Hi All,
Today’s post comes in the midst of a panic about money – let’s face it I am sure I am not the only one who feels like this before Christmas. As you presumably know from previous posts, I am a huge fan of frugal living – well as much as I can be. I have no qualms about shopping for second hand items, especially hunting for vintage finds in charity shops! I try to keep this mind set at home too; whether it is opting for a lower priced alternative to my morning porridge or making sure that I am liberal with the heating.
There are many tips that I have gained over the years of considering both my purse and the environment, that I have finally got around to sharing with you. These tips will cover every room of your home and of course your wardrobe, so I hope they help!
…..here we go.
Consider your home office as you would any other room.
In this age of technology, we all get caught up sometimes in the hype for the latest gadgets. I for one, am a huge fan of Apple products and I really, really want the new iPad mini. Alas though, sometimes our budgets simply won’t stretch this far and this is never more true than if you work from home. There is not just the initial outlay for the latest products – the new iPad mini will set you back £300; there is the running costs, printing costs like printer ink and having to pay for desk etc just so that you can work comfortably. It all adds up and I should know as I used to work purely from my home.
If you need a new lap top or printer then get one – I am certainly not suggesting you shouldn’t, but look at ways that you can save on the running costs. Consider powering down your computer when you have finished work, instead of leaving it on standby – saving the environment and your electric bill. Look for deals on printer cartridges and paper; these are two of the biggest costs for me, especially now that I am writing a book. Mainly just make sure you are frugal with the other smaller items you may need.
Only buy what you can eat
This is one point that I am very, very guilty of, at least I was until recently. Every year millions of tons of unused food are dumped into landfill; not a great thought when you consider that there are people starving in this world. We have all done it though; you go and do a massive shop packed full of food like fruit that doesn’t last all that long, we find said items 2 weeks later at the back of the cupboard.
One way that I have managed to overcome this issue is to do either one large shop a month, or 4 tiny ones. If you choose to do the large shop, then you are going to have to seriously pan what you are going to be eating for the month and I mean every, single meal. This way you are only shopping for the exact ingredients you need. If you choose to do a small weekly shop, then look for fresh items that have a use by date at the end of the week. This way you can keep them in the fridge, avoiding waste in your freezer and you know exactly when they have to be eaten by.
Don’t emotional shop
I am an emotional shopper – fact. When I am sad I will go clothes shopping to cheer me up, when I am happy I will shop as a way of celebrating. The issue with emotional shopping is that the majority of the items I have brought in the past I have never worn. I wonder if this is because I am not really thinking about what I am doing when I am shopping, or it could simply be that the act of shopping is more important than what I am buying. I know I am not alone on this either – we all have our vices! Whether you comfort eat, drink more than you know you should or you over exercise; we are only human at the end of the day.
However, this is one problem that has cost me a lot of money over the years so I knew I needed to break the cycle. To do this I started learning to rediscover my old clothes; the ones that have been living at the back of my wardrobe for years. I have found some gems too, like an Aztec printed poncho and a pair of Steve Madden boots that I had completely forgotten about.
Once I had seen just how much clothing I actually own, I set out to combat the emotional side. This was not easy, especially on days when my health was acting up or I was stressed. So I began by just window shopping; heading through the shops and seeing what gems I could find but not exchanging any money. Other times I would head to the gym to let off steam rather than shop. Now though I don’t emotional shop – if I am sad I just accept that I am sad and likewise if I am tired, in pain or happy.
What are your money saving tips?? I would love to know….