Money Pits: How To Navigate The Most Expensive Moments In Life
The idea that money makes the world go round might not be particularly popular, or even especially positive, but it’s pretty difficult to deny that it isn’t at least true. Whether you like it or not, there’s almost nothing in many people’s lives that doesn’t specifically revolve around their finances. Even things that you might assume to be free with usually come at some sort of cost. Want to take a totally free walk in the woods with your family? Sure it’s not technically going to cost you any money, but then you need to think about taking time off work if it’s not happening on the weekend. Then you need to think about the cost of fuel if you’re driving there. The list goes on and on. Even if something isn’t directly costing you money, that doesn’t mean your personal finances aren’t going to be affected.
Because of this, it’s understandable that a lot of people have a great deal of anxiety around money, especially when it comes to things that can potentially cause some serious financial difficulty. Some things are always going to be more expensive than others, and a lot of people are finding that the idea of spending large amounts of money on something simple isn’t worth it. No matter how wonderful something might be, there are those who simply can justify it when they think about the potential cost. However, just because money is an important part of everyday life, that doesn’t mean that you should let it dictate the way that you live. If the fear of the money that you’re going to be spending is standing between you and something that you really want, then you could end up feeling pretty miserable and stuck. Not only that but there’s a solid chance that you can afford that thing that you’re thinking about, it’s just that you aren’t aware of the ways in which you can make your money work for you a little better. With that in mind, here are a few ways for you to navigate some of the most expensive things in life without bankrupting yourself. There’s never going to be away to take all of the financial stress out of these things, but at least this way you might not feel as though the odds are so heavily stacked against you.
Having a baby
There are so many things that come with having a baby that a lot of people never even consider the financial obligations. After all, when you’re dealing with dirty diapers, late nights, and screaming tantrums, it’s all too easy to forget about money entirely. However, it turns out that having a baby is, in fact, one of the most expensive things that a person can do in their life, with the average cost of raising a child to the age of eighteen reaching into the hundreds of thousands. Even the first few years of your child’s life is going to end up costing you money in ways that you might not really have thought about. Sure, changing diapers is no one’s idea of a fun time, but then you need to add on the cost of actually buying them. Diapers aren’t cheap, and you’re going to end up going through a lot of them. If you want to save some money, then you might want to think about washable diapers. Sure, that might sound gross to some people, but you would be amazed at just how much money you could save. A lot of parents find themselves having similar issues when it comes to clothes. Kids grow at an alarming rate which means that they grow out of clothes incredibly quickly. This means that you could end up racking up some serious bills on clothes alone. Why not accept some second-hand clothes from friends with kids a little older than yours? There’s a good chance that they’re just taking up space in their homes, so they’re probably more than happy to part with them. That way you get to clothe your child without spending huge amounts of money every couple of months.
Moving home
Everyone needs a chance from time to time, and what better way to do just that than by moving home. It might be for your family; it might be for work, whatever the reason, there’s no denying that moving house can be seriously stressful. One of the most stressful things about it is the sheer financial commitment that is usually involved. If you’re buying a house, then you not only have to think about that particular cost but the costs that tend to build up all around it as well. From hiring solicitors to having potential homes checked over for safety, there are plenty of satellite costs that come with buying a new home. Of course, there are plenty of ways to minimize those costs as much as possible. By having conveyancing fees compared you can make sure that you get the best possible deal with a solicitor, and you always have the option to negotiate the price of the house itself. Of course, even after all that is finished, you still have the costs of the actual move itself to deal with. You have to think about whether or not you’re going to hire a team of movers to help you with everything. Even if you’re not doing that, it’s often still worth hiring a van to transport your stuff. If you want the support and help that comes with a moving team without having to spend huge amounts of money, you could always just try to find a way to convince your family and friends to help you out free of charge. That way you can save some money and avoid the insane amount of stress that often comes with trying to move home all by yourself.
Getting married
Marriage is a wonderful thing, and something so wonderful should start off with something amazing. That’s the idea that many people have when it comes to their wedding. With the average wedding setting people back tens of thousands, it’s clear that, as far as a lot of people are concerned, bigger is better. It’s supposed to be the greatest day of your life so why would you settle for anything less than perfect? Of course, the problem that is that many people find themselves unable to afford such an amazing wedding. This leads them to either think that their wedding isn’t going to live up their expectations, or they end up taking out a large loan or getting themselves into serious credit card debt. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to avoid both of those things. The simplest and cheapest option is, of course, to simply lower your expectations. Sure, you might not end up with the fairytale wedding that you always dreamed of, but it’s still going to be an incredible day simply because you’re promising yourself to another person for the rest of your life. Not only that but you’re also doing it without completely emptying your bank account. However, for a lot of people, their marriage simply cannot start without the perfect wedding. If that’s the case then there are still plenty of things that you can do to make it, so you don’t end up with a mile long bill at the end of it all. For one thing, think about your venue. Plenty of people have saved money on their wedding by using the garden of a friend or family member. That way they were able to get married in a gorgeous environment, surrounded by friends and family, but they didn’t need to spend half their budget on it. The same goes for things like decorations and place settings. Sure, if you really want them to be totally perfect then you can spend huge amounts of money on having them done by a professional company. Or you could simply make them yourself! Sure, they might not come out as precise as you might like, but not only will you be able to save yourself huge amounts of money but they will also be completely unique to your wedding and your wedding alone. In fact, many of the best money saving options for your wedding involve making things a little more bespoke by taking something of a DIY attitude towards it.
Remember this advice is not going to take all of the financial weight out of these things. If you’re planning on undertaking any of these things, then you need to make sure that you are actually in a solid enough financial position to allow it in the first place. Don’t assume that just because you can save money on something that you’re going to be able to avoid all of the financial obligations and difficulties that come with it. Hopefully, this advice will simply serve to show you that being careful and smart with your money can help you avoid getting ripped off or needlessly losing out on your hard earned money.
