Again, careful consideration over every penny spent will reward you with many pennies earned.
Bank Fees And Interest Payments On Credit Cards
If your bank is charging you for every inquiry and transaction, or for not keeping enough money in your account(s), look elsewhere. Many credit unions don’t penalize you for ordinary events and the annual savings can be significant. Also, keep your credit card debt to a bare minimum and shop around for the very lowest APR. Negotiate fees when ever possible and consider a consolidation loan, if that would lower the amount of interest you’re paying.
There are quite a few ways in which you can reduce spending without a lot of sacrificing. When it comes to making room for a mortgage, the effort you make in crunching the numbers will be well worth it!
