The principle of frugal living does not only apply to families with limited economies but also established families. Thus people need to save money ideas by spending money only on priority and urgent needs.
Especially for an employee with a mediocre salary, saving money on a monthly salary is a must. You are also required to have lots of ideas to save money so that money is right on target.
Save Money Ideas
There are several ideas to save money so that your monthly shopping is enough until the end of the month. Here are simple tips.
1. Manage Food Carefully
One of the save money ideas is to manage food properly. You can reduce food costs by reducing food served each day.
Reducing does not mean eating irregularly, for example, three times a day. However, you must calculate your food requirements carefully so that no wasted food.
Cook according to the serving means just right (no more and no less), and it will make it easier to save your money.
2. Processing Leftovers
To save on food expenditure, your leftover food should be reprocessed. Of course, leftover food is not stale food that is not fit for consumption.
How do you process leftover food so that it can be re-consumed? The easiest way is to reheat it to eat the next day.
In terms of taste and aroma, leftover food does not change. It is likewise from the nutritional content. In fact, some types of food are more delicious when reheated.
So, it’s time to show save money ideas by using leftovers. Remember, leftover food is not stale food!
3. Reduce Buying Food outside the Home
Too often, eating out of the house can also cause your food expenses to increase. The way to save family money is not to eat out of the house.
You need to try comparing the food price in a restaurant or cafe with you making the food yourself.
To drink a cup of coffee, for example, you have to spend about $3. If you make your own coffee at home, it costs no more than two dollars.
However, eating outside the home is not a prohibition. You need an occasional meal with your family at your favorite restaurant or cafe. Eating outside the home can also be a means of refreshing with the family.
However, refreshing is meaningless when you get home, and you feel dizzy because you spend a lot of money. So, eat out as necessary.
4. Do Monthly Shopping
Another save money idea that you can practice is to do monthly shopping. With monthly shopping, you can save expenses.
Why? It is due to someone who does monthly shopping generally will spend in large quantities to stock up next month.
Usually, shopping in large quantities is much cheaper than buying in retail. This is the reason many people prefer monthly shopping over retail.
5. Find A Place to Live with Cheap Living Costs
The environment in which you live also affects the number of your shopping expenses. Of course, you need to find a house with a lower cost of living.
If you choose to live in a big city, for example, you’ll need to prepare a bigger budget. This is because the necessities of life in big cities are much higher than living in small cities or suburbs.
You will find it difficult to save money in a big city; moreover, with other necessities such as school fees and various monthly bills.
If you want to save money ideas in the household, it is better to avoid living in an environment with a high cost of living.
6. Avoid Online Shopping
Many people prefer online shopping because online shops are now offering many conveniences, including payment. They also often offer massive discounts that tempt you to buy them immediately.
Here is the main problem. The ease of doing shopping plus the available discounts often makes you not realize that you are consumptive. You spend a lot of money on items you don’t really need in online stores.
With the transfer payment model, you are not aware of the money you are paying. As a result, you will continue to be tempted to keep on shopping online.
7. Stop Smoking
Cigarettes are not only bad for health but also bad for pockets. Shopping for cigarettes is also not cheap.
It is no exaggeration if the costs incurred for a heavy smoker are almost equivalent to the cost of paying a down payment on a house.
There is no other way to save on family expenses except to give up smoking gradually. Your life will be healthier without smoking, and your monthly spending money will increase.
Those are some save money ideas you can do. The easiest way to save money is to spend less on unnecessary items. In other words, shop for what you need, not what you want.