At this time of the year, most of us are looking for easy ways to save a little money at home. If you overspent at Christmas, you might be looking to cut costs to recoup, and even if you stuck to a budget, you might be keen to tighten things up a little bit. You might have financial targets for the year ahead, exciting things to save for, or even New Year’s resolutions to keep. But saving money isn’t always easy.
You might have read articles telling you that the best way to save is to reduce or shift debt. Or that interest-free balance transfers is the way to go. But, this isn’t always an option. Generally, the more money you’ve got, the more options you have, and the people that really need to save money are the people that find it hardest to do so and feel the most alone. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to save. Here’s a look at some of them.
Cut Some Contracts
Many of us are guilty of paying for things that we don’t use, or that we don’t use enough to be worth it. If you are paying for a gym membership, ask yourself if it’s worth it? Could you pay as you go, switch to a different option or gym, or take up running in the park instead?
We’re also guilty of paying for two things that do the same thing. You might have multiple entertainment packages when you only really need one. Take a look at this guide by troypoint.com for another option. IPTV can offer you an entertainment package with plenty of content, without you needing many different contracts. It can save you money and give you greater access.
Switch Suppliers
Most of us are paying more than we need to for services like gas, electricity, water, internet, cell phone services and other utilities. Sometimes, this is because we are tied until the end of our contracts. But, usually, it’s because we don’t realize, or we think that it’s easier to stay and pay more than to switch and save. But, switching to new providers is easier than it’s ever been before. Often, your new service provider will sort it out for you as soon as you give them the go-ahead.
So, write a list of every service that you are paying for and clear and afternoon to run some comparisons. Switch wherever you can, and you’ll save money without losing anything.
Meal Plan
Food is another area where most families spend more than they need too. You might even be buying too much and wasting unused food. Start meal planning, and you’ll spend less money and waste less food. You’ll also save time, as you always know what you are cooking.
Sit down and write a meal plan for the week ahead, being as specific as possible. Then, write a shopping list for everything you need, taking the time to look in your cupboards to see what you’ve already got. Then go shopping armed with your list. Make this a weekly habit, and you’ll soon start to see savings.
