budgeting

Frugal Living Secrets: Reducing FAITH

Sara {Go Gingham}

With the start of the New Year, I’ll be sharing ways to save more and spend less while still living richly.

Want to know the secret to increasing your savings account, redirecting your resources, and achieving your financial goals that doesn’t involve you getting a second job? It’s simple.

It can be done by reducing your FAITH – your FAITH expenses. They’re the ones that keep coming at you every single day, week, month, year. YIKES – make them stop!

I don’t have the secret to making them stop altogether but would you settle for ways to reduce the cost of them? Or at least slow them down?

Are you wondering what FAITH expenses are?

Go Gingham: Reduce FAITH to increase savings

FAITH isn’t about more money coming into your household it’s about less money going out.

FAITH isn’t about religion or church (at least not on this site).

FAITH is about redirecting your resources – right into your savings account.

FAITH is about living well, on less, and saving more while still enjoying life.

FAITH is about choosing to live on less so that you can indulge how you want to live richly.

These are the costs that we are all spending our hard-earned money on regularly.

So, why not spend less on them and reallocate the money to where you’d much rather spend (or save) it?

What are your financial goals this year?

Go Gingham related links:

Tried and true investing strategies – a reader question
Just balance that checkbook! You can do it!
Debt – you decide on the level you’re comfortable with
What does it mean to budget? Find out here
Frugal living is the key to saving
The problem with budgeting – yes, the problem!
How finances figure in frugality
How to save money on your smart phone bills – great tips from readers!

Published by Sara {Go Gingham}

Sara, creator of Go Gingham, writes about real food, green living, and a healthy lifestyle - on fewer resources - {Stylishly Frugal Living}. She loves gingham - but tries to keep that in check.

14 thoughts on “Frugal Living Secrets: Reducing FAITH”

  1. I’m glad you’ll be focusing on this, Sara. I paid off all of my debt (minus the mortgage) at the end of 2012, and now I’m developing some new goals for saving and home improvement. I want to keep the momentum that I had to become debt-free; I think this series will help! Happy New Year! 🙂

    Like

    1. Carrie,
      Way to go! That must feel so good.
      I love saving money so my ideas are from that simple perspective – get money in the bank to save for a rainy day or whatever your financial goals are.
      Happy New Year and congratulations on the self-discipline! 🙂

      Like

  2. Interesting acronym – gotta say it threw me for a loop for a second, though!

    I agree that we should cut expenses wherever possible. You can cut down on food quite a bit if you are in the habit of going out to eat frequently. But the healthiest food does cost. If you go from a conventional whole-foods diet to one consisting of organic produce and pasture-raised meat, your expenses will go up.

    But I believe that should be considered an investment in health, not an expense. IMHO. 😉

    Like

    1. Thank, Emily! I will tell you that people are surprised by the term FAITH – it’s not what they think. It helps me remember that no matter how you slice it, spending falls into those categories and it’s best to keep them as low as possible.
      Yes, I agree with you that the less “stuff” put on/into our foods makes it cost more. Food is expensive but you are what you eat….
      Thanks, Emily, and happy new year!

      Like

  3. Food. It’s all about doing food better. I am so frustrated with our picky kid eaters, my own dietary limitations (need to be gluten-free), and my culinary-skills limitations. I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve got in store for us. 🙂

    Like

    1. Rita, yes, food is a biggie! It’s probably the easiest category to make a change in today. Or tomorrow – since it’s late 😉
      Food will be the first one in the series…
      Happy New Year, Rita! So fun meeting you last week.

      Like

    1. Yes, that darn food bill! It can really do a number, can’t it? Yes, it’s all about reducing your FAITH. 🙂 You already are a meal planning gal so that is good.
      Happy New Year, Erina! Thanks for leaving a comment.

      Like

  6. I call it HUMAN TIES (The daily things of LiFE)

    Housing
    Utilities
    Medical/Dental/Vision
    Apparel
    Nutrition

    Transportation
    Insurance
    Entertainment
    Savings

    LiFE = Living on the Fiscal Edge

    Like

    1. Sue,
      Oh, I love yours! Yes, those all work, too. Well done.
      For me (meaning us), having fewer categories works rather than more. For example, I lump “entertainment” in with “food” because entertainment usually involves eating out or something around feeding ourselves.
      Do you then track your spending in these categories, too?
      Thanks, Sue.

      Like

  7. After 3 years, this is our first year being debt-free. My whole focus is on saving, saving and saving some more! Look forward to reading more. Personally, if I could move to the country and live sustainably I would..one day. 😉

    Like

Comments are closed.