Household bills continue to be a major drain on family finances. While people cannot avoid them completely, some things can be done to cut expenses and make them more manageable.
Clean up your finances
Cleaning products can make an expensive dent in your supermarket bills. The various sprays, scrubs, and wipes that you can buy can really add up. Take a look at how much you are spending on these items. There may be cheaper products you can use; for example, cleaning wipes will be more expensive than simply spraying cleaner onto a cloth yourself. There are also natural products such as lemon juice and vinegar that you can use to clean in the house. These can be effective as well as economical.
One of the easiest things to do is to reuse items you already have when it comes to household cleaning. Cloths can be expensive, so try turning old towels or clothes into rags for cleaning. Pop them in the washing machine to keep them fresh.
Budget-busting tips
Actively look out for vouchers and coupons you can use to set against the cost of shopping, products, and services. There are plenty of websites now that specialize in daily offers of discount vouchers that can give very significant savings and manufacturer websites often have deals on their items too. You can also take the old-fashioned step of cutting and clipping out coupons from food packets and tins.
Energy costs have soared in recent years but there are ways to cut bills. Buy energy-efficient appliances to help the environment and your budget. Modern household essentials such as washing machines, dishwashers, and fridge freezers are now marked with a rating that shows which use the least amount of electricity. The best performers will shave pounds off your energy bills.
Shopping around is a tried and tested way of saving money. Research on the internet to find the best prices for pretty much anything you are buying, especially big household items.
Look out for finance deals that have 0% interest rates over several years to take the sting out of a big purchase and spread the cost. If you can afford it, bulk buys items you would be putting in your shopping basket anyway. Special offers (especially buy-one, get-one-free deals) on non-perishable food items can be a great way to stock up.
Keep items in good condition to ensure they last longer. Follow the maintenance and care instructions for appliances, vacuum cleaners, etc., to ensure they stay in tip-top working order. When buying items lookout for offers of free or cheap extended guarantees so that if something does break down you don’t face an expensive repair bill, perhaps for up to five years.
Having several pots simmering on the stove can get the electricity and gas meters ticking over, so find some great one-pot recipes to save on the utility bills and the washing up.
Apply as many of these money-saving tips as you can and hopefully, you’ll soon notice the difference in your household expenditure.
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