Scrimping and saving can be a big pain, especially if you have limited funds or your monthly bills eat up most of your income. In order to save more of your money without having to dramatically change your quality of life, you can adopt some simple habits that will help you spend less each month. By making a few tiny changes to the way you shop, save, and invest, you can increase the amount that you are able to place into your savings account by a significant amount.
Learn How To Cook
Purchasing your meals from restaurants and diners can get very expensive very quickly, so learning how to cook is in your best interest financially. Cook books do not cost much and you can pick up pans and cooking utensils at any mass merchandiser for a fraction of the amount that you would pay eating out for two weeks. You can buy the ingredients to make your favorite meals from the grocery store for less than half of the amount you would pay to purchase them from a restaurant. You can tailor the meals to your particular taste and eat better than you may have purchasing similar meals from other locations.
Stay Away From The Name Brands
It doesn’t matter whether it is brand name clothing or nationally branded grocery items, the name on the label will cost you more. If you take the time to try some generic or store branded items, you may find that you are paying less for nearly the same taste and quality. Truthfully, you may not always like the generic versions of your favorite items, but by switching the ones you can stand, you can save 25% or more on your purchases.
Buy Items That Are Discounted
If you get into the habit of purchasing items that are on sale, you will routinely save money off of the prices of the items that you decide to buy. Many stores announce sales where they take 30% or more off of the prices of certain items and clearance merchandise gives you even more of a discount. By tailoring your purchases to what is on sale, you will never pay full price for merchandise again.
Choose To Stay In
If you want to have a good time with your friends or family, consider inviting them to your home for a night in instead of going out somewhere. You can get just as much enjoyment from renting a movie and ordering some pizzas as you can spending your money at the local watering hole. Involve everyone by making it a potluck event or having a couple of people bring movies and vote on the order they will be watched. There are many ways to entertain yourself and your friends without spending a lot of money, so explore your options and expand your horizons.