Spring cleaning will soon be upon us, but it’s also a perfect time to start saving and get your finances in order. From shopping within your own home to cooking what’s in season, Spring offers plenty of opportunities to save money for the rest of your year.
Shop in Your Own Home
While most people will take this as looking through their closets (which you should definitely do as well), shopping in your own home isn’t limited to clothing. When you start cleaning, really look at everything you have. Do you have a lot of kitchen gadgets? How about tools like hammers and screwdrivers? Shopping around your home allows you to see exactly what you have and narrow down what you actually need. You’ll be shocked by how many duplicates you have floating around the house, and Spring is the perfect time to clear everything out and find those hidden treasures you forgot you owned.
Make Your Cleaners
Cleaning supplies and organizers are expensive, but you don’t need to spend all your hard-earned money on them! You’d be shocked how far baking soda and white vinegar can get you, and most of the time these homemade cleaners are much cheaper than what you would find at the store. There are an assortment of recipes for cleaners online, and the best part is most of them are completely non-toxic, which means kids and pets won’t be taking a trip to the doctor if they get in your cleaning basket. As far as organizers, check out your local dollar store or get creative with old cereal and shipping boxes to create an organized home you’ll love.
Plan and Plant Your Garden
Gardening can be an extremely rewarding hobby. You’re not only getting your daily sunlight needs, but you’re nurturing, growing and harvesting your family’s food. The first thing to do if you decide to garden this year is to take a look at what you actually want to plant. Are you a tomato fiend? Want to have plenty of zucchini to last you the year? Think about what you and your family will actually eat before you start digging in the ground. If you have limited space, you can garden as well by using container gardening or aqua systems that allow you to garden indoors. Finally, if gardening outside, look at local planting guides to ensure your vegetables come in on time.
Stock Up for Winter Months
Stores carry an assortment of winter staples well into the spring, and many will get severely marked down in the Spring months as summer stock arrives. This is the perfect time for you to purchase jackets, gloves and boots for the following winter as well as snow gear like shovels and blowers. Finally, don’t forget holidays like Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. Most decorations for these holidays will be severely marked down, and it’s the perfect time to get ready for next year by stocking up on décor and goodies now.
Make a Budget
With all your wonderful spring-cleaning finds, it’s important to start budgeting for the year by narrowing down what you actually need and looking for ways to fit it in. If you plan on gardening more this year, look at ways you can save on groceries over the coming months once your produce starts to come in. Also look to trim the fat on other areas of your life as well, such as entertainment costs or cell phone bills. You’ll find you’ll be spending less in no time.
Enjoy the Outdoors
Spring brings plenty of warmer weather, and it’s integral for you to enjoy the outdoors as things start to warm up. Many towns and cities will offer outdoor festivals, parades, fairs and other activities that allow you to spend the day outdoors for free or very cheaply. Not looking for social gatherings? No problem. Spring is the perfect time for family-based outdoor activities as well, such as hiking, to allow you to have fun in the sun without spending a dime.
Eat From Your Pantry
During the winter, you likely stocked up your pantry and slowly worked your way through your food stash. However, we’re willing to bet there are still plenty of canned and jarred goods hanging out in there. Spring is the perfect time to get through the last of your winter foods as you prepare space for what you’re going to can and buy for next winter over the coming months.
Open Some Windows
One of the best things about spring is the warming weather, and now is the perfect time to open up some windows and turn off your heating system. Not only will you be enjoying the weather and what it has to offer, but you’ll also get to air out your house which can remove odors that built up during the winter. Finally, further lower your electric bill by relying on natural lighting over turning on lightbulbs all the time.
Cook in Season
While many people think of spring as being for planting, it also welcomes a host of produce coming into season. Some food items you can expect to see coming into season include:
- Apricots
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Collard Greens
- Garlic
- Lemons
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Pineapples
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Turnips
By shopping in season for your produce, you’ll be able to severely reduce your grocery bill each month. In-season produce will typically need to make a shorter journey to get to you; therefore, grocers won’t need to mark it up. Finally, you can save even more by visiting your local farmer’s market.
Spring is an excellent time to get your finances in order and start saving for the rest of the year. From cleaning out your home to find items you forgot you had to cooking with in-season produce, Spring offers a multitude of ways to lower your budget so you can save more money. Take the time to plan and save and start planning where you’ll spend!
