With Fall upon us in Wisconsin, there are a number of seasonal, as well as everyday things, you can do to cut costs. The added benefit is that many of these will ALSO help you get healthier too! It’s a win/win, so read on!
Weatherproof
Home-heating costs are not cheap. Before the temperature cools way down, consider weatherproofing your home. Replace and/or fix windows and doors that are old, worn and not properly sealing. It may cost you a little bit up front, but it will save you a lot of the upcoming winter months!
Cook at Home
Look at what you spent over the last two weeks in costs of eating outside the home. If you ate out more than four times in one week, you could be saving some serious cash by cooking at home or bringing your lunch to work. Even buying a daily coffee from your local barista can end up costing you more than $1000 a year! Plan ahead and cook a bit extra for storing/freezing. With a stockpile of tasty dishes in your fridge, you can save money and eat healthier than fast food.
Bike It
Save money on gas, work on your fitness and find a new hobby all at once with this financially-savvy tip. Fall is a great time to take up biking when it’s not too hot and not too cold. Whether you bike to work or maybe just run errands, the exercise will do you good and save some bucks!
Reuse
From plastic grocery store bags to resealable food baggies, you can use these bags around your home more than once. Use those plastic bags again as trash can liners and keep the food storage baggies in rotation until they’re no longer clean. Throwing things out after just one use is like throwing cash out the window!
Cut the Cable
Let’s face it, most Americans spend WAY TOO MUCH time in front of the TV. Cutting cable and TV time, you’ll find yourself much more productive and you’ll save money. Even without cable, you can find many of your favorite shows online for free or a fraction of the cost of cable.
Give Up Your Bad Habits
Giving up your bad habits can help you save and get healthier all at once. Cut out smoking, cut back on or cut out happy hours, lottery tickets, junk foods and gambling. Vow to lose those habits once and for all.
Think Twice
Before making any purchases (from clothing to a new smartphone), ask yourself if what you’re about to buy is really necessary. If you have to come up with reasons as to why you need it, you probably don’t need it! You can also consider putting the 48-rule into effect (We’ve talked about this rule before….love it!)… that means you only buy things after giving it some good thought for 48 hours.
Even a small changes in your life can eventually lead to big changes in your finances.
