How to Save Big by Saving a Little
Have you ever looked at your budget and realized that you needed to cut a big chunk out of your spending? It seems impossible to slash an area of your budget if you already feel like you are cutting corners. But guess what…you don’t have to “slash” anything! By carving out a little bit here and there, your savings will add up and your spending will go down…without your even feeling the crunch! Here are some tips on ways to save big by saving a little.
Groceries
- Use coupons: You don’t have to become a coupon queen. Just grab the Sunday Kansas City Star and clip the coupons for the products your family already buys. Even if you save only $3 per week (which is easy to do without much planning and organization), that will add up! Savings: $12/month
- Stockpile: Next time you find that cereal is on sale for $1.50/box, buy eight boxes! Will you eat eight boxes of cereal right away? Probably not. But you will be building a little stockpile so that you aren’t forced to pay the ridiculous regular price when you run out. By the time you have eaten those eight boxes, the cereal will have probably gone on sale again and you’ll have new boxes to replace them. Apply this stockpiling technique to all of the nonperishable food you buy and soon you will never be paying regular price for things! Savings: $20/month
Dining Out/Entertainment
- Discount Sites: You may not see coupons for restaurants in the newspaper all that often, but they are out there and can make for BIG savings! Restaurant.com offers $25 gift certificates to a long list of local restaurants for just $10, and often they have specials that will bring the price down to as little as $2! (Read the fine print for specifics about eligible dates and minimum purchase requirements). Another site to check out is www.Groupon.com ,where they offer discounts to local shops, spas, attractions and restaurants. Savings: $15/month
- Kids Eat Free: Check out the comprehensive “Kids Eat Free” Guide on www.KCParent.com to find out when you can dine out with your kids without spending a dime on their meals! Savings: $15/month
- Share a Meal: Many restaurants feature huge portion sizes along with high price tags. Split an entrée with your spouse or child and cut your bill in half while saving room for dessert. Savings: $20/month
- Free or Cheap Movies: Don’t spend $5 to rent a DVD from your local video rental store! Kansas City Public Libraries have free movie rentals and a very large selection. If you don’t find the exact movie you are looking for, try a Red Box for movies that are just $1/day. Savings: $5/month
Do It Yourself
- You can really save a few bucks on just about anything if you do it yourself. Instead of buying individual snack-sized packages, buy in bulk and separate it into little baggies yourself. Instead of paying someone to mow your lawn, mow it yourself. Instead of a pedicure, paint those toes yourself. Don’t hire someone to power wash your deck…rent a power washer from Sutherland’s and do it yourself! The possibilities are endless! Savings: $30/month
If you just make all of these relatively painless changes, you could save $227 or more each month! That is more than $2,700/year…which makes these small savings quite significant to your bottom line. If you are already doing some of these things or perhaps these specific ideas won’t work for your family, sit down to think of small ways your family can save a few bucks each month and you will be surprised at how those small sacrifices can add up to make a big difference for your family budget.
Sara Keenan lives in Brookside with her family and blogs about savvy shopping and saving money each week in the www.KCParent.com Mom Blogs.