Guest Post: General Budgeting Tips in and Around The Home

Budgeting tips, make your money go further by comparing outgoing on line such as car insurance, home insurance etc.

General budgeting tips in and around the home

Setting a budget and sticking to it is something many of us struggle with. The bills – which cover everything from mortgage repayments, food, utilities, entertainment, car insurance to home and contents insurance – come thick and fast and can leave you with precious little left at the end of each week, month and year. To lower the cost of living in general and free up for a few extra dollars, follow these handy hints.

In the house – The costs associated with running a household will account for the vast majority of your budget so the more small changes you can make here and there the bigger the difference will be. To decrease the amount spent on your utilities, think carefully about how you can reduce the amount of energy used around the home. Turn off appliances at the socket when you’re done with them, avoid using the standby function and don’t leave lights on when you exit a room. Get properly insulated and try to limit the use of central heating systems and air-condition units if possible as turning them down slightly can make a huge impact. Buying energy-efficient products will also produce impressive results by the time your next utility bills arrive. Recycle and reuse items as much as possible.

In the kitchen – Adopt a methodical approach to going grocery shopping or you may end up going crazy and filling up your cart with unnecessary and expensive luxury items. Only buy what you need – the easiest way to do this is to try and plan your food menu over a week. It may be a regimented style of feeding yourself and your loved ones, but hopefully it’ll mean you reduce on wastage and only spend money on the essentials. Buy cheaper brands, grow your own fruit, vegetables and herbs if you can and attempt to avoid eating out or getting takeouts. If you insist on dining out, then check if there are any relevant online vouchers or discount codes. Make your own lunches for work as saving a few dollars on a daily basis will soon add up towards the end of the month.

In the garage – Being a vehicle owner means paying out for insurance, garage bills and gasoline. The price to fill up at the pump varies greatly from one city and province to the next, but irrespective of where you live you can do your bit to lower fuel consumption, like sticking to speed limits, driving in a generally responsible manner and avoiding harsh accelerating and braking. Keep your tires inflated to the correct level and avoid making needless journeys in the car by instead taking public transport or, if possible, walking. You can get cheap car insurance by scouring the Internet for the best deals, making your vehicle more secure, decreasing your mileage and raising your deductibles.