Smart Shopping Strategies for Large Families

 

Maximising savings on groceries and household items involves careful planning, smart shopping habits, and making use of available resources.

Planning and organisation

1. Make a shopping list: Plan your meals and create a shopping list to avoid impulse buying and ensure you only purchase what you need when you are shopping.

2. Meal prep: Prepare meals in advance to reduce any food waste and make better use of bulk purchases.

3. Inventory check: Regularly check your pantry, fridge, and freezer to avoid buying items you already have.

Shopping strategies

1. Buy in bulk: Purchase non-perishable items in bulk from warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's Club if available near you.

2. Shop sales and discounts: Look for weekly sales, discounts, and clearance items at your local grocery store.

3. Use store loyalty programs: Sign up for store loyalty programs to earn points, get discounts, and receive exclusive offers.

4. Generic and store brands: Opt for generic or store-brand items, which are often cheaper but of similar quality to the name brands.

Coupons and cash-back

1. Digital coupons: Use apps and websites like Coupons.com, Ibotta, and Rakuten to find digital coupons and cashback offers.

2. Store apps: Download your favorite store's app to access exclusive digital coupons and weekly deals.

3. Manufacturer coupons: Look for manufacturer coupons in newspapers, magazines, and online.

Smart shopping habits

1. Avoid shopping when hungry: Eat before you go to the store. Shopping on an empty stomach can lead to impulse buying.

2. Price comparison: Use apps and websites to compare prices between different stores. Some stores price match their competitors.

3. Shop at discount stores: Consider shopping at discount stores like Aldi, Lidl, or Dollar Tree for certain items.

4. Buy seasonal produce: Purchase fruits and vegetables that are in season, as they are usually cheaper and fresher.

Reducing waste

1. Proper storage: Store food properly to extend its shelf life and reduce waste. Use airtight containers and freeze perishable items.

2. Leftover meals: Use leftovers creatively to make new meals and avoid throwing away good food.

3. Bulk cooking: Cook large batches of meals and freeze portions for future use.

Financial tools

1. Cash-back credit cards: Use cashback credit cards for grocery shopping to earn rewards on your purchases.

2. Budgeting apps: Utilise budgeting apps to track your spending and find areas where you can cut costs.

Alternative shopping options

1. Farmers’ markets: Visit farmers’ markets for fresh produce that may be cheaper than grocery store prices.

2. Online shopping: Use online grocery shopping services and compare prices to find the best deals. Many services offer first-time user discounts or free delivery.

Household items savings

1. DIY cleaning products: Make your own cleaning products using inexpensive ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. 

2. Buy reusable items: Invest in reusable items like cloth napkins, shopping bags, and storage containers to reduce long-term costs.

3. Energy efficiency: Use energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs to save on utility bills.

4. Repair before replacing: Try to repair household items before replacing them to save money.

By implementing these techniques, you can maximize your savings on groceries and household items, helping you easily stretch your budget further.

How to Monetise Your YouTube Channel

 

Creating content and earning revenue from YouTube requires a strategic approach, creativity, and a lot of consistency. 

Here are some tips to help you get started and succeed in getting monetised on YouTube. 

Content creation

1. Identify your niche: Choose a niche that you are passionate about and that has a potential audience. This could be anything from tech reviews to cooking tutorials.

2. Plan your content: Create a content calendar with a mix of video types in your niche including tutorials, reviews, vlogs, and collaborations.

3. Quality over quantity: Focus on creating high-quality content with good lighting, clear audio, and engaging visuals. Invest in basic equipment like a good camera, microphone, and editing software. In today’s day and age your phone camera and microphone can be good enough. 

4. Be consistent: Upload videos regularly to keep your audience engaged. Consistency helps build a loyal fan base.

5. Engage with your audience: Respond to comments, ask for feedback and encourage viewers to like, share, and subscribe.

 SEO and promotion

1. Keyword research: Use tools like Google Trends, YouTube’s search bar, and other SEO tools to find popular keywords related to your niche and video.

2. Optimise titles and descriptions: Write catchy and descriptive titles, and include relevant keywords in your video descriptions and tags.

3. Thumbnails: Create eye-catching thumbnails that accurately represent your video content. Thumbnails play a significant role in attracting viewers to your videos.

4. Collaborate with other creators: Partner with other YouTubers in your niche to reach a broader audience.

5. Promote on social media: Share your videos on social media platforms, forums, and relevant online communities to increase your visibility.

Monetisation

1. YouTube Partner Program (YPP): Once you meet the eligibility criteria (1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months), you can apply for YPP to earn revenue through ads.

2. AdSense: Link your YouTube channel to a Google AdSense account to start earning ad revenue.

3. Super chat and super stickers: If you live stream, enable Super Chat and Super Stickers to earn money from viewer donations.

4. Channel memberships: Offer channel memberships for a monthly fee, providing exclusive perks to your subscribers.

5. Merchandise shelf: Sell your merchandise directly from your YouTube channel if you have a fan base interested in your branded products.

6. Affiliate marketing: Promote products or services through affiliate links in your video descriptions and earn a commission on sales.

7. Sponsored content: Partner with brands for sponsored videos or product placements.

8. Crowdfunding: Use platforms like Patreon or Kickstarter to receive support from your audience.

Analytics and Improvement

1. YouTube analytics: Regularly check YouTube Analytics to understand viewer behavior, demographics, and performance metrics. Use this data to improve your content strategy.

2. A/B testing: Experiment with different video formats, titles, thumbnails, and publishing times to see what works best.

3. Adapt to trends: Stay updated with the latest trends in your niche and create content that aligns with what your audience is currently interested in.

Community Building

1. Build a community: Foster a sense of community by engaging with your audience through comments, community posts, and live streams.

2. Create a discord server or facebook Group: Establish a dedicated space for your most loyal fans to interact with you and each other.

3. Host contests and giveaways: Run contests and giveaways to reward your audience and attract new viewers.

By following these tips and staying dedicated to your channel, you can create engaging content and build a sustainable revenue stream on YouTube.

Quick recipes for every meal

Quick and easy recipes are a god sent when you are busy or just tired and meals that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less are even better so below I have outlined a few different meal options that are quick and easy to prepare for each meal. 

Breakfast

1. Avocado toast

Ingredients: Whole grain bread, ripe avocado, lemon juice, salt, pepper, optional toppings (e.g., cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, poached egg).

Instructions:

1. Toast the bread.

2. Mash the avocado with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

3. Spread the avocado mixture on the toast.

4. Add optional toppings if desired.

2. Greek yogurt parfait

Ingredients: Greek yogurt, granola, fresh berries, honey.

Instructions:

1. Layer Greek yogurt, granola, and fresh berries in a bowl or glass.

2. Drizzle with honey.

Lunch

3. Caprese sandwich

Ingredients: Ciabatta or baguette, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil leaves, balsamic glaze, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Instructions:

1. Slice the bread, mozzarella, and tomatoes.

2. Layer mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil on the bread.

3. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze.

4. Season with salt and pepper, then close the sandwich.

4. Chicken caesar wrap

Ingredients: Tortillas, cooked chicken breast (sliced), Romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, Parmesan cheese, croutons.

Instructions:

1. Mix chicken, lettuce, Caesar dressing, and Parmesan cheese in a bowl.

2. Place the mixture on a tortilla, sprinkle with croutons, and wrap.

Dinner

5. Stir-fry vegetable and tofu

Ingredients: Firm tofu, mixed vegetables (e.g., bell peppers, broccoli, snap peas), soy sauce, garlic, ginger, olive oil, optional rice or noodles.

Instructions:

1. Press and cube the tofu.

2. Sauté tofu in olive oil until golden, then set aside.

3. In the same pan, add more oil, garlic, and ginger, then stir-fry vegetables until tender.

4. Return tofu to the pan, add soy sauce, and mix well.

5. Serve over cooked rice or noodles if desired.

6. Shrimp scampi

Ingredients: Shrimp (peeled and deveined), butter, garlic, lemon juice, white wine (optional), parsley, salt, pepper, cooked pasta or crusty bread.

Instructions:

1. Sauté garlic in butter until fragrant.

2. Add shrimp and cook until pink.

3. Add lemon juice, white wine (if using), salt, and pepper.

4. Garnish with parsley and serve over pasta or with crusty bread.

Snacks

7. Hummus and veggie platter

Ingredients: Hummus, assorted fresh vegetables (e.g., carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes), pita bread or crackers.

Instructions:

1. Arrange vegetables and pita bread or crackers on a platter.

2. Serve with hummus for dipping.

8. Fruit and nut mix

Ingredients: Assorted nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, cashews), dried fruit (e.g., raisins, cranberries, apricots).

Instructions:

1. Mix nuts and dried fruit in a bowl.

2. Store in an airtight container for a quick snack.

Dessert

9. Chocolate-dipped strawberries

Ingredients: Fresh strawberries, chocolate chips.

Instructions:

1. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler.

2. Dip strawberries in melted chocolate and place on parchment paper to cool and harden.

10. Yogurt and berry popsicles

Ingredients: Greek yogurt, honey, fresh berries.

Instructions:

1. Mix Greek yogurt and honey.

2. Layer yogurt mixture and fresh berries in popsicle molds.

3. Freeze until solid.

These recipes above are quick to prepare and offer a variety of flavours and nutrients for different meals throughout your day.