I’ve put together another list to help make extra income and how to save money.
- Sell things that you no longer use/need/want.
When my husband and I were moving to our new home, we wanted to start fresh with everything. We sold our biggest items such as a guest bed, storage cubes, couches, computer desk, etc. to our smaller items such as kitchen and dinnerware. This started a fund for our new items that we would be purchasing for the new home. It also made moving way easier for us too since I was pregnant and unable to help.
When you need extra cash, look around your place for things to sell online and make some extra cash. They say another man’s trash is another man’s treasure and it’s true! I’m sure we all have plenty of items that we can get rid of and it also helps with decluttering your place. If you have enough items, you could even do a garage sale. This will bring in a little extra income and help you organize and declutter at the same time.
2. Turn off the TV on the weekdays.
My husband came up with this idea as he thought that we were just wasting away watching TV after work every day. We went to Barnes & Noble and got a book for each of us to read instead. This not only cuts down on our screen time and electricity, we were able to be in peace and tranquility in our home without many distractions. We are able to sit down at the table and have dinner together and converse. This has made quality time for us so much more meaningful!
3. Use only what you need.
This applies to anything and everything. I have a rule for toilet paper that if you are only doing a number one, use only 3 squares. Water usage is only to be turned on a small setting to wash your hands or dishes. Electricity is only to be turned on when it is needed. This might sound stingy but it’s actually preserving resources. Why leave the light on in the hallway if you’re just going to be in your room with the door closed? Why turn on the water all the way for it to spill all over the counter and make a mess? This creates more chaos and more work for you.
My husband and I live in a two-story home that is 2,600 square feet. Our water bill is an average of $45 a month! Can you believe that? Our electricity bill averages out to $95 a month. I think that number can be a little bit better and hopefully it will go down with us turning off the TV on the weekdays but we only try to use what we need. I know this can be difficult with bigger families but try to teach them how to preserve resources. It’s better for you and for the planet.
4. Make the most out of what you have.
For my dish soap, I do a ratio of 3/4 of soap and 1/4 of water in the glass dispenser. This has helped me make the most out of my dish soap because they’re both reliant on each other to work so why not combine the both? I haven’t seen a decrease in the quality of the soap usage either.
For cooking, I cook a bulk meal for dinner so that I have leftovers for lunch the next day – it’s breakfast for my husband. This helps us save on food and we don’t have to scramble to cook something for lunch or go out and buy food.
For my beauty regime, I wash my face while I am showering. I feel this is two birds with one stone because for some reason, when I am out of the shower, I don’t feel like going to the sink and doing it there. Don’t ask me why, I’ve just never liked doing it. Washing my face in the shower while the conditioner is in my hair helps me get my beauty regime done.
5. Look at where you can cut expenses.
We stopped purchasing bottled water years ago because my husband would leave them all over the house and I just couldn’t justify it anymore. We got a water filter for our refrigerator and I put water in a pitcher and that’s where we drink water from. This applies to us and all of our guests who come over. We set out a water pitcher with cups and coasters and this has cut down our use of plastic water bottles and clean up! We do have bottled water in our home but it’s only for emergencies such as hurricanes, pandemic, etc. Even when we travel, I fill a gallon water jug for us to use instead of water bottles. It’s just more eco-friendly and less wasteful.
I rarely ever drink coffee but I hear it’s one of the biggest expense for some people because they go to Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts every day. That’s $5 a day for 365 days totaling $1,825! You could use that money for a vacation or to pay off a debt! Just know where your money is going.
To stay disciplined for a minimal and frugal lifestyle isn’t hard once you get used to it but the hardest part is getting into it. I know we have our normal routines and attachment to things but if we don’t get away from that, we will always be left with a lot of “stuff” that will only clutter our house and our minds. How your house looks like will affect how your mind will also look like. Let yourself go of all those material things and find freedom in the things that are in the experiences that life has to offer! I hope this list helps.
Sincerely,
Melissa Lee