We all have to deal with an expensive month now and again, and balancing income and expenditure is often a major challenge when it happens. Fortunately, there are good tips and solutions out there for making ends meet every month.
Switch up your spending and see the difference
You usually have some idea of what your income will be each month, but have you ever stopped to consider your spending habits? It’s worth taking the time to do so, because that’s often the key to keeping your income and expenditure in balance. We’ve put together a few tips to help you on your way.
- Take a look at which grants, social assistance allowances and tax benefits from the government you may be entitled to. These can include renovation grants, educational allowances, and tax relief for pension saving schemes.
- Check what you can get reimbursed by your health insurance fund and hand in any medical receipts on time.
- Keep a close eye on how much water, gas and electricity you are using and make sure you don’t leave any devices quietly consuming power for no reason. Tip: use June in KBC Brussels Mobile to check your energy bill, or do the V-test on the VREG website.
- Avoid impulse purchases and beware temptation.
- Buy durable household appliances that will last for longer.
- If you receive meal or service vouchers from your employer, be sure to use them to do your food shopping.
- Make a shopping list and a weekly or monthly menu.
- Look for offers (such as buy one get one free) and adjust your weekly menu accordingly.
- Buy seasonal products (vegetables, fruit, etc.).
- Compare prices per kilo, litre or item.
- Find out which fish is cheaper and when by using websites such as visinfo.be.
- Keep an eye on the top and bottom shelves as you work your way through the aisles, as products at eye level are usually more expensive.
- If you order a meal box from Foodbag in KBC Brussels Mobile or another food app, you’ll know what you’re paying in advance and you’ll cook healthy!
- Compare prices using comparison websites.
- Use discount codes on websites such as tagcity.be or familycard.be, or try the promojagers.be browser extension.
- Get great discounts during sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
- Keep track of offers online with websites like myshopi.com, promojagers.be and winkelelfolders.be, or use the free app from Stocard.
- Use second-hand websites and apps to buy and sell items online.
- Use Kate Deals in KBC Brussels Mobile and earn cashbacks from your favourite retailers.
- Save up points for free coffee, bread and other rewards with Joyn in KBC Brussels Mobile.
- Stop wasting food, save leftovers for later or order them from Too Good to Go.
- Try leaving the car at home now and then, or adjust your driving style to save money: if you stick to the speed limit, you’ll save on fuel and avoid fines.
- Rent a shared bike or scooter for short journeys.
- Check if you’re entitled to a cycling allowance from your employer.
- Compare fuel prices using comparison websites.
- Check your car's tyre pressure every month, as low tyre pressure will increase fuel consumption.
- Visit free events.
- Explore nature: go to the beach or take a walk in a park or a forest.
- Cancel your cable TV subscription and stream your favourite programmes using online platforms.
- Check to see which sports subscriptions you use regularly and cancel any you don’t need.
- Skip the restaurant and organise a dinner party at home.
- Split the bill, but don’t overdo it: it’s sometimes better to pay the bill separately on a night out.
- Determine your budget in advance.
- Compare prices for flights, accommodation and more using specialised search engines and book early, which can often net you a nice discount.
- Travel outside of high season if possible.
- Buy food at a local market, it’s usually cheaper.
- Open a separate account for your holidays and pay a monthly sum into it that you can eventually use for travelling.
- Take part in frequent flyer programmes and redeem great travel perks.
Always want to be covered for unexpected costs or major purchases?
Whether you're spending a little or a lot, online or in-store, our different solutions allow you to spread out your spending and give yourself some financial breathing room. This means you don’t have to sacrifice your usual comforts and you can do something nice with your money later on.
KBC Brussels Payment Button
Take up to two months to pay for your online purchases.
KBC Brussels Budget Facility
Go temporarily overdrawn on your account.
KBC Brussels credit card
Pay for the month's spending only after receiving the billing statement the following month.
A personal loan
Fund larger expenses without touching your savings.
