If you have been following the news at all, you know that the economy is in peril. If you have stepped outside your home, you know that gas prices are sky rocketing and it is impacting the cost of food, entertainment and more. If there was ever a time to live more frugally, this is it.
You might not
have envisioned living in a downturn economy with your family, but that is the situation we all are facing. And if you are among the majority of women, you are probably worried about that. A new
study from CoolSavings.com revealed that 97 percent of women age 25-34 are worried about the economy and trying to cut back on expenses. Overall, in all age groups, 93 percent of women are worried
about their family finances.
What can you do to shave some money out of your expenses? Here are some suggestions:
Eat in
Twenty-four percent of women surveyed by CoolSavings said that they were skipping the restaurant meals (and with good reason). Eating at home costs much less, and it puts you in control of what your
family is eating. A family of four can easily eat a balanced dinner for $10 or less at home. In a restaurant, count on a tab of $50 or more. Plus, your kids will benefit from seeing you cook up
healthy meals at home.
Buy kids clothes at consignment stores and tag sales
I’m sure you never imagined trolling tag sales and consignment stores for good deals, but this is a great way to save money. Often times, consignment stores will have never worn or barely worn
clothes for sale for a quarter of the original retail price. The nice thing about consignment stores? Someone else has already picked through and found the best of the best. However, tag sales are
great too. You might just find an unworn pair of Nike sneakers for your daughter for just $2. It definitely happens.
Sign up for discounts
Diaper, formula and baby food companies have online forms where you can fill out your information and get on their mailing lists. They send out coupons and even samples to entice you to buy.
It’s totally worth the two minutes to sign up when you are getting $7 off formula and $2 off diapers and that savings adds up.
Make a trade
Sites like Freecycle and Zwaggle allow you to offer up your old items and get items from other users (with Freecycle, there is only an honor system, Zwaggle uses a points system for the bartering). The nice thing? It’s free.
Think before you buy
Is this one a no-brainer? Nah, ’cause you are probably used to being able to sneak in a $6 clearance tote or a killer $25 top that’s 75 percent off. But does junior really need another
Elmo video and can you live without the expensive coffee drink? Ask yourself: Do I really need this? More times then not, the answer is probably no. So step away from the sales rack and put the money
back in your wallet.
I know. That last one is a doozy.Read More
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