Smart shopper tips
Dressing well does not have to cost a fortune. If you take a little time to plan your needs and treat your wardrobe like the investment that it is, you can make a little go a long way. You can also look like you spend a lot of money on your clothes when all you are really doing is combining a few well-chosen, high-quality pieces. Below are several ways you can be frugal and still look like a million bucks.
Plan Your Lunches - Daily
By packing your lunches every day, a family of three can save about forty-five dollars a week or around $2,340 a year. This is based on a nutritious lunch that includes sandwich, water, fruit, carrot or celery sticks and yogurt. You will not only find yourself saving money, but feeling healthier and fuller.
Plan Your Home Cooked Meals - Weekly
Home cooked meals are great, and cooking them does not have to be an unpleasant task. One method is taking two hours on a Saturday or Sunday, cooking three main dishes and three vegetables. Then section the food into different microwavable containers to make separate meals. It’s usually enough to last three days. In the evenings instead of cooking or eating out, put a container in the microwave and within seconds you have a home cooked meal. You end up cooking about two or three time per week. You save time, money, and get variety.
Home schooling can be a gratifying experience for the whole family. However, it can also be tough on your wallet. Frugal home schooling is becoming a popular term among the majority of families living on limited income or for those wanting to cut back on expenses. Below are several ways you can save money and still offer your child a wonderful education.
The Internet is a valuable source that most families can’t live without. From researching essay papers to curriculum, anything you need to search for is available online for free and right in the convenience of your own home. Online auctions are a great way to purchase used curriculum programs and books. A trip to your local library will probably fit most of your needs. Not only do you get to borrow books for free but also it makes a fun family outing. Before heading off, make a list of the books and topics you need to borrow so you don’t forget what’s needed.
With a little adjusting, you can save a ton of money on everyday necessities such as food, personal items and electricity. It may take a bit more adjusting in the food area, as we all tend to have our favorite brands of food. You don’t have to forgo all your favorites, but the more you change, the bigger the savings.
Food & Toiletries
* By far, making lunch at home is one of your biggest opportunities for saving! I made lunch and snacks and brought them to work.
* Instead of buying shower gel, go back to soap bars. They last longer and are much cheaper.
* Don’t wash your hair every day, and when you do wash your hair, only wash it once. That saves lots of shampoo.
* Make your own coffee at home — or cut it out altogether and put that money aside in your financial freedom jar. One guru calls that the “latte factor.”
* As a nation, we eat out a whole lot more and buy convenience foods to just heat in the microwave — but these can be expensive. Cooking may take time, but it does save you lots of money.
* Buy generic! Seriously? They don’t taste different from the name brand. Try it. Ok, some things may be non-negotiable, but you’d be surprised what is. Your grocery bill will go way down.
* Take the effort to cut coupons, take advantage of sales, and go to discount warehouses, like Sam’s Club or Costco.
Heat & Electricity
* If you don’t already have one, get an electric thermostat with a timer, so you can change the temperature automatically during specific times of the day. Lower the temperature when the family is out of the house.
* Use space heaters and lower the heat in the rooms you use. Use an electric blanket at night.
* There is plastic covering you can get at the hardware store and cover your windows. That keeps the heat in the house.
Frugal family fun is easy to find. Enjoying an outing doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Below I list several ideas for frugal outing for the family. Pick one, or even all of them, and enjoy.
