Saving Money When Your Family Grows

One of the biggest questions people ask when starting a family and making the decision to either cut down on their work hours or stay home all together is how they can save money with a growing family. Some families are fortunate enough not to have to worry about this detail, but there are always those who have to tighten the budget and learn to save money to stay home. After doing a bit of research, I’ve come up with a list of three essential ways growing families can save money even on the tightest of budgets.

Never Underestimate Lists

When it comes to saving money, don’t be like me – make lists. I fully admit that I spend entirely too much at the store because I don’t make lists and end up going three, four, five times a week to the store to pick up one or two items I forgot and walking out with a receipt for $75 in additional purchases. Make a list. Make a list that details everything you need for each meal, lunch and dinner for the entire week. I tried this last week and it was amazing for me to see a lack of receipts sitting in my checkbook waiting for me to balance at the end of the week because I didn’t go to the store 5 times.

Price Compare

It’s a tedious job that won’t make you want to do it, but it’s something you can do easily with some practice and some patience. There are apps that allow you to price compare items so that you can save money. For example, this week I downloaded the ShopSavvy app for the iPhone and used it when I went to purchase a new pair of shoes. I scanned the bar code on the shoes and actually realized that they were $50 less at a neighboring store, causing me to leave the store and purchase them elsewhere. What a deal! This app works any and everywhere you can scan bar codes.

Turn Off the Lights and Appliances

You can save as much as 40 percent of your utility bill when you do this. When the weather permits, turn off your HVAC system and save money on your heating and cooling costs by opening windows. You can also get an ac tune-up or get an air conditioning repair to update your system as this can cause increased electric bills if not done regularly. Regular services from places like Air Care Heating and Cooling can save you money in the long run. Visit sites like www.rightonairconditioningheating.com/air-conditioning/mini-split-systems/ to hire professionals. Additionally, you will use more natural light this way, causing you to use less artificial light, which is another huge savings.

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