Pixabay

For a lot of people, money is a little tight right now. The lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well the war in Ukraine and numerous other factors are all contributing to the current cost of living crisis. Everything is becoming more expensive, from petrol and household energy, to groceries and luxury goods. It’s getting more and more costly simply to be alive.

This is especially difficult for those on low incomes or with families to provide for. You may find yourself counting pennies and cutting down on luxuries like clothes and days out with the family. You might be stressing about the amount of money you make and looking for ways to increase your income. Yes, you can ask your boss for a raise or find a lucrative side hustle, such as renting out your spare room on AIrBnb or deciding to play live casino at Vickers.bet.

But there are actually plenty of ways you could increase your amount of disposable income without changing your lifestyle or habits. There are so many activities you perform each and every day that are costing you far more than you should. By slightly changing the way you approach these tasks, you could save yourself a great deal of expense and end up with a lot more money at the end of the month.

To get you started, here are ten everyday habits you can save money on starting right now.

Cooking

Whenever you make a meal at home, it costs you money not only in ingredients, but also the energy it takes to cook them. By being a little more careful with your meal prep you can reduce the cost of your home cooking. Start by making a list before you do your weekly food shop, planning all your meals in advance and only buying what you really need. This will cut down on unnecessary food waste and limit your costs. When cooking food, little tricks like keeping lids on pans will reduce cooking time and energy expenditure. 

Doing the dishes

If you don’t have a dishwasher, you end up using a lot more water to clean your dirty plates and bowls. Especially if you are the kind of person who leaves the tap running while you do them. Instead of this incredibly wasteful technique, you should be filling up your sink, or a washing bowl, with water and using this to do your dishes in. Start off by washing the cleanest items, like glasses and cutlery, and this way you won’t have to refresh the water as often. Do this every day and the size of your water bill will noticeably decrease over time.

Personal grooming

You also use a lot of water when showering, so you should be aware of how long you spend in there. Try and limit your shower time to no more than a few minutes. Set an alarm if you have to. Make sure you are not leaving the taps on when brushing your teeth and try to be more conservative with the grooming products you use to save you have to replace them as often. 

Driving

Driving a vehicle is one of the most expensive habits in life. The already high price of fuel has skyrocketed in recent months, meaning every journey costs a lot more than it used to. But there are many ways to reduce your fuel consumption by driving more carefully. Try to read the road ahead of you when on the move. For example, if you’re approaching a junction, you can slow down gradually rather than staying on the gas and hitting the brakes at the last minute. Accelerate smoothly and steadily and don’t feel you always have to drive at the speed limit. Driving at 60mph instead of 70mph will reduce your fuel consumption by about 10%

Laundry

Washing and drying your clothes uses a lot of energy. Make sure you are only doing laundry when you really need to, and try to consolidate loads wherever possible. A t-shirt or a pair of jeans don’t always need to be washed after one use. There’s nothing wrong with wearing an item of clothing for a few days in succession as long as it is still clean and smells OK. Avoid washing only a few items at a time, and if you desperately need a particular item cleaned, try doing it by hand instead. Don’t tumble dry your clothes in hot weather, as they will dry just fine if you hang them up.

Shopping

Whenever you have to buy essential items like food, clothing, or household items, don’t just settle for the first offer you see. If you are committed to saving money, you will need to be a much more scrupulous shopper. Shop around to find the best deals and always do some research to see if a shop is offering discounts or promotions. Many retailers provide discount codes in return for signing up to the email newsletters so it pays to check the websites before purchasing. 

Watching TV

Everyone likes to wind down with a bit of television in the evening, but are you spending too much on your streaming services? A few years ago, Netflix was the only paid subscription service worth having, but now there are loads more including Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Apple TV. Paying for them all will set you back thousands of dollars each year. Why not just settle for the one you like the most and discard the others. There are ways to save money on your streaming services by splitting the cost with a friend or sharing a password with a family member who already uses it. 

Using your phone

Your phone is essential for pretty much every aspect of your daily life, but there may be a way to pay less for your contract. If you regularly have minutes and data left over at the end of the month it might be worth downgrading your plan to a cheaper one. By reducing the amount you use mobile data, you can save yourself a huge amount. In this day and age, you are never far away from free wifi, so try and limit your unnecessary browsing when out and about.

Working out

Exercise is free, so there is no real need to sign up to a gym if you can’t afford it. Cancel your membership and start finding new ways to work out instead. There are plenty of free online workouts available that you can use to get you started. Or you can simply strap on your trainers and go for a run. If you are into weightlifting and need a lot of expensive gym equipment, it’s worth asking yourself if you can afford to make the initial investment and purchase your own home gym. Although the upfront cost will be high, you will save money in the long run.

Entertainment

Everyone needs to enjoy themselves, and days out with the family or date nights with your partner are the things that make life worth living. No one is telling you to stop these activities, but you can at least be a little more careful with how you spend your money. You don’t need to take your kids to expensive theme parks or other attractions each weekend. There are so many ways to entertain children that don’t cost money, such as going hiking or riding bikes together. Instead of a posh meal out with your spouse, try preparing a romantic home cooked dinner instead.

By adopting this advice into your daily life, you will dramatically reduce your cost of living without even knowing it. What other money-saving tips have we missed? Let us know in the comments!