**This is a collaborative post**
The world we live in is an expensive place, and that isn’t going to change any time soon. Because of this, we could all do with having a little more money than we’ve got. Whether you’re trying to pay for a trip away with the family, buy gifts for a loved one, clear your debts, or your saving for that dream home, you’ll have to cut household costs to do it. This is a mundane and often boring task that frustrates the best of us. That being said, with just a little imagination, you can turn this necessary evil into much less of a chore. With that in mind, here are seven creative ways to save money around the house.
Check out my Ultimate Guide to Getting your Family Budget in Order!!
Pack Lunches Every Day
We all know that preparing our own food is much cheaper than eating out. This is especially true when it comes to lunches. If you pack a meal before going to work, you should try doing the same at the weekend. It doesn’t matter whether you go out to run errands or stay at home in front of the TV; If you have a packed lunch nearby, you’re much less likely to order a takeaway or head to a restaurant. This is a healthier option too, which saves you the cost of being sick. You can also use up left overs from the week so save yourself some food waste
And there are lots of other ways to save money on your groceries
Go Shopping On Wednesdays
The most popular day of the week to go food shopping is Saturday. After all, many people are off work at the weekend and stores are open much longer on this day than Sundays. Businesses know this, which is why you’ll rarely find the best deals if this is when you tend to buy groceries. You’re much more likely to make savings mid-week, as most shops release their weekly deals and discounts on Wednesdays. You can often also combine those promotions with coupons. Raise is a helpful site if you’re looking for coupons and vouchers. Or you can save even more money by purchasing gift cards using cashback sites
Head To Bed Earlier
The better you sleep, the less likely you are to get sick. This means that you’ll have to take fewer days off work and won’t need to pay unnecessary medical bills. However, adequate rest can save you money in many more ways. After all, if you’re asleep, you can’t eat, drink, or watch television. This will lower your grocery and utility bills. You’re also much less likely to get into a car accident if you’ve had a good night’s rest, so you should adopt healthy sleep habits.
Dig Up The Garden
Everyone wants a perfect lawn, but, if you have pets, this is unlikely to happen. Instead, you’ll be left with patchy grass full of holes that the dogs have dug. For this reason, you should consider investing in artificial grass, from a site like www.newlawn.co.uk. The materials used for your new lawn are much more durable, so your garden will be green all year long. You’ll save plenty of money too, as you won’t have to splash out on lawn mowers, grass seed, and other tools.
Toilet Train The Cat
Although dogs tend to go outside to use the bathroom, cats often do their business in a litter box. Kitty litter may not seem a particularly large expense if you buy it in small quantities, but, over time, the costs do add up. To eliminate this expense completely, you should try training your cat to use the toilet. This may seem an absurd and completely impossible idea, but, according to www.wideopenpets.com, a lot of cats take to the habit quite well.
Cut Your Hair Short
Maintaining long hair is a tiresome, frustrating, and often expensive ordeal. It’s always getting knotted, it’s forever in your face, and you have to pay out much more on shampoo, conditioner, and other hair products. The easiest way to solve this is to cut your hair a little shorter. Summer is the best time to do this, as longer hairstyles can cause you to overheat during the warmer months. When you go for your restyle, look for a skilled beauty student for a better deal.
Make Your Own Cleaners
Most cleaning products typically found in homes are both expensive and dangerous. They contain toxic chemicals, which can harm your health, as well as the environment. Thankfully, many natural alternatives work just as well as their chemical-based counterparts but come with none of the dangers. The ingredients in them are also much cheaper. There are many different cleaning products that you could make yourself, from detergent to glass cleaner.
Cutting costs doesn’t have to be boring. With the creative ideas above, you can inject a little fun into your money savings mission.