Saving money has become extremely important, especially in an economy that seems to be constantly on shaky grounds. Sure, the 2008 economic crisis may be history already, but the harsh truth is that most of us still need to pay a lot of attention with our finances.
Saving money is not an easy task – but as long as you have a very clear goal in mind (regardless of whether it’s a vacation or living debt-free), you will be able to make it through.
What are the easiest and most effective ways of saving money every year? We have gathered some of them – so read on if you want to inspire yourself.
Buy local, grow your own, make shopping lists
Aside from the regular bills, food makes for one of the highest expenses in most of the families out there. However, you cannot simply give up on food – you need it for survival, after all. What you can do is pay more attention to how you eat, what you eat and where you buy your food from.
For instance, buying from local farmers is most likely much healthier and less expensive than buying from organic supermarkets. Growing your own produce (even if it’s just herbs and little things) can also save you money in the long run. And never going out without a shopping list to stick to is really important as well.
These are small changes you can implement right away and they will definitely help you make your piggy bank “fatter” with every month that goes by. Even if you save $20 only, that’s still more than $100 in a year – and it’s money you did not have to put a huge effort into.
Last, but not least, keep in mind that sometimes, buying certain items online is much cheaper than buying offline. For example, if you use your printer a lot, you could buy ink cartridges online and save a lot of money on this particular product.
Sell your old stuff
Chances are that over the course of one year, you gather a lot of things you will never use anymore. A pair of jeans bought in a rush and which don’t fit you quite right, a kitchen utensil you did not realize you already owned, toys your kids have grown out of – these things can be a good source of extra income if you organize an annual garage sale.
What’s more, de-cluttering your house from all the things you don’t use anymore will also help you be more relaxed and it will also help you think clearer too – so it’s definitely worth doing it.
Save on energy
Of all the bills we get in the mail every month, the energy one tends to be the highest regardless of where you leave. Saving money on energy is not as difficult as it may sound (and no, you will not have to read your books in candlelight).
Replacing very old appliances, changing the light bulbs with versions that are more environmentally-friendly, not leaving the lights on when you get out of the room – these are, again, easy to do and they will yield maximum savings over the course of several months and even years.
