With the kids heading back to school, you may be looking at a few ways to save some money on a daily basis since there are so many new expenses to add to your budget. There’s actually quite a few ways to do this, so you can get more out of your budget each week. Of course, it may mean putting a little restraint on yourself, but once you get in the routine of making these money saving choices, it will seem entirely natural to you. So, get ready to put back even more money while you get through the expensive and exhausting school year.
1. Ditch the Coffee
It’s probably one of the easiest things to do. That is, hitting the drive-thru of your favorite coffee place after you drop off the kids. Doing this every single day, or even once a week, can add up in price as time goes on though. The best thing you can do is ditch this habit entirely. It might seem hard, but there’s a few things you can do to help you out. First of all, delete the coffee apps off of your phone, so you’re not tempted with the deals or pre-ordering online. Next, you might want to go ahead and brew your coffee before you leave to take the kids to school. This will help cut back on your cravings, so you won’t try to ease them before you get home. If you’re rushed in the morning, then set things up before you go to bed, so all you have to do is hit a button and wait for the coffee to brew. Ditching your habit can save over $20 a week, which can go towards things that are more important for the family.
2. Make Your Lunch
Another easy thing to fall into is grabbing a bite to eat for lunch with friends, or just to make things more convenient. Instead of doing this, pack yourself a lunch when you make your kids’ lunches for school. Then, you will have something waiting for you in the refrigerator when you get hungry. This will also ensure you actually do each lunch, since you won’t have to take too long of a break from your cleaning or other work. There are lots of great things you can pre-make for yourself too, so you won’t be stuck eating kid-friendly foods every day. There’s lots of recipes online, but you can also work around the leftovers you already have.
3. Skim DIY Blogs
One of the easiest ways to save money in the home is to hop online and check out some DIY blogs. You will be amazed by all of the things you can DIY in your home, which can save you hundreds of dollars as time passes. For starters, there’s so many ways you can make your own cleaning supplies, which are great for your budget and the environment. Another option is to check out some of the beauty products they have to offer on these websites. You can find everything from facial scrubs to ways to improve your home manicures. Of course, one of the categories that might really catch your eye is ways to entertain the kids. There’s a wide assortment of games and DIY toys and science experiments that will cut back on the amount of money you spend on making your kids happy.
4. Download Cashback Apps
There’s no doubt about it, shopping really takes a toll on the budget, whether it’s for groceries, clothing or items that you don’t really need. Luckily, there’s a lot of ways to get back money just for shopping these days. When you get on your phone, you can find a wide assortment of apps that actually give you money back. One of the most popular is Walmart’s Saving Catcher. All you have to do is scan the receipts you collect from Walmart and if there are any rollbacks or discounts Walmart gives you the money back. This money is then added to the app so you can use it on future purchases. If you want to save even more, you may want to check out websites like Ebates, which can offer cash back for a lot of the shopping that you do online.
5. Sign Up For Coupons
You already know that coupons are one of the best ways to help cut back on the spending you do at most stores. However, you may not be getting all of the coupons that are available. There’s a lot of websites online that will send you coupons for no charge, so you can get the savings you deserve on the items you buy the most. You might also want to check the front of the grocery store for coupons every time you shop. Sometimes, they will have ads that you may not have received in the mail or ads that you may have already used the coupons from. Also, if you love a particular brand, you can email the company and they will often send coupons as a thank you.
6. Turn Out the Lights
It’s pretty hard to keep the lights off when the kids are home, so do it while they’re at school. Open up the blinds and let the natural sunlight come into the room you’re in. This will cut back on your electric bill substantially. With all of the lights out, you might also show the kids that this is the kind of behavior to follow, which can help them follow the habit when they’re old enough. To save even more money, switch to energy efficient bulbs so you can save even more money when the lights are on. With these two major changes, you’ll see a big change in your bills.
7. Do Errands on One Day
Errands can be a huge burden on you and the budget. So, if you want to cut back on time and energy, do all of the errands you can on one day. Try to begin your task when you drop the kids off and finish them before you have to pick them up, to save on your sanity. If you can, walk or take the bus when you do these errands. You will get in good exercise for the day, while saving on valuable resources. Of course, if you can’t manage to do this, doing the errands in one day is the best way to save on your gas.
8. Spa Time
It is incredibly important to take time out for yourself every week. However, pampering yourself can be very costly if you’re not careful. One of the best ways to treat yourself without harming the budget is to do spa time in your own home. You can easily take a few hours each week to pamper yourself. Try making your own bath bomb and relaxing with a book as you soak for a little while. You can also do your own manicure and pedicures. This time will help you relax, which will cut back on your urge to splurge on other things to make you happy. You also won’t have to spend money on the manicure you try to upkeep, because you will have the time to do so on your own. If you’re really having a rough week, you might ask your partner for a massage to help you wind down.
9. Join Walking Group
Exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your budget. Most recommend that you get in at least 30 minutes of walking a day in order to maintain your health. So, you might want to look into joining a walking group. This can be a group of your friends or even people from the community. Walking together will help keep everyone safe and will also boost your ability to socialize on a daily basis. This can help reduce stress while making you feel incredible. Walking with others might also prevent you from having to spend money on a gym membership. Before you know it, you will have lost weight and will feel like you can conquer anything the school year throws at you.
10. No Power Hour
Another way to cut back on bills is to institute a no power hour in the home. This can be done daily to help improve the way children see the world and to help keep your bills low. During the hour, you shouldn’t have any electronics on, whatsoever. Children can do their homework, read a book, play outside or bond with each other in other ways. The hour may go by so quickly that no one asks to have their electronical devices back for some time. You may even find that children are drawn to other activities more, even when the hour isn’t in place.
Saving money doesn’t have to be a chore every single day. With a few changes in your daily habits, you can cut back on your spending substantially, which will help you find more money to work with. These ten tips only scratch the surface of things you can do to keep your household running on a low budget.
