What households can do to save money? The one and only the best way for the households to save the money is through groceries and household items.
In this technological world saving money has become an essential part of the life. The hardest thing is getting started to save money. Savings always keeps us safe zone at all the time. Lavish spending on the other hand may make us run into debts one day.
This article discusses the benefits of saving money. It presents the ways to save money on Groceries and household items.
What is Saving Money?
Saving is the income that is unspent or preserved for the future use. There are many ways to save the money. Few methods include opening a deposit account, pension account or investing money in mutual funds etc. Savings also include reducing the expenditures.
Saving and Savings are the two different terms to know. Saving is generally associated with not using one’s assets. Savings is the process of finding the ways to reduce the consumption over one’s assets. People often confused between these two terms.
Benefits of Saving Money:
Saving money is not a tough task if you stick yourself with some dedication and discipline. Most of the people often push the savings to the bottom with a belief to enjoy the present moment. It is perfectly alright to enjoy the present moment at the same time it is most important to secure yourself financially for the following reasons:
1. Help you to get sufficient funds during emergencies:
Emergencies are unexpected and may strike you at any time. Emergency situations usually demand the budget exceeding the regular budget. It is very difficult and puts a lot of pressure to look for extra budget in a short period. Savings will help you from falling into the ocean of debts. Savings often help to respond appropriately at the right situations.
2. Keeps you away from pressure during the times of unforeseen expenses:
It is most common thing that all of us might come across the heavy bills that we have not planned. The situations like car repair, laptop repair, etc are unexpected. Saving help us to withstand against unforeseen situations without turning towards credit cards or personal loans.
3. Savings help you to frame better career for your kids:
Savings help you to build strong base for the successful career of your kids by proving them a quality education. Savings help you to assist your children to purse higher studies in future.
4. Savings help you to achieve major life events :
Savings will help you to cross the major life events and hurdles successfully. Getting married, buying a car or home, travelling the world turn simple with the savings.
5. Savings secure us in old age:
As we age, our ability to work retards and our lifestyles changes. Savings help you to lead a independent and happy life. Happiness comes from the organized life. Savings help to balance all the physical, emotional, and psychological consequences.
How To Save Money On Groceries And Household Items?
Have you ever monitored the money that you spent on groceries? It is one of the routine and the significant expense for most of the households. There are some simple ways to make the grocery expenses affordable and keep you in economy.
We present the ways to save money on groceries and households separately. Let us first discuss the ways to save money on groceries:
1. Know what you need:
Saving money has to begin before going for the grocery shopping. List out the things that you need ahead you shop. People with a list buy less and they don’t miss the required things. Careful steps are required to prepare the groceries list.
Step 1: Analyze your usage
As a household, you are aware of the things that you use more commonly and the extent of their usage. Analyzing will help you to decide how much to buy and how often to buy. This will save you running for the extra room to store the things.
Step 2: Analyze the products that you consume regularly
Know what kind of products that you consume regularly. Refer you previous grocery receipts. Do not miss the essentials. If you miss them, you have to run to the grocery store to buy. It’s most common that households can not come out of the grocery store with the single thing in the hand! Is in it? They will keep on exploring for the new things which may make them run out of savings. Keep the list on the fridge fir easy access and daily update.
Step 3: Organize list into different sections
Organized list will help you to make your shopping easy. Organize your list into various sections like Grains, Dairy, Vegetable, Fruits, Protein foods, snacks. You can organize the list as per your family food habits.
Step 4: Maintain Ongoing Grocery list
Maintain a ongoing grocery list in your kitchen and update it regularly when you run out of the particular food group. This avoids the task of searching all over the kitchen to make the list.
Step 5: Keep your list specific to the season
While making the list make sure to include the seasonal fruits and vegetables. The prices of fruits and vegetables may hike when they are being sold in non season.
2. Plan a weekly Menu:
Plan a weekly menu to ensure that you have enough essentials to serve your family the whole week. You might duplicate the rest of the weeks withe current one depending on the food habits of your family.
3. Have a Budget:
You have the list with you. Now it’s time to make budget. Make a rough estimate and have an approximate budget. Your bill may sometimes exceed or come down your estimate level depending on the offers and discounts provided by the stores.
4. Find the best store or go for online shopping:
Find a best store where you can find all the things at the best price with good offers and discounts. Try different grocery stores to pick the right one with affordable prices and quality products. Prefer stores that offer Price Match and Price Drop policies where you can find the groceries at the best deal.
Many online sites are providing a great deal on the grocery products. Online shopping is the most convenient way to bring the groceries to home. It is especially useful for the mothers with new born baby.
5. Get your offers:
When you shop online, after adding the list find the savings. Find the apps where you can get cashback and offers.
6. Do math on prices:
Sometimes small packs will save your money. Do math in your phone to identify the best quantity with the best price.
7. Buy the things that you need:
Buy the things that you need and often use them regularly. Even if the product is o Sale don’t unnecessarily use the things that you don’t use. Stick to the list and don’t throw yourself in the budget breaking surprises.
Some of the grocery stores offer the scanners go along with the scanners and scan the items when you pick. This makes you aware of the budget and avoids shocking surprises at the counters.
8. Buy few snacks:
Don’t buy the unhealthy snacks and junk food in bulk amount. Try new foods that are healthy and inexpensive. If you have kids with you while grocery shopping, don’t buy all the things that your kids demand. Let the understand that you will buy some healthy and useful things for them.
9. Use Coupons:
Coupons are the great way to save money on a specific item. There are many websites available to find the coupons for the products that you use. Print the coupons and carry them while going for shopping.
10. Aware of business tactics:
Most of the grocery shelves have the expensive items at the eye level. This is the tactic that the grocery stores use. Look up and down while you shop. The most affordable things are placed either on the top or at the bottom.
11. Know the sales cycles:
Some stores run the sale periodically. Get the stock and store in your freezer so that you can have the enough stock to serve till next sale.
12. Go with Cash:
When you shop with credit cards you are more likely to exceed the budget. If you go with cash then you are not at the risk of crossing the budget as you can not afford beyond that. Limited cash keeps you stick to the list.
13. Check the expiry dates:
Check the expiry date with every grocery product that you chose to buy. Prefer to pick the products from the back of the shelves as they are the freshest.
14. Try No name or Store Brands:
Grocery host the No name or Store brands along with the brand ones. They are cheaper and offer less taste when compared to brand ones. If you are doing a budget shopping then try no name or store brands.
15. Buy in Bulk:
Sometimes buying in bulk can save a lots of money especially during the promos and sales.
Be conscious while buying the food items in the bulk. Buy the food items in the bulk only if you have proper storage.
16. Go for tasting samples:
Don’t purchase any new food item in the bulk. Try the samples which come in small packs. If you like them then add them to your list for the next grocery shop.
17. Put limit on the exotic foods:
Exotic food may not last beyond two to three days. So buy them in small quantities. This makes you to save your money.
18. Limit the meat:
If you are planning to save the money on grocery items, then reduce the meat which is expensive. There are many healthy vegetables and fruits that you can replace meat with. Check for the regular deals of your store and buy the meat when it is available on sale.
19. Go to the local farmer’s market at the end of the day:
Farmers don’t want to return with the left overs at the end of the day. So they offer the items at the lowest prices to clear the stock. Go to the nearest local farmer’s market and see what kind of deals you can get.
20. Prefer Non packed fruits and vegetables:
Packed fruits, vegetables, and staples cost the double of the actual price. Go for the unpacked fruits, vegetables and loose staples.
21. Grow some vegetables in your backyard:
Grow some vegetables in your backyard so that you can save some money on vegetables.
22. Shop at the right time:
Go for the shopping when you have fresh and peaceful mind. It is the most important factor that allows to to judge well and pick the right one. Never go grocery shopping when you are busy and tired. If you have the kids who add the things to the cart which are not in the list, then leave them at the home under the supervision of your partner.
Easy Ways To Save Money On Household Items:
Electrical and electronic appliances, baby items, blankets, linens, towels, chairs, and the other home accessories comes under household items. Detergents, deodrants, toothpaste, and toilet accessories seem to be be very simple but they can easily cost hundreds of dollars every month. Here are a few cheapest ways to buy household items:
1. Shop at the right time of the year:
The prices of the furniture may drop out in the beginning and end of the year. Stay tuned on the deals offered by the furniture stores.
2. Skip the candles and Room fresheners:
Everyone want to make their homes give pleasant and welcoming smell. Candles, sprays, and other room fresheners cost more. Try some simple and natural ways to add pleasant fragrance to your home. A small pot of cinnamon and vanilla extracts can give smooth fragrance to your home.
3. Learn to Stitch:
The art of stitching promotes you to repair the torn clothes, suits, curtains, and other household items on your own. You can stitch your own garments to save the money.
4. Use Cloth Napkins:
Use cloth napkins instead of tissues to dry your hands after meal time. Tissues seem to be very simple but may increase your expenses. Cloth napkins are the best alternative to the tissue papers which can be easily washed.
5. Prefer Rechargeable batteries:
We have so many electronics in our home and often spend more amount on batteries. Buy rechargeable batteries that can be reused once recharged.
6. Avoid Latest Technology until the prices come down:
Laptops and mobiles with the latest technologies may tempt you and empty your saving. Hold your savings with the patience and wait till the prices drop.
7. Use Mild soap for multiple purposes:
You can use small quantity of mild dish soap and water to clean many areas of your home like windows, carpets, floors etc.
No need to used specialized cleaners for each different surface in the home. Mild dish soap is the best alternative to remove the dirt and germs without any side effects. Clean your home daily which may help you to avoid tougher cleansers.
8. Make your own Cleansers:
The affordable vinegar is used for many cleansing purposes. You can clean the doors, windows with the vinegar. Vinegar works well with the clothes with the tough stains.
9. Choose Store brands and store them properly:
Sometimes store brands offer the effective results same as branded cleansers. Store brand cleansers are the best alternative to specialized branded cleansers to save money.
Store the cleansers at the proper place away from sunlight and cold. Ensure that the cleansers do not spill and create a mess. Keep them away from the reach of pets and children.
10. Carpool with your neighbors and friends:
Carpool with your neighbors and friends once or twice a week to and from the office to save 10 to 20 percent off your commute costs over the fuel.
11. Use Inexpensive lights:
Replace fluorescent bulbs with incandescent and solar lights. They save budget by less energy consumption thereby reduces the bills.
12. Read E-books and stream movies online:
Read E-books or kindle editions to save money on shopping the books. E-books are often cheaper than the physical books. You can accumulate hundreds of books in your smart phone or lap top.
Stream movies and videos online to avoid going to theatre and avoid extra cost on popcorn, cool drinks and other extra junk food.
13. Compare prices online:
Compare the prices online before buying anything from the stores. Sometimes, some websites offer the products at lower prices when compared with the store prices.
14. Choose Reusable clothes and mops:
Avoid disposable items. They may be handy but may eat your budget. Prefer reusable mops that are made with microfiber cloth. Microfiber cloth is the best choice for cleansing the floor.
15. Pay Your Bills online:
Pay your utility bills online using some trusted apps where you can get cashback and discounts.Paying online will make you regular towards bill payments and avoid the risk of paying late charges.
Put a bar on your budget and save money using the simple ways to save money on groceries and household items.
