Ask a Question
or
Create a Poll
  1. Home /
  2. Questions /
  3. Life And Society
  4. / Thrifty Living
  5. / More Thrifty Living

by Suby the Coat on April 26th, 2009

Suby the Coat

Question

Help answer this question below.

Could you please suggest a way to cut our monthly household expenses by 25%?

  • Like
  • Report
Share:
Other

Answers. 15 helpful answers below.

  • by Ailsa on April 26th, 2009

    Ailsa

    Theres many ways to help achieve that.
    Buy meat that is reduced price because of its shelf date, the meat is still perfect and can be frozen.
    Turn off lights, tvs etc when not in use.
    Only what you need, waste loses alot of our money.
    Make a list of what you need for shopping and stick to the list only.
    switch to a cheaper electric/gas company.
    Theres alot more too

    • Like
    • Report

    3 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by RosieGHM Jetpacker on April 26th, 2009

    RosieGHM Jetpacker

    Cook all your food from scratch
    Don't eat out
    Eliminate all magazine subscriptions
    Stop buying coffee at a coffee house..make your own
    Eliminate cable
    Buy only what you need to replace
    Go to the library more
    Stop exchanging gifts..exchange cards instead
    Don't go out to movie theaters...rent DVD's
    Read more, converse more, stay home more
    Learn to appreciate what you have and enjoy that

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by nutmegcollector on April 26th, 2009

    nutmegcollector

    Not knowing where you spend the money, it's impossible to suggest where to cut. You can try to cut 25% across the board if that is possible.

    • Like
    • Report

    3 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Simply99 -- Not a fan favorite. on April 26th, 2009

    Simply99 -- Not a fan favorite.

    Cancel Internet service. Oust the cable/satellite service. No need for a cellular phone. Walk to your destination whenever possible. Read a library book instead of watching television. Read by candelight, not electric lamp. Buy generic whenever possible. Write your Congressman and suggest your favoring the lowering of taxes. Try to negotiate a raise of pay with your supervisor/bossman at work.

    • Like
    • Report

    4 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by leeks5229 on April 26th, 2009

    leeks5229

    I would like to offer the following suggestions:

    (1) Never buy on impulse.
    (2) Purchase according to needs not wants.
    (3) Switch off fans, lights, TV, radio, etc when they are not needed.
    (4) Reduce eating out.
    (5) Car pooling if feasible.
    (6) Use public transportation.

    • Like
    • Report

    No comments. Post one | Permalink

  • by Aristocles on April 26th, 2009

    Aristocles

    Good answers here already. Also:

    Save gas by doing all your errands/shopping in town at once. Buy in bulk when appropriate. Open windows instead of using AC as much as possible. Use only those spiral energy-saving light bulbs; they last forever and use up very little wattage. Make your own laundry soap (very cheap and effective). Don't eat out. Use a clothesline instead of the dryer. Get a library card instead of buying books. Don't buy garbage bags; just use the small plastic bags you get from the grocery store in small trash cans(I haven't bought garbage bags in three years). Wash and reuse old jars and containers instead of buying Tupperware. Grow your own vegetables, even if it's only a 6x6 garden. Change your car's oil instead of taking it to the service. For cleaning, use nature's germ-killer, vinegar, instead of buying all sorts of different products that do the same thing. When buying small items that are kitchen- or bathroom-related, go the the dollar store. Donate your old belongings to Goodwill or the like in order to save a few bucks during tax season.

    Live modestly, spend modestly. It keeps your house and mind tidy.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Prime wants the old AB back on April 26th, 2009

    Prime wants the old AB back

    Here are a couple of links that may be helpful:

    http://www.finweb.com/financial-planning/reducing-your-household-expenses.html

    http://www.smartmoneytips.com

    For us, the first thing we usually do to save money is to go to simpler foods. For example, in our area, potatoes and rice are inexpensive and versatile. There are a lot of little things that can help but it varies as to what these are for each household.

    Hopefully the links will help give you some ideas. :)

    • Like
    • Report

    3 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by vera city on May 9th, 2009

    vera city

    most families use too much electricity. to cut back:

    turn off your computers, dvd/cd players, night lights if you are not using them

    unplug rechargers when their devices are not connected to them

    wash your laundry in cold water (saves gas, electric of heating water)

    see if you can switch to trash pick-up every other week and then limit your waste

    drop some of your extras from your cellphone (do you need to send photos?)

    borrow movies from the library, rather than renting or going to the theater

    drink Kool Aid or brewed iced tea, rather than soda pop

    buy generic cleaning products, soaps, shampoos, groceries

    in the midst of all these lean times make sure you keep one small 'luxury item' the family enjoys so you don't feel deprived

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Skruff on April 26th, 2009

    Skruff

    When I was on unemployment, I had to do just this. I bought one of those little "budget handlers" each page is an envelope with a space on the front to write the expenditure. "Utilities" "Food" "rent/mortgage" etc.

    I took my available money, and divided it as far as it would go. then I began cutting where it was necessary. I found I could half the light bill, quater the transportation expenses (by walking and biking) I was very careful with the food budget (no deserts, or snacks, lots of potatoes and pasta) and lo and behold, I found at the end of the first month, I had money left over, which I put aside for emergency expenses AND one other thing I learned, we can do without a bunch of stuff we think we need. I dumped my landline in favor of a cell which I paid for in minutes, and found it was MUCH cheaper (less than half) I'm back to work now, but I have NOT gone back to my old ways. I kept the internet service, but found a much cheaper way of getting on line. I no longer have cable TV, a second car, a dryer, and I burn wood in my furnace instead of oil.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Uncle Rick on May 19th, 2009

    Uncle Rick

    buy shops own brand food instead of the more famous names, don't throw away vegetable foodstuffs - use them as compost, fix leaking taps (it's amazing how much water you loose from them), put on a jumper instead of the heating, switch electrical items off instead of leaving on stand-by, repair clothes rather than buying new ones, budget everything, save your pennies in a jar and see how much you have at the end of the month, switch utility companies.

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Stick it!! on April 26th, 2009

    Stick it!!

    Start by looking at what you are loosing through waste and nonsense. Buying things you really don't need, use them a couple of times then throw them away and buying something else. Take good care of what you do have.

    • Like
    • Report

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Millenium - The Mysterious M. . . GONE! on April 26th, 2009

    Millenium - The Mysterious M. . . GONE!

    I can tell you your air conditioning and heating cosume the BIGGEST energy in your house! Turn it UP a few degrees in the summer and DOWN a few degrees in the winter and you could save over a thousand dollars over a year's time !

    • Like
    • Report

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by Darth 5349U11 on April 26th, 2009

    Darth 5349U11

    don't but the "big brands" just on the sake of the brand, i have found many little brands do the job just as well

    • Like
    • Report

    5 comments | Post one | Permalink

  • by Moongrim on April 26th, 2009

    Moongrim

    Evict a member of the household.

    1 comment | Post one | Permalink

  • by nucleotideboy on April 26th, 2009

    nucleotideboy

    Kill one of your kids?

    2 comments | Post one | Permalink

Want to attach an image to your answer? Click here.

Did this answer your question? If not, then ask a new question or create a poll.

More Questions. Additional questions in this category.

You're reading Could you please suggest a way to cut our monthly household expenses by 25%?

Follow us on Facebook!

Related Ads

Related Questions

Professionally Researched

ANSWERBAG BUZZ

How to reduce household expenses india
Devoted to sports
How to cut monthly hpusehold expenses in india
Burn wood in my furnace

Answerbag

a Demand Media company