Looking for ways to help your family save money? It’s not as hard as you might think. By making a few simple changes to your financial habits, you can easily save hundreds of dollars each month. Here are some tips to get you started!
Always Follow Your Budget
Creating a budget for all the expenses you’re going to have is probably the most crucial step in taking full control of your finances. Start by making a list of your entire family’s financial goals, both short- and long-term. Then map out your menu plans for the upcoming week and buy what you need. While you’re at it, always carry a written list with you when shopping, and remember that it’s best to go shopping alone to avoid unnecessary input from the kids. You may also want to consider doing all your cooking at the beginning of the week and then refrigerating/freezing the entire week’s meals. This requires a chunk of time upfront, but gives you more time during the week to focus on family time.
Keep an Eye Out for Coupons & Sales
Be on the lookout for promos and coupons in grocery store circulars and websites. Watch to see what’s on sale and then plan your meals accordingly. This can help you save significantly not only on food, but plenty other items that you need such as cosmetics or clothes. Visit Discountrue.com and you’ll find coupons for the most popular stores such as Sears or Nordstrom, and many more. Also, consider subscribing to loyalty programs to earn rewards and benefit more from exclusive deals.
Don’t Be Afraid to Buy Generic Products
Contrary to what some people believe, generic doesn’t always equate to poor quality. In fact, many generic products are just as good as their name-brand counterparts in quality. You can save a lot of money by going generic with dry goods such as sugar, baking powder and spices. Other good items to buy generic are dairy products, produce, cleaning products, OTC meds, diapers and beauty products.
Shop Yard Sales in Your Neighborhood
Garage sales/yard sales are a great way to score high-quality products at a fraction of the price. In fact, a garage sale can be a treasure trove for name-brand clothing, kid’s toys, household items and much more. It’s best to visit a yard sale towards the end of the day when the sale hosts are increasingly eager to see their items cleared out and sometimes they will be willing to give you a better deal if you buy multiple items.
Take Advantage of Free Entertainment
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to keep your kids entertained, especially if there are places in your town that offer free events and activities. Most libraries have free music classes and kid’s story hour and many restaurants have kids-eat-free days. Your local newspaper is a good place to check to see what’s being offered in your area.
What are some of your best money-saving tips?
This post was written by a guest contributor.
Lindsey
Tuesday 9th of August 2016
I use a lot of cash back apps! I use Ebates, Checkout51, Ibotta, Saving Star, Yaarlo, Receipt Pal, Receipt Hog, BevRAGE, MobiSave & Find & Save! I'd love to send you my links!