"Frugal Living Means Doing a Lot of Small Things Everyday to Save Money"
When we think of saving money it always seems like a big job. If we look at saving on a grand scale, we can easily be overwhelmed. However, saving money daily adds up over time. Here are some ways to cut your expenses that can amount to more than you think.
How about your early morning stop to the coffee shop? That cup of coffee may wake you up, but the amount of money you save by driving straight to work will be the real eye-opener. Most offices have coffee available free of charge to their employees. If you don’t like the brand, buy your own bag of Starbucks ground coffee and make a fresh pot when you arrive. It is cheaper than hitting the coffee shop each morning.
Eating lunch with the guys at work is fun but costly. You don’t have to cut out those friendly lunches, but why not limit it to once a week. If you eat in a food court like at the mall, you can still participate in the conversation; just bring your lunch from home.
With the price of gas, more people are watching how many times they jump into the car and go places. In order to save money on gas, plan to run as many errands as possible in one trip. On your shopping, visit the grocery store, beauty shop, doctor’s office, and anywhere else you have to go all in the same day. That way, when you return home from work the other four days of the week, your car is parked until the next morning.
On any given day, I find at least a dollar in change around my house. It comes from my husband’s pocket or from my kids. Everyone wants paper money but don’t think twice about change, unless they are looking to get something from a vending machine. Even then, most vending machines take bills now.
Collect that loose change in a large glass jar. I use a wine bottle. When it is full, take it to one of those change sorting machines in the grocery store and see how much you’ve got. This extra money can be set aside in a “rainy day” account. Every little bit helps.
Stop using your telephone to order takeout food. Instead, before you leave the house in the morning, take something out of the freezer to cook for dinner. When dinner is the last thing you want to think about in the evening, place that meal in the slow cooker.
You don’t need to thaw the meat in the slow cooker. It will thaw and cook throughout the day. Set the time for the longest setting, then add your spices, a little liquid, and some vegetables for an instant dinner when you return. The money you save on takeout can go towards a night out for a special occasion.
What are some of the things that you spend money on each day? Can you cut back on some of those expenses? If you can, you will save yourself some cash. There are always alternatives to the things we like doing that are just as enjoyable and cost less. The trick is to take the time to find them.