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When you’re working on tight a budget in your home, it’s easy to cut out items you can deem as unnecessary expenditures. But what about things like cleaning supplies, paper goods, food, bills, and other household essentials? How do you save money on the things you have to buy? While you still need to purchase these things to have a functioning household, that doesn’t mean you need to break the bank to do so. These are just a few money-saving tips to help you maintain your household needs on a strict budget.
1. Spare Change Jar
This tip may seem rudimentary, but the fact is a lot of us don’t save our change. In fact, most of us never end up even using our change. Set a jar aside in your house and make sure whenever you or your housemates come home, you empty any spare change you may have accrued throughout the day into the jar. You’ll be shocked by how quickly this adds up and at the end of the month, you can cash this in at your local grocery store’s Coinstar and use it for your grocery shopping!
2. Switch to Store Brands
One of the easiest ways to get the most bang for your buck is to switch to buying store brands rather than the most expensive brands in the supermarket. Saving a few dollars on each household staple like paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, tape, or cleaning supplies can save you a bundle in the end. Even switching to purchasing store brand soft drinks rather than the commercially popular brands can mean the difference of $.50 cents and up per bottle. Add that up by a month’s worth and you’ll be surprised to see how much this simple tip can save you.
3. Clearance Racks and Sales
Stores like Pier 1 Imports or Cost Plus World Market offer beautifully crafted furniture and seasonal decor to spice up your home. However, on a tight budget, you may not be able to justify these kinds of purchases. But you can still shop these stores without spending a fortune! Try shopping the clearance racks at these kinds of stores and look out for sales. Stores like these often run sales for 10% to 25% off items and can end up saving you a ton when you get to the register.
4. Couponing
While you don’t have to be an extreme couponer to save, couponing certainly does help cut costs and keep your supermarket bills from becoming uncostly. Take advantage of coupons you can find in your local Sunday paper or the ones given to you at the checkout and don’t underestimate the value of a simple coupon. Remember, they’re giving you free discounts!
5. Stick to Your Household Budget
Simply make sure you stick to your budget. Going over your budget for the week or month may not seem like a big deal at the time if it’s only every now and then, but in the long run, you’re only making things that much more difficult for yourself the following week or month. Try and stick to your budget as closely as possible, so you can always guarantee yourself that specific dollar amount and you won’t have to skimp out on your household’s essentials.
Those were just five simple tips to help you save money on your household necessities. While they may be simple, the amount of money you’ll save with them is worth putting forth the extra effort. Following these tips can help you cut costs without cutting out your needs.
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
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You can paint the jar so you won’t be able to see what is in it. We done that and would use it for Christmas.
That’s a really good idea! Make it like a gift box only cooler!