One of the hobbies my kids enjoy the most is swimming. If I had a choice, there’s only one thing I’d want to be swimming in: money! A sea of cold hard cash! Kidding! But in today’s trying times, that seems highly unlikely. There’s just so much spending that goes on in and around the family that living in the lap of luxury almost seems to be the ultimate mission impossible. Although I may never get the chance to do the freestyle in a pool of money, there are ways for you to stretch the family budget:
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Use the power of coupons
These are probably the next greatest invention when it comes to shopping- both online and offline. Take some time to scour the web for coupons which will slash prices off your online purchases. You’ll find coupons for nearly everything from household implements to makeup. Be wary, though, and don’t just jump at every opportunity. Just because there’s a coupon slashing 75% off the price for twenty boxes of cigars, doesn’t mean you have to go ahead and buy them! If you have no use for the item- even if it’s on sale- don’t buy it.
Grow your own garden
This is your chance to be Mary, Mary, quite contrary and grow your own veggies. If you have some space in your backyard to spare, you can grow some tomatoes, peppers, etc. Instead of buying these at the grocery, you can conveniently pick them from the pot at home.
Do away with unnecessary subscriptions
Since you can read pretty much all of these online, what’s the point in spending those precious dollars on magazines which will only eventually gather dust at home?
When doing the groceries, the old adage of sticking to your shopping list still holds true. Don’t shop when you’re hungry, as you may be tempted to just pull out anything off the shelves.
Stretching your dollar isn’t all that difficult. With a little discipline and practice, you and your family will be able to live a comfortable life.
I used to think I was frugal until I became a stay at home mom and that’s when I really had to stretch the last dollar. Growing your own vegetables/herbs really does curb costs and reusing EVERYTHING as much as possible means that less money will be disposed.
This is such a relevant post. I totally agree with coupons — even thought they’ve recently gotten a lot of ‘air time’ on TV, I believe they are still not utilized by most people. Can save you a ton of $$$. I also agree with having a garden — with some planning a work you can save money and eat healthier.