Fun ways to save money
Are there any areas that you could improve by taking extra measure to be more frugal, or are have you run out of inspiration for ideas on how to save a few pennies?
Here at gurgle we’ve offered some tips on how saving your money can be a fun activity that won’t leave you hunched over your desk with mathematical equations ingrained into your brain.
*Online shopping. These days, it may seem as though anything is possible at the click of a mouse. However, with the experience of online shopping, you have something over which you don’t normally have when you take to the high streets – control. Any item you click on gets saved into a ‘shopping basket’ that will show you the price of the item, as well as the sum total of all the items that you have put in the basket. Since you get to see the amount that you may be spending when you shop online, you're more likely to cut back on unnecessary purchases. A lot of websites also offer free shipping on purchases over a certain amount, so if you need to make any bulky purchases, such as food shopping, you can do it online while saving petrol or other travel expenses, and time.
*Become a homebody. If you and your loved ones are used to spending money on entertainment, then this may seem strange at first, but choosing to stay home can sometimes be just as fun and fulfilling as a trip to the cinema. You can pick from whatever options there are: watching television or movies together, playing board games, sharing a hobby together (baking desserts, anyone?), acting out a play, etc. Be creative with how you choose to spend your time together – you may find that the process of coming up with ideas is half the fun!
*Have a picnic or play in the park with family and friends. As the months approach a warmer spring season, you’ll find that the best way to enjoy the sunshine and warmer temperatures is to head out to the park with your little ones - don't forget the sun-lotion! Although this is something that almost everyone does each spring, it’s not only a lot of fun but it's a great way to save money as parks are free to enter, and most of the things you’ll need to bring with you can be things that you already own, or make small purchases with. Plus, it’s a great excuse for all your other family friends to join you to pass the time away – with no gigantic cost to either one of you! As the saying goes, “The best things in life are free.” Why not share snaps of you all having a great time in our Parklife gallery?
*Beware of the sale signs! Ever walked by a store with a sign that read ‘70% off’ that found you twenty minutes later in the queue with five shirts in hand that were on sale? What were the chances that you actually liked those shirts except for the fact that they were docked well below the original price? A good rule of thumb to keep in mind when shopping is to only buy things that you know you will use – whether you want it or need it. Buying things off the shelves just because of their unbelievable price is actually a bigger waste of money than buying a top for full price that you know you would be wearing consistently for the next six months. The same can apply to toys, food, and monthly expenses – make no room for extra little purchases, only buy things you will use.
*Money jar game. Here’s a fun game to play with your family. Get together and agree with each other on what the set house rules are – they may be things like taking turns to do chores, not talking back to the parents, making sure the homework gets done, no swearing, or the amount of set internet time per person on the family computer. No matter the rule, the money jar works the same way – it collects the money that needs to be paid from anyone who breaks these rules. You can brainstorm together how much each broken rule should cost the individual. Each rule doesn’t necessarily have to charge the same amount – forgetting to take out the rubbish, for instance, isn’t quite as heavy as telling tales. Be flexible with the way you enforce the rules using the money jar game, and at the end of each month, bring the whole family together to collect the money and decide what to put it toward. A fun day out by the beach? Put it to savings for a family holiday? Hit the shopping centre? Or donate it to a local charity? You may find that getting your family involved is a productive way of not only saving money towards bringing your family closer together, but it can also allow your family to interact more during the month in everyday situations – and that’s important too.
*Weekly allowance. Remember the days from childhood when you were given a weekly allowance from your parents that you could only use up for that week? Do you also remember spending it all in one go or saving it with other allowances for the game that you really wanted? No matter your experience with allowances, the concept is the same – you are restricted to use a certain amount of money during a given week. You could apply this to your daily expenses as well – minus the monthly bill and other essentials that you buy in bulk, such as food, the other everyday things you buy are at your own discretion. You can estimate the amount of money that you’re willing to spend per week after monthly expenses and let that guide your spending rather than the occasional dart into the coffee shop for a latte. It’s a great way to monitor your spending habits, and find out what your weak spots are so as best to avoid them. For instance, if you know that every time you pop into the bookstore on the corner, you come out with four books, it may be a good idea to steer clear until you can control your spending.
Wondering how you can earn a bit of extra cash (and have some fun in the process?) Why not read our great new feature on Fun ways to earn money?
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The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 08/04/2009
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