Simple ways to cut household costs

While we cannot control the cost of living, we can control some of the ways in which money leaves the household.

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There are few things more sobering than walking into a supermarket with a shopping list that used to cost a reasonable amount and discovering that the same basket now seems to require a small bank loan. The frustrating part is that most households are not necessarily buying more. The weekly basics are still there: milk, bread, meat, vegetables, toiletries, cleaning products and the occasional treat. Yet somehow the total at the till keeps climbing.

While we cannot control the cost of living, we can control some of the ways in which money leaves the household. Small changes, repeated consistently, can make a surprisingly noticeable difference. One of the easiest places to start is with the grocery bill. Before heading to the shops, check what is already in the cupboards, freezer and fridge. It sounds obvious, but how many times have we bought another packet of something only to discover three already sitting at the back of the cupboard?

Planning meals around what you already have can also prevent unnecessary purchases. Instead of deciding what to cook after arriving at the supermarket, plan a few meals for the week and shop accordingly. It also helps to be realistic. If a busy Wednesday evening is likely to end with everyone too tired to cook, plan something quick rather than buying ingredients for an elaborate meal that may never happen.

Don't automatically assume that the cheapest-looking item is the cheapest option. Compare prices by weight or volume rather than simply looking at the price on the shelf. A larger packet is not always better value, and special offers are not really bargains if you would not have bought the product in the first place. Brand loyalty can also be expensive. There are certain products where quality matters, but with many basic household items, supermarket or less expensive brands can do the job perfectly well. Try switching one or two products at a time and see whether the family notices the difference.

Another surprisingly effective saving is reducing food waste. The leftovers from Sunday lunch can become Monday's dinner, vegetables approaching their final days can go into soup or a stew, and fruit that is no longer looking particularly glamorous can still be used in smoothies or baking. Throwing food away is, quite literally, throwing money into the bin.

Then there are the small daily purchases. A takeaway coffee, snack, cooldrink or quick lunch may not seem significant at the time, but several small purchases every week can add up to a substantial monthly amount. This does not mean life has to become joyless. Rather, choose the treats deliberately instead of allowing them to become an automatic daily expense.

The same principle applies to takeaways. There is nothing wrong with ordering pizza or buying a meal when you don't feel like cooking, but if takeaways have quietly become a regular part of the weekly routine, reducing them by even one or two meals a month can make a difference.

Electricity is another area where small changes can help. Lights that are unnecessarily left on, appliances running when nobody is using them and geysers heating water when it is not needed all contribute to the monthly bill. Switch off what you are not using and consider whether every appliance really needs to remain on standby.

The kitchen can be particularly expensive. Rather than using the oven for a small meal, consider whether a smaller appliance would do the job. When using the oven, cook more than one thing at a time where practical. Making several portions of a meal and freezing some for another day can also save both electricity and the temptation to buy convenience food later.

Water deserves attention too. A dripping tap may seem insignificant, but leaks can waste a surprising amount over time. Shorter showers, fixing leaking toilets and taps and avoiding unnecessary running water are simple habits that can reduce both water consumption and the associated costs.

Then look at the subscriptions. Streaming services, apps, memberships and other recurring payments have a habit of accumulating because each individual amount seems small. Go through the bank statement and ask a brutally simple question about every recurring debit: "Do we actually use this?" If the answer is no, cancel it.

The same exercise can be done with insurance, cellphone contracts, internet packages and other regular household expenses. It is worth checking periodically whether you are still getting what you need for what you are paying. Just make sure that cancelling or changing a service does not leave you without essential cover or create additional costs.

Perhaps the most important habit of all is to stop treating the bank statement as something frightening that should only be looked at when there is a problem. Knowing where your money is going is the first step towards controlling it. Keep track of the household's regular expenses for a month. Include the obvious bills, but also the smaller purchases that tend to disappear from memory. The results can be quite revealing. You may discover that the problem isn't one enormous expense, but dozens of small leaks.

The goal is not to stop spending money or turn the household into a financial boot camp. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and nobody wants to spend every waking hour calculating the price of a cup of coffee. It is about making conscious choices. Spend where it matters to you and look for savings where the expense adds little value.

Perhaps the best rule is a simple one: before spending, pause.

We may not be able to do much about the price on the supermarket shelf, the electricity tariff or the cost of filling the car. But we can become a little more careful about what happens to our money once it reaches our hands.

Sometimes, saving money isn't about one dramatic sacrifice. It is simply about plugging a few small holes in the household budget before they become a very large leak.