Home hacks
As someone who has needed to completely renovate their house on a budget, you can bet that I’ve got a list of household hacks as long as your arm. If you need practical DIY tips, you can find them all in my Home DIY category.
Plus, you can make almost anything from pallet wood – check out all my pallet projects to see all the pieces I’ve made for the garden, bathroom, living room and even games for kids.
If your furniture needs a makeover, there’s no need to buy expensive treatments when you can give these hacks a go:
- I’ve previously tried out all the internet solutions to remove watermarks from furniture so you don’t have to, and I’ve shared my results here.
- If you want to freshen up a wooden cabinet, here’s how to use pantry ingredients to make your own polish that restores old teak perfectly.
- You can easily maintain your flooring using just a rubber glove or a cloth.
- I’ve shared a list of chemical-free cleaning solutions to help you unblock drains, clean carpets and polish windows.
Health hacks
When it comes to health hacks, it’s possible that the age-old treatments passed down from generation to generation may be just as effective as pharmacy products. The castor oil toothache remedy your grandparents swear by, or the olive oil earache treatment your mum insisted on using when you were little, are all simple solutions that cost very little but are weirdly effective.
The best health hack I’ve ever heard is to drink enough water. This seems to be the solution to stopping issues before they start, as water protects your joints, improves your skin, keeps your internal systems functioning well and can prevent headaches and improve cognitive function.
Plus, movement and nutrition are always key to keeping you healthy, which will save you money in the long run with fewer prescriptions and treatments to pay for. Which brings us nicely on to the topic of food…
Frugal food
While many of our household bills are set in stone via monthly direct debits for council tax, TV license, water and energy, our food budget might be more flexible. If so, that’s one expense where you could potentially make savings and keep some more money in your bank account at the end of the month.
So, let’s have a look at some frugal food hacks you should try, which will help to cut your costs:
- Firstly, do a pantry audit to see what you already have in your cupboards.
- Think up ways to love your leftovers, such as turning a bolognese into a chilli con carne the next day, or making bubble and squeak after a roast dinner.
- You can DIY your own ‘fakeaway’ dinners rather than splashing out on a takeaway each week.
- Did you know that frozen food helps to reduce waste? It therefore saves you money on binning gone-off fresh fruit and veg, so be sure to fill your freezer first.
- During those chilly months, make soup your go-to for lunch. You can get loads of veg into your diet that way, plus you can always use up any fresh veggies that need eating. I’ve shared masses of soup recipes here.
Frugal fun
There should always be time for fun in life too, so it’s important to figure out ways you can cut costs when you’re on a budget so that you can still have some fun with your friends and family without spending too much.
The main thing with having days out, celebrating special occasions and enjoying holidays when you’re trying to cut costs is simply to enjoy an experience with the people you’re spending time with. You don’t have to spend a lot of money if you’re just taking a stroll along a seafront, having a kick-around in the park or visiting friends.
However, the key expense for days out is the food – if you’re having to eat out as a family, the day can quickly become very expensive. So, it’s best to always, always take a packed lunch with you. Make it into a fun part of the day by packing up a picnic to enjoy together. Or, split the cost with friends by each bringing a dish to share if you’re having a party or barbecue. I’ve even hacked the coffee shop Christmas menus so that you can recreate your favourite seasonal drinks at home, without the cost.
I hope these hacks for your home, health, food and fun will help you cut the cost of your everyday expenses to help you save some money. I’d love to hear your own hacks for cleaning and DIY, days out and recipes, so please leave me a comment on my blog to share your top tips.
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This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
