Just like a business, families are always looking for ways to cut down on expenses. That means a bit of extra money for a vacation, regular Friday night dinners out, or that Christmas gift that’s just a little too expensive.
One of the best ways to start cutting down on expenses and saving money is by starting at home. We all know that it’s best to turn the lights out after leaving a room and make sure to not leave the water running regularly.
There are also plenty of other ways to save money and budget accordingly around the house, so let’s get started!
Choose Healthier Options It’s been a topic of discussion that eating healthy is more expensive than the unhealthy route, so how can this save you money?
There are a few ways that healthier eating can save you money.
The first step is to start drinking water. It’s time to ditch sodas, juice, and other beverages. You can start by aiming to drink your recommended eight cups a day and saving other beverages for when you go out.
While organic fruits and veggies can be expensive, it can be cheaper to buy them in bulk the week you’re going to eat them instead of buying way in advance. Don’t worry, you can find some healthy dessert options too that taste great.
Lastly, cook your meals and freeze them for later. They’ll be perfect for nights you don’t feel like making dinner and ordering take-out instead.
Do Laundry Differently
When it comes to chores, laundry is often at the top of the “most hated” list.
You can save money with your laundry by changing the way you wash your clothes.
For starters, only wash in cold temperatures. While hot water is best for washing things in your sink, cold water will work just fine when it comes to your clothes.
After taking them out of the washing machine, hang them to dry instead of putting them in the dryer. Obviously, this is difficult in winter but perfect for the summer months.
Don’t Procrastinate Small Projects
Small problems rarely go away on their own and ignoring them is likely to cause more issues for you down the line.
Even though you may not be the biggest DIY person in the world, you can still handle little repairs here and there. If you’ve got a leaky faucet or a running toilet, try to fix it yourself before calling a professional.
That leaky faucet could turn into a broken sink which sets you back even more financially.
But Know Your Limits
Even though you might try your hand at a number of projects around the house, you should know your limit. Tinkering with something you don’t know a lot about could lead to further damages and a greater bill.
For example, heating and air conditioning are essential to any part of the home and it’s best to contact a reputable HVAC company instead of breaking out your own toolbox to fix the issue.
Review All Expenses
Once you get past the important expenses like utilities and groceries, you should look at your other expenses with a magnifying glass.
While you may love having an Amazon Prime account, how often do you order from Amazon? You might still be getting the newspaper, but do you have time to read it?
While some of these expenses may be just $10-15 per month, they still represent triple-digit savings every year.
Make Your Money Work for You
OK, this one comes with a huge asterisk, but there are plenty of credit cards out there that offer cash back rewards or promotions on everyday items like groceries, gas, or other utilities.
While many of these charge a monthly fee, you could be saving (or receiving cashback) on a certain percentage of the money you spend each year.
You can set aside that money for the end of the year or halfway point and spend it on what you need.
Hold Off on Those Brand New Items
Every year, the latest gadget comes out that promises to revolutionize the world. The next year, the same company releases a similar gadget with similar promises.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
It can be tempting to run right for those new items to feel like you’re on the cutting edge, but oftentimes these items will go on sale in a few months or see their price chopped in half in a year’s time.
Even worse, that gadget may never catch on. Can you remember the last time you watched something on a 3D TV? What about your HD-DVD player?
Incredibly sensible advice. Most of us could trim a little money off our outgoings somewhere in that list. I am just getting into buying my clothing, footwear and accessories from charity shops. It is surprising how much new or hardly worn stuff you can find in them!