It’s A Long And Winding Road

We are all having a tough time these days, some of us more than others. That’s why it’s more important than ever to be aware of excess spending and how you can tighten your belt to save. Even if you can’t put anything away these days, you can make the money you have spread farther.

* Clean out your closet. If you haven’t worn it in a year, you probably won’t. If it’s too small or too large, get rid of it. If the items you need to get rid of are in good shape, take them to your local “friendly used” boutique for some extra cash.

* Have a garage sale. You’ve tackled your closet, now go through the rest of the house and the garage too. An old fashioned garage sale can put extra cash in your pocket.

* Cut out the morning latte. This could save $1.50 to $3.00 a day. Put it in a jar every day and at the end of the month you could make an extra bill payment. Or, even take the family out for a treat that you haven’t been able to afford.

* If you aren’t already, eat out less and take a sack lunch to work. You can save $5 or more each day by making your own lunch. That adds up to an extra $100 a month.

* Take a list when you go grocery shopping and stick to it. Stop buying all those processed snacks. Healthy snacks are better for you and cheaper too. Fruit, celery with cream cheese or peanut butter, vegies and dip.

* Use grocery bags to line your garbage can. And then get yourself some reusable tote bags for your groceries. No need to make your carbon footprint larger than it needs to be.

* Avoid the ATMs at the bank. The fees are charged for a convenience. If you plan ahead you’ll have no need for the ATM.

* Get a library card if you are a reader. It’s great to buy the best seller when it’s at the top of the list, but there have to be a million great books that you haven’t read and can be found right in the library for free.

* Ride your bike or carpool when ever possible. Take public transportation. Anyway you can save on gas and wear and tear on your vehicle will save you money.

There are certain food staples you can purchase in bulk when they are on sale or just because they are cheaper in larger quantities. In other words, some food items last longer than others. It’s not a bad idea to have a store of food that you can count on being there if you suddenly loose income or if the weather becomes too harsh to get out of your house.

1. Canned Beans - There are a large variety of canned beans to choose from. Always choose types of beans that you enjoy eating, not ones just because they are on sale. Shelf life for canned beans is 1 year. In fact, any kind of canned goods store for a long time.

2. Stock/broth - Canned chicken, beef or vegetable stock also has a shelf life of 1 year. You can throw in a lot of leftover meat and vegetables into broth and make stews and soup, which is always good on a cold day.

3. Rice - A basic staple, rice is great to throw into that soup you were making from the broth. It’s shelf life is 1 year.

4. Water - No matter where you live, it’s a good practice to keep bottled water on hand. Rotate it so you are using the oldest bottle.

Keep your stored foods in tightly sealed containers in a cool location for the longest shelf life.