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  • Ways to save money on a tight budget in 2025

    Ways to save money on a tight budget in 2025

    Ways to save money on a tight budget in 2025


    You indeed heard about people saying this month I’m on a tight budget or come on yaar, this is the end of the month I do not have any funds left. 

    Well, anyone can relate to this, including me. 

    There were times when I felt that something was wrong with my budgeting. I started searching for ways to save money on a tight budget just to realize how badly I was managing the money. 

    So, if you are just like me, confused about savings and looking for easy ways to save money on a tight budget, you hit the right spot. 

    Best Ways To Save On A Tight Budget

    Well, there are enormous numbers of ways to save money. But the main problem arises when you have less income and higher spending. This is the situation where you have to think about the future and become mindful in terms of spendings. 

    Do not worry, I’ll not share something that is impossible to work. All the below mentioned ways to save money on a tight budget are tried and tested by none other than your author i.e. “me”. 

    Think about your vital spendings

    Every month we get a paycheck; so as soon as you get your salary, take a notebook or use a spending app and list down the things on which you are thinking of spending your money. 

    Now, get back to the topic. So once you list down the things and arrange them on a priority basis. It helps you understand what’s more important and what’s not. 

    For example – suppose you are planning to buy some clothes and if you have enough in your closet, you do not have to spend on it. Just save that money for something else.

    Similarly, you can apply this example to anything and end up saving a lot more than you think of. 

    Create budget

    A Budget is of two types: 1) short term budget and 2) long term budget. Depending on your goals, you can divide it. 

    Let’s understand it.

    For monthly expenses, you have to create an individual budget and for future expenses, you have to create a separate budget.

    Let me clear a future expense point with an example. Suppose you are planning to move abroad for higher studies, from today, you have to think of how much money you’ll need for it and start creating an individual budget for it. 

    Also, while creating a budget for anything, ask a few questions to yourself. Are you actually going to spend on it? Is it worth the spending? 

    For this, you can take the help of spreadsheets if you are good with it. Personally, I love to use spreadsheets and ask people to do the same. 

    Stick to the budget

    Anyone can create a budget but sticking to the budget is crucial and this is where most people fail. Don’t stress out, I’ve a solution for this – follow the 50/30/20 rule. I know you might have heard this multiple times. Every youtuber and blogger blabber about it. But this is something worth trying.

    In the 50/30/20 rule, you can divide your budget just like I do 50% for my requirements, 30% for desires, and 20% for savings & repayments of debts. This way, you have enough funds for everything. Most importantly, having a budget for everything means you can stick to the budget. 

    Do not use credit cards

    Somehow credit cards become a way to show off! If saving on a tight budget is your aim, you have to immediately give up on credit cards. Otherwise, you may end up bankrupt. 

    I’m not here to scare you but there are many incidents like this. So, it is better to keep your side safe. 

    I know a few of them will cross me by saying “credit cards help us buy things when we do not have money”. You are absolutely right but have you ever thought, “using credit cards creates future debts for you”. If not, start thinking. You’ll understand how much money you wasted like this. 

    Also, most of the time people use credit cards to purchase luxury items like iPhone, branded clothes and shoes, etc. Do you really need them? 

    I guess the answer is no. Now, you might have understood why I said to give up on credit cards. 

    Know the difference between wants and needs

    While saving money on a tight budget in 2025, knowing the difference between wants and needs is vital. Sometimes people don’t understand it and spend money according to their desires. 

    But, you should stop behaving like that! Needs are those that are essential to life. And what is a better example than food, clothes and shelter?  

    On the other hand, wants are desired items that you wish to have to increase your standard of living, like designer clothes, shoes, car stereos and others.

    So, after knowing the difference, I would suggest having only limited wants that are essential for you. Surprisingly it will save more money than you expect. 

    Carry your mealbox to the office

    Another best way to live on a tight budget is to take your meal box to the office. I have seen many people spending money on canteen food, street food or junk food. However, once in a while it’s absolutely okay.

    For example, if you eat out several times a month, you are spending a lot of money on eating. 

    Instead, cook your favorite food at home and take that to the office. It will reduce your habit of spending on a meal, keeping you healthy and saving your money. 

    Use prepaid cellphone plans

    Undoubtedly, everyone uses a cellphone and there are high chances you are reading this article from your phone. But what plan are you using prepaid or postpaid? 

    We all know on postpaid plans there is no limit as they charge you extra if you exceed the limit and this is where the sim card companies rob you. So, when searching for the ways to live on a tight budget, using prepaid sim cards will be the master stroke. 

    I know many people say postpaid works best. I also listened to one of my colleagues and regretted it miserably (it happened with me in mid 2015, story for another time) as I was paying almost double of the plan I purchased. 

    Create grocery list and stick to it

    While growing up I observed one thing which is my mom was always creating grocery lists (still she does the same) before shopping and when I started following her formula I realized how effective it is! 

    I remember when I thought of saving on a tight budget this tip was on my list at number one position. Also before creating a grocery list check your refrigerator and pantry to avoid buying items that you already have in your kitchen. 

    So, plan what you want to have per week and shop accordingly, and it will save your time, money and wastage of food. Plus, creating a list will give you an overview of the spendings you require. 

    Sell the things you no longer needed

    I consider it is the best way to save money on a tight budget. Honestly speaking, a few years ago, I had so many things that I was not using at all. One day I was discussing this thing with one of my friends and she told me that there are so many websites, like Etsy, Amazon (in some categories), etc., where you can sell your old items and earn a considerable amount. 

    If you have something you are not using, take a smart move and sell it. It can be your old watch, books, laptops, clothes, anything. 

    Use bargaining skills

    I’m not saying use it everywhere, not with people who try to sell something just to have a two times meal. Use this skill whenever you feel like someone is telling you extremely high price. 

    For this, you have to enquire about the price from two or three shops, compare them and take it from the place where you can get it at least price. 

    Bargaining skills you can learn from homemakers – you should watch them. They have a supernatural power of bargaining. 

    Say no to gym

    Are you like one of those who gets excited on the 1st Jan and then that excitement slowly dies? You need to read this. 

    If you fit into this category, trust me don’t waste your money. Instead choose exercise from home, go for a jog, do yoga, cardio, etc. There are several ways to get into shape. 

    Icing on the cake, you have YouTube and Instagram where you can watch fitness related videos. 

    Do not hire the maid

    Having a maid or not is completely your choice because sometimes, we need a helping hand. But do you really need a maid? Means if you can manage the house chores on your own or with your partner, you can save up to 10,000 INR. Don’t you think it’s a big amount?

    Avoid electronic items use

    Nowadays, almost every house has a washing machine, dishwasher, AC and so many other electronic items. You know very well, whenever you use any of these, it affects the electricity bill and ends up making a hole in your pocket. 

    Next time, when you have time, do laundry and utensils on your own. It helps you save on electricity bills and it’s kind of a good exercise. 

    Also, avoid using AC when it’s cool outside because many times we keep it ON even though we don’t need it. 

    Switch off everything when no one at home

    It’s a good habit to check all the rooms before leaving the house. No matter how much in hurry you are, keep this in mind always.

    However, I see many people keep their refrigerator ON when they are about to be away from home for more a week

    In my opinion, when you are going for a vacation, it is better to empty the refrigerator and OFF it. Switching off all the appliances before you go on holiday is always a good move, including a fridge.

    Do your hairs and nails at home

    If you are someone who frequently visits a salon, you really need to think about it. Do you really need to visit the salon this frequently? Can’t you do this on your own? 

    The simple answer is “yes”, you can. It might be possible that you can do your nails but are unable to hair and vice versa. 

    Even if you can’t, try to minimize your frequent visits to the salon. Make your visit once a month. Trust me, you’ll end up saving a lot. 

    Do not use vehicles for short distances

    Every house has one or two vehicles; as a result, even if you have to go for five minutes distance, you prefer a vehicle. I won’t say this is your mistake as every individual wants comfort. 

    But this comfort and laziness directly affects your pocket and health. If possible choose to walk over a vehicle for a short distance. Doing this will make a significant change in your life. 

    Compare the prices before you make purchase

    How many of you compare the prices before making a purchase? I guess the answer will be mixed. 

    Honestly speaking I was the kind of person who hated to do bargaining. I used to be like, if I visit any store, I’ll buy something for sure. 

    But not now. I understand that it is a good habit to compare prices from different stores or local markets and then make a purchase. This gives you an idea of the actual price of the product. 

    However, I still avoid bargaining at local shops as they do the work for living not to become rich. This is just me. 

    The comparison approach works best when you are shopping from big stores and malls. If you are getting the same thing from the local market at half of the price, why do you need to buy from big stores or malls? 

    Always track your spending

    I used to struggle on creating a budget and saving money until I found out about personal tracking. You can keep a diary to create a budget as soon as you get a salary or paycheck. 

    Personally I prefer using a diary. I know this is kind of outdated one but I love doing it this way. However, if you are bad at keeping a diary, use a personal tracker app. You’ll find these apps are available for both iOS and Android. 

    Try 30 day rule 

    Till this date, you surely heard about this so many times. But have you ever tried it?

    I was just like you. Let me tell you how I use this 30 day rule. 

    Whenever I see something that looks good to my eyes, I just control myself and think, do I really need this? 

    I just save that product photo, price and shop name at that moment and wait for 30 days. During this period I think about the product in 360 degree and most of the time I just pass it because I never needed that item and sometimes, I simply forget about it. 

    You can also try this tactic. However, even after passing these days, you want that product then buy it. Afterall, this is your life. 

    Cut off your cable connection

    Many people keep the cable connection even though they don’t have time to watch TV. 

    A few years back I was in the same situation because of my busy schedule of college, part time job, studies, I did not have time to watch TV. And because of me my parents were also unable to watch it as we had only one TV. 

    However, I asked my parents to cut the cable connection and they supported me as they also got convinced with my decision. 

    So if you don’t need a cable connection, just cut it off. Switch to more affordable or free options like Netflix and YouTube. There are many available in the market. 

    Avoid brand shopping

    In this Instagram era, most people tend to buy the brand products that they don’t even like. They buy it just because their favorite influencer promoted it. 

    Never do something just because someone else does it. You are a different person, make your own choices. 

    For a moment forget about what I said earlier. But if you do brand shopping, you are wasting too much of your money, especially when you have a tight budget or you are planning to save. 

    Avoid starbucks and CCD

    Don’t get irritated. I know saying no to our favorite things is a really hard task to do. 

    If you are a frequent Starbuck and CCD visitor, it’s going to be really difficult for you to quit this. I get it. 

    But just calculate how much money you are spending on this? Isn’t it easier to find some affordable alternatives or DIY. Think about it. 

    Save 20% for your emergency fund

    As soon as you get salary in your hand, make sure that you are keeping 20% aside for emergencies. 

    Emergencies can knock on your door at any time just like uninvited guests. You must prepare yourself for such rainy days. 

    Open an individual account for an emergency fund and never touch that account unless it’s an emergency. I prefer this way. 

    Create long term and short term saving goals

    Keep all your options open. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. 

    Some people focus on one goal at a time and this is a good thing but you can not apply this rule when it comes to saving. 

    Saving goals must be divided as per future requirements. Suppose you want to save for a washing machine, it will come into short term goal.

    Likewise, there are many things that you want to achieve, student loans, credit card bills, etc. So strategize things accordingly. 

    Use coupons

    Coupons work like saviours if used properly. People don’t keep track of coupons and when it’s most needed then they don’t have any left with. 

    So whenever you get new coupons online or offline, keep track of them. If it sounds like too much for you, use browser extension. 

    Yes, you heard it right. Through browser extensions you do not have to keep track of coupons, your selected coupon tracker works on behalf of you and looks for coupons whenever you shop online. 

    Do one day no spend challenge

    Interesting, right? Everyday we spend on something even if it’s a small purchase. 

    What if you decide a day where you are not going to spend anything. Now a few people will argue with me about what if something unusual happens and we have to spend money. 

    So yes, I do understand that emergencies can knock on your door at any time but not always. There will be a day in your calendar where you do not need to spend. Just look for that day. 

    In my case, I do not choose a particular day as most of the time naturally it happens that I don’t spend at all. 

    How much can you save?

    The answer is not fixed. The saving amount varies from person to person. Depending on your monthly salary and cut off expenses, you can calculate the amount you save every month. 

    So do not look for an exact number. I can also provide you the amount I save doing all these things but I do not want to. 

    As I said earlier every person is different and so you. Make your moves and you’ll see how much you can save. Start slowly. Adapting good things takes time. Trust the process and give yourself time. Don’t be harsh on yourself. 

    Bottom line

    So these are my personal favorite living on a tight budget tips in 2025 that I followed in my tough times and even now I follow them. 

    The list of things I followed or following was or is quite long. But I wanted to share the best tips with you so I listed the above tips. 

    Hope you would find some useful tips from the above blog. 

    I know living and saving on a tight budget is not an easy job. But if you think from a future perspective, trust me it gives you strength. 

    In the end, stay strong, this time will also pass!
  • How to stop overthinking?

    How to stop overthinking?

    How to stop overthinking


    Really? Can anyone tell me if it is really possible to stop overthinking? 

    For now, just forget about how to stop overthinking. Instead of that, let’s find out why people overthink. Like, seriously, I want an answer. 

    There are times when we can’t control our thoughts. With them, we also swing from one point to another and sometimes have a 360-degree roller coaster ride. And it’s not funny at all. 

    We think about the things that never happened or are probably never going to happen. Still, we think of the worst-case scenarios. 

    You are not alone in this. Sometimes I also master this art of overthinking and start questioning every existence on this planet. 

    But when I think from the perspective of a real overthinker, I am like how these people actually tackle such situations. 

    I always believe in finding the root cause of everything. Similarly, if you want to stop overthinking, you should understand the real cause of it. Otherwise, you couldn’t put a full stop on it. 

    There could be a number of reasons behind why we overthink. This time, not from my perspective. Let’s try to unfold them from the perspective of a real overthinker. 

    Why people overthink?

    Want a perfect solution

    I believe that there is nothing in this world that has a perfect answer or solution. While we can try to be perfect. But with overthinkers, they just want a perfect solution. They think in every way and try to come up with a perfect solution or perfect answer and mostly end up with nothing. 

    Don’t accept reality

    I saw many people who have a hard time accepting reality. Either they start manifesting or just go into their own world (in Gen Z slang, delulu). However, there are situations when we do want to escape reality, but with overthinkers, they mostly don’t live in the present moment. They think above and beyond, and just forget to live in the moment and accept reality. 

    Past mistakes

    Overthinkers have one habit, which is connecting the present to the past and thinking whether they will repeat the same mistakes they made in the past. To some extent, that is fine, but not always. 

    Stress, Anxiety

    Stress and anxiety are both counterattackers. Stress brings anxiety and anxiety brings stress. As per the study, most of the overthinkers take stress easily and anxiety follows it like an obedient child.  

    For instance, if someone says to them You don’t care, OMG, they will be like, “What did I do?” and they will think about those words for 24 hours, unless they get clarity on what exactly they have done. 

    Comfort

    Many overthinkers don’t like to get out of their comfort zone. They fear getting out of their comfort zone. It could be anything, a change in their daily routine, leaving a city, leaving a company, among others. 

    Well, everyone wants comfort in their lives, but here we are talking about overthinkers. For them, a little change in their lifestyle can cause trauma. 

    Now, we talked a lot about why people overthink; now it’s time to look at the other side of the coin. How can we overcome it? 

    How to overcome/stop overthinking? 

    Write down your thoughts

    How many thoughts do you get on a daily basis? I’m pretty sure that you never counted that. Start writing them. It’s not like journaling.

    In the first week, write every thought which comes to your mind. Do not need to set time. Whenever a thought comes, just write it down. 

    From the second week, set a time when you write down those thoughts. Suppose you are working on X task and some random thought pops up. Just tell yourself that you are going to write it later. 

    By just doing this simple exercise, you’ll get to know how useless and senseless the thoughts you get are. 

    I’m not saying that every thought is useless. But by doing this exercise, you could surely differentiate between good and bad thoughts. 

    Know not every thought needs your attention

    By incorporating the above exercise in your daily life, you’ll understand that not every thought needs your attention. Some thoughts are just random and let them be random. You don’t have to worry about every single thought that comes to your mind. 

    Have hobbies

    This is one of the best ways to keep your mind engaged. Have any hobbies. If you don’t have anything now, just build one. It could be anything: drawing, cooking, cleaning, walking, writing, reading. Simply anything. Develop one. It would help you overcome overthinking. 

    I’m telling this from my personal experience. Whenever I overthink, I start reading, writing anything I want, cleaning or anything else I want to do. This keeps my mind engaged and prevents it from negative thoughts. 

    Follow mindfulness

    You might have come across the term “mindfulness”. But do you practice this?

    See, it seems to be easy, but it is not. Like many of us, we have a habit of doing multiple things together. For instance, you are writing on any topic, and along with this, you are checking your inboxes. This won’t be called mindfulness. 

    Mindfulness is something when you put all your heart and brain into one task. Not only this, but you enjoy doing that. Suppose you are cooking, so just cook. Don’t watch your favourite series at that time.

    You can’t control everything

    We call ourselves humans, but if we see ourselves from a different perspective, we are just a dust particle on this planet and have a brief time. So make use of the time you have. 

    So, from that, do you really think you have to overthink this much? You can’t control rain, you can’t control others’ thinking, you can’t control others’ behaviours, so stop trying to control everything. 

    There are many things in this world that are beyond our imagination. So rather than panicking about every small thing. Just accept reality and think about the things that you can control. 

    My thoughts

    As I said earlier, at certain points in life, everyone overthinks and that’s okay. But when you frequently start overthinking, it’s not okay. You know you are doing it over and you have to stop it. 

    Try following the exercises that I’ve mentioned in this blog. If it doesn’t help, take professional help. There is no shame in it. You know what’s right for you. 

  • What you want vs what you get?

    What you want vs what you get?

    Always be grateful and thankful to the God


    We never know what will happen in our lives. Still, we try to plan everything. Whether it’s education, career, getting married, having children, their education, their marriages, your retirement, after-retirement plans and whatnot. 

    Because what happens in the next moment we can’t predict, but all we can hope for is a good life and mental peace. We plan all these because we dream, we hope tomorrow will be a good one and we will live a life that we are hoping for. We know one day everything will end within a fraction of a second. But with the thought of dying one day, we can not forget to live our lives. We can not and should not live our lives in fear. 

    All we can do is hope for a better life and happy surroundings. So now let’s go back to our question which is; what we plan vs what we get?

    Can you really plan your entire life?

    The answer is both “yes” and “no”. I know many of you will not agree with my answer and think I’m being diplomatic here. Well, let me explain my side.

    The reason behind my answer is – you can plan your life to a certain extent, such as, the career you want to choose, the job you want to do, where you want to go, financial planning, your goals for 5 years or 10 years or 20 years, when you want to get married, whether to get married or not, having children or not and so many things.

    But you can’t be certain about whether you’ll stuck in traffic, what will happen after you wake up, what types of people you’ll meet, sudden demises, sudden rain (when you are not prepared for it), getting fired from the job you loved the most, breakup or other partner cheating on you, office politics and the list is endless. 

    So what I am trying to say is, we can’t plan our life in a 360-degree. No matter how perfectly you plan your life, some things will not be in your control and you have to accept this. 

    I’m getting where we are heading. You’ll be like, when we don’t know what will happen in our lives in the next moment, how could you expect us to be prepared?

    You plan your life as much as you can, but don’t be like a rock; be flexible. If something is not working or happening according to your planning, keep your faith and have trust in God.

    If you are an Atheist, keep faith in yourself and your hard work. There would be some reason the thing happened the way you least expected it to happen. Try to figure out “why” behind it and accordingly improve yourself. 

    What to do when we get we never hoped for?

    Just imagine a situation – you are travelling in a train and you are sad but suddenly someone comes and starts talking to you and you also start nodding your head. On a daily basis, you see this person and with time, you guys have become good friends.

    Tell me honestly how you will feel about it? In the first place, when he or she initiated conversation, you would have felt awkward, but with days passing, you became comfortable as you guys were discussing your happiness, sorrows and lifting each other’s mood. 

    Have you ever thought of something like this happening to you? I don’t think so. It was unplanned, but for the better, as you got the friend that you never hoped for. 

    This is just one example, but there must be a number of examples like this. So whenever you face an unplanned situation in your life, welcome those events with open arms. 

    What to do when everything goes wrong in your life?

    Make yourself relax 

    In this hectic schedule, somehow, we forget to relax. With me, there was a time when I actually forgot there is a word called “Relax” that exists and my body and soul need this. 

    Doesn’t matter how difficult the situation is or how exhausting your life is, decide the days when you will just relax and give yourself time. Do whatever you want that lifts your mood and brings positivity into your life. 

    It could be lying on a bed, reading a book, watching your favourite drama, listening to music, cooking, cleaning, going for a walk, doing yoga or simply don’t do anything (even that’s fine).  

    As I said earlier, do whatever makes you relax. You can even call your best friend, who is good at cracking jokes and understands you better than anyone else. 

    One of my favourite things to do is go for a long walk and let my thoughts fly away. 

    Be gentle with yourself

    Try to imagine the days when you didn’t get what you want. How did you react? Did you hard on yourself? You were cursing yourself? Or You gave some kind of punishment to yourself? 

    If any of this is true, remember to be gentle with yourself. This is not the end of the world. Just think from a different perspective, maybe something better is on its way to you. Being harsh on yourself is not a solution. 

    Tell yourself, you tried your best and it is completely okay to not get the things that we always want. Because deep down you need it, your soul is craving for it. 

    There are many ways of being gentle with yourself. Treat yourself, go to a nice cafe, drink tea or coffee, have some snacks, dress well or buy a nice dress for yourself or anything you like to do. Maybe making coffee on your own can make you happy. It is that simple. 

    Be grateful for everything

    You might have heard this multiple times, but how often do you do this? 

    See, you don’t have to do this only when things are not going right. Gratitude is something that you should practice in your day-to-day life. 

    Just be grateful for being alive, waking up early, being exhausted, nice partner, hands, legs, eyes, nature, you name it. 

    Like, there are many things in the world we should be grateful for. Take a moment and think about it, you will find multiple things to be grateful for and I’m damn sure you’ll feel better. 

    Accept what you can’t change

    The most vital thing. I got you. It’s really difficult, but at the same time, you can’t change it. So it is better to accept the fact and move on. 

    For example – after so much preparation, a proper round of interviews, the next day, HR calls you and tells you, “Sorry, we are not proceeding with your application”. Obviously, you’ll feel terrible. Plus, it was your dream company.

    So once the HR confirmed, you can’t do anything about it. Instead of reacting emotionally or aggressively, politely ask them what went wrong and what you can improve. 

    This way, not only you get to know about your flaws but you will also make a good connection, which may help you in future and you never know, you’ll get a better offer than this. 

    If needed ask for a help

    There is nothing wrong with seeking help. There comes a time in life when we feel devastated and don’t know what to do. Rather than keeping everything to yourself, talk to your trustworthy friend or your parents or seek counselling help. Do whatever feels right to you. 

    You know what’s hurting you so you should know how you can overcome it. 

    Keeping things to yourself will only worsen the situation. However, I know there are people who are strong enough to overcome the situation on their own without taking anyone’s help. If you are one of them, you don’t need anyone’s help. In case you are not, you know what you have to do.

    Set new goals

    What happened has already happened and you can’t do anything about it. So why not start fresh? 

    Take a deep breath and let your ideas flow. Trust me, you must be having a plethora of ideas. Write down whatever ideas come to your mind, even if you think you are being silly. That’s fine. 

    After writing down all your ideas, see which idea is attracting you the most and what action you have to take to convert it into a reality. Boom, you got a new goal. 

    [PS: My small advice, while setting up a new goal, split it into small milestones, so achieving them will seem easy. Suppose you have set up five milestones to achieve that goal, so whenever you achieve a milestone, don’t forget to celebrate. This will give you encouragement and very soon you will be able to achieve all your milestones.]

    Wrap up time

    Now, next time, if you don’t get what you want. Don’t be sad. You are not alone in this. There are many people who face the same situation. But always remind yourself that something better is on its way and all you have to do is accept that wholeheartedly.