Doesn’t it seem as though every week our budget has to stretch further and further? Many of us are going through tough financial times at the moment, and with bills continually rising, and an uncertain job market, every penny counts. Yet it’s easy to fritter away money without realising. So here are some tips for easy ways to stop wasting money.
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Coffees
Now, sitting down and enjoying a chat with friends over a coffee is one thing, but I really don’t understand the trend for takeaway coffees. Why not drink it at home, or when you get to the office (assuming they provide free coffee)? Just add up how much that single daily takeaway coffee costs you over a month, and you’ll soon lose interest in getting your caffeine fix.
Newspapers
If you buy a paper to read on your commute, why not borrow a book from the library instead? It seems silly paying good money for something that will only be discarded before the end of the day. Check the news online, or read the papers at the library.
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Lunches
We all have days where we don’t have time to make a packed lunch, and have to grab a sandwich from a shop. No problem if it’s once in a while. But if, like the coffees, it’s every day, then that’s an awful lot of money going in one end and out the other. Make lunch out an occasional treat.
Lights
Some might argue that a lightbulb might not actually use much energy. I say, why give the power company a single penny more than you have to? Train everyone in your household to switch lights off when no-one’s in the room.
Fresh Food
Yes, I’m guilty of this one. I buy fruit with the best of intentions, but somehow never get round to eating it. So it just sits in the fridge until it goes off. So I really need to take my own advice here. Only buy what you need, and use it up!
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‘Bargains’
Repeat after me, ‘It’s only a bargain if you really want it’. How often are we tempted by special offers in the supermarket? Shops know how to persuade us to buy more than we really want, so train yourself not to fall for their tricks, and only buy ‘bargains’ if you know you will use them.
Buying What We Already Have
This can happen in a big way with clothes, when we buy yet another pair of black trousers, but is also easily done with cheaper items. Again, this is fine if you know you will use the item, but do keep track of what you have at home and don’t buy something that you don’t need multiples of.
It’s Only a Couple of Dollars)
There are so many ‘bargain shops’ these days, where everything costs a fixed, low price. Trouble is, it becomes very easy to fill your basket, forgetting that each pound or dollar adds up to lots of pounds or dollars. Also, don’t assume that everything is a bargain, as some products may actually be cheaper in the supermarket.
How are you aware of wasting money, and what do you do to save the pennies?
Top Photo Credit: Jon Ridley
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