The last year has been one of the most creative ones in my life. Partly because of this blog where I have to come up with new things to write about, partly because of my status as a self-employed person who has to think of ways to earn my own wages but mostly because of the way that we live now. When the money are set in a framework with set boundaries, you have to be creative a lot in order to do the things you want to do and get the things that you want to get.
Often we think that the little things are not worth it because they are just that, little. But what we tend to forget is that when we add up many little things, they become a big thing!
So here are 10 little things that you can do to start saving some money so that you can free up funds where they will be more useful for you:
Repair things instead of throwing them out
I have two pairs of booths that I bought a few years ago. Good quality and still looking good but the heels were worn down so instead of buying a new pair (or two) I took them to the shoemaker to make new heals. That was last winter and I am still wearing them.
Swap clothes with girlfriends or go to the second hand store
The first step is normally to clean out your closet and get rid of the things you don’t wear (or at least some of them). The second step is to arrange a clothes swap with friend and voila, you can new clothes that didn’t cost a thing. Or, you can go to the second hand store and buy good clothes (often never worn) for much less.
Adopt a minimalistic approach
Whether it is the clothes in your closet, the clutter in your home, your kid’s toys or the fridge, less is often more. With less it is easier to get an overview of what you have and to use that without buying more stuff. It also cuts down time on cleaning and organizing and looking for stuff you can’t find.
Look for free activities
Whether it is for yourself or for the family, there are many advantages of doing activities that doesn’t cost a thing. For one they are of course free, but normally they also come with much less distractions and make it easier to have real quality time with each other or with yourself.
Wait
Waiting when wanting to save is not a bad thing. How many times do we buy something because it seems logically in the moment but afterwards we regret it? Some says to wait 30 days before a big purchase to see if you still want it, but from personal experience much less than that can also be really helpful.
Give up a habit
Often it is something small that makes us spend a lot of money. It can be the cup of coffee that we buy each morning on the way to work, the too often take-away dinner or even worse, smoking! These are things that really add up and can cost us a lot of money in the long run.
Make your own stuff
It is not so strange (to me) that DIY has become such a huge thing in recent years. It is fun to do your own things, mostly cheaper than to buy and even science proves that we tend to like the things we made ourselves more than the things we bought. I have just one word for you: Pinterest!
Meatless Monday
While it doesn’t necessarily have to be on a Monday, cutting down on our meals with meat can be a good idea both money and health wise. Even once a week can make a difference.
Don’t be afraid of leftovers
To be honest, as a kid I hated leftovers! So boring, but it doesn’t really have to be. Another good reason to be creative is to find new ways to make “new” meals with the things leftover from other meals. There is many ways to get inspiration, Google is one of them.
Continue to look for new ways to be creative and don’t give up 🙂
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