Saving Money as a Family

By :- Kate, On January 17, 2015 in ::-Money

Being a mum is great, very challenging at times but also very rewarding. With so many responsibilities finding ways to save the family a few pennies can seem like a daunting prospect, but it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds.

Saving Money as a Family

Image courtesy of tuart Miles and freedigitalphotos.net

Although we have been told that we are out of the recession, many of us are still feeling the effects, and saving a few pounds here and there can make a big difference to the family budget, but where should you look to try and save money? There are some obvious places to save money, but there are others that you may not have thought about. Let’s have a look at where these savings could be made.

  • Be more environmentally friendly. There are small steps we can take every day to reduce our environmental impact. Using reusable shopping bags, taking shorter showers, and turning off lights when not in use can help lower resource consumption. Evaluating energy costs at home is also worthwhile – things like sealing drafts, adding insulation, and upgrading to energy-efficient lightbulbs can create savings. When considering heating and cooling systems, options like bioheat fuel may be an eco-friendly solution to research further. Bioheat contains both biodiesel and traditional heating oil that creates less emissions. For those looking to be more environmentally conscious while lowering home energy costs, bioheat fuel from companies like Reggies Oil can be a sustainable and efficient choice. By switching to such fuel, individuals can significantly reduce their carbon footprint while still maintaining reliable heating for their homes. With some creative thinking, we can find little ways to help the planet that benefit our wallets too.
  • Shop around for offers. This could take a little time, but checking offers with different supermarkets could prove beneficial in terms of saving money. I am not suggesting driving to each supermarket to hunt out the offers, but checking online before you head out of the door could save a few pounds. On the subject of offers and bargains always remember it’s only a bargain if you are going to use it! Don’t buy things just because the offer is great, this is just a waste of money. Ideally, your shopping habits (with respect to what you buy) shouldn’t change dramatically.
  • Buy in bulk. Often a larger box of washing powder is cheaper (by weight) than a smaller box. Yes, there is an added cost initially but if you compare the cost per 100g (most supermarkets give this information on the shelf label) it is often cheaper to buy the bigger package. I often check the ‘unit price’ when shopping, I am surprised how many times I have found something on ‘offer’ which works out more expensive, this is a good habit to get into. I often buy a 3 for 2 offer, but only if it is something I would usually buy, fresh meat is a good one to go for.
  • Cook in bulk. Where you can double your ingredients when cooking a meal. Things like Bolognese, Curry, and Stews are great for freezing, meaning you are only cooking once, this saves the fuel for the cooker. Cooking in this way also means you have a healthy meal when you don’t feel like cooking.
  • Go coupon crazy. Finding VouchaCodes or similar vouchers online can help to save you a fair amount of money at the tills. Especially good for the larger items you might need, the savings could quickly add up.

These are just some of the ways we mums can save some pennies for our family; can you think of any more?