Buying a house is everyone’s dream, however for most people it’s not that easy. Here are some simple tips that will help you to save towards your home deposit …
– Stop buying lunch – Most people think nothing of buying a meal, and usually we’re so hungry at lunchtime that we feel quite justified in spending on food. But what if you planned a bit better and spent 10 minutes before leaving home packing a wholesome lunch and a few healthy snacks for teatime? Add up what you have actually been spending every day and you’ll likely be amazed at how much you can save. A pie at a garage shop can cost you R17 to R20 and a cooldrink could be another R10. That’s not the healthiest meal, but it’s one of the cheapest and it will still cost about R30. That’s about R150 a week, if you do it every day, or R600 a month that you can easily save.
– If you’re a smoker, give it up – This is always a touchy subject and habits are hard to break, but do yourself a favour and add up exactly what it costs you each month. A packet of smokes can cost between R28 and R32 and up to R40 if you buy them at a convenience store. If you smoke a pack a day, you could easily be saving yourself in the region of R1 000 a month. Find a bigger reason to drive you – like saving for your dream home!
– A gym membership you don’t use – Gym is a wonderfully healthy activity, but let’s face it, how many people who are signed up actually go? If you love it and are happy with what you pay, then skip this part. If you’re not doing it through a medical aid loyalty plan, consider this option to save some cash, as the monthly subscriptions are substantially less. Also, if you have a countrywide membership but only use your local club, then make the call today, and change it to one club. And if you really don’t like gym and know in your heart that you will hardly ever go, then do yourself a favour and cancel it – rather find another activity that you actually enjoy, maybe walking with friends, jogging, dancing or whatever makes your spirit soar.
– Beware your mobile phone – If you’re on contract and coming up for renewal, check your options first. You can port your number to other network providers, so if you find a better deal, it may be worth considering. Also, you might look at buying a phone and rather using the various pay-as-you-go options, which in many instances have become very affordable. Do your research carefully and you may well be able to save a few hundred rand.
– Make eating out a budgeted treat – We all love eating out or getting take-aways, especially after a busy day at work. But do your sums and work out exactly what this is costing you. Decide to allow yourself a certain amount in your budget each month, and make it a special occasion to look forward to. You could even decide to try one new restaurant a month, so that it becomes a whole new way of experiencing things.
– Shop around for insurance quotes – Often your car has got older but you’ve never thought to call and ask your insurance company to reduce the rate. In my experience, they generally don’t offer you a reduced rate and even put it up sometimes. Ask, and if you’re not happy, find a better deal. It takes no time at all to fill in a few online insurance quote forms.
– Always go shopping with a list – We think we just need a few things, so pop into the supermarket, and end up coming out with a trolley-load of items we probably don’t really need. Nowadays, this can cost you a bundle. Do a monthly shop for household cleaners and other items you know you need – and work out where you get the best value and specials, as well as loyalty points. You’ll need fresh items at least weekly, but be disciplined and write that list!
– Stop paying for parking – Most shopping centres give clients a certain amount of free parking time, so try and stay within the time and shop when it doesn’t cost you. You’ll be surprised at how much the little amounts fed to parking meters or given to car guards add up.
– Think about public transport or share a ride – Given the recent petrol price increase, if you travel a long way and it costs you a lot in fuel and car maintenance, it may be worth investigating whether there are any public transport options that could work. Take the savings from this exercise and start your home deposit savings account today.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
