Have more money than bills

By the time bills are paid, food is bought, and the kids are taken care of, you are probably lucky if there is any money left over. Having a family is not cheap. There are some things you can do to keep your budget low to have money left at the end of the month. Buy used This applies to pretty much everything. You should shop for clothing and furniture at garage sales and thrift stores. Just because they are used does not mean that you cannot find items in good condition. You may even get lucky and find something with the tag still attached. And when it comes to cars, you should always, always shop at used car lots. According to Dave Ramsey, a new car loses 25% of its value right when you drive it off the lot. Instead of losing that value, you can shop at used-car lots to get a nice car that makes a lot more sense financially. 

Think outside the box Set a budget, stick to it, and look for alternatives to items you are used to, you are sure to save a substantial amount of money. The biggest way to save money is to stop buying things you don’t need. You can always find a way to live without something if the motive is there. You shouldn't avoid life’s little luxuries, such as a manicure, hair cut, or massage. However, there are ways to get these services at a fraction of the cost you are used to paying. Living on a Dime is a huge proponent of frequenting schools to get deals on these services. Beauty schools and massage schools all offer inexpensive services so that students can get work experience.

Don't be afraid to ask When you are shopping for big ticket items at places like furniture stores, ask for the best price. Stores plan on their customers negotiating, so you almost always leave room for the price to come down while still meeting their margins. If you don’t ask, you will never know if you are getting the best price. Don’t be afraid to walk away if you don’t get the price you want. When the sale is about to elude them, sales people will suddenly be much more willing to drop the price.

Make your own products Do you need a separate cleanser for your toilet, mirrors, floors and counters? Probably not. Instead, Yahoo suggests making your own cleaning products. Simple mixtures of basic ingredients, such as ammonia, lemon and water, can perform a variety of cleaning tasks. This will not only save you money, but it is environmentally friendly too.