I know the recession has affected most of us in one way or another. I think it has also been a blessing as it has brought some families closer together. For others it has not been so rosy. So I thought I would share some fun ways to “survive” the recession:
- Watch out for deals on things that your friends need, and have them do the same for you.
- Plan meals according to what is on sale that week and see how creative you can get.
- Always grocery shop with a list, make it a race to see how fast you can get everything and go!
- Learn how to cook. Cooking from scratch not only tastes better but is cheaper and healthier. If you don’t know how to cook, now is the time to learn. Don’t do it alone – Rope in hubby and the kids.
- Unplug all those appliances you are not using. If they are still plugged in – they are still using energy! We almost halved our bill doing this!
- Have a no-spend weekend. Try to go an entire weekend without eating out, shopping, or ordering something online. Find ways to make it fun like whipping out those old board games or find places that you can visit without paying a cent!
- Wash your own car! Its fun and you can make a family activity of it. Get the kids involved and have a braai afterwards.
- Eat less meat. Some Dads may object to this one but it can save you a lot of money. This may just be the right time to try out those new recipes.
- When in the store, look high and low for deals, literally. Marketers know that eye-level is the place most people tend to shop, so they put the items with the highest margins right in front of you.
- Purchase an annual pass at a place you can really enjoy all year and not just once eg. Kirstenbosch Gardens, Wild Card Areas (accepted at various places), The Aquarium, etc.
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