Easy Ways to Cut Monthly Expenses Without Changing Your Lifestyle
You’ve probably come to the realization that it’s sometimes very difficult to use shrinking finances to maintain the same quality of life. As things get tougher, it becomes increasingly difficult for you to do the things you enjoy without sacrificing everyday financial needs.
You can avoid allowing this tight economy to get in the way of your enjoyable lifestyle. Just get smart with your monthly expenditures so you can leave room for disposable income. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself enjoying finding new ways to be frugal so you’ll have more money to do the things you like!
Discover how cutting specific expenses can result in even more enjoyment than before.
What to Cut: Here are some simple ways to cut monthly expenses:
Utilities. Regardless of what you’re currently spending on utilities like electricity and heat, there is always room to cut that bill a little more. Instead of using overhead lights in all rooms, start using your standing and desk lamps. They burn less electricity and still illuminate a room sufficiently.
Eat at home. Learn to be creative in the kitchen so you can prepare some of your favorite meals at home. It’s nice to go to your favorite restaurant to have that spinach quiche you like so much, buy why not just buy your own ingredients and make it at home? You’ll likely get three or four more servings than what you get at the restaurant!
Paid TV & Streaming Services Your paid cable TV package or streaming service might include all available channels, but how many of them do you really watch? Instead of cutting out your cable expense altogether, go for a cheaper package with all your favorite channels and programs.
Fun Ways to Reallocate Your Savings
With the savings you’ve realized, here’s how you can reallocate the money:
Energy-saving lamps. Now that you’ve saved on utilities like electricity, you can perhaps now go shopping for new lamps to match the décor of your apartment. While ceiling lighting is not readily changeable, lamps certainly are!
Give your place a facelift with new lamps that visitors will be sure to notice.
Friends. Meet your friends three nights a week instead of two. And remember, you don’t need to overspend when you go out. Just order a cocktail or two and chill for the rest of the evening.
Eat out every so often without feeling guilty. Treat yourself once a month to dinner from a new restaurant you’ve never tried before. The more you cook for yourself at home the more savings you’ll realize. These savings can be put towards a dining splurge now and then. So you’ll still be able to maintain the lifestyle – just in moderation.
Other Cool Tips: Money-Saving Tips That are Easy to Implement
Your savings account is a tool that can give you financial freedom and peace of mind. It provides a buffer in case of emergencies and relieves you of needless worry. When the car breaks down or your child needs to see a doctor, you have the money in the bank when you save on a regular basis.
Even a little savings can add up to a sizable nest egg, especially if you’re saving on a consistent basis!
Follow these money-saving tips to grow your bank account and peace of mind:
Brew your own coffee. By brewing your own coffee each morning rather than making a daily run to your favorite premium coffee and latte store, you’ll save a considerable amount of money over the course of one year. As an added bonus, you’ll likely lose weight by opting for a cup of simple, home brewed expresso rather than a frothy frappe with all the bells and whistles.
Assuming that your daily premium coffee order is priced between $4.00 and $5.00 you can save between $1200 and $1460 each year!
Use coupons strategically. You can maximize your savings by shopping at a grocery store by shopping for specials and using coupons you receive in your mailbox. Â If you truly want to ramp up your savings, deposit the amount you save into your savings account.
Some grocery stores, such as Coles Woolworths AGA give fuel vouchers and other coupons on the back of the docket. Â Â Keep them in your purse or wallet and plan to use them before they expire.
Tip Jar
When you cook an especially complex meal, treat yourself to a tip. Keep a tip jar at the counter and estimate the amount you would have paid for a similar meal at a restaurant and bank that amount in your “chef’s tip jar.”
Let’s say, for a meal of pasta for four, you pay $60. Save money by cooking the meal at home, and tip yourself $6
If you don’t have cash on you can simply transfer the amount of your “tip” to your savings account.
Coin operated laundry. Keep a jar in your laundry room and pay yourself $3 every time you do laundry. One dollar to wash, one dollar to dry and one dollar to fold. And, if you’re feeling generous, leave yourself a tip! Assuming that you do laundry three times per week, you can save $156 per year!
Saving money can be fun if you’re creative. By implementing these simple, quirky tips, you can put a smile on your face and add a remarkable amount to your savings account throughout the course of just one year!
