Whatever your reasons for wanting to save money, these five tips can help you rack up savings on everyday essentials. Did you know that young adults spend about $173 per week on groceries, according to gallup.com? How much do you spend per week on groceries? What’s your annual expenditure for clothing? If you want your money to go further, we have some tips for you that will help do just that.
Groceries
Image via Flickr by OakleyOriginals
Food is expensive, but these helpful tips can help save buckets of money off the cost of food. Start by evaluating what you buy. Focus grocery buying on health and nutrition. By eating lower on the food pyramid, which means less meat and more whole foods like beans, you spend less and gain health.
Clip coupons too, and design menus around the items that you have coupons for. Buy fruit and vegetables when they are in-season since they are cheaper when they are in abundance. Cook from scratch rather than buying boxed food items. Packaging costs a lot so the more you cook from scratch, the more you save.
Clothing
Shop smarter. Start with thrift stores and consignment shops. Not only will you save money, but you help the environment too. If you are creative, a thrift store is a perfect place to find clothes that you can alter and turn into something brand new. Focus your wardrobe on base pieces that mix and match well with other things. In so doing, you can make many outfits from a few pieces of clothing.
Dental and Healthcare
Discount dental and healthcare plans offer deep savings off of the cost of regular services. The discount dental plans, such as plans found on that can save on everything from cleanings to braces, are easy to use and most come with a huge network of participating providers. The process is easy. Simply find a dentist near you on the network list, make an appointment, and experience quality dental care with 24 percent or more off of most services. Need a root canal? You could save upwards of 40 percent. That’s a lot of savings.
Commute and Gas
Weigh the options of how you use your vehicle. Gas consumption is an ongoing cost, but if you couple walking or biking to work with using public transit it saves money in unexpected ways. Check with your auto insurance about the cut off for annual mileage and discounts. If you drive less, your insurance may also drop in price.
Go Green
Focus on cutting electrical usage by using power strips on all of your appliances. Vampire appliances use electricity even when those items are in the off position. A power strip allows you to kill the electricity to a group of appliance with one switch. Turn down your water heater, so that your household uses less gas or electricity for hot water. Use fans instead of your HVAC during the summer. If you own your home, consider a geothermal heat pump. All of these little tricks are green and help to save money.
How much money can you save each month by just being smarter about how you live?
