Money-Saving Tips from Martha Stewart

Finding ways to save money can be tricky. When it comes to bills, family, entertainment, and general upkeep, it can seem like the expenses are constantly adding up day in and day out. Keeping a budget is important and a necessity with a family. You want to live comfortably, but responsibly, which requires balance and thrift spending. But when it comes down to it, there are simple ways that you can save pennies here and there, that add up over time.

One of our favorite home care experts, Martha Stewart, has brilliant tips to help save money around the house. You can find all of her top tips here, or keep reading to get the general idea for smart ways to save money. All it takes is little steps, and some small sacrifices, but the simple little moves you make will greatly improve your financial standing.

From Martha Stewart:

1. Combine forces. Packaging and bundling and buying in bulk. The more you can get out of a buck, the more you save. Martha suggests pitching in with a friend to buy bulk for the necessities around the house. Splitting costs on things like toilet paper and paper towels will get you much further. Larger necessities, like phone and Internet, can be bundled up in the same way and will save money as well. Many TV providers offer different bundles that allow you to get your phone, TV and Internet in one low monthly bill (much lower than paying for all 3 separately). Additionally, you can work with just about any TV provider to get a good package that gives you all the necessities you need. And don’t forget to look for Directv local offers for signup incentives and money-saving deals.

2. Set a budget and prioritize. If you learned anything from having kids with school and sports schedules, planning makes all the difference. The same is true with finances. Planning out a budget helps you to prioritize and schedule payments. Additionally, it helps you to monitor where money is going and where it can be saved. Martha offers tips on how to save scraps, decorate on the cheap, and to make inexpensive things for your house so you don’t break the bank on expensive art and decor. And who would have thought that organizing your pantry would save you money? Just by storing your dry goods in containers helps to make them last longer, which is less wasteful in the long run.

3. Think Green. You read about it all the time; saving money starts with saving energy. Martha suggests that you start with the water-heater, which could save you upwards of $450 every year. But why stop there? You can easily program your thermostat to coordinate with your family’s schedule to keep costs under control. Additionally, monitoring laundry and lawn care will help you to plan out efficient ways to take care of both without having to constantly worry about how much these things are driving up your monthly bills.

4. Spend. Of all the tips that Martha Stewart provides to save money, the last one you would expect to see is spending money. But if you think about it, spending wisely can save your family a lot of money in the long run. Choosing wise investments in kitchenware and furniture will minimize repair and maintenance. Over time, you will have less to replace and repair and the money you save from that alone can be tremendous. With a full house, it is hard to avoid wear and tear; but with reliable purchases and good investments, you can easily minimize damages and the costs to replace many of the items around your house.

Finding ways to save money around the house can add up over time and provide you and your family with much more comfort than you thought possible. Saving money doesn’t necessarily cutting out the fun in your life. With a smart plan and wise spending, you can manage your finances and keep doing all of your favorite things. With balance and responsibility comes more financial freedom.

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