saving and spending (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)[/caption]
There isn’t a person in the world that wouldn’t like to learn new ways to save money without greatly impacting their lifestyle in a negative way. Finding ways to make your money last and learning how to budget money better are important skills that every homeowner should strive for. Luckily, there are a lot of ways to save money and live a better life, and these money saving tips are a great way to get started.
Create A Budget And Stick To It
One of the best things you can do is to find better ways to budget your money. Set up a spreadsheet and track your expenses and spending habits. Next, add in your income. Now it’s time to reevaluate your spending habits and adjust your budget. Take some of the money you’d typically use to go out to dinner and instead use it for groceries. Better yet, put it in a savings account. Having a budget won’t help you to save money and work towards living a better life unless you actually stick to it.
Pay Credit Cards Off In Full
If you use your credit cards regularly, make sure you pay off the balance in full every month. This will save you hundreds of dollars in interest payments every year. For example, if you have a credit card with a $1,000 balance and an 18% interest rate, you are paying about $200 a year in interest. That $200 is much better spent on essential items or placed into a savings account.
Refill Cleaner Containers
When you buy larger bottles of household cleaners and then pour into a smaller, reusable container, you are saving a lot of money over buying full-sized products. There are many products like hand soap and glass cleaner that make it very easy for you. They sell the larger bottles without a sprayer right along with one spray bottle. You can then fill up the spray bottle several times before you need to buy more cleaner.
Make your own Window Cleaner
Window cleaner is one of the most expensive household cleaners on the market, but did you know you can use a mixture of water and white vinegar and it will wash your windows even better than the brand name stuff? No streaks at all! Wiping the windows with newspaper is also better than linty paper towels, and much cheaper.
Re-Use your Swiffer Sweeper
A Swiffer Sweeper is a great tool to keep floors clean, but many people use it once and throw the cloth out. Instead, flip it over and use the other side. This will give you a 50% savings and make one box of expensive Swiffer clothes last twice as long.
Do you have any tips on how you save money around the house? Leave them below in the comments.]]>
