Sometimes, saving money as a family isn’t just about earning more cash or writing up a budget that everyone can get involved with. One of the best things that any family can do to set themselves up for success each month, is figure out where they should stop wasting cash on things they don’t really want or need.
While you might tell yourself that you only spend your money on the things you absolutely have to have, the truth is that there’s probably at least one item on the list below that you’re guilty of paying for – even though these things don’t bring you any extra joy. Let’s take a look, shall we?
1. Huge Interest Rates
Let’s face it, we all have a little trouble with cash from time to time. The good news is that there are plenty of different loan products out there for you to tap into when you need help. The bad side of the coin is that not all of these products are good for your finances. Loans with high-interest rates, like the ones that you get on your credit card, can seriously dip into your monthly budget.
Consolidating your high-interest loans into a loan with a much lower rate can be a great way for you to stop wasting money, and start putting more of your cash into your savings.
2. Subscriptions You Don’t Use
Subscriptions are so convenient. All you need to do is sign up to have a box of beer delivered to your house each month, or join a gym, and the money goes out of your bank account every month without you even having to think about it. The convenience of subscription services is what makes them so dangerous – we forget that we’re even paying for them.
Get your last bank bill and go through everything you paid for in the last month. If you notice any subscription services in there, ask yourself whether you’re actually using them, or you’ve simply been paying for the privilege of a membership card.
3. Lunch at Work
By the time you get home from a long day at work, and you’ve finished dealing with the kids, there’s a good chance you don’t feel like spending an extra ten minutes in the kitchen throwing together a packed lunch you can take with you tomorrow. However, while a pound or two on a sausage roll might not seem like a big deal at first, it quickly adds up into some serious expense.
The more food you can prepare at home, the more money you’ll save. What’s more, making your own lunches is often better for your waistline too, because you can make sure you’re using healthy ingredients.
4. Bottled Water
While you’re getting into the habit of ignoring those workplace lunches, start thinking about a refillable water bottle too. A lot of us buy huge packets of bottled water from supermarkets when the truth is we could just refill the same bottle every day and have a much cheaper work experience.
If you’re worried about a bottle getting worn out over time, you could always make an initial investment into a really nice bottle that keeps your water tasting delicious all-day long.
5. Extra Television Channels
When you think about how many different streaming services there are available online today, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would waste cash on extra television channels. Despite this, countless Brits sign up for packages that include phone rental, broadband, and a bundle of television channels at once. If you’re paying for channels you don’t use because you spend all your time on Netflix, now could be the right time to get rid of that pointless package.
6. Excess Food
It’s amazing how much food the UK wastes every year. Whenever you throw away that mouldy bread that you didn’t get around to using or the left-over bacon in your fridge, you’re actively tossing money in the trash. Writing down a list of exactly what you need each week to make all of the meals you have planned is a great way to make sure you stick to buying what you need and nothing more. When you get to the shop, just stick to what’s on your list.
7. Name-Brand Products
Finally, speaking of the food shop, make sure that you ditch the name-brand products too. Going generic for everything from your toiletries to your pet supplies is a great way to save a lot of money. Store brands can cost anywhere up to 30% less than their counterparts. Don’t lose cash over some fancy packaging.
We have been looking at our subscriptions recently to see whether we are getting value for money
It’s a really worthwhile exercise, I often find I am paying for something that I stopped using ages ago, it’s easily done.
These are great advise. It’s good to save for the rainy days always. You don’t know when you’re going to need it.
So true, we have been caught out a few times in the past x