Money-Saving Tips for the Family Home
With almost 6 in 10 Americans not having savings in their pockets to cover a $500 or even $1,000 unplanned expense, it’s never been so important to take control of your budgeting to make a difference. There’s hundreds of ways to save on your spending by using some common sense and making small changes around your home. It’s not difficult to become financially-savvy one step at a time; it’s just a question of knowing where to find them and here are some easy ways to save your dollars without compromising on quality.
Cleaning up in the home
The choice of products on the market for cleaning are exhaustive and although they can clean pretty much everything, they will also cost you a small fortune. However, basic homemade cleaning ingredients such as vinegar, lemon or baking soda, when combined, can prove to be equally effective when cleaning around the house. If you have domestic help to assist you, make sure they are covered for unexpected medical expenses so you won’t get caught out with a big bill in case of injury or illness.
Keeping appliances up to date
Although it would initially appear to be counter-productive, updating your older appliances to a new version can drastically cut down on your bills as the older models use up more electricity. Investing in newer types can be more energy efficient which will help to keep costs down. Another good idea is to ensure that you monitor heat in the home by adjusting the temperature according to the time of day and when you are spending time inside. This also applies if you have a cooling system, both of which are likely to reduce your electric bills considerably.
Changing your food habits
The cost of feeding a family can soon add up to an expensive weekly bill but by making some small changes in how and what you all eat will soon keep expenditure down. Try growing your own food, even if you don’t have a garden, as many vegetables and herbs can be grown in containers. It can also be a fun way to involve all the family and spend some quality time together! In a similar fashion, use up leftovers to cook up something tasty the following day and cook food in bulk such as lasagnes or stews which you can freeze for when you fancy a day off.
These ideas are just the beginning! Discuss them with your family and think of other ways so you can all accomplish the same home budgeting goals together.
