There comes a time when running a household that we would like to take a little more control over the bills and how we run the joint, wouldn’t you agree? It can be so easy to let things slide, especially when you are looking after a young family and have much more to be thinking of. We can be guilty of letting direct debits leave our accounts each day, pay for convenience rather than invest time in things, and certainly look for some easy hacks to keep life moving smoothly.
While there is nothing wrong with hacks and making things easier on yourself, there is also a sense of gaining back control, bringing the costs down that can spiral away from themselves, and overall managing while still having a ball. It is possible, I can assure you. This is why I thought I would share with you some of the ways that you can take back control of the household finances.
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Take control of the biggest bill your family can face
After your mortgage or rental payment, were you aware that your biggest bill and outgoing can actually be the cost of your food each week? It might come as a shock to you, but some households and families go shopping once a week for their main shop, but may also head back to the store a few times during the week to top up.
Don’t forget those takeouts on the weekend and lunch costs while out and about and your overall spend on food can be astronomical. However, if you plan things a little better, you can ensure that you keep the costs down, get the family living a little more healthily and still have fun. Not to mention the spare income you will have to put towards anything you want. One of the best ways to do that would be to plan your meals.
Take some time at the beginning of the week before you do your main shop, and plan out what you will eat for the week. It may sound excessive, but doing this, along with writing a list of everything that you need can significantly reduce what you spend. It also takes out the stress of putting a meal together during the week, especially on busy evenings when the whole family may have a lot on.
Is there anything you can do to reduce your outgoings
Food is one bill you have complete control over, after all, you decide what goes in your shopping trolley and what you buy, but what about the rest of those pesky bills? Letting the direct debits leave your account each month can seriously be a mistake.
First of all, many people have debt that they pay back each month, and while there is nothing wrong with that, it might be that you manage it a little better by considering consolidating multiple debts into one payment and plan. Cutting down on the cost of the interest as well as how much you pay out each month. Other bills to consider reducing would be insurance policies and energy bills.
Often loyalty doesn’t pay for these types of costs, and switching providers can give you a better and overall cheaper deal. The last thing to do would be to actively check what leaves your account each month, you may be surprised to find that there are some rogue debits leaving each month that you may have thought were cancelled.
Have a schedule and plan for the week
There comes a point in your week where you can sit down and consider what you have on for the rest of it. Many people tend to get to Sunday evening and sit down and plan for the rest of the week. Monday is always a good starting point for a new week ahead. People are back at work generally, and children start their school week. So why not try and get your planner out, the school diary, and work out what you have going on in terms of appointments and places you need to be?
It could also be a good point to plan your week of meals, as you know what days you would want something speedy, and what days you may have more time to prepare food and spend time with the family. Knowing what you have on can actually help you to feel more productive and on top of things when it comes to your mental well-being.
Could habits change within the household?
Sometimes taking control of the household might mean actually changing some of your habits. Whether that is spending more time together as a family, or trying to reduce your outgoings by changing your habits around the home. Maybe you could introduce one night a week where you all sit down as a family to enjoy a meal. Of course, this used to be common practice years ago, but as busy modern families with smartphones the art of spending time together and talking can be lost in normal daily routine and life.
So changing your habits could be a great way to spend more time together. Other ways that can help you in terms of energy bills would be to change your habits around the home. Make sure lights are switched off in rooms you don’t use, avoid leaving things on standby mode and even just be more aware of what you use in your home and what you don’t. Finally, habits can be changed in other ways, maybe spending time together in the evening watching TV, putting the phones away for a while, and just being together.
Plan ahead not just for the week but for the month and year ahead
Finally, why not take a moment to not just plan your week but think about the month and year ahead. This can help you when it comes to vacations, trips with the family, and also scheduling at some time to be with one another. Again, not only does this help you take back the control physically, but mentally you can feel like super mom knowing you know what is going on and when.
I hope some of these options help you to take back control of the household finances.
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