If you’re looking to tighten up your budget, you might start by focusing on big ticket items. Finding ways to trim your house payment or car insurance is one of the best ways to free up cash flow in your budget.
While focusing on big purchases and bill payments is a great way to cut back on your overall budget, focusing on little expenses like everyday essentials adds up over time and frees up room in your budget for other non-negotiables like your mortgage payment.
Thankfully, saving on everyday essentials isn’t complicated! We’ve created this list of actionable tips that will allow you to lower the cost of household purchases and reduce your expenses.
- Shop with coupon codes
Forget about clipping newspaper coupons, these days you can find all the coupons you need to enjoy major savings online. Shopping with online coupons will allow you to save on big ticket purchases like tech and home appliances, but you can also use coupons to save on groceries, clothing and other everyday essentials
To start saving and shopping with coupons, all you need to do is to find an online savings website that hand verifies all of their coupons so you don’t waste time with expired deals.
This portal of offers and discount codes are all free to use and hand-verified, which will allow you to enjoy a major discount on your next purchase of clothing, tech, home decor, gifts and more.
- Buy in bulk
If you find yourself using the same items month after month and you have the room to store extras, consider shopping in bulk. For example, paper products, jars or cans are all items that can be purchased while on sale and stored for a later date.
Another way to shop in bulk is to use bulk buying programs like Amazon’s Subscribe & Save feature. If you use a product regularly, like paper towels, you can sign up for a consistent delivery schedule and receive up to 15% savings on your entire bulk order.
You can schedule your delivery for as often as you like or cancel at any time.
- Skip the name brand products
When you buy products like lightbulbs or batteries, do you go for the name brand-products or skip the logo and buy the generic brand instead?
it might surprise you to know that buying brand name products doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting a product that’s higher quality. Most stores have their own brands for household necessities, and you can save a lot of money by opting for these products over famous brands.
One of the few times you should always buy brand-name is when it comes to prescription medication. Some brands can be frauds with their products actually being manufactured under another name, so protect yourself by shopping only for trusted brands.
- Borrow or rent infrequently used products
If you’re trying to finish some of the projects you have around your home, consider borrowing rather than buying the tools you need. By borrowing rather than purchasing, you’ll save a considerable amount of money on something you may not have use for after your project is complete. Some examples of tools you should consider borrowing or renting rather than purchasing include carpet cleaners or power tools.
Check your local community for tool-lending libraries which are becoming increasingly more popular. You could also try your local library – they may lend out a variety of goods from household items to equipment and power tools.
- Choose quality over quantity
This mantra can apply for everything from pricey electronics to clothing and household items. If you’re financially able to, it’s usually a better option to save your money and purchase something of value that will last a lifetime rather than fast fashion or inexpensive electronics.
Use the cost-per-use or cost-per-wear principle to estimate how much use you’ll actually get out of an item and whether it’s worth it to splurge on the expensive option.
- Don’t forget the basics
It’s easy to get carried away looking for money-saving tricks but the real easiest way to save money while shopping for essentials is to remember the basic, money-saving rules:
- Make a budget and stick to it
- Shop with a list to avoid making impulse purchases
- Don’t go grocery shopping while hungry
- Create a meal plan to avoid wasting food
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