It doesn’t occur to most people the kind of major difference that it can make to a monthly budget to simply slow down. It does occur to some who are thrust into this kind of life against their will, though. When a person is laid up with an illness for a few weeks and cannot take in his usual pursuits and activities, he usually finds at the end of the month that he has a great deal more of money. At first, he may have no idea why. Not commuting to work would save some gas, but it wouldn’t account for most of the money saved.
A general slowdown is the real reason
A number of things happen when you’re forced to tone down the pace at which you live life.
- When you’re sick, you eat at home – you don’t eat out.
- While you tend to be depressed when you’re sick, you don’t have the option to act it out by wasting money – going to a movie, going shopping and so on.
- When you’re home sick, you have plenty of time. If you do need to shop online, you are able to take your time comparison-shopping.
Slowing down can be a good way to save money when you’re well, too.
Slow down when you drive
Driving at 35 mph (or whatever the posted speed limit in an area is) may make you feel like you’re on a horse buggy. According to the US Department of Energy, though, your mileage goes down starting at 35 mph. At 70 mph, you fuel efficiency goes down more than 20%. At £1 33p a litre, driving at 35mph, rather than 50mph or higher can save you between 13p and 26p on every liter. That’s not a small sum.
Slow down in the food department
When you have the time, you will be able to plan out your meals, write down a list of all the ingredients you need and shop at the stores with the most reasonable prices. You will be able to plan the exact right amount of food to make so that you don’t have leftovers. When you have leftovers, you’ll be able to plan how to use them quickly, rather than have them go to waste.
You’ll be able to lay out your plans for extreme couponing
To begin it can save a great deal of money to not jump on every unaffordable health trend. Buying a gluten-free food, organic food and diet foods can ruin your budget. You do have a sensible shopping list, you need to plan to make it as cheap as possible by dedicating yourself to keep running. Websites like www.sumocoupon.com have a wealth of coupons it help you save hundreds of pounds each year.
Eliminate the unnecessary
If you have a good broadband connection at home, it can easily replace other wired connections – cable and landline phones, for instance. Many people hang on to their landlines simply because it makes them feel better to be connected with a real wire. You may not be able to shut down your landline if you have a DSL broadband connection; if you have a fiber connection, though, you can easily save a few pounds each year by closing your landline down.
While it can be difficult to get the best sports without cable, you can easily get all the movies you want on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Video. Depending on the way you watch TV, it may be possible to take your cable connection down to save some money.
Cut down on expensive (and unhealthy) entertainment
Each evening that you spend at the local pub can cost £20 right there. The cab fare home can cost even more if you’re too unsteady to find your way home the normal way. While the pub scene may be an important part of your social life, it can end up bankrupting you over the years. Many people actually borrow money to keep up appearances when they can’t afford a night at the pub at the end of the month. It’s a much better idea to quit the public house and simply turn elsewhere for a social life – a gym, a running club and so on.
Finally, in whatever way you can, try to make your own
While people do make their own toothpaste and detergent at home, they don’t tend to save much money there. You can save plenty of money making your own beauty products at home, though. Whether it’s moisturizer or face packs, the natural ingredients in your kitchen can do so much more for your beauty than any store-brought back product can.
GUEST BLOGGER: Russell Matthews has always been a numbers man. From managing household budgets to making smart choices for loans and investments, he enjoys writing about how to keep money under control. Follow Russell on Twitter.
