10 ways to slash your family's spending this CNY

Let's try to cut the expenses and save some money this Chinese New Year. Yes, it is possible. Learn how to do so with these useful tips.

Planning for festive periods usually keep you in various different mood swing modes, most commonly experienced would be stress and frustration, accompanied with small bouts of joy. This is not unusual at all, and for most, neither is the ability to keep such mood swings from occurring during this season. Perhaps the most stressful element to content with, would be the expenses, which will undoubtedly increase as the festive season approaches. The following 10 tips on how to slash your family's spending is certainly worth exploring, so that your stress levels can be significantly reduced.
Some ingredients needed for the food preparation during the festive season can be bought in small amounts and stored away until needed. This will allow you to spend a little at a time, yet eventually accumulating the required ingredients in time for the season.
Buying in bulk is also something worth considering. Get-together with friends and work out a list which consists of items needed,thus bringing down the individual cost. These items can usually be sourced from wholesalers or even the local grocer if the amount your group needs is significantly large.
Getting together with friends or family members to make cookies instead of buying them off the shelf, can also be another way to bring down your overall expenses. Making cookies together can be a fun project, that creates opportunities to bond with others, in a fun filled way.
Planning ahead, is such an important exercise that is often not seriously considered, thus contributing to unnecessary wastage. With proper planning a lot of things and ideas can be put together in ways that will help to keep the spending minimal. Planning will also help you identify and look out for bargains while helping you eliminate the distraction of buying unnecessarily.
Getting family members to contribute different food items for the huge meals that are usually the norm at such festivities can also help you save. The burden to provide all the meals should not be solely your responsibility. Pot-luck styles are becoming a common and well accepted style of entertaining today.
With a little thought and innovation, you can recycle your old decorations and ornament for the new year. The internet is a great ways to get cost effective ideas, especially if you are artistically inclined.
Preparing as many home cooked meals as possible during this season is also another way to save. Although often seen as the easier option, eating out can be costly and unhealthy. Preparing home cooked meals allows you to have better control over the diet and health of your family.
Deciding on a budget and strictly sticking to it can be another action towards keeping spending in check. Paying for everything in cash from the money budgeted will allow you to physically see and "feel" the costs, thus keeping you more alert and diligent in sticking to the budget.
Sending e-cards instead of the traditional ones, will also help to cut costs. You will also have the freedom to design the card and this would certainly show initiative and style.
Separate the" needs" from the" wants" on your shopping lists and then keep this in mind when you shop. However allowing yourself an occasional indulgence, could help to ease some of the cost slashing stress.

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Written by

Serena Mui

Save moneycut costsChinese New Year of the Snake 2013