Trying to stick to a budget can be a tedious and difficult job. Writing down income and expenses typically is not on the top of people’s “fun for the day” list either. There’s no doubt that a budget is an incredibly useful tool for saving money. However, it doesn’t have to be your first step in your quest to live a more frugal, thrifty lifestyle. Instead, consider implementing some of the following simple actions that can add up to big savings year after year:
Cut down The Number of Takeaway Drinks You Purchase
Eliminating something you enjoy is never a very realistic option when trying to save money. Cutting back on a regular purchase is a much more palatable option. If you regularly purchase one cappuccino per day at an average cost of £2.20 that costs you more than £800.00 per year, then cutting that purchase in half saves £400.00 per year. Multiply that savings by just 5 years and you are on the way to save £2,000.00 from that one simple action alone. Coffee is just the example used here. The concept applies to any other similar small purchase you make frequently.
Turn Down Your Thermostat by One Degrees
Heating bills are a regular monthly expense during the winter season. These can easily cause you to go over budget during the colder months however you may benefit from the help of a payday loan to ensure you can afford to heat your home, aswell as continue to cover your other household expenses.
For each simple action that you take to save money on your heating bill, you are saving money not just in that instance, but over the entire lifetime that you benefit from that action. Turning down your thermostat is a simple step that you can take to realize savings that continue year after year. According to The Enegery Saving Trust, turning down your thermostat by 1 degree can save the average UK resident £65.00 per year.
Optimize Your Drive to Work to Minimize Fuel Costs
If you drive to work, take a look at alternative routes that might be more fuel efficient. You can use map programs such as Google Maps or MapQuest to find alternative routes. You should also consider asking other coworkers who live in the same areas as you do. If you want to make sure you are actually saving fuel by optimizing your route, track your mileage and your fuel over a period of time for each route you try out. If you have a reliable GPS system, you may be able to use it to help you figure out your average fuel cost for each route you try.
Take Shorter Showers
Taking shorter showers will save you money on heating costs year after year. If you are the type of person who loves to take a long and leisurely shower, consider taking shorter showers every other day. It’s better to set a goal that’s realistic and achievable than to set yourself up for failure.
Fill Your Bathtub Halfway
If you prefer baths to showers, fill your bathtub halfway. Unless you are bathing in extremely cold conditions, you will barely notice any difference.
Get As Much Use as Possible Out Of Items in Tubes and Bottles
You can save additional money by doing simple things like turning your condiment containers upside down to get as much usage out of them as possible. Roll up your toothpaste tubes and clip them with a plastic clip. Wash your plastic sandwich bags in the washer, turn them inside out, and hang them up to dry.
Hold Off On the Budget and Start Saving Money
All of the ideas presented here are just examples of what you can do to start taking simple steps to save money on a regular basis. Eventually you will want to put together a budget. However, by taking simple steps such as the ones presented here, you can have immediate feedback and feel good about the small victories you are making in your quest towards a frugal and thrifty lifestyle.
