In our last Quick Property Sale blog we discussed Spring cleaning your main home finances. In this episode we look at the perishable grocery goods expenditure, namely food and then we cover savings on clothing. We hope our tips will save you a small fortune over the course of a year.

Let’s chat about the food bit first.  A weekly shopping trip that keeps everyone in your household satisfied can be expensive as everyone can have different tastes, but there are many ways to save money on drink and groceries. Here are a collection of ideas:

Don’t dismiss supermarket own label brands

Purchasing supermarket budget and basic ranges can produce significant savings – and you may find that avoiding well-known brands does not mean compromising on quality or taste.

We regularly buy our tinned and dry provisions from one of the fast growing cheaper supermarkets (begins with an A!) – yes we do know we should not be advertising them on here, especially as no commission is received. Surprisingly some non-branded alternative goods taste better than the original product.

Get rewarded for your spending

Choose retailers who offer reward points on purchases made in-store and accumulate points to gain discount on future spending. Some retailers have their own credit card scheme and encourage customers with extra incentives for using the credit card regularly. Also, collect online money-off vouchers and from newspapers to use to buy those treats you have cut back on.

Get fit and shop around

Supermarket shopping is one of the easiest ways to reduce spending and save money every week. Your regular shopping basket can be split across different stores, depending on the best deals. Yes, we do agree it takes time, but at the same time it keeps you active!

When buying fresh perishable food, try to and find the longest ‘sell by date.’ Alternatively, some reduced produce near their sell by date can be frozen on the day of purchase, giving more savings. Don’t be duped by some ‘special offers’ – check the product’s weights and quantity against the regular price of the same item.

Try cheaper cuts of meat

Choosing a more economical cut of meat, such as braising steak rather than filet, does not mean missing out on a quality and a tasty meal. Using a slow cooker is cheap to run, the best slow cookers are easy to set up, use and clean. 

Make more home-made meals

If you don’t have time in the week to cook fresh, try bulk cooking at weekends and freezing individual meals. Using up old vegetables is a great way to make winter soup and, trust me, they are very scrummy.

Waste less food

In a national survey almost 45% of what we dispose of at home is still edible, so do make a conscious effort to utilise everything and you will be surprised what can be saved. If you are concerned about food safety, the rule of thumb (as recommended by the food safety council) is the ‘use by’ date is the cut-off after which it is not considered safe to eat. However, eating any food beyond a ‘best before’ date will not, apparently, cause any health issues.

Save money on clothing

With the price of quality clothing being so expensive shopping out of season can result in grabbing a bargain, provided you thoroughly check the reduced in store fixture or online clearance page. We all know and are aware about ‘sales’ – so not much to information to relay here.  Avoid buying ‘dry clean only’ articles because the cost of dry cleaning them after they have been worn a few times soon amounts up, as opposed to washing machine cleaning at home.  Only buy what you can actually pay for without using your overdraft limit.  Don’t buy what you don’t need; impulse purchases can be a waste of time and money.

Fill out retail shopping surveys, they can be a winner, or get your vouchers off next visit buys. If you do have a month end wage bonus to spend, treating yourself needs to be constrained – stay disciplined.

Charity shops    

We all love a bargain and the best place to buy cheap is your local charity shop, there is such a selection for clothing and shoes. The only down side is lack of choice of sizes and potentially the garment may be worn out too.

Second hand shopping

Buying clothing and selling online sounds great, but you have to consider the cost of postage of returning items, especially on Ebay. Another well known second hand clothing store is Vinted where you can buy and also sell your unwanted clothing to make money.

Mending what you own already

That maybe is more easily said that done, right? We are not all professional seamstress’s, although making your favourite item of clothing last longer may stop tempting you into buying that new dress.

Wash clothes at the right settings

We all know washing clothes at a lower temperature is good for the environment, but it’s also good for our purses. Washing at 20°C temperature instead of 40°C could save you 63% on utility running costs.

Ending with…

So there is another brief selection of tips which we hope you may find of some use.

You may have read his article, or some of it, and are wondering what has this to do with property? The answer is not a great deal, other than if it saves you money, it is money that could be spent on your home, if you are struggling with any debt.

If you are struggling with selling your house then why not use quick sales property to sell your home? Using QPS for a property for quick sale? Maybe it is your answer to remedy your stagnant house sale.