Gift Cards Save U $$$

My husband and I are now using gift cards as a way to stay in our Spending Plan when it comes to eating out.



At the first of the month, we buy gift cards to a few of our favorite lunch places. The amount of these gift cards can determined by looking at a few months worth of bank statements and tallying up how much you spend on eating out. We usually have personal cash each week so we take a little of that from each of the weeks and lump it into gift cards.

Now my husband has a gift card to Jersey Mike's, Flame Broiler, etc. and he knows that's what he can use for the month. It puts a limit on his spending, but it also gives him freedom to eat out whenever he chooses.

You can also do this with Target, Wal-Mart, Stater Bros., Albertsons, or wherever you shop regularly. Figure out your grocery bill for the month (or for every two weeks) and buy gift cards at the first of every month.

This really helps us stay on track and within a budget that's reasonable!