Written by: Admin_SheEvo
Money is one of those subjects many of us shy away from. As someone who would literally get hives whenever someone talked about money. I know all too well the fear of talking about money. But as someone pointed out to me, if you are afraid of money, money will be afraid of you. Like any good relationship, money needs constant conversation, adjustment and rethinking. Which is why instead of shying away from talks about money. I now discuss it often and openly. One of my favorite money topics is saving money. Or rather how to make my money go further and work for me. below is a list I’ve compiled of some easy ways you can start saving money now.
- Put more thought behind how you eat: As a self proclaimed foodie. I can honestly say that food plays a big part of my life. I am also known to spend a pretty penny on meals and wine at restaurants. However with COVID and being indoors more I have not been splurging much on going out. Which at the beginning of the pandemic made me feel like I could eat more take out. After looking through our spending monthly spending however. My husband and I realized that we were spending way too much on eating out and not actually enjoying the experience. And whilst we were eating a lot of take out. Our food shopping habits hand’t changed which also meant we were also often wasting food. After some thinking and talking -, we realized that instead of ordering out every other day from subpar restaurants, we would instead prefer to support small local restaurants with good food. Food that we would enjoy and savor. We also started to work hard on not wasting food and have now struck a good balance of enjoying what we love. And using our groceries.
- Shop second hand: With a new apartment a toddler going to creche soon. Our wallets have been stretched over the past few months. Which is why when shopping for clothes and home products we often opt for second hand items. Especially as we begin renovations on our apartment and have to update a few things. It has now become a contest to see who will find the best second hand clothes and furniture.
- Shop local (and seasonal): This goes without saying but shopping local can often save you a lot of money. This is true of food and even clothes. So next time you feel the urge to treat yourself, or but some veggies. Check what is in season first and see what you can find. Making the frozen food section a friend has also been a saving grace for us as I often find out of season and organic fruits and veg like spinach and berries at a steal compared to buying them fresh and out of season.
- Think before you buy: Two years ago I had the nasty habit of buying what ever when ever and from where ever I wanted. Nowadays however I often wait before making a lot of my purchases. From clothes to furniture and even food items. Waiting to see if you miss said item is a good way to ensure you are not just spending just because. Using this method I have found more often than not that I take things out of my cart.
- Reuse: In renovating and updating our new apartment, one thing we have tried to do as much as possible is reuse as many of the tiles, wood etc that is around. Instead of just going to the shops and getting more, we are taking the time to strip old wood and repaint it to our liking. Or find a way to make it work for us. This same idea can be applied to clothes too. Instead of buying new shorts for the summer, think of reusing old jeans by cutting them and making your own. Or even finding new ways to wear existing items.
