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We’ve always find it ironic that when the government reports that the cost of living or Consumer Price Index has increased only +0.4% (Feb 2015) that this does not include the cost of gas or food. And while the cost of gas has dropped recently, the cost of food continues to increase every month. If yours is a typical family you’ve probably also seen increases in the cost of your cable or satellite service and your utilities. It’s tough these days to just stay even let alone save money. Fortunately there are some simple tricks that you could use to cut your everyday costs and fatten up your piggy bank.
Let’s work on that grocery bill
If you grow pale and faint when you see the total amount you’ve just spent on a week’s groceries, take heart. There are some simple things you could do to cut down the cost of your groceries. It begins with making a grocery list. The simple fact is that you should never go to the grocery store without a list. This accomplishes two things. First, it ensures that you’ll get everything you need, which will cut down on those trips you have to make to get the stuff you forgot. Second, having a grocery list will keep you from spending money on all those tempting things you see at those aisle-and displays.
Next, become an avid coupon clipper. You’ll find them in your newspaper – probably on Wednesday — as this is normally food day. If you don’t get a newspaper go online and sign up for your favorite supermarket’s newsletter. There are also tons of websites that offer coupons, many of which are printable. Some of the best include Shopathome.com, Thecrazycouponlady.com and, of course, Coupons.com. Always look for stores that offer double coupons on the stuff you need and for coupons that align with sales that are going on at your supermarket. And, finally, try to buy as many store brand items as you can, as this should save you up to 25% vs. brand name items.
Small changes can mean a lot
As an example of this the stuff that you drink can really add up. If you’re using bottled water, stop it. Those bottles are not only costing you money but they’re not good for the environment. Buy one of those bottles that filters water and then just fill it up with tap water. Believe it or not this can save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year. Also, stop buying those lattes and brew your coffee at home. This alone could save you more than $700 a year. If you eat out a lot you can save big money by not doing it. Half of the average American’s budget goes to eating meals out of the home. If that’s typical of you just think how much you could do in cutting costs simply by eating at home instead of going to restaurants or getting takeout.
Slash your cable bill
Did you know that the average American spends $86 a month on cable or $1032 a year? If you have a digital TV you could buy an antenna for $30 or less which would get you all your local channels free. If your TV is analog all you would need to do is buy a cheap converter. We have a small antenna next to one of our digital TVs and we get more than 30 local channels. Not all of these are ones you would watch on a regular basis but we were surprised at what’s available and you might be, too.
If you do decide to ditch cable or satellite TV you could get movies through a subscription service such as Netflix or at one of those kiosks at your supermarket. You say you just can’t give up cable entirely? Then call your cable company and see if you couldn’t negotiate a better deal. Most of these companies will offer you a nice discount if you bundle, which means getting television, Internet and phone service all together. Or go online and check to see what packages your cable provider has available, as you might be able to save money by downgrading to fewer channels.
You can also save money by changing your movie going habits. Matinees and early shows always cost less than if you were to go to the same film at night. And the same holds true of restaurant meals. When there’s a hot new restaurant in town that you would like to sample, have lunch there instead of dinner.
Chop down that energy bill
If you’re like the average family you spend $1900 a year on energy. You could knock that down a few dollars simply by shutting off the lights in rooms you’re not using. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat you should certainly get one. It shouldn’t cost you more than $60 and will pay for itself in just a few months by automatically turning down the temperature during those times of the day that you’re not there. You might also do a home energy audit. The Environmental Protection Agency has a free calculator that would help you see where you could achieve some savings. It’s available at EnergyStar.gov.
For that matter, this short video show how you could actually cut your electric bill in half and just think how much that could save you …
Do you commute to work?
Another great way to save money if you commute to work is by getting into or forming a carpool or by taking public transportation. This would not only cut your gas costs but also the wear and tear on your car.
The big stuff
There are some changes you could make that would result in some really big savings. If you have a mortgage, think about refinancing your home. Last week we heard that one of our local mortgage brokers was offering fixed rate mortgages at less than 4%. If you have a mortgage at 5% or higher and you were to refinance you could put a couple hundred dollars a month in your pocket. If you rent try negotiating with your landlord for a cheaper rent when you next sign a lease or offer to sign a longer one in return for a discount.
Get creative
If you stop to think about it there are probably dozens of other ways you could cut your spending. Just get creative. And be sure to get your entire family involved. We know of families that have a meeting once a month where everyone contributes their ideas for saving money with a prize to the person that comes up with the best suggestion. Be sure to make a budget so that you can keep track of your spending, as you might be amazed at how little changes along the way have helped fatten up your piggy bank. And when it gets right down to it, what’s better than a fat, happy piggy bank?
