Today – ways you can save on your family bills

Ways you Can Save on your Family Bills

There is no doubt that the world is becoming an expensive place to live in, and it can be difficult keeping up with the household bills.  If you are struggling to make ends meet or are just looking to make sure there is a little more cash in the pot for fun family activities – have a look at our list for tips on how you can save on your regular outgoings to make that happen.

 

Shop Around for Utilities

It can be a bit of a pain having to renegotiate electricity bills – but it is definitely worth it when you think about how much you collectively spend on those.  It’s worth shopping around and making sure you have the best deal on each.  Luckily there are some great comparison sites out there that can help you on your way too for added convenience specifically for gas and electricity. A little each month or quarter can certainly add up to a lot when you calculate it over a long-term period.

 

Cut Down on your Food Bills

Another huge expense for families is the food shopping bill of course.  Often, we can be too busy running around after the kids, or to a deadline to make it home to spend too much time looking in the reduced section or looking for bargains but it can be well worth your while.  Make sure that you look for offers, perhaps purchase less meat – and use some of the wholesale clearance websites out there if you are looking to reduce this cost.  Again, there are comparison sites for this that will allow you to do a basket comparison.

 

Re-evaluate your Credit Card and Loan Spends

The average debt per household when it comes to credit cards is in the thousands which means lots of high monthly repayments.  You should always look into the option of transferring that debt to 0% interest credit cards that include balance transfers.  That way you will save on any interest rates you have – and work on solely paying off the debt.  Alternatively, if you are looking to pay off multiple debts, and are happy to do so over a longer period of time – then you can look into debt consolidation loans.

 

Cut Down on Car Costs

Vehicles are another big family expense, especially if you have more than one car.  It’s a good idea to sit down and evaluate how much it’s actually costing you when it comes to fuel costs, repairs and maintenance.  If you have an older car that’s maybe in and out of the mechanics a lot – you might want to think about scrapping your car.  Effectively, it will only be racking up costs that you don’t need, which means that you can forget about the additional ongoing costs – and get a little cash injection at the same time.  You can also save on your car costs by looking for the cheapest petrol station near you.  It can save you much more money than you think.

 

Assess your Mortgage Payments

This is likely to be the biggest expense when it comes to your house.  If you get a good remortgage deal, it could save you hundreds of pounds every month.  It’s also easier than you may think to implement.  If you are guilty of just going to your bank for a cheap deal, then make sure you speak to a mortgage broker for some advice on your existing situation.  They will explain the options of the different kinds of mortgages and remortgages that are available to you, as well as have access to a wide range of lenders that can offer some good deals.  It’s important to shop around.

 

Haggle on the Smaller Bills

Phone bills, particularly if you are on contract with a smartphone – add up when you calculate them across the year.  It’s always a good idea to give them a call and see what packages are on offer at that point, particularly if you are nearing the end of your contract.  The same goes with your TV bills.  If you have Sky, or Virgin for example – you may want to think about your packages.  Do you really need or watch all of the channels that you pay for?  Have a think about how this fits in to your monthly costs and see if any reductions can be make – or if your provider can offer you something else.

If you are looking to save money on some of your household bills – then hopefully our hints and tips will be a good place to start.