“Saving Money” is a bit of cliched piece of financial advice especially during recession when lot of people are left with very little money after paying their basic expenses. No matter how slim you manage your margins, there are always some expenses that can be cut with proper knowledge. These cuts need not be overly painful when some of these can be get for free.
1. Water : Everyone needs water. If you are adding that as an expense, you probably are not drinking what is coming out of your tap. Tap water is decently tested (if your government is working properly) and can be cleaner than what marketing people show it as. According to a study by the Natural Resources Defence Council one-fifth of all the bottled waters exceeded the state guidelines for microbial limits.
2. Magazines and Books
Reading is a great and low cost form of entertainment. It also adds lot of value to your life. But some of the new bestsellers may cost up to $35. This expense will really add up over an year especially if you love reading fast. Except for some books that can be treasured for life, you can visit your local library. Borrow, Read and Return. You won’t be able to show off all the books you have read, you will be smart in spending and saving money for your family.
3. Packaging
If your grocery list has lot of brand names then you probably are spending a lot more than what you actually are spending on food. It costs a lot of money for companies to create Brand – which means you are paying more just for the product’s advertising and packaging. To cut these costs, buy as many unprepared foods in bulk as you can. Try generic versions of your favourite packaged foods. Do a bit of cleaning if need. You may not notice the difference expect the size of your grocery bill.
4. Long Distance Calls
I am not asking you to reduce the talking time with your grandma. Though the mobile service providers give a lot of discounts and long distance calling offers they really cost you a lot if you calculate it properly. You can use alternatives like Google talk, skype etc to reduce the costs.
All the above points are basic to saving money. I will share more details on the same topic with more options.