With the economy the way it is today, we are all looking for a way to save money. Here are a few suggestions that might help you and even perhaps the environment. I know a lot of us cringe on the idea of some things to cut back on, but even cutting back a little could not hurt.
Our kids had a bad habit of turning the lights on during the day and I was forever telling them to stop. Thank goodness they are finally listening. Train your children, or perhaps yourself, to keep the lights off during the day. Our grandparents and ancestors did not have the comfort of electricity and they survived without lights on in the daytime. If they wanted to read or write, they did so at the window or outside.
In the evening when the lights come on, try prioritizing the use of a light to one room. For example, my husband watches his favorite fishing and hunting shows in the evening while our kids do their home work and I read or write in another room together instead of all of us in different rooms. He keeps the lights off in our living room while watching his programs and we have one light on instead of two in both rooms.
Many of us are easily hooked to television shows anyhow. To save electric, spend more time keeping the television off and playing card or board games with your family. Go for evening walks or sit out on a porch and just talk. Too many families run too much and are too busy that they grow apart. Forget the shows and reclaim your family.
I am not sure about the rest of you, but our teenagers love to take long showers. I am guilty of taking the hot ones. A way to save on electric and water in cases like this is to simply take cooler and shorter showers. The kids now set a timer and when it goes off, they have to get out. And I miss the hot water, but that is OK because every dollar counts.
Growing up, our parents saved everything. One thing I remember the most is saving the sandwich and freezer bags, old coffee cans, and peanut butter containers. We kind of laughed and grumbled about it, but actually, those bags are not cheap when you have a large family and use a lot of them. So wash out some of those bags and save them to reuse. Need storage containers for old crayons and pencils, those coffee cans work fine. If you do not like the looks of them, decorate them.
I used to sell Pampered Chef and I remember one lady saying she never cooked and they always ate at restaurants. I think of her a lot and know several who eat out about every day and think of how much they could be saving if only they cut back on even one or two days. Cooking small meals at home really is not that expensive, but most restaurants are. Just think of the savings and how much healthier the food is.
A little boy in the grocery store once was walking beside his mom in an aisle and I heard him tell her they needed some type of potato chips. She said OK and put them on in her cart. A question to keep in mind is, “Do I really NEED this?” Many times we buy out of habit and want instead of a necessity. If we just stop and think how necessary the item is before we buy it, it could save us a bundle.
We live a long distance from a town so we have to drive a ways to get places. If you are within walking distance and do not have a lot of items to get, try walking to save that precious gas that is costing everyone a fortune. Short trips can really take more gas than you realize. Try organizing your time at running so you can get more done in one area than perhaps going from one place to another then back through the previous route. Find stores where you can buy most of your items instead of going to two or more stores.
There are so many possibilities out there to think of on how to save. Sit down and make a list of things you and your family can do to save and give them a try. God tells us in His Bible that we should trust in Him and not worry about what we need because if he can provide for His birds, how much more will He provide for His children if only we follow Him? By cutting back and saving His environment, you will be doing a good thing.
On a little different note that does not pertain to really saving, there is something too that will help in your money situation. I know this article pertains to cutting back, but I do not cut back on my tithing, or giving a tenth to those I know are needy. Jesus says in Luke 6:38 that when you give, gifts will be given to you abundantly when you believe and follow Him righteously. His instructions from Matthew 6:1 is about giving and not bragging about giving. His Bible also reads that when we give we will be given back ten fold, meaning, we will be given much more in return. We can have so many blessing if only we believe. So if you are pinching and trying to cut back, perhaps a little more giving in the right direction is what you might consider. A poor lady gave only a few cents once and Jesus noticed her.
So try a few of these suggestions and sit down with your family and come up with a few of your own. From cutting back on electric, water, gas, and so forth, you can save more than you think. It does add up and it may seem tough at times to adjust to the changes, but it can be done and it really is not that bad. Just start out making small changes and gradually work up to bigger ones if you choose. No one is setting the limits but yourself and you are in control.