If you’d like to find a way to spend less for things in and around your home, but aren’t sure how to begin, this U.S. News article by Mel Bondar provides a simple roadmap to help you start making it happen – with 7 frugal steps you can take in just 7 days.
Sometimes the trick to tackling one giant goal – like becoming frugal – is to break it into small, actionable steps. If one of your New Year’s Resolutions was to save more money or pay off your debts, here are seven frugal steps you can take over the next week to start making a dent in your spending.
Meal planning & prep. Meal planning is tedious, but it’s also one of the quickest ways to slash your spending. Even if you plan meals you love that have higher quality ingredients, if you chronically eat out this is going to save you money. Sort out a plan for seven days of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Make sure you buy all the groceries on a day when you have a little extra time, and prep everything for the week rather than just throwing it in the refrigerator.
Call to negotiate one of your fixed bills. Whether it’s cable, water, lawn care, insurance premiums or Internet providers, pick one and call to see if the company can offer you a better deal. Tell them you’ve started price comparing with other companies and just want to know you’ve got the best offer you can get with them.
Find one thing to substitute with a cheaper alternative. Look around at your usual purchases and see if there’s something you can start substituting to save a little money. If you go through K-Cups like it’s nobodies business, could you get a reusable one and start filling it with coffee grounds instead? Can you switch to the generic brand of something you usually buy name brand?
