Household Money Saving Tips - What you can do to stretch your dollars starting NOW!
A frugal household is a happy household as far as I'm concerned. There are so many ways to save money around the house and if you set your mind to it when first starting off, then pretty soon it will become second-nature. The whole family can get involved with household money management, which makes saving money that much more enjoyable!
Household Money Saving Tips begin with these simple principles:
Do It Yourself! - Do It Yourself, also known as DIY is a great way to save big bucks. Why overpay someone else to take care of minor repairs that you can probably handle yourself? I know, it may sound overwhelming (grunt!) but if you simply apply a bit of energy and research into your household project, you can end up saving a lot more then you think.
No fancy Maid required - Yes, I am so guilty! I have hired cleaning ladies and have really enjoyed the extra time with my family by NOT cleaning my own house. Is hired help the way to go? Depends.
Time is Money. If you make a good hourly wage and can use the time saved by not cleaning your own place to earn more income, perhaps a cleaning service will be the direction in which you wish to proceed.
For the rest of us (yes, I gave up paying someone else to do my "dirty work"), cleaning the house yourself provides a great opportunity for household financial bliss and gives you the chance to sort through clutter.
Budget Gift Giving - How many birthday parties does your child get invited to each year? Think about all the gift-giving holidays on our calendars! We'd be crazy to think we can rule out gifts all together (though I have heard that some people do take that drastic measure)... Why not consider homemade cards and presents?
My sister, Krissy is famous in our family for being the resident "thrifty greeting card maker". Although we affectionately tease her, we all secretly appreciate her thoughtful and creative cards! In my opinion, the time taken to create her masterpieces sure beats stopping by the local hallmark for a $5.00+ greeting card.
Make your household items last! - Taking pride in the things you own goes a long way in keeping your household budget in tact. By taking care of the items you do choose to buy, you will not have to replace them as often. By putting things back where they belong, you won't loose them and have to rush out and buy new things because you can't find them. This is just simple common sense. How to make things last longer is a great page that provides easy and practical tips to extend the life of your household items.
Meals for the budget conscious - Great strategies are all you need to feed yourself and your family on a budget. First and foremost, stop going to restaurants! My boyfriend and I have recently decided to spare our wallets the pain of romantic over-priced restaurants, and have opted to cook at home more often (well... he does the cooking ;) )
Take a visit to the Cheap Recipes or Grocery Savings section for inspiration.
Save Energy, Save Money! - We all know that conserving energy is good for the environment. Saving energy is also good for your wallet. Now who doesn't like that? I have compiled a simple list for home energy savings for you to get some ideas on how to save money on energy.
Home Remedies can help your budget - I think everyone I know has had a cold or a headache at some point in their lives. What about poison ivy or eczema? I recently discovered a great site created by SBIer Lisa, called Priceless-Home-Remedies.com. She covers a variety of health and household home remedies that won't cost you a fortune. Why spend your hard earned dollars, when most of the products she recommends are right at your fingertips?!
Think about your purchases - Impulse buying is a no-no! There are so many products and services that we use day to day when maintaining our household and I urge you to think about your purchases BEFORE you make them. Take the time to comparison shop and research your household financial needs, as you could end up saving big-time!
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Quotes to Ponder
"One must be poor to know the luxury of giving."-George Eliot
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