We have stepped into a bad situation,that is the finance crisis.So we find that we are not so rich to save as before.Then we should take some measures to save money.But what should we do ?
Nothing is more basic than food, and with food costs rising along with everything else, this is where a lot of your family budget is probably going. A few simple changes can save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year:
Studies have shown that people who only shop once per week spend far less money than those who go several times per week. In fact, shoppers who make that quick trip to the store for one item will spend as much as 54% more than they had planned. In addition, buying in bulk less frequently is less expensive (and easier on the environment) than purchasing individually packaged items. So plan out your list and try to only go to the grocery store once per week.
Leave your children at home, if at all possible. You can focus better without little whiny voices begging for this or that, and you won’t end up buying extras you don’t want or need.
Adopt a tip from your mom or grandmother (who probably survived some tough economic times and know what they’re talking about) and clip coupons. Find the coupon booklets from the store you frequent (and thus find coupons you’d actually use), and have an envelope or bin at home to save them in. When it’s time to plan your shopping trip, look through your coupons and use them to help plan the week’s menu, then buy the items on sale.
While it’s important to buy some products for their name brand or organic health benefits, choose generic labels whenever possible.
Many people are already cutting down on expensive extras like going out to eat. You don’t have to give it up entirely, just prioritize. Save restaurant outings for extra-special occasions, and savor the outing for the treat that it is. Pick places that offer two-for-one deals, or ask friends for recommendations of inexpensive restaurants. It’s difficult to enjoy yourself if you’re worrying about the bill, so next time you think about dining out, consider whether it’s worth the expense.
Pre-planning goes a long way in terms of lunch meals also. If you grab lunch at a cafeteria or nearby sandwich shop from work, it’ll cost you a lot more than if you take a few moments the night before and pack a delicious, nutritious bagged lunch. Include this planning for your grocery trips, and use ideas from your deli to dream up imaginative and creative lunches for yourself (one of my recent favorites: cream cheese with a little bit of smoked salmon, cucumber, and fresh tomatoes from my garden on herb bread…yum!).
Think the same way about that triple-whip-whatever latte you grab from the espresso drive-through. A $3 or $4 cup of coffee every morning can add up to about $75 per month, or over $900 per year. That’s the equivalent of about five gallons of gas per week. Read the rest of this entry »
