The Frugal Free Gal

Shopping sales, using coupons and getting items for free are all fantastic ways to save your family money. Unfortunately, however, these money-saving techniques can come with a certain risk that no one talks about very much: clutter. When we get things for cheap or free, we tend to stock up, hoarding more than we really need. We think “Better safe than sorry–I’d better hold onto these items just in case.” And while it is good to be prepared, sometimes there comes a time when “being prepared” crosses the line into being a pack-rat.

You may think that holding onto things and accumulating as many things as you can for the future is a great way to save money. And, honestly, doing this might save you a little. But what many people don’t realize is that decluttering can actually save them money too. (Plus, it’s simply a nicer way to live.) Here are five ways decluttering can actually save you money.

1. You Can Earn Money By Selling the Extras

The quickest and most obvious way that decluttering can save you money is simply the fact that you can earn money by selling the items you don’t really need anymore. Sell the clothes and toys your family has outgrown on Ebay or at a consignment shop. Have a garage sale and get rid of all of the extra stuff your family doesn’t need anymore. Just think of what you could do with all of that extra money instead!

Related: 5 Easy Steps for Throwing the Perfect Yard Sale

2. You Won’t Waste Money on Things You Won’t Ever Use

Between coupons and sales, there are some incredible deals out there! With items like toothbrushes, ketchup and bathroom cleaner going on sale for next to nothing, it only makes sense to stock up, right? Yet, how many times have these items gotten lost or gone bad before you’ve even had a chance to use them? Clean out your stockpile and take inventory of which items you actually use and not. Even if certain items didn’t cost you very much, if you aren’t using them, the money you spent on them was wasted.

3. You Won’t Have to Buy So Many Replacements

How often have you not been able to find something, so you go out and buy another to replace it? How often have your things been broken because you have too much stuff to store it nicely (think: kids’ toys)? When you have less, you can keep better track of what you have and take better care of it. It becomes less expendable, and you spend less money replacing it.

4. You’ll Use Less

When you have 30 extra things of toothpaste and 50 extra boxes of cereal on hand, it becomes all too easy to become wasteful. After all, you have plenty on hand. I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t have a stockpile–you should! But if all of that excess is causing your family to go through items much more quickly than you would otherwise, you may need to reevaluate how much extra you keep on hand.

Related: 10 Ways to Declutter Your Home

5. You’ll Have More Time and Energy for Other Tasks

I’m not sure I would even want to know how much time I’ve spent looking for items I couldn’t find because they got lost in all of the clutter! Not only is searching for your items annoying, but all of the time and energy you spent searching for things was time and energy you didn’t spend doing other, more productive tasks, like working from home, cutting coupons, finding deals or cooking from home so you wouldn’t have to eat out.

Here are more Decluttering and Organization Resources if you’d like to keep reading!

Do you declutter on a regular basis?

Do you get regular pedicures at your local salon? I’m guilty of getting pedicures in the past and paying at least $30 (after tip) each time. When I stopped to think about how much money I was spending on something that I could do myself and for free at home, I quickly decided to cut back on professional pedicures and save money instead. Although I do miss professional pedicures slightly, I feel better about saving hundreds of dollars each year with my own DIY pedicures.

DIY pedicures at home are super easy and fun if you have the right kinds of supplies. These supplies typically are inexpensive and once you have a great set of pedicure tools in your collection, you can enjoy your own pedicures in no time.

Here are my at home pedicure essentials:

• cotton balls
• nail polish remover
• nail polish (at least two to three colors, usually a pink or coral for spring/summer and red for winter)
• toe nail clippers
• foot lotion

When I begin my pedicure, I remove any old nail polish with nail polish remover and cotton balls. Then, I soak my feet in the tub and wash them really well with soap. After I soak my feet, I towel dry them and begin my pedicure. I start with my heels and work my way up to the toenails.

I look forward to my at home pedicures these days. My box of pedicure essentials helps me to keep my feet looking their very best!

Some people give their kids an allowance and some don’t. If you’re among the roughly 50 percent of parents to offer a weekly dollar or two – or if you’re considering joining the group – today’s entry is for you. It’s packed with lessons to help you get the most educational bang for your child’s allowance buck.

WHY GIVE (AND HOW MUCH?) – Like I said, not every parent gives an allowance, but most experts agree that an allowance can be a great tool for teaching children about valuable money lessons, including how to save, budget and spend their money wisely. As for how much to give, 50 cents to one dollar for each year of your child’s age is a good rule of thumb.

START AT THE RIGHT AGE – The same experts mentioned above say five years is the earliest age to start an allowance (right around when kids begin to understand what money is and how it should be used). As for the “best” age. Probably around eight or nine, but that’s for the parent to decide based on their child.

WHAT IS THE ALLOWANCE FOR? – Most parents who don’t give allowances do so because they believe kids shouldn’t be paid for doing chores (i.e. things every member of the family is expected to do). That thinking is correct, allowances should not be linked to chores. They should be given as a learning tool only.

DRAFT AN AGREEMENT – Start with a document, much like a contract, that outlines all the important details: How much your child will receive, when they’ll receive it, and what the allowance is expected to be used for. Update the agreement as needed and don’t forget to have both parties sign it!

PAY REGULARLY AND PAY IN CASH – At the beginning of your allowance agreement with your child, determine how often he or she will be paid – weekly or bi-weekly – and make sure you stick to the schedule. Payment should also be made in cash, preferably several small bills or coins.

TEACH, TEACH, TEACH! – As we’ve already established, the allowances is a learning tool designed to teach kids valuable money lessons about saving, budgeting, spending and even donating to charity. Simply giving kids money won’t help them learn, so take time to discuss these lessons on a regular basis.

Image source: iCLIPART.com