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Getting monthly payments of social security or disability checks can be a huge blessing in your life, but that doesn't mean that they will cover every single need you have. It is important to be able to make your monthly checks stretch throughout the duration of the month. You may find yourself many times needing to buy food or have medical needs that you simply don't have the money for if you don't plan well enough. Here are some ways to make your payments for social security or disability in Idaho stretch for the whole month. Pay Utilities First When you get all of your money allotment at the beginning of the month, you may feel a huge relief and feel like you have money to spare, but there are always things that come up that you won't plan for and more often than not, you are left with less than you thought you would have. For this reason, you should make sure that you pay your monthly bills first. Pay your utilities and rent so that you won't have to deal with the electricity going out. If you are below the poverty line, even with your social security, you may be able to get assistance for these bills from your state funded financial aid. Try to get as many discounts as you can so that you can use the rest of your money for other essentials. Set Aside Money After your utilities are paid, you should always set aside the remainder of your money in separate groups that you will only use for specific things. One group should be purely spent on transportation, gas, or car maintenance. Another group could be used for groceries and other essentials like toilet paper. You should stick to your budget of these groupings and if you have any left over at the end of the month you should put it in your savings account for emergencies. You could also set aside a very, very small portion for non-essential things like money to go see your grandchild's play or eating out with a friend. Meal Plan It is very easy to accidentally spend way more than your budget on food. Make sure to keep a strict meal plan throughout the month to try and avoid spending too much. You can shop sales and you can coupon, but planning out your meals ahead of time will ensure that you won't waste food that you have and you won't buy food you don't need. Here are some tips for meal planning: 1. Buy and eat produce first so that it doesn't go bad before you get to it. 2. Buy meat and other items in bulk to save on costs. Try to buy them when they are on sale. 3. Set aside a day or two to make several freeze ahead meals so that you don't end up eating out when you are too tired to cook. Put them in portions that you will be able to eat and pull them out as you need them. 4. Choose a wide variety of recipes so that you don't get bored of your food at home. 5. Make meals that you can use the leftovers later. For example, if you make pot roast, save the leftovers and make stew later. It is very important to stick to a budget when you are on a fixed income. You probably can't afford to eat out as much as you would like to. Meal planning will help you figure out what kinds of foods you can afford to eat and give you a healthy diet. If you feel that you are not getting enough from your social security or disability in Idaho, then you may want to contact an attorney. Joseph F Brown MD JD Looking for a Boise Social Security attorney? Call the Law Firm of Joseph F. Brown, MD, JD, PLLC for representation. Mr. Brown is a physician and attorney. Visit our page on http://www.disabilitylawidaho.com/ to see our page today!
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