This is a guest post by Melanie Taylor
So far, 2011 hasn’t been the easiest year for families trying to budget. With the rise in living costs, many families have had their finances squeezed – making it more important than ever to be economical when budgeting.
But it doesn’t have to be as bad as it sounds. Making your budget stretch further every month is something you could do by spending more wisely – not just spending less – and ensuring you get the most out of your money.
Here we’ll look at some easy-to-follow tips on how to be a ‘frugal family’ – tips that could make your household finances go that extra mile every month…
Cut back on household spending
Times may be tough on most families’ purse strings, but there are also many opportunities out there for spending more sensibly and making cutbacks – even on essential expenses such as food and utility bills. You could:
- Think about using coupons or loyalty cards when you go to the supermarket: they could save you a significant amount on your food bills.
- Look out for special offers (such as ‘buy one, get one free’) and check if your local supermarket has a ‘reduced’ aisle/shelf for cut-price items.
- Check if you could save money on your monthly utility bills: some companies offer a discount if you pay by Direct Debit, for example. It’s also worthwhile shopping around to see if you could switch to a cheaper rate for your gas and/or electricity.
Save money online
Shopping on the internet could help you find all kinds of deals and discounts far better than buying directly from the high street. There are several ways you could save money using the internet:
- When shopping for more expensive home items, such as electrical appliances, buying second hand could help you make significant savings. Websites such as ebay could help you buy nearly new items for a fraction of their original retail price.
- There are many websites that offer money-saving vouchers for things like restaurants and theme parks, which could make family days out much less costly.
Melanie Taylor is a financial expert at ThinkMoney.com. For information and advice on budgeting, mortgages, loans and debt visit the site today.
Are you interested in guest posting on Family Friendly Frugality? Please email me heather @ familyfriendlyfrugality.com. I’m looking for anything in the family friendly/frugal niche, but specifically how-to’s, DIY posts and RECIPES! Must be original content not posted elsewhere.
My disclosure policy is in place for this post.
