We
were introduced to the nouns “Lockdown” and “Level 4” on the 23rd of
March 2020 and with them came a mighty shift in the way we lived. The term
“business as usual” became irrelevant and entire industries had to re-invent
their operations just to stay in business. Most however could not stand the
tide and had to shut their doors. With those shut doors came the tide of
unemployment and slim finances.
2
years and multiple upgrades and downgrades later, we are now living in the era
of post COVID recovery. Many sectors of the economy are now open again and we
are experiencing some semblance of the life we once knew. In order not to be
lulled into a false sense of security, it is vital that we replenish the
depleted purse by saving at each available opportunity. Here are some tips that
may help to put some Rands in the piggy bank.
1. Take the Skaftin to work
Now
that those of us who were fortunate enough to have survived the employment
blood bath are able to return to the office, it may be beneficial to adjust a
few behaviours. Chief among them would be to bring your own lunch to work
rather than buying food from your favourite fast food outlet. This option gives
you the flexibility to play around with our daily lunch meals and apart from
saving you a wad of cash now, you can make healthy meals which will save you on
hospital bills later.
2. DIY your
cleaning supplies rather than buying them.
It may
surprise you to know that items like baking soda and vinegar are effective
all-purpose detergents and cost next to nothing. So instead of dashing over to
your local store the next time you need to vanquish a dirt monster, consider creating
your own brand of DIY cleaners instead. Thanks to the internet and YouTube
videos, there is a wealth of recipes and methods that will not only take you a
few minutes out of your day. From mixing white vinegar, water, rosemary and lemon
rind to make scented all-purpose cleaner to mixing Borax powder and lemon to
make heavy duty scrub and mixing warm water and baking soda to make kitchen
cleaner, you can save a tidy sum of money rather than buying the store version.
PLEASE DO THOROUGH RESEARCH AND BE
MINDFUL OF THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THESE DIY RECIPES.
3. Turn into Mr/Mrs/Ms Fix-it.
Instead
of hiring someone to fix an item or replacing it, you should consider fixing it
yourself. You can find online tutorials and videos that show you how to fix
almost anything under the sun. You can take advantage of these free videos and
turn yourself into a home improvement guru in the process. Gain a new skill and
save you some money all in one go.
4. #BrandLoyaltyMustFall .
Rather
than leaving it to muscle memory and just picking up your favourite brand of
detergent, baked beans or fresh milk, try out the store brand or generic
version of the item. From Pick n Pay’s “No Name Brand”, Shoprite’s Ritebrand,
Checkers’ Housebrand and Spar’s Own Brand You may discover that the store brand
is just as good as the name brand. Today, retailers’ in-house brands compete
fairly with brand names in terms of quality and perception so why pay more for
a brand name? Once embrace the generic brand lifestyle, you’ll find your
regular grocery bill getting smaller and smaller.
5. Use price-comparison apps
Do your
homework before making a major purchase and compare prices. Take time to do some
research in order to get the best deal if you are the sort to buy something at
the first store from which you see it. To get a detailed price analysis, use
price-comparison software like PriceCheck.
Analysing
prices and identifying the retail cycle is critical. Usually, you pay full price
for new products at the time they are introduced. The item will most likely be
available on discount in around 30 days’ time since retailers don't want to
carry old inventory. It's best to wait until it's on sale if an item is not an
urgent or emergency requirement for you. However, if you need anything urgently,
shop around and check the costs before committing.
6.
Repair,
repurpose and adopt the minimalist lifestyle with regards to clothing.
Next time you go
shopping for new attire, buy clothes that mix and match well and you won’t need
as many clothes. With a little bit of inspiration you can come up with
different combinations from 5 shirts and 5 pants that go together. You can
easily reduce your clothing purchases by mixing and combining different pieces.
When your wardrobe items finally start to
shed their “newness”, don’t toss out a shirt because of a broken button or a
pair of pants because of a hole in them – put in a patch of some sort and save
them for times when you’re working around the house. With a little bit of
practice, you can learn and sharpen your sewing skills to save money and extend
your clothes’ life.
It takes a lot of discipline to save money, but
it start with a single commitment. Hopefully these tips will get off to a good
start.