Life is getting tougher and tougher each day because the world economy is collapsing. What can we do to survive these tough economic times?
My family made some life-changing habits to survive. We limit the use of aircondition to just 4 hours, half of the usual 8 hours we kept it working. The combination of electric fan and insulation keep us comfortable the rest of the day. We always unplug and not just switch off appliances when not in use. Unplugging saves us a lot of electricity. We also cut our monthly spending on unnecessary things such as watching movies at the theater and/or dining in restaurants. I just cook something special during special occasions and celebrate at home. We get cheaper yet nutritious food without the VAT and service charge.
It was hard at first but when we saw our first bills after those changes, we were motivated to just carry on. I can’t believe how much money we saved. It is almost 35% of our usual monthly household expenses. Yes, those small everyday sacrifices add up to significant savings. Well, not just that. I have these secrets to share with you. Read on and find out if these could work for you as well.
1. I learned to reap bargains and take advantage of coupons and in-store sales. Most of the time I get 25-50% off the regular price and get free stuff. That’s a lot of savings.
2. When buying things that are little expensive, I do price check online and compare prices then purchase the item from the store with the best rates.
3. Lately, I got very busy joining online contests and sweepstakes. Yes, sometimes we need to use some extra cash in these hard economic times and try our luck. Sometimes it is not only money sweepstakes you will get from these online websites but birthday freebies as well. I know because I already won twice and got what I wanted for my birthday!
During these really difficult times even the smallest things could help us through. Even if there is improvement going on (I hope so) in our economy, don’t be over confident. Refurbish, join online contests, get freebies and save!
tama… always learn to bargain.. kahit na sa maliit na halaga..
I agree, Axlppi. I’m a self-proclaimed “tawad” queen, next to my mom that is. She was the one who taught me the “art” of being barat. ;))
I always do wise budgeting and it really helps a lot for bigger family savings 🙂 .
I also want bargain and free stuff. My latest good deal was from Ensogo, a full body massage. Love it!
I’m an impulse buyer, because I’m always at the right place — I don’t know why there’s a sale n my favorite store when I visit and I seldom go out of the house :/ I need to learn also how to make tipid at home…haays…thanks for your tips!
times are hard + we ought to learn how to tighten the belt, so to speak, so we can save even a little from our earning for future need. i must agree on giveaways, i have won numerous times + the paypal cash, or gift items in most cases, do help a lot! 😉
I couldn’t AGREE more. the economy is not on a very good position right now, the prices of commodities have gone up and we need to save more money for our other needs I believe.
I am glad we don’t need to use aircon and fans in here but our electric bill still hurts our pocket.:D
I agree, little things add up. A little conservation and savings here and there and it will become significant 🙂
Keep up the good habits! 🙂
You can also add and increase household income by doing freelance jobs. That one is assured income rather than relying on luck on contests. hehe
Really great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
life is really hard nowadays that’s why we have to find ways to save. 😀
This is definitely what I need to do to save money, plus discipline. I have been spending a lot these past few months. And although I get discount coupons, it’s so hard to resist impulsive buying.. *sigh*