by Michelle Lynne Smith

Created on: January 23, 2010

People are always looking for ways to save money, and even more so during times of recession. Living expenses are a necessary part of life, but this is no reason not to cut back on the amount of money spent on them. Clothes, food and shelter are perhaps the three most necessary in terms of basic survival, so those get first priority.

Clothes

Just because clothes are a necessary part of life does not mean that everyone needs name brand jeans and designer shoes. I know people, myself included, who shop almost exclusively at clearance racks. I find it insulting that someone thinks I would spend $30 on a pair of jeans when I can find some for $10. Especially when you have kids to shop for, the clothing bill can add up quickly, so look for ways to save.

Due to job losses, I know people who have bought a lot of their more recent clothes at garage sales and dollar stores. Check out places like thrift and resale stores and garage sales. You may have to dig through some junk, but these can be great places to find all kinds of clothes, especially for kids. They outgrow everything so fast, you don’t really want to pay a lot of money for clothes anyway. Jeans for a quarter, blouses for $2, what department store can beat those prices?

Groceries

There are all kinds of ways to save on your grocery bill, even if you have a big family to feed. Clipping coupons may be a hassle, but they can save you some money, and every little bit helps. Keep your trips to the grocery store down to once a week, and make a budget. My husband and I set ours at $100 a week, and if that means we’re eating Top Ramen because our kids need diapers and formula, then so be it.

When you get to the store, check out their ads and discount counters. You may be able to find meat at half price because they need to sell it that day, so if you can cook that in a day or two, you’ve just saved quite a bit of money. Ask about discount cards if you shop at certain stores a lot. They’ll save you money on almost every item you buy, so if you shop there frequently, that should add up to a lot of savings over time.

Also be sure to check your pantry and fridge before you go shopping. There’s nothing worse when you’re trying to save money than coming home from the store and realizing you already had some of what you just bought. And try eating what’s in there before you go and buy a lot of new stuff. Some people have food that sits in their pantry for years because it gets shuffled

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