Great Ways to Save Money on Your Monthly Expenses
In many ways, you have to marvel at the efficiency of our capitalist system. On the positive side, it allows anyone with a dream and an idea to start their own business and chart their own course to success. Entrepreneurship helps level the playing field and lets regular folks work for themselves and create their own future and fortune in life. When you create a small business or innovative venture you truly have a chance to get ahead and all the hours you invest will help you achieve your dream.
On the negative side, capitalism is amazingly tuned in at a macro family-budget level. Housing costs take up a third or more of many people’s income. When you add ever-increasing utility bills and transportation costs to the mix even more money is taken away. It’s hard to save money on food since the major grocery stores sell just about the same things. If you have young children, you’ve also got to factor in the astronomical costs of child care. With all these expenses, many people find themselves without hardly any money left at the end of the month.
Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt
If you are willing to work hard and truly want to get somewhere in life, you’ve got to get your monthly financial budget in order. One of the best ways to do this is to take a look at how you can revamp your debt and expenditures. Many individuals and families have credit card debt that is out of control. Even though the prime interest rate has dropped dramatically, credit card companies still think nothing of charging monthly interest rates of 18% or more. If you get your credit card debt under control, you can restore some sanity to your monthly budget. One of the best things to do is to explore your options with personal loans and find the right option for you. You can go online and be matched with personal loan options in under 60 seconds. By taking out a personal loan to consolidate and refinance your credit card debt, you’ll save money on your payments each month and will greatly reduce interest costs over the course of the loan.
Be a Smart Grocery Shopper
If you are like most people, you live in an area with multiple grocery stores. It pays to take some time each Wednesday when the store ads come out and see what is on sale that week. While most stores sell the same items at similar prices, each week you’ll find a number of items that are aggressively priced. These loss leaders are designed to get customers into the store. By investing an hour or so working through the local ads, you’ll be able to identify the great buys that week. You can then purchase these items in quantity and stock up on them. Many times, you’ll find buy one, get one offers or items with deep discounts. If you create family meals around these specials, you’ll save a substantial amount of money each month.
Save Money on Your Vacations
After working your fingers to the bone all year, it’s nice when it’s finally time for your vacation. Many people like to splurge by going to an expensive resort or paying $400 a day for a Disneyland park pass for their family of four. There’s a better way to approach vacation time. Instead of paying to stay in expensive hotels and getting just two weeks of relaxation all year, shop for the best deals on top-notch camping gear. You can also look for the best deals on campsites or can even go find some locations where you can camp for free. By cooking your meals at the campsite and forgoing the need to pay for pricey hotels, you’ll be able to enjoy a regular family adventure at a really affordable cost.
Related posts:
How to Date and Save Your Money
Holiday Saving Guides: Black Friday in July Coupons and Promo Codes
Online Shopping Debt Got You Down? Start Saving Money Now
Shop Online with Discounts For Everyone
How Canadians Can Save Money on Online Casinos: Free Spins and Welcome Bonuses
5 Spring And Summer Shirts Every Guy Needs
Tips for Creating a Gift Closet
How to Save Money on a Professional Espresso Machine
About the Author
Linda Jeasie
Linda Jeasie is a writer and content editor with over a decade of experience covering consumer gadgets and mobile tech. Before going freelance, she got her start as an editor at MoneyGuide.com, a coupon and review website. These days she writes about gaming, life hacks, apps and software, and financial subjects for a variety of publications.