4 Easy Things You Can Do To Save Money At Home
Tuesday, February 28, 2017, 6:00 AM | Leave Comment
There are several small changes that you can make at home that can cut costs drastically.
Whether you have a large family or you are a single individual, saving money can be fairly simple if you follow these four tips.
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Monitor Utility Usage
For many families, utility usage can take up a large portion of a financial budget.
Households can take small simple steps to become more energy efficient.
For example, you can instruct your family to turn off all lights and appliances after they leave a room.
Also, you can encourage your family to take shorter showers to cut down on your water bill.
If you need to rely on air conditioning or a furnace, consider cooling or heating only the portion of your house where your family routinely congregates.
If you have a lawn or outdoor plants, make sure to water them at night to prevent evaporation, which can affect your water bill.
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Avoid Food Waste
The average American wastes hundreds of pounds of food each year. Instead of allowing items to spoil in the refrigerator, find ways of retaining some of those foods.
You may want to start by fixing more leftovers for the family instead of constantly making new meals.
If your family grows tired of a certain type of food, spice it up by incorporating other recipes and ingredients.
Also, family members should use their freezer more efficiently and effectively. Although certain foods can only last a few days in the refrigerator, other types can last several months if stored properly in the freezer.
Make sure to invest in a good set of Tupperware as well as some sturdy plastic freezer bags.
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Cook More At Home
Instead of relying on fast food or dining out at restaurants, plan to cook more.
Cooking at home allows a family to not only save hundreds of dollars a month, but also can force everyone to eat healthier. When cooking at home, you can make large dishes and spread them out over several days.
If you have a crockpot, you can create one-dish meals for your family that are not only hearty and delicious but also nutritious.
Consider making lunch at home instead of always going out for a bite to eat at noon, which can be expensive over the long run.
If you have an outdoor space, you may also want to consider planting some fruits and vegetables. Not only can you enjoy nutritious produce that is devoid of pesticides, but also growing them in your backyard can be extremely cost effective.
Other families have opted to make their own deserts, such as ice cream or popsicles at home, which can be cheaper and fun.
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Eliminate Your Cable
More and more families are finding that they do no rely on cable as much as they did in the past.
With Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime, you do not always need a cable package to watch the shows that you love.
Instead of a premiere cable package, consider downgrading your cable to something more basic.
For some cable companies, they have packages that offer you just the first twenty or thirty channels, which can be significantly cheaper.
If you have a family, you may want to encourage your children to read more instead of constantly relying on television for entertainment.
On special occasions, you can purchase a family friendly film or go to see a movie.
Families can learn how to stop spending money around the house if they monitor their behavior.
There are small changes that everyone can make that can allow you to retain more money in your wallet, while also maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. Every family should research other additional ways to further save money around their household.
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Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
