Recently, I began to notice that I spend a lot of money. Whether this is due to the high prices of everything or that I spender and I can not save money - I do not know. I think many of you are faced with such a problem. So I decided to check whether an ordinary person can live a week at a very minimal amount. So I started my Challenge "To live for seven days at 700 rubles." Immediately I say, that I live in Ulyanovsk, ordinary provincial town.
To begin, I identified the most common items of expenditure. It turned out to be food, transportation and entertainment.
At the grocery store, I go every day and spend about 500 rubles. Everyday. In my diet is long gone potatoes, hot dogs, sausage, bread. I try to eat right, so you always have in the fridge fresh vegetables, Fruits, berries, greens - it's quite expensive, especially out of season. I also very finicky eating habits. For example, conventional pasta for 30 rubles, I will not eat, take 100, the label on the Italian. So often I do not have time to cook dinner in advance, and I run to the store near the office for lunch. Obtained the extra spending. As a result, a week I spend about 3 thousand rubles only for products.
To work and back every day I get on public transport. Basically this bus. Travel costs 20 rubles. If I go to a meeting, to the cinema or a cafe and detained late, home food in a taxi. In an average week on the transport takes about 500 rubles.
With entertainment in our city tight. My typical holiday: going to the cinema or theater, in a cafe with friends, pub quiz every two weeks. For a week on entertainment takes 1.5 thousand, if the round.
The result is that for a week I spend 5000 rubles. I am writing this and I remain in shock. I spent a week in 5000 and lived at 700 rubles.
How do I save on food
I grew up in a family where food is one of the greatest pleasures in life, and was not used to save on food. But for the sake Challenge had to find ways to cut costs. That's what I did.
How to save on food →
1. Decide on a budget for the day
The food on the day I was supposed to spend 60 rubles (40 more - for travel). It was hard, had to give up the foods. One pack of cottage cheese, which I eat almost daily, costs 75 rubles, therefore, from such products had to be abandoned.
Pros:
- I ate more than the seasonal vegetables and fruits.
- Products in my refrigerator did not linger.
- I learned to cook dishes that are.
Minuses:
- Without a clear list I buy only what is included in the daily budget.
- I ate a lot of empty carbohydrates: sweet, flour. Because such products are cheap.
- Not to save. If I were money, I spend it on the same empty carbohydrates.
2. It has compiled a list of required products
Realizing that the daily trips to the store does not help to save, I decided to compile a list of essential products and buy everything in one day.
Pros:
- A clear list of not allowing you to spend too much.
- Save time. I spent an hour in a single day and do not go to the store for the rest of the week.
- The presence of a variety of products inspires the culinary experiments.
Minuses:
- Just spent the entire budget on food, leaving nothing in reserve.
3. I went to the market
Decided to test how different shops prices on the prices of private producers.
Pros:
- Some fruits and vegetables are cheaper than in stores.
- natural products.
- You can select any number, and in the shop at the cash you do not go with a tomatoes.
Minuses:
- Talkative granny who easily vparyat you anything.
- Until the market is not very convenient.
4. Used Discount application
In addition to the application of discount, you can use coupons and promotions on products you are interested. Many stores have a personal loyalty cards, bonus cards, with which you can save a good idea.
Pros:
- You can see the best deals.
- You can compare the prices in different stores.
Minuses:
- The only, but the fat - discounts in applications not listed all. On a personal experience that in the stores more products can be found cheaper.
5. I went to visit
And you can talk and eat.
Pros:
- Delicious food for free.
- Socializing with friends.
Minuses:
- It is necessary to thrust a visit.
- You can not take food with them.
How do I save on transport
From home to work, I get on the bus for about 40 minutes. The fare one way - 20 rubles, after 8 pm - 24 rubles.
1. I traveled by tram
Pros:
- Saving. The cost of one trip - 18 rubles, while paying by card - 17 rubles.
Minuses:
- Lack of comfort. The old trams uncomfortable chairs and cold.
- The trip takes longer than a minibus.
2. I went walking
Pros:
- I spent a lot of calories.
- I saw a lot of new beautiful places.
- Bleed the willpower.
Minuses:
- Very tired and fell out of life for two days, because there was no power.
- I spent a lot of time.
3. I asked the fellow a ride
Pros:
- It can be reached quickly, comfortably, in good company.
- Is free.
Minuses:
- I ask colleagues who could ride.
- Adjust to a colleague and start working from home.
How do I save on entertainment
I'm not particularly tusovy people, most of the time I spend at work or at home. Some fun on the weekends. But if you want to take your time in our city and to pay steep activities tight that all that talk about free. Therefore, in front of me stood a very difficult task.
45 ideas of what to do on weekends and not spend a dime →
1. Attended free events
Pros:
- I discovered some interesting places, such as museums, which otherwise would never have gone.
Minuses:
- Free activities in the province - is often primitive boring amateur.
2. walked
Pros:
- It burns calories.
- I saw a lot of new and beautiful places.
- I listened to a lot of audio books.
Cons: Not found.
Total
For seven days I spent 683 rubles.
In general I am satisfied with the results of their tests. I clearly keep track of your budget, I dropped the habit of buying the first thing that catches the eye, I realized that you can be nice to relax without spending a penny.
Of course, I encourage everyone to live on 700 rubles, or even 1000. Everyone has different needs and opportunities. But try this experiment suggest. Not to feel like it's terrible, but for the understanding that you may well be able to live without the usual expenses and at the same time good save.
see also
- As the habit of putting off will change your life for 200 rubles per day →
- How to learn to save up to 7 days to fix the habit →
- How to live comfortably on one salary →