If you want to cut your household bills or save for a special occasion, a good place to find extra cash is by cutting costs in your kitchen. Here are 15 easy ideas you can try today to make your money go further in the kitchen:
Batch cook
It may sound obvious, but the more portions you make of a particular dish, the cheaper the overall recipe becomes – particularly if you can buy ingredients in bulk to save money.
Get smart with leftovers
Savvy savers never throw anything away. If you have leftovers, think about how you can reuse them in another dish.
Make the most of special offers
Scour the supermarket shelves for the best offers and buy products when they are at their cheapest. This works best with ingredients that have a long shelf life.
Check your appliances
Make sure your electrical appliances are working efficiently. A faulty fridge or freezer could be wasting energy, resulting in higher bills.
Sell your produce
Love making cupcakes? Got a surplus of apples? Perhaps you could sell your own produce. Just remember to check all the relevant health and safety legislations before selling from your kitchen.
Meal plan
Without a plan, you’ll end up reaching for expensive convenience food and takeaways, so always plan your week’s meals in advance.
Buy local
Ingredients that are sourced locally are usually cheaper than those that are flown in from abroad.
Shop the seasons
Find out what produce is in season and stick to those ingredients rather than buying more expensive products that are out of season.
Reduce cleaning costs
Kitchen-cleaning products can be expensive. Make your own using natural ingredients such as lemon juice, baking soda, salt and white vinegar.
Check your cupboards
Get in the habit of checking your cupboards before you go shopping. This way you won’t be buying duplicate items that you already have in stock.
Cut your waste
Vegetable trimmings can be turned into delicious soups. Meanwhile, fruit that’s going squishy is perfect for smoothies. Don’t throw ingredients away if you can use them elsewhere.
Shop online
Many products can be bought online much more cheaply than in the supermarkets so do your research before shopping.
Do it yourself
Buying pre-chopped fruit and vegetables is a costly mistake. Sure, it might save you a few minutes in the kitchen but if you’re prepared to peel and chop yourself, you’ll save.
Drop down a brand
Look for economy brands in the supermarket. Quite often, the cheaper brands are almost as good as the premium options for a fraction of the price.
Reassess your drinks
Fizzy drinks and juices can be expensive. It’s cheaper and healthier to stick to water or tea.
So, there you go. Give these 15 ideas a try and see how much you can save.
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