10 ways to get organised and save money!
Getting organised will save you money, makes everything in life run a bit smoother and can allow you to be more spontaneous on occasion. I often struggle with getting organised and love my Become Tidy and Organized Hypnosis CD
, which I think is really helping (although my husband does not). These 10 ways to get organised are really a ‘to do’ list for myself, although some of them I am already doing, many of them I am not!
- Make sure your calendar is up to date and make a list of the key and regular events throughout the year which would benefit from being planned for. These are likely to include birthdays, holidays, festivals, bank holiday weekends, rainy days and so on. Make/ buy presents and cards well in advance ensuring you get the best price for any products you buy. Keep your eyes peeled for deals on any shows or activities you would like to enjoy over the course of the year.
- Transport – for regular journeys buy monthly or yearly passes for public transport or arrange car shares where practical. For occasional journeys book your journey well in advance if you can – train fares are often far cheaper in advance and you have more chance of finding a car share or alternative.
- Days out – take everything you will need with you for the day including, food, drinks and entertainment, that way you will be less tempted to pay over the odds for a cup of coffee, a sandwich and a newspaper or magazine.
- Possessions and maintenance – look after what you have, especially some of the larger items such as washing machines, dishwashers, guttering, cars… Keeping them well maintained will help them last longer.
- Kids – Have lists / favourite websites filled with ideas for free / cheap entertainment in all kinds of weathers and at all times of day.
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Home – keep cupboards and drawers tidy and organised to prevent:
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lost items resulting in duplicate purchases
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hidden food going past it’s sell by date
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things falling out of overfilled cupboards and breaking
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items in overflowing cupboards being squashed when doors get closed.
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- Garden – if you are lucky enough to have a garden, what you really want to do is enjoy it without feeling you have to spend loads of money on it – attending seed swapping events and holding plant swapping parties are two great ways to reduce expenditure. Book them in the calendar early on in the year and you won’t miss out!
- Food – meal planning, buying in bulk, making sure you have the right equipment to measure appropriate portion sizes when cooking and serving food, ensuring you know how to make the most of the food you have e.g. how to make the most of your bread and what to do with bananas that are past their best will help you to save money and keep an efficient kitchen. You may also want to cook some food in bulk for the nights you cannot be bothered to cook.
- Entertainment – work out what you want to spend on entertainment throughout the year and how you want to focus that money. If you are a fan of the cinema for example, a yearly pass may save you money. If you are not fussed and would rather spend the money on something else, you can still keep up with new releases via your tv package, or via online or postal subscriptions. Work out what suits you best and the cheapest option for you.
- Finances – Set a budget taking into account all your predicted income and expenses throughout the year and monitor it monthly. If you are veering away from it, have a rethink, don’t panic, as this is fairly usual as time goes on and priorities change. Monitoring it regularly gives you a chance to see where your money is going and to to check that you are living within your means. Also important is paying your bills on time as late payment fees are a total waste of your money!
As I have been writing this list I have been mentally congratulating myself for the things I know I do well and also mentally ticking myself off for the things I really know I should be doing but am not. Some of the things on this list involve going slightly out of my comfort zone for example car sharing and some things I just haven’t got round to doing e.g. holding a plant swapping party. For me becoming more organised is taking a while and I am making a number of small changes over a period of time which will help to make my life run smoother. I hope this will be more sustainable in the long run.
What are your experiences of saving money through being organised? I would love to hear your comments.
Love this post! So many great ideas. I especially love #3. We live a good distance from town so planning ahead always helps us to save money! Thanks for sharing. Found you through the Seasonal Sunday blog hop.
Thanks for the nice comment!
You are so right that a little organisation can make a substantial difference to those of us living to a budget. If I am feeling exceptionally organised.. I will write out a weekly menu before leaving for the shops, so I only buy what we absolutely need and don't overspend and end up with wasted food. I loved that you linked this up at Seasonal Celebration Sunday!- thank you! Rebecca@Natural Mothers Network x