Cutting Household Expenses Painlessly
By J. Wilson
There are a number of ways to reduce your day to day expenses painlessly. This allows you to to improve your overall financial picture. Cutting household expenses in your daily budget equals more money in your savings account.
Ways to Save
Only shop with a list. Never go the store without your list or you will buy more than you should. It is easy to get distracted by all the choices in the store if you are not shopping from a list.
Avoid shopping when you are hungry. Going to the grocery store when you are hungry can raise your grocery bill by ten percent or more. When you shop hungry, everything looks good and you are more tempted to buy more than what is on your grocery list.
Shop in the off season. Buy your winter coats when they are on the clearance racks. You can save 50% or more. Buy your swimsuits and shorts at the end of summer and save a bundle. Buy your Christmas ornaments in January and you will get them up to 75% off. Never pay retail for anything.
Set your thermostat for maximum energy savings. Gradually adjust the temperature of your homes thermostat to reduce or raise the temperature to the best energy saving temperatures. The recommended setting are 78 degrees for the air conditioner and 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter.
Eat out less. Eating meals out is a big expense in many households. If you usually eat out twice a week, you can save $100-200 a month by cutting back to just once a week. Eat out for lunch instead of dinner and you will save even more.
Avoid using credit cards. You can avoid accumulating high-interest debt on any purchases by using cash instead of credit.
Avoid paying costly ATM fees. When you need to withdraw cash make sure you only use your own bank’s ATMs to avoid transaction fees. These fees add up quickly.
Small savings over time equals more money in your pocket.
Learn more about Money Management J. Wilson owns and manages the website http://www.livingonmoney.com
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