Nine Ways Families Are Saving Money
In times of economic troubles, consumers are letting go of hopes that America will experience a sudden turn-around; instead they are buckling down, and taking their saving money practices to the a new level. These saving tactics apply to everyone from those struggling week to week, to families attempting less wasteful practices. Here are nine ways that today's consumers are saving according to a recent MarketPulse survey which aims to find the impact the economy is having on people's personal finances, shopping behavior, and money-saving strategies.
1. Staying in for dinner. Eating out can be one of the most expensive culprits of an over-stuffed budget. Families are now eating modest meals at home to avoid $100 checks after dinner.
2. Beautifying at home. Women are starting to rethink those weekly manicures and overpriced haircuts. Instead they are painting their nails at home and using do-it-yourself beauty products.
3. Making grocery lists. Instead of wandering hungry into the supermarket and tossing tons of packaged goods into the cart, consumers have taken a conservative approach to grocery shopping: they make lists and stick to them.
4. Rethinking non-essential groceries. Additionally, families are really starting to think about what they need and what they don't. Slices of fancy cheddar cheese may have seemed worthy in months past, but now there's no sense in splurging on items like that.
5. Making simpler home meals. Even family meals served at home can be costly when specialty ingredients and complicated recipes are involved. Many Americans have cut back in recent years by searching for simpler recipes online, and keeping ingredients lists to a minimum.
6. Clipping and searching for coupons. More and more, people are doing some good old-fashioned coupon clipping. Why not, when you can save 50 cents, 75 cents, sometimes even a dollar or two on essentials like milk, pet food, and school supplies? If you're going to buy it anyway, snatching some extra savings is never a bad thing.
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