When it comes to money saving, who doesn’t want to save money? Here are some great frugal ways that if you follow strictly, will help you save at least $100 every month.
1. Trim the Fat on Groceries
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average family of four spends between $146-$289 a week on groceries. The majority middle class spend around $75 per week for a family of three, yet we can still eat for less.
· Plan Your Meals
Meal planning can help you eliminate food waste and make your spare ingredients become useful. Start by searching those cabinets and freezer bins. Check out Amazon Deals and offers and Sign Up For Amazon Fresh to get your groceries delivered to your doorstep according to your budget. Make a list of what you already have in them and then search recipes online to make simple recipes the whole week. Through this, make a list of what you need and stick to your list.
· Shop at Discounts
Choose your store options wisely and see if discount shopping is available for you in some stores. Switch to shopping at a cheaper store one month and you can see a $100 reduction in your food bill costs (around $25 savings each week on average). You could eat well on just $20 a week if you’re single and smart about shopping. If you do not want to switch stores then try adding these generic items to your grocery list.
· Cook in Bulk
With assembly or bulk cooking, one can save both time and money. This idea takes meal planning to another level. Spend at least one weekend shopping and cooking for the whole month and take advantage of coupon savings, bulk buys and other deals provided by the store in the process.
2. Plan Your Entertainment Wisely
We all like to have fun on the weekends, but if you need to save money you can easily trim the activities like outdoor dinners, movie dates, and other activities, without losing too much quality of life. Here are some ideas for kicking on the cheap.
· Make It a “Freekend”
This can be a great help if you need to buckle down and save, you can have free weekends or free weekends, at least once a month. We usually spend around $50 on one weekend and it’s easier than you might think.
· Find Cheaper Entertainment
Be smart if you just want to go out. For example, switch to movie theatres that offer reduced-rate movies. You may check out deals at movietickets.com to find cheap movie tickets or take a help from Google to find you find deals on shows near your location. Always leave home by checking the social media sites of your favourite restaurants and stores to see if they are offering any kind of sales or promotions.
· Avail Your Perks
Always keep a stack binder of coupons, gift cards, loyalty cards, and other money-saving entertainment stuff. Before heading out on a weekend afternoon, check the binder to see if you can modify your plans and save some cash.
3. Cut Off Utility Bills
You won’t see huge savings immediately. Changing the way you use energy can save some money in your pockets.
- Always turn the lights off when not using them.
- Turn your thermostat down (which can save you up to $10 per degree).
- Investigate your utility service and switch to off-peak hours usage at a lower cost.
- Shop around for more competitively priced energy providers.
4. Cut the Fat of Services
Cut the fat on services that you rarely use. Such as landline phones and cable. You can rely on your cell phone plan for communication; also switch to Netflix or Hulu (which total less than $15 a month) versus a $100 cable bill.
5. Cash Only for a Month
Switch to cash for a month if you don’t have time to track the money going out of your bank account while using cards, and see if it helps you. The physical act of paying with dollar bills helps with savings, according to some people.
6. Stash Your Change
When you get home, make a habit of putting all change and dollar bills into a jar, then see how much you have collected at the end of the month. Many banks offer such programs that apply this same thing. So, if something costs you $20.15, and the return is $0.85, the leftover amount would automatically transfer into your savings account.