Saving at Home

The home is one of the places where we could easily save. Here are pointers that might prove useful.

If we look at our monthly bills, we will easily take note that necessities like food, electricity and water can be more easily reduced if only we were careful with them.

It is not necessary that people reduced their food intakes in order to save. What homemakers should watch is the amount of food that goes to waste. Knowing the family's eating habits and cooking only the right quantity can largely reduced one's food expenses.

One suggestion is to have a refrigerator at home. Buying one may seem an expense but in the long run, having a refrigerator at home is more useful than having none. For example, leftovers that are kept in refrigerators last longer than those left in the open. Furthermore, one could buy more meat, fish and vegetables when going to the market and keep them fresh longer in the refrigerator. This would spare homemakers to make extra trips to the market and better discounts when buying in volumes.

A little attention on how we can make use of electricity and water also helps. It is good to remind family members to always switch off lights, television sets, and other appliances when not needed. Appliances like air-conditioners , electric flat iron and stoves consume more electricity than other appliances. Doing one's washing and ironing in bulk also helps one to save on both water and electricity. The months of November to February usually are cooler, hence the use of electric fans and air-conditioners could easily be limited.

Then, of course, homemakers can save by watching over what they throw away in the garbage heap. Some materials we commonly used are recyclable. For example, newspapers could easily be bundled together and sold to dealers who, in turn, sell them to paper factories for recycling. This is true to empty bottles, aluminum cans, scrap metals like iron and copper.

Then, for those who have empty lots, it is good for them to make a good use of these empty parcels of land to raise vegetables. A little home gardening not only offers a more relaxing pastime than watching television all day. Of course, having vegetable plants nearby provides a fresh supply of food staples that one can easily use. And for those who produce more than what they can consume, selling them will provide an extra income.

Finally, let members at home find other means to transform their free time into productive activities. Producing other native food stuff on cottage industry level can also be a good source of extra income.

In the end, when times are economically difficult, the best attitude is to tap one's resourcefulness than to complain. The saying, "God helps those who help themselves," is certainly good to remember in difficult times.