Like many others out there, I have gone through some pretty rough patches in life where money gets tight. At times, fearful of not being able to afford to put food on the table, gas in the car, or pay my bills. Majority of Canadians do not have a "savings" that they can dip into if the need shall ever come.
Here are some ways that I have learned to stretch a buck, cut costs, and make ends meet when money is tight.
Consign or Garage Sale. You may be surprised with what you can gather. One person's trash, is another ones treasure. You may earn your self an extra $100!
Return your bottles. We return our bottles once a month and roughly get $20-$30 back for our juice & beverage containers. This amounts to approx 3 regular garbage bins of recycling. Get your kids in on the deal to collect from neighbors. This is a great way to get them involved and earn their own spending money.
Use your change: Rummage through your house in your couches, coat pockets, coin jars & car consoles. Collect your change and use it! I bet you can find an extra $20! Try it, and let me know how much you can collect!
Dilute: I have learned to stretch a buck in so many ways, and this is one of my best ones yet. I dilute my cleaners by half. This includes dish liquid, trigger cleaners, and even body wash. I save my empty bottles, fill half way with water, then the rest with product. Most times, I never know the difference.
Thrift Shopping. I was always embarrassed to walk into a thrift shop..I always thought they were for "poor" people. I felt too proud. When a friend invited me to go with her a few years back, I was shocked. A lot of things are in great used condition, if not still brand new with tags! Now I go every week looking for kids clothing especially. They grow so fast they don't have time to wear the clothing out. Instead of going to Old Navy to buy an average $10 t-shirt or pants for my daughter, I can now get 2 shopping bags FULL for $10. You will find great deals on home decor, clothing, sporting goods & more!
Walk, don't drive...: Gas is expensive!!! Carpooling or using the bus is your next best option.
Make your Work Lunch: By bringing your own food & beverages to work instead of grabbing a $5 soup or sandwich at a coffee shop, you can cut your costs by more than half.
Couponing: Cut your grocery bills in half. Make a conscious effort to collect and USE your coupons for everyday grocery shopping. Best sales to combine coupons on are BOGO, 50% Off, Dollar Days, and clearance items.
Phone Bills: Take a hard look at your finances and figure out what exactly you are spending money on and if those items are necessities. Cut out extra features on your phones such as call forwarding, caller ID. If you have a home phone & cell phones, ask your self if you really need both and discontinue one if you can.
Cable & Satellite TV: Go down to basic service and cut out the extra packages.
Laundry: Wash on cold, and hang your clothes to dry. You are paying money to run and operate these machines. Cut your energy spending in half.
Credit Cards: Phone your credit card companies to see if you can either reduce your payments for a period of time, or reduce your interest rates. There are many credit cards out there that will give you perks such as air miles rewards & grocery rewards. Sobeys offers a credit card where you earn CASH toward future grocery purchases. However, it has a high interest. If you are able to use this credit card and pay it off every month in full it could be of great benefit. In one year I had earned an extra $1000 towards my groceries.
Rewards Cards: Many stores offer some sort of rewards card where you can redeem points to get a cheaper price on products. Some popular stores are: Shoppers Drug Mart, Save On Foods, Safeway, Sobeys. Start redeeming your points to save.
Stop Buying Drive Through Coffee: On my way to work, driving the kids to school, or running errands, my greatest weakness is purchasing a coffee on the go. This is at least 5 days a week. At $2.05 each for my Large Double Double I roughly spend $40+ a month. This money could be used instead to purchase much needed groceries.
Have a "Must Go" Dinner Once A Week: Stop throwing out your left overs. Every Friday I go through my fridge and freezer, gather all the left overs, and items that I do not have enough to make a full meal and make a buffet. A little bit of everything. Saves money, and makes for an easy end of week dinner.
Use your local Food Bank: If you have never used one before, this may seem like the absolute last option that you would consider. Food banks are there for community members to help feed families when times are hard. Never be too proud to ask for help. Food banks are there for a reason. To Help.
Make Gifts: Instead of purchasing a $20 bottle of wine, or a $20 toy for your child to bring to a birthday party, get creative and make something. Homemade gifts are always more appreciated and meaningful to those who receive them. I find great ideas on www.pinterest.com.
Have a "Toonie" Children's Birthday Party: Love this idea. Each child invited is asked to bring a Toonie as a gift instead of a manufactured present. At the end of the day, the birthday child gets to go out shopping to pick one gift that he/she really wants instead of receiving many things that cost a lot of money, that they really didn't want in the first place.
Would love to hear from my readers more tips on how to save money and how to get through hard financial times. Comment and let me know of your best tips!
