Thursday, July 28, 2022

Beat the Cost of Living and Save Money on Everyday Things

 Man holding piggy bank - Image Courtesy of Pixabay

There are many ways you can save money and beat the rising costs of everyday things. You simply need to make some adjustments, stop paying for extras, and maintain your home.

Ride or Walk Rather than Pay

You might need your car for work as part of your job or to travel long-distance. Yet fuel alone is expensive these days. Additionally, you should always negotiate (click here) the price of a new car. However, it's not always necessary to use your car. If it is possible, using a bike instead of a car to get to work or run errands has numerous benefits for the budget. It saves money on gas and car maintenance while also lowering carbon emissions. And with all the extra exercise you are getting, you might be able to reconsider your gym membership while the weather is good.

Save Money by Canceling Memberships

Speaking of memberships, gym memberships are one of the most unused in the world. A gym pass costs, on average, $60 per month in the USA alone. However, almost 70% go unused. Of course, these aren't the only monthly costs that people neglect. The top unused expenses are cinema passes, magazine subscriptions, and streaming services. You don't really need any of these. Movies and TV shows come to free channels eventually, and you can exercise for free anywhere at any time. If you have the space, you can buy used gym equipment.

Buy Generic Products

All too often, we are sucked in by branding. This is especially true when shopping for food and clothes. You can make substantial savings by switching from big brand products to generic supermarket items. In many cases, the products are precisely the same and use the same supplier. Or in others, the difference is hardly noticeable. Medical bills are also on the increase all over the world. And like food, you can save money by switching to generic brands of medication. Pharmacies often have generic alternatives to common prescription medication.

Address Leaking Taps and Pipes

Water waste is an issue for many reasons. First, it contributes to the sustainability problems currently plaguing the world. But it also directly increases your water bills for the year. And the amount you can save by being mindful of water use is staggering. For instance, the average family can save over 200 gallons per month by switching off the tap when brushing alone. Saving water this way will have a direct impact on lowering your bills. Additionally, you should fix leaking taps and pipes to save even more since they account for 10,000 gallons of waste.

Turn Off the Power

We live in a world where we rely on electronic devices. It's pretty hard to keep up with life without a smartphone, computer, and TV. They're also necessary for work in some cases. However, they draw power all the time. Here are some tips for saving energy at home:

  • Unplug chargers when they aren't in use.

  • Only leave something on standby if it's necessary.

  • Turn off monitors when not using your PC.

  • Switch to energy-saving devices where possible.

  • Install smart plugs for controlling them remotely.

Making these simple changes will drastically reduce your energy usage and your bills as a direct result. Chargers alone account for a massive amount of energy use and should be used carefully. But switching to devices like LED bulbs can half your electricity use on lighting.

Embrace VR Tech

During the pandemic, we couldn't leave our homes to visit attractions like museums. However, many commercial businesses that rely on public visits embraced virtual technology. Places like natural history museums now offer virtual tours of their attractions which you can see online. You can tour places in 2D on a website or go even deeper with 3D-VR tours. Additionally, some live performances, such as Hamilton, now offer online versions for streaming. These are much cheaper than going out to a theater and saving money on fuel and transportation.

Turn Down Your Thermostat

Yes, it's summer. But it's never too late to begin thinking ahead. And you can plan for winter now. 10% of heating costs can be saved for each degree your thermostat is lowered for at least eight hours per day. Keep the temperature no higher than 68 instead of the usual 72. And if you need to, wrap up in a sweater or put another blanket on the bed. Cut the AC and use fans to create a cross breeze in warmer weather. Turn off the AC in the summer and use fans to create a cross breeze. Additionally, you can leave the windows open at night since it's cooler.

Save Money by Cooking Fresh

Why would you pay more money for something you can easily make at home? We live in a world of convenience, that's true. But the prices are four times higher for pre-packaged meals than those you can make at home. Consider a sandwich as an example. For the same price as a standard sandwich from a store, you could make them for yourself for a week. Additionally, fresh ingredients are much better for you since they will contain no preservatives, extra sugars, or salt. And you have direct control over what goes into your daily meals.

DIY if You Can

Finally, you can save a ton of money by doing what you can. Don't pay someone to wash your car, clean the windows or mow the lawn if you are non-disabled and can do it yourself. Instead, consider how much you can save by putting a little extra effort into your car and home maintenance alone. And then there's cosmetics. Finally, there's nothing like a nice set of professional nails. But you can save that for a special occasion. In the meantime, do your nails at home with a home nail kit that costs less than one trip to a professional nail salon.

Summary

The cost of living is rising again. But you can save money by walking or cycling where possible, addressing water and energy usage, and doing things for yourself if you can.





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