There are so many expenses to consider when purchasing your first home or choosing to rent a property. Maintaining and running a household can be expensive, and most people find that out the hard way. I for one didn’t have any clue about just how quickly my pay cheque would disappear when I began renting my first home all those years ago.One way to avoid falling into the same trap is through learning how you can scale back some more and save money. Are you looking for ways you can trim a few pounds from your household budget? Check out the tips below on how you can save money from your daily life expenses.
TIPS ON SPENDING
Even as you hunt for apartments for rent, it’s critical that you have a budget in mind. It’s the cornerstone of financial decisions you make and ensures that you don’t stretch yourself to take on a lease that you can’t really afford. You can use one of the numerous budget worksheets online to help you work out your incomings and outgoings so that you know exactly how much money you’re working with each month. This will help cut out any “extra” expenses such as buying coffee or getting pedicures. While “stop purchasing lattes” is almost a cliché statement, that’s because so many people identify with the habit, and small spends like this soon add up! Other things you can do include bundling all your shopping, banking and posting etc into a single trip to save on fuel (and time, for that matter!) Reduce the number of occasions you dine out, and instead of using the bookstore, visit your local library more often.
MONEY-SAVING TIPS FOR THE FUTURE
- If you have little ones, it’s a good idea to start teaching your family the importance of money by making them earn it by doing chores around the home. Plus, help them save money they make from these chores in a piggy-bank for the video game or toy they want.
- Consider trading in or selling your petrol-guzzler for a vehicle that is more fuel-efficient. If you live in an area with public transit network, opt for the bus or train, or become a one-car family. In addition, maintain and service your vehicle on time – this will end up saving you big money.
- When deciding to move house, and either want to buy a new home or rent an apartment, make sure you talk with a financial adviser to find out if your finances are in order. Always keep copies of payslips, statements and receipts in a file folder or envelope, organised by month – you will need them when it comes to applying for a mortgage or for completing tax returns.
PAYING OFF DEBTS
Start clearing your debts as soon as possible; doing this will help save you from having to pay hundreds, if not thousands, in interest. If you have a credit card debt, call creditors and ask them if they can lower the APR. If you are a homeowner, look at your numbers and see if there’s a possibility of you lowering your monthly repayments once you refinance your mortgage. If you are paying mortgage/home insurance consider calling your provider to find out how to cut costs on insurances.
DO IT YOURSELF
Why give someone else your hard-earned money for something that you can do yourself? While you may consider yourself not all-that-handy with DIY, there are still tons of things you can do to reduce the amount of money you’re paying out. For example, you can wash your car, clean your own house, learn to cook, make your own coffee or drink tap water – the savings you can make by doing things yourself is limitless!
I hope these tips have given you some inspiration to make some savings in your own day-to-day life. Let me know how you cut costs and save money on household expenses in the comments below, I’d love to hear your ideas.
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