medo bloggsFive Places You Could Trim Your Family Budget
August 25th 2008 21:25
Family budgets get tighter as people are feeling the pinch of higher gas and food prices. Trimming your budget can be tough, but there probably are a few places you can cut back without feeling the pinch.
1. Cut down – or out – your television service.
Do you really need the premium movie channels? How much do you watch your satellite? Do you TiVo enough to warrant paying for the service monthly? Cutting back in this area can save you $10-$50 a month or more. If you still want movie options, pick up a Netflix subscription or look for the new $1 per night rentals. Better yet, try out the selection at your local library.
2. Go meatless once a week.
Going vegetarian is a tough lifestyle decision, especially if you love meat. As meat prices rise, try to cut the cost a bit by going to quality meatless dishes one night a week. Spinach lasagna is an excellent choice as is a breakfast night with grits (or oatmeal) and eggs. Make a marinara sauce with chickpeas or a stir-fry without meat. By adding variety to the meal, you’re cutting out the cost of the meat, but no one will notice.
3. Walk more.
Driving less is important for both financial and environmental reasons. Consolidating your trips will help you to make the most of your gas. Learning to walk more places also can help. Make an effort to walk to anywhere within a mile of your house. If you’re out shopping, don’t drive all over the parking lot, where you’re getting the worst possible gas mileage. Walking will decrease both your gas bill and your waistline.
4. Look for free entertainment first.
Find local tourist websites, parenting magazines, and newspaper calendars. Sit down on Wednesday evenings to look up free weekend entertainment. Seek out these options first. Be risky about what your family will do. Think about going to a local tomato festival even if you’ve never considered going to one. Listen to a band at a free concert in your city.
5. Find local farmers for your produce and meat.
Local farmers can sell you their food at a discount and still make more than they would by selling it to the grocer. You support a community business and save because you don’t have to pay for shipping the food. Use Craig’s List to find farmers and check out places like Local Harvest for you-pick farms in your area.
1. Cut down – or out – your television service.
Do you really need the premium movie channels? How much do you watch your satellite? Do you TiVo enough to warrant paying for the service monthly? Cutting back in this area can save you $10-$50 a month or more. If you still want movie options, pick up a Netflix subscription or look for the new $1 per night rentals. Better yet, try out the selection at your local library.
2. Go meatless once a week.
Going vegetarian is a tough lifestyle decision, especially if you love meat. As meat prices rise, try to cut the cost a bit by going to quality meatless dishes one night a week. Spinach lasagna is an excellent choice as is a breakfast night with grits (or oatmeal) and eggs. Make a marinara sauce with chickpeas or a stir-fry without meat. By adding variety to the meal, you’re cutting out the cost of the meat, but no one will notice.
3. Walk more.
Driving less is important for both financial and environmental reasons. Consolidating your trips will help you to make the most of your gas. Learning to walk more places also can help. Make an effort to walk to anywhere within a mile of your house. If you’re out shopping, don’t drive all over the parking lot, where you’re getting the worst possible gas mileage. Walking will decrease both your gas bill and your waistline.
4. Look for free entertainment first.
Find local tourist websites, parenting magazines, and newspaper calendars. Sit down on Wednesday evenings to look up free weekend entertainment. Seek out these options first. Be risky about what your family will do. Think about going to a local tomato festival even if you’ve never considered going to one. Listen to a band at a free concert in your city.
5. Find local farmers for your produce and meat.
Local farmers can sell you their food at a discount and still make more than they would by selling it to the grocer. You support a community business and save because you don’t have to pay for shipping the food. Use Craig’s List to find farmers and check out places like Local Harvest for you-pick farms in your area.
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