Single people and couples living together know full well how difficult it is to establish and then stick to a personal budget. With our base temptations, and all the different expenses it takes to keep a roof over your head and food on the table, simply keeping your head above water is one of the biggest challenges any adult has to face. However, when you throw a child into the mix, things can become twice as hard overnight. If you’re expecting, or you’ve recently had a child and you’re worried about what this means for your finances, here’s a compendium of ways to save money on just about anything…
Learn About Sales Cycles
From Public Domain Pictures
Knowing when certain goods go on sale throughout the year will make it easier to stock up on things when they’re at their lowest prices. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to become acquainted with these sales cycles. Typically, bedding and linens will be on sale during January. March is a great time to save on frozen food, and April has some excellent offers on cookware, paint and cleaning supplies. August is the season to buy large appliances, and October is the best time to stock up on toys and games. These are just a few of the patterns you can pick up on in order to penny-pinch in as many areas as possible. After a little research, you’ll be able to fill your calendar up with reminders of where to find the best sales.
Stockpile, But Don’t Go Overboard
Stockpiling supplies can lead to some huge savings, but you don’t need to go crazy to make sure you’re living economically. You probably don’t need 50 bottles of laundry detergent to hand at all times. However, making sure you always have a backup in the cupboard will keep you from having to rush out to the nearest store and buying a replacement for much more than you need to pay. Stock up when the sales come around, but don’t convert all the money you have into consumable goods!
Discover DIY Cleaners
Homemade cleaning products are not only much more cost-effective, but are also free of harsh, harmful chemicals. You may have come across this idea before, and thought that you would be biting off more than you could chew. However, many effective homemade cleaners are very easy to make. Most of them can be made with a couple of affordable ingredients, such as vinegar, liquid soap and baking soda. Making this change may sound too small to make a difference, but in the long run you can stand to save a small fortune.
Leverage Cashback
Cashback incentives are a hugely effective way to save a lot of money on things that you’d buy anyway. There are now countless websites and apps dedicated to helping people get money back on their purchases, from specialist online purchases to routine grocery shops. After getting comfortable with a few services, sign up to their newsletters to keep on receiving updates on deals and promo codes. Again, make sure you’re exercising a little self-restraint. When your inbox is constantly full of discounts and special offers, it can be easy to let it all go to your head. Play the system, but only buy the things that you really need.
Get Stuff for Free
No, I’m not suggesting that you start shoplifting! I’m suggesting that you pay more attention to the (legitimately) free things that may be right under your nose. The word “free” may seem like a gimmick sometimes, and in a lot of instances, it is. However, every now and then, free stuff is going to be well within your reach. One of the best ways to do this is leveraging shop reward programs to build up points, and then cashing them in for things that you need. Pretty much every grocery store has their own rewards program, and although some may be more generous than others, you can usually stand to save a lot of money, no matter where you go for groceries. Start using yours, and pretty soon you’ll start to figure out how to earn the most amount of points for the least amount of money.
Drive for Less
From Pexels
Travel isn’t exactly something you can live without these days. Like countless other people, you may be overlooking a lot of great opportunities for saving on the cost of driving. You can save a lot on fuel simply by getting into some good habits while you’re driving. Not driving too fast, keeping in the right gear for the conditions, avoiding using air con, and getting your car serviced whenever it’s due, can all lead to you stretching the petrol you pay for much further. Going back to my last point, a lot of supermarkets have reward schemes where you can save on their petrol pumps for spending a certain amount in-store. Another effective way to cut down the cost of driving is shopping around for cheaper insurance, using a dependable car insurance comparison service. Running a car makes up a large portion of people’s personal budgets, and looking for ways to save on it will free up a huge amount of money in the long run.
Buy More Things Used
One quirky and fun way to try to save money is to spend a week trying to buy exclusively second-hand items, from your clothing all the way to your kitchenware. Charity shops and thrift stores are overflowing with practical bargains, provided you know where to look. Gorgeous décor and household items, toys, barely-used clothing and so on can all be picked up for very low prices. If you’re an avid reader, then buying your material from charity shops will also save you a small fortune. If you’ve never been one to sift through these kinds of stores, sites like Gumtree could be more up your alley.
Pay Less for Family Fun
Taking the whole clan for a day out can get extremely pricey. However, if you do your research in advance, you can save a small fortune on having fun with your family. London and other big cities are full of free museums, many of which go out of their way to accommodate for kids and give the adults a break. You can also buy annual passes that cover a range of different attractions, and when you have kids who are full of energy, it doesn’t take much for these cards to pay for themselves. Following local attractions on Facebook will also keep you updated with any promotions they run. You can also keep the kids entertained for free by taking some sports equipment down to the park, or going for walks around a local nature reserve.
Adjust your Thermostat
We all know that big household expenses can creep up on you, and if you’re only just managing to make ends meet, even small expenses can force you to reach for your credit card and drive yourself into debt. One great way to give yourself a little more wiggling room in your budget is simply adjusting your AC and heating more often, or investing in a smart thermostat which can be scheduled to lower the heat while you’re sleeping or out of the house, and raise it again when you need it. On the subject of these things, it’s also important to change your AC and heating filters on a regular basis. If a filter gathers too much dust, it can make the whole system much less effective, and even lead to costly damages.
