For parents – and mums in particular – one of the biggest challenges is finding a way to get all of the necessary tasks done whilst still having time to spend with the family. The average household now has a number of demands placed upon it – and many of these are financial. Saving money has always been a priority for mums but, with 55% of households reported to be struggling with their bills, it is now more important than ever.
As always, the world of money saving has found that mom knows best and there are plenty of ways in which people can cut their spending. These include simple things such as budgeting more rigorously and eliminating spending on luxury products or services.
A streamlined home is therefore often found to be the most financially comfortable, allowing families to spend quality time together without fretting over how their will afford the next set of bills.
The desire to become more financially frugal is one which is expected to have increased following the Christmas period. Reducing spending is a common New Year’s resolution and many families may feel spurred to action following the indulgent spending they entertained during the festivities.
Of course, not everyone is an expert at saving money and mums new to the money-saving game may appreciate a few tips. To help you get started, here are a few tips on how to save money on the main everyday expenses:
Food: this is perhaps one of the biggest areas of spending for families and can often see households struggling with large bills. In December 2011, ThisIsMoney.co.uk reported that families could make a saving of as much as £1,500 on their food shopping simply by planning in advance.
The simple act of writing a shopping list and planning what you will buy will save an average of £29 a week whilst also reducing the amount of money spent on takeaways and other quick-fixes to mealtime dilemmas.
For those who find the temptation of shops too hard to resist with or without a list, conducting your food shopping online could be the perfect solution. These services can help you to get the items you need at a reasonable price and some services will even deliver them along with your regular milk delivery. This will therefore save you both time and money, giving you the freedom to enjoy more time with the family.
Energy: another major concern, recent increases to energy prices mean that monthly bills have become hard to manage for a number of families. The simply solutions for this are as follows:
• Monitor energy usage and ensure all members of the family follow simple practices, such as turning lights off in rooms which are unoccupied. Teaching your children these skills will help them to feel involved and make them more conscientious in the future.
• Compare the price which you pay for your services against other providers and switch if necessary. Regularly review how much you are spending and don’t be frightened to change provider.
Author
Neil works in digital marketing for a grocery shopping website that specialises in every day essentials including everything from milk and veg boxes to pet food and bin liners. When he’s not online Neil is an avid cinema goer with a particular fondness of foreign cinema and a keen rower.