Saving Money

10 Quick Tips to Save Money...Painlessly!

Living a frugal life doesn't mean you have to give up everything you enjoy.  In fact, it means the complete opposite.  By saving your family money by making small changes, you will be able to save for that new HD TV, vacation or simply have more in your savings account!  These tips are pretty easy to implement into life.  Not all of them will work for everyone but giving just a few of them a try will help.  Remember, every penny counts!



1. Cook at home often.  Simple as that.  Eating out or grabbing dinner through the drive-thru window can be expensive as well as unhealthy.  Cooking meals at home can save you a lot of money plus you know exactly what you & your family are eating.  This can be challenge if you work full time.  In the coming days, I'll be showing you how to prepare freezer meals that take very little time to go from the freezer to the table.  




2. Use Coupons.  Shop the Sales.  I read an article a few months back that attempted to debunk the use of coupons at the grocery store.  Let me tell you this, it didn't hold up.  It claimed that you would buy stuff that you would never use simply because you have a coupon for it.  This may be true in some cases, but not for me.  I use coupons every time I go grocery shopping.  I save an average of 60% on groceries and household goods.  It does take planning.  It does take work, but not much.  Start collecting those coupons.  Match your coupons with store sales to maximize your savings.  It's not hard and I'll be doing a detailed "How To" post A.S.A.P.



3. Pay off debt as soon as possible. Ok, this one may not be painless.  It's hard to let go of those little plastic cards.  But trust me here.   If you carry any debt, focus on paying it off.  Money paid in interest is money thrown away!  This is not an easy task.  It takes time, patience and self discipline.  Dave Ramsey 's books are very helpful and I highly suggest reading Total Money Makeover or Financial Peace.  




4. Organize! Organize! Organize!  You may be saying...Holly has lost her mind!  How can being organized save me money?  Trust me, I haven't lost my mind...yet!  Being organized will help you save money.  If you have bills all over your desk with no system in place, how to do you know what's due when?  You can avoid late fees by organizing your desk.  Look in your pantry or cabinets...do you have 3 opened boxes of the same cereal?  The oldest are going stale sitting in the back of your cabinet and will likely need thrown away.  By organizing your life you will avoid unnecessary waste & late fees.  Plus, as a bonus, an organized home will run more smoothly.  When little Johnny asked where his ball & bat are, you'll be able to tell him.


5.  Make a Budget and Stick to it!  I believe in a household budget.  It's makes life easier for me & my family.  I know what we need to pay out every pay period.  I know how much we can spend on groceries, gas & having fun. I know how much we can put into savings.  Some may think that setting a budget in too limiting...I find it to be freeing.  Knowing where you stand financially is important.  Sit down & make a budget.  Take control of your money!



6.  Switch to a Cash Envelope System.  After you make a budget and know what you can spend consider adapting a cash envelope system.  What prey-tell is that?  It's basically another way to budget your money.  Swiping that little plastic card at the grocery store and going on your merry way is so easy.  But do you really have control over your spending when paying with a debit card?  Chances are you don't...sorry to bust your bubble.  We have a very hard time parting with cash.  Paper money means more to us then a plastic card.  Think about it...what feels better in your wallet...plastic or paper?  Probably paper!  Here's what to do....first make your budget.  Add up your allowance for groceries(this can include drug store & household as well), gas, restaurant, Blow $$ and anything else you would like to pay cash for.  Get an envelope for each category and put the allowed amount into each one.  This will force you to think about every purchase you make because when the cash is gone...it's gone!  This works really good but may take some getting use to.  Don't give up!



7.  Buy Used. Buying gently used clothing for your family can save a lot of money.  Now I'm not telling you buy some else's underwear because that's just ewww!   However shopping at consignment stores, thrift stores and Craigslist can really save some bucks.  Many times you will find as good as new name brand clothing that people got rid of simply because they were outgrown.   If you are having a baby soon, searching Craigslist can be extremely helpful.  There are always people selling highchairs, cribs, bedding and even cloth diapers.  Please be careful when buying from Craigslist and always meet in a public place.




8.  Try Homemade.  Homemade laundry detergents, dryer sheets, cleaners, baby wipes, hair detangler....the list goes on & on.  Search the web for whatever it is you would like to try and I'm sure you'll find a recipe at a fraction of the cost for store bought. Often times these recipes are simple and use stuff you may already have. The good thing about it is if you don't like it you can always switch back.  And since you spent very little money or no money, there's no harm done.  You never know until you try!



9.  Cut Down on Electricity Usage.  There are so many ways to lower this bill.  Turn off the lights when you leave a room.  Turn off the monitor when you know you'll be away from your computer for awhile.  Switch to CLF light bulbs.  If you have an electric dryer consider line drying or hanging them outside in the warm months.  Turn your thermostat up a few degrees in the summer to save on A/C costs.  Keep your freezer full if possible.  A full freezer will run less then an empty one.  Turn off the TV, get outside or find a fun craft to entertain the kids.  I'm sure you got the idea!  Cut back on usage and save some money!




10.  Brown Bag It!  Your lunch, your spouses'  lunch, your kids' lunch(or lunches) all add up if you're buying them everyday.  So brown bag it!  Packing your lunch at home can save you a small fortune.  If you are pressed for time in the morning consider packing lunches the night before and keeping them in the fridge.  That way everyone can grab their bag on the way out the door.  Switch it up so no one gets bored.  Most work places have a refrigerator & microwave available for employees to use.  Taking leftovers from last nights meal can be a great hot lunch the next day.  My son's school lunches $3.75 per day!  That's $75 per month!  Or  $675 per year!  Insanity!!!  We pack his lunch everyday not only to save money but also because he has a food allergy.  We can be certain that he's eating food that is healthy& safe for him.  There are so many perks to brown bagging it!  This tip is kind of the same as the first one but I thought it needed more attention. 

I hope you found this post helpful.  Don't feel that you have to do all of these things today.  Take your time and implement a 1-2 per week.  Before you know it, you'll be seeing the savings!



Live Frugal.  Live Happy.

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