Save for a family vacation by cutting these costs
Are you planning a family vacation and need to save on your monthly bills? If you are, there are plenty of ways you can live and shop smarter to avoid overspending your budget. From boosting your home’s energy efficiency to using public transportation, here are a few areas where you can cut costs to help fund your family vacation.
Energy bills
When you’re shopping for home appliances, look for products with an Energy Star label. These devices find smart ways to conserve energy, and you can find them for just about any room in your home. Some of these include kitchen appliances, washers, HVAC units, lighting fixtures, and electronics.
Other ways to save energy include turning off lights when you leave a room, washing your clothes in cold water rather than hot, and lowering the temperature of your water heater, which also works to reduce standby heat loss.
Another tip is to unplug all of your unused appliances from the wall. When you keep them plugged in, they gather idle electrical currents and use up energy even when they’re turned off. Instead of individually unplugging your TV, computer, gaming console, and other devices, connect them to a single power strip for a quick and easy fix. By cutting these costs, you can help fund your family vacation
Entertainment
If you pay a monthly fee for cable or satellite TV service, you might be overspending. Streaming video services such as Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, and Netflix let you watch your favorite movies and shows for a fraction of the cost. You can downgrade your cell phone and internet plan as well. Look at your bills, note the features for which you’re paying, and see if there are any amenities you can do without.
You can also save by renting movies instead of going to the theater. It’s a cheaper solution to paying the high cost of movie tickets for each family member. If you like to read, stop by your local library and check out your favorite books instead of buying them new at the bookstore.
Food
An alternative to overspending at restaurants is cooking extra food at home and storing the leftovers. You can also use ingredients you already have in the fridge to pack lunch and snacks for you and your kids. Other ways to cut food costs include buying nonperishable items in bulk, making your own coffee at home instead of splurging at Starbucks, and scheduling a family picnic instead of eating out.
Save even more at the supermarket by searching for generic (rather than name-brand) products. The best deals, though, come with the help of coupons. Search for them online, clip them from newspapers and ads, or use a coupon app and watch your savings grow.
Transportation
Carpooling with coworkers a few times a week can help you save on gas money and reduce the wear and tear on your own vehicle. You can also ride smart by using public transportation as often as possible. Use the bus, train, subway, or a rideshare service (like Uber or Lyft) to get you where you need to go without having to deal with the extra expenses that come with driving a car.
If you’re looking for ways to cut costs and save more for your upcoming trip, follow these tips to help you get started.
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