I do not know about you, but I can attest to being on my last five, ten, or even twenty dollars and trying to stretch my last few dollars until payday. The times do get rough when trying to maintain your lifestyle without spending your last dime. I understand the frustrations of trying to keep yourself sane financially without truly going broke. Here are 7 of my simple ways to stretch your money without going broke.



Break Away From Your Debit Card Before You Go Broke.

I have learned that if you are truly down to your last few dollars, it’s best to see what you have physically instead of swiping your debit or credit card. Seeing is believing that you are down to your last, and you need to have control of what you can see instead of holding on to the faith that your card won’t get declined at a cash register. This method works best after paying your bills and having a clear idea of how much money you still need to have left on your card to not touch. Once you have that set, you will need to go to your nearest ATM. At the ATM, pull off the amount of cash you will be stretching until your next paycheck.

Visit your bank teller. 

It’s best to take the cash that you have withdrawal from the ATM to a bank teller. You can really see more of what you are stretching with someone skilled with money. Once you see your local bank teller, ask him or her to break down your bills. For example, if you have five twenties’ left to your name get one twenty broken into tens, another into three fives, and five in ones. The choice is truly up to you. Breaking your cash will give you even more reassurance that you can and will make it until payday.

The plot of your week transportation spending. 

This tip will help you no matter how you get to work, especially if you do not work from home. If you drive to work, find a way to fill up your tank (without paying at the pump) that will last you at least the entire week. By filling up your tank for the week, you won’t have to be too concerned about how you will have gas to get from point A to B every day that you need to go. Carpooling works the same way; discover how much you must pay the person who brings you to work and keep that cash to the side without touching it. 

Don’t bull shit around with anyone’s money if they are even kind enough to bring you to work. You don’t want to burn any bridges with someone trying to help you get to or even from work. I take Uber or Lyft. You want to add up how much it will be to your destination and even back home, plus how many days a week you will be doing it. You would want to calculate these fees before pulling money from your debit card too. Sometimes with Uber and Lyft, you never know how much the price will spike if you’re busy in the area you are in. 

You will want to also be mindful of the weather forecast if you walk or bike to work. The weather also plays a huge role in spending or saving money on your transportation needs. 

If you walk or bike to work and you see that the forecast calls for a rainy week, make sure you have money to either Uber, Lyft, or take a taxi to work. I find that you can maybe even save cash by simply leaving before the storm to get to work. I also know how it is to be an avid bus catcher too. Always make sure that you keep quarters and ones in your possession, but not too much to get robbed. If you solely rely on catching buses in your area, you may want to invest in a bus pass that will save you the frustration of ever coming up short when boarding a bus. 

Pick one or two and make them save you.

We all know what it is like to be hungry and not have anything to snack on. Not everyone’s job has vending machines or even a wide selection of food they can pig out on. You can make your own breakfast, lunch, or dinner for the week to save you money. Everyone is not a skilled cook, and of course, it will not hurt you to admit it. You can stock up on frozen meals for dinner to keep you from mooching out on fast food after work or even on your off days (if you have those.)

I choose to make my lunch or even pack a frozen meal for lunch daily. For breakfast, I have the option of cereal, oatmeal, make a smoothie, or make a quick breakfast with whatever I have in my kitchen. For dinner, I would cook one of the three to four choices that I have prepped to create lunch from the week's leftovers.

 Create a shopping list for your needs with a spending budget.

Let me tell you, I am the type of girl who gets in the grocery store or even Wal-Mart/Targets without a damn list and picks up extra things. I am guilty, and I have no problem saying it. I have found that if you take at least ten to fifteen minutes to walk around your home to create a list of what you need, it will help you throughout the week. Even if you realize that you cannot purchase everything from your list, purchase at least enough to last you.

Do not shop on an impulse. 

It is smart to just understand where you stand financially instead of placing it to the back of your mind. If you do not really need whatever you are seeking to buy, then don’t buy it. Buying whatever it is may hurt your pockets and your ways of keeping money stashed.


A little change does not hurt.

When creating change or changing, it is best to always keep at least 10 coins that equal 99 cents. By keeping 3 quarters, 1 dime, 2 nickels, and 4 pennies (no more breaking bills.)

Do you have any tips to share that helps you stretch your money? If so, drop them in the comment box below! Every Thursday will be a money-saving Thursday's on my blog too. Hopefully, this helps someone!  

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  1. That was very helpful.. Cuz I trust to save money but I fails so thank you Lynne Boo😘😘😘😚😚😚😚

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