If you are often venturing into the red each month, it can be difficult to imagine how you can ever afford the new car you need on your driveway, the new kitchen or a holiday for your small brood. You may not want to fall into debt and you’re eager to get into a savings routine. However, if your car is starting to breakdown regularly, your kitchen cupboard doors are off their hinges, and you haven’t been on a vacation for over three years, things need to change. Take a look at how you can secure big ticket items on a budget.

Car

Forget about buying a brand new car – this will be way out of your price range. Even those people who can afford a brand new set of wheels choose to go for nearly new instead, because the moment you drive a brand new car away from the forecourt, it will have depreciated in value. Instead, head to a company like Really Easy Car Credit who specialise in helping individuals with poor credit or a lack of deposit to finance a well maintained and reliable used car. Give yourself a budget and consider how much you can afford to pay monthly to finance your new car and don’t budge. Take a look at the range of cars that they offer and choose one to fit your family’s lifestyle. If you only have a tiny brood, go for a cheaper hatchback. If you are travelling long distances each month, go for a motor that does over fifty miles to the gallon.

Kitchen

If you’re keen to remodel your kitchen but you can’t afford a bespoke range of cabinets with granite quartz worktops, you are not alone. Instead of fawning over the kitchens in interiors magazines, head down to your local showrooms and check out the ex display models. These kitchens are off the shelf and have had their drawers and cupboards opened a few thousand times, but they will still be in exceptional condition. You could save over half the original recommended retail price. You may not have the same choice as you normally would, but the chances are that the ex display kitchens will include a high gloss model and a shaker style country option.

Holiday

If you are keen to give your kids the chance to travel, then it’s time to source a holiday. Cheap package holidays are available if you can fly last minute. Airlines and foreign hotels want bums on seats and rooms booked, so they will drop their prices dramatically if you can travel within seventy two hours. Alternatively, if you are an early bird and can plan your holiday a year in advance, you will find the cheapest hotel rooms and cheapest flights. Scour the Internet and go on comparison sites as well as direct. Consider self planning your trip rather than a package holiday as this can save you money.

Big ticket items are always difficult to budget for as they can often creep up on you. However, by following this guide, you can budget and plan, and use some nifty little tricks to source what you need without breaking the bank.