As a mum, it's natural to want to provide the best for your children. However, it can be a fine line between doing this and getting into debt, something that can be problematic for your family. Luckily, there are some smart strategies you can use to stay out of debt, while still ensuring your family has all the essentials they need. Read on to find out what they are.
Always write and stick to a shopping list.
It's a fundamental idea but ensuring that you have a list every time you go grocery shopping can actually make a huge difference when it comes to staying out of debt. This is because most families shop for food at least 4-5 time and month, and even a small overspend here and there can really add up over time.
Of course, it's not really about just sticking to the list when you are the shop, but also about the work that you put in when creating it. The idea being that you work out what meal your family will have for the week and then only buy the ingredients that you need for that, thus saving money and helping you to keep out of debt.
Additionally, don't forget that most supermarkets have loyalty card schemes, so it is well worth signing up for these to get money off your shop. Something that many families save up and use at Christmas to ensure they can have all the treats they want without having to go into debt.
Take your car to a licensed service centre.
Next, let's talk about cars, an item that nearly all families need to get the kids to and from school, to allow the adult to get to work, and generally be mobile. Of course, buying or leasing as well as running a car can cost a lot of money, epically when things go wrong with it.
To that end, it's really worth taking your vehicle to a centre like the Vauxhall Service at Drive Vauxhall that is a licensed to work on the model you own. Then you will know that they are not only using the most updated technologies but also official parts in any repairs. Something that can help your car to run more efficiently and save you money in fuel, as well as also help prevent costly breakdowns that you have to foot the bill for.
Avoid credit cards.
Finally, while the entire world seems to run on credit, avoiding racking up the style of debt where possible is often the smartest move for your family. This is because credit tends to get thrown at people for all sorts of purchases these days, including ones that are not vital, or essential.
It's crucial to take on credit card debt with caution.
The problem with this is that it costs a great deal to take credit out, as you will continue to pay monthly interest until you have settled your account. What this means is that the longer you take to pay off your debt the more you will pay back, which is certainly not an efficient use of your family's money and can keep them in a cycle of debt that is very hard to break free from.
