Saving Money as a Family

Being a mum is great, very challenging at times but also very rewarding. With so many responsibilities finding ways to save the family a few pennies can seem like a daunting prospect, but it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds.

Image courtesy of tuart Miles and freedigitalphotos.net

Although we have been told that we are out of the recession, many of us are still feeling the effects and saving a few pounds here and there can make a big difference to the family budget, but where should you look to try and save money? There are some obvious places to save money, but there are others which you may not have thought about. Let’s have a look where these savings could be made.

• Be more environmentally friendly. A few years ago everyone was becoming more conscious of the environment. (One of my kids kept accusing me of killing the Polar Bears every time I left a light on!) This message has dwindled in more recent times which also means that people have forgotten about turning the lights off when they leave a room (Guilty!) or turning the TV off instead of leaving it on standby (Guilty!). Although the environmental issue still exists, there is also a financial issue. Reducing your electricity usage could save you a considerable amount of money over a year. While I am on the subject of electricity, have you checked that you are getting the best deal from your supplier? Use a comparison website just to make sure, and do this regularly.
• Buy in bulk. Often a larger box of washing powder is cheaper (by weight) than a smaller box. Yes, there is an added cost initially but if you compare the cost per 100g (most supermarkets give this information on the shelf label) it is often cheaper to buy the bigger package. I often check the ‘unit price’ when shopping, I am surprised how many times I have found something on ‘offer’ which works out more expensive, this is a good habit to get into. I often buy a 3 for 2 offer, but only if it is something I would usually buy, fresh meat is a good one to go for. This can also work if you buy fuel for your home. By purchasing in bulk from suppliers like Romeo’s Fuel (go to https://www.romeosfuel.com/ for more info), you can save some money as compared to purchasing the same quantity at different times.
• Shop around for offers. This could take a little time, but checking offers with different supermarkets could prove beneficial in terms of saving money. I am not suggesting driving to each supermarket to hunt out the offers, but checking online before you head out of the door could save a few pounds. On the subject of offers and bargains always remember it’s only a bargain if you are going to use it! Don’t buy things just because the offer is great, this is just a waste of money. Ideally, your shopping habits (in respect of what you buy) shouldn’t change dramatically.
• Cook in bulk. Where you can double your ingredients when cooking a meal. Things like Bolognese, Curry and Stews are great for freezing, meaning you are only cooking once, this saves the fuel for the cooker. Cooking in this way also means you have a healthy meal when you don’t feel like cooking.
• Go coupon crazy. Finding VouchaCodes online can help to save you a fair amount of money at the tills. Especially good for the larger items you might need, the savings could quickly add up.

These are just some of the ways us mums can save some pennies for our family; can you think of any more?