This is a collaborative post but all thoughts are my own.
How To Save Money On Household Essentials.
Around this time of year, we start to feel the pinch, money wise. With Christmas fast approaching, it is always fun, however, it can also be very stressful.
We have to budget how much we have for presents, whilst juggling the extra costs involved with the Winter months. Such as keeping warm in Winter.
We do not have the heating on through Spring, Summer and Autumn, but boy do we need it in Winter. My kitchen must be one of the coldest in the UK.
That is why I love baking, not for the cakes, just the warm oven!!
A few months before Christmas we also start to stock up on extra food to fill the cupboards up for the festive season and just in case we get snowed in.
My Gran always told me to fill up the larder, as you never know what is around the corner.
The family income is always the same in Winter as Summer, yet you have to make your money go a lot further. Long gone nowadays are workplaces that give you a Christmas Bonus!! (Remember Them?)
Today I thought I would share a list of How To Save Money On Household Essentials that will help us all, inspiring you to make your money go further.
How To Save Money On Household Essentials Food And Drink:
1. Meal Plan:
I find that if I Plan My Weekly Meals in advance we are less likely to rush out and buy takeaway meals.
It can seem boring picking what is for dinner in 5 days time.
Wow though it saves loads of money so gets my vote!!
2. Go Shopping When You Are Full:
If I go shopping when I am hungry I am more likely to fill my trolley with junk food and fast foods because I just want to eat everything I see and I want to eat it now!
If I go shopping when I am feeling full I am more likely to concentrate on sticking to my meal plans.
3. Write A List:
Writing a list and sticking to it. (I stick to it except for one treat just 4 me sshh).
4. Look Out For Offers:
Check online first what the supermarkets have on offer each week.
So that you can plan your meals if possible around what foods are the best price.
Do not just buy a 2 for 1 on a whim as you often waste it.
It only takes a few minutes and can save you £££s.
It is a good way of giving you a variety to your diet. If like me you do not normally eat seafood, I always keep an eye on offers as I earn lots of brownie points if Paella is on the menu!!
Normally it would be too expensive for us.
5. Shop A Few Hours Before Closing:
Find out when your local supermarkets reduce their fresh products.
Sometimes you can pick up some amazing deals on fresh bread, cakes, meat, fruit and vegetables.
Obviously, try not to stray from your list. If items can be frozen though, this can be a good money saving tip long term.
6. Invest in A Chest Freezer:
Having a big freezer can be perfect for stocking up on food, especially if you use tip number 5 a lot.
Nothing worse than getting 20 reduced price cakes and having to eat them all in one day… Trust me on this one!!!
How To Save Money On Household Essentials Cheaper Gas And Electricity:
Check You Gas & Electric Bills Regularly:
Gas and electricity companies often offer you a great deal to switch with them but after a few years, the price you pay sometimes (unknown to you) rises.
A few minutes on the internet every year can save you a lot of money. If your bills are competitive, stay with them. If they are overcharging you, move to another provider.
How To Save Money On Household Essentials Mobile Phone Contracts:
Do Not Over Pay For Your Phone:
Every so often we need a new phone and have one on contract.
After our contract ends the mobile company will still charge you the same price just for your allowances.
If you are not careful you can pay for your phone twice over.
Give your phone company a call or check when your contract ends or if it has ended already.
See what deals they have for you. If your not happy you can either have a new phone contract with them and sell your old phone or like us if you are still happy with your phone, change providers or negotiate an even better deal.
Internet Providers:
Same As Above:
We have just changed internet providers after 8 years of being happy with our old one.
We simply found a more stable connection, with quicker speeds and a better price so why stick with the old one?
Sentiment does not pay the bills…
Share Your Tips With Us:
Now over to you.
If you have any of your own tips that you would like to share with us let us know in the comments below.
Suggestions also welcome if you can improve my list. I am always open to anything that saves money!! Thanks for reading. Now get saving!!!
About this post: This is a collaborative post but all thoughts are my own.
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Hi, I am Claire and I created Claire Justine in 2011. I hope you enjoy reading my posts as much as I love writing them.
Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts with us.
Claire Justine Oxox- Over 50s Lifestyle Blog. You can also read more about me on my Over 50s Lifestyle Blog Page.
Great tips here. I need to check when my mobile phone contract ends.
Great tips! I try to plan meals ahead, but have two teenage boys in the house – they eat always eat more than I anticipate :(. They are also the reason I have to watch the phone bills! I'm going to try the "sticking to a list" and shopping when I'm full…..I'm terrible about both!
I love this post! I think making a list and going shopping when full are definitely effective ideas.
Thanks for this. My phone contract has just ended and I'd assumed the price would just drop. How naive. Will try to give them a call asap.
Author
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Great tips!
Author
Thanks Heather 🙂
Great tips, Claire! We have gotten so much better with grocery shopping. We used to literally do the grocery shopping with no budget…just stock it up. And we were spending a ton. Now we have cut junk food out, too, which is a huge cut in food expenses! And a chest freezer is a must. Freezer meals all the way!Shelbee
Author
Thanks Shelbee. I agree, junk food bumps the cost up.
I shop once a week and no more. I've found that saves me loads. Also I order on line, because I can thin the contents of my basket down before I pay. No excuse to add extras. It keeps it below my budget and cuts food waste, as well. Tescos click and collect is free if you book for the next day. I do love my chest freezer.Frozen food is often the cheaper option.#MMBC
Author
That is a good Tip Cheryl 🙂
Great post this. We invested in an american fridge freezer which lets us store more frozen food than ever before and saves us a bundle of cash each month when we shop at Costco
Author
Thanks Jonathan. Whoo I really want one of those big fridge freezers.
Really good ideas – especially to check for offers online before going to the supermarket. I've been with the same mobile provider forever but I'm very careful these days to know when the contract ends and I check what other deals are around before I renew. They matched a price for me this time round.
Author
Thank you Nancy. I like to check the supermarkets if I am after something particular and base my shopping around where I find it cheaper online sometimes too:)
Fab tips! Invest in a chest freezer is so true, we load ours full and save a lot of money!
Author
Thanks Laura. Chest freezer are great for stocking up aren't they 🙂
These are great tips! 🙂 I agree on the mobile phone one too – I was with a company for over a decade and they recently stuffed me around so I walked into their competitor and switched my service. Less money, more useful features so I'm happy :)I need to get better at meal planning and shopping to a list too – food has been quite unadventurous lately as I'm still trying to get a handle on working and having two toddlers! :)Hope you're having a lovely weekend! We are having a quiet one today dealing with sick toddlers.Away From The Blue Blog
Author
Thanks for stopping by Mica. We have been there a few times with our mobile contract so it makes us remember now as we hate wasting money 🙂
I always take a list, but I always go off it! Definitely agree regarding mobile phones – people need to know when their contract is up and not stay and get fleeced. Great tips
Author
Thanks Sarah, I usually come back with more than on my list but get mostly what I needed 🙂