Looking to save money, cut expenses, and live more frugally? Join me for Frugal Fridays, a series that will help you get a handle on your finances, be more intentional with your money, and live comfortably within your means. Let’s learn to live better on less together! Check out last week’s post here.
After I wrote the initial post about ways for your family to save money, I realized that there were still more that I wanted to include!
These five suggestions will hopefully work for your family, as they’ve worked for mine. Feel free to pick and choose what best serves you. Remember to only implement changes that you can sustain. Sacrifice is grand, but only if you can live with it. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for failure and you’ll fall back on old habits. Think crash dieting.
Give these ideas a shot and enjoy the difference in next month’s bills and in your budget.
[Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see below for more details]
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Pack a lunch.
My job used to offer a per diem for lunch each day. To save money, I made my own lunch and gladly pocketed that money each paycheck. Using last night’s leftovers or just putting together a sandwich and some other odds and ends can save you money every day you don’t spend it eating out.
If you tend to buy smoothies, grab some frozen fruit, yogurt, and juice and make your own in the blender. Same goes for coffee. Treat yourself to your favorite creamer to jazz up your home brew and take a day off from Starbucks (or a week, if you can stand it). The more food you get from home rather than a restaurant or eatery, the more money you will save.
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Turn off what you’re not using.
Go through the house at night and shut off any fans or lights that were left on. Unplug the TV, phone chargers, and other electronics that are not being used. They drain electricity as long as they’re plugged in. If you fall asleep to the TV at night, set a sleep timer so it’s not running for hours while no one’s watching. If your kids aren’t ready to sleep in the dark, consider a small plug-in night light rather than a hall light left on until morning.
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Buy generic.
For years, I was sure that the generic and store brands were not as good as their name brand counterparts. But over time, I’ve found that nearly all the products I’ve tried work just as well. Don’t believe me? Compare ingredients and nutritional facts and you’ll see that they are nearly identical. Unless you are very specific about something (I admit, I don’t like generic Listerine or Q-Tips), reach for the store brand next time and enjoy the extra money in your pocket.
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Ditch the disposable.
If it’s possible for your family, consider integrating washable rags into the places that you normally use paper towels. If your kids are like mine, they run through a roll with little regard to conservation. I bought a package of 18 washcloths that we use for everyday clean-up, and when we’re done, we just toss them into the washing machine until the next load is run.
If there’s a baby in the house, consider cloth diapers rather than disposables. My sister used cloth diapers for all of her kids. She’s probably saved tons over the years. My kids are still in Pampers, but I can appreciate the cost effectiveness, as well as the cute look. They have definitely evolved since the days of white cloth rectangles and safety pins. This idea also works for paper plates and cups, coffee cups, rechargeable batteries, and others.
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Downgrade your plans.If you can’t do without your cable or dish, call your provider and see if there are discounts, or downgrade what you already have. They are often very accommodating in an effort to keep your business.
Check your cell phone bill. Do you need that many minutes, text messages, or data? Or can you pay less for a plan that’s more in line with your usage? Are you paying for a premium member package at your child’s play place when a more basic one would do? Look at things you pay for each month and see if you can shave off some of the expense. Or better yet, say goodbye altogether.
Many families have security systems, which can get pretty expensive. See if you are getting the best deal on yours. Check out this in-depth review guide by Consumers Advocate for alternatives.
I hope these help you to save a little extra this month and give you some breathing room if money is tight. These aren’t even the tip of the iceberg, but they are things that I’ve tried or seen up close for myself and know to be effective. Some worked better than others (if I unplug my coffeemaker, how will it start brewing before I even wake up? You understand…), but a few really made a difference. For example, my cable bill went down $30 a month when we downgraded our plan, before we eventually decided to just cancel it. That money paid our water bill!
Good luck and happy saving!
How are you saving money on your bills this month? Let me know in the comments.
[Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and I never recommend anything I haven’t used myself and loved.]
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