New School Year: Fresh Start for the Entire Family

Back to school is underway, and it is a great time to implement a few fresh, seasonal goals. “Fall” into the season feeling empowered as you incorporate a handful of simple tips and tricks.

Here are a few ideas to inspire you:

Look Through Your Cabinets and Drawers Before You Buy

Assess what you have before clicking “add to cart.” Pull out everything you are storing and decide to use, donate or purge. Half-empty bottles of shampoo and tubes of gel and makeup remover? Don’t toss. Watch the video far below for an easy trick.

Shop Discount Stores

You may be surprised by the selection at your local dollar or discount store, including popular name brands. Often, these stores are not as busy, and you can find the same products for less. For Amazon Prime or Target Red Card members, shop online to reduce time in-store (and impulse purchases).

Make Sustainable Swaps

Years ago, most people used cloth napkins and often reused them from meal to meal. Each person had their own napkin (and napkin ring), and the table would get reset using the same napkin belonging to each individual if it wasn’t soiled. Instead of Ziploc bags in your child’s lunchbox, invest in a colorful bento box or opt for one of the 12 alternatives shared in this HuffPost article.

Reach for Generics on the Grocers Shelf

I have a friend who works for a big grocer and she insists if you are buying name brand, you are paying too much. The store brands are often just as good, and you won’t be able to tell the difference when it comes to almonds and pickles, for example.

Simplify Schedules

Both children and adults can benefit from downtime. This PBS article cautions families about overscheduling children’s activities. Alvin Rosenfeld, author of The Over-Scheduled Child, recommends to “cut back 5 percent, one night a week, and have a ‘no-activity day’ twice a month.”

Share Responsibilities

As parents, we often hesitate to ask for help around the house. Even if you’ve always packed lunches or handled dinner, it’s not too late to change things up. Look into age-appropriate chores for children and start small. The New York Times has a helpful breakdown. Ask your partner to handle dinner on certain days or get your teenagers involved in meal prep and fun.

Reduce Clutter

A change in seasons can be a great time to declutter closets and drawers. You’ll streamline your morning routine, and there are psychological benefits to an uncluttered space.

Pay Off High-Interest Credit Cards

After you have saved enough for an emergency (6 months to a year in savings), pay down debt on your high-interest credit cards. A 2% return on a money market doesn’t do much good when you are paying 21% interest on credit card debt. Transfer debt to zero interest cards and pay off asap.

Set Goals and Work With a Financial Planner

Work together on a realistic plan and make incremental progress. Playing an active role in your financial health and future will give you peace of mind. Young entrepreneurs are often navigating new territory; expert advice can be a game-changer.

Unsubscribe to Marketing and Email Notifications

If you find yourself tempted by the flashy advertisements and “too good to pass up” deals you receive on a daily basis, remove yourself from the list.

Make Your Own Travel Plans and Sign Up for Travel Deals

Choose a reputable Airbnb over a high priced hotel when visiting your kids away at college. You can filter your search by price, neighborhood and amenities. The cash you save can be better spent on family excursions.

Meet for Coffee

Often, we meet over a meal to reconnect with friends. Switch the meeting place to a park with coffee or a local coffee shop instead of a pricey restaurant. Or, go for a walk at a local park – take your dog!

Start a Family Change Jar (or Download an Automatic Savings App)

Regardless of how you do it, your extra change will add up quickly. Get the entire family involved in tossing their spare nickels, dimes and pennies into a jar. Watch just how much you can save when the whole family gets involved. Or, use an automatic savings app to round up your purchases, putting the money towards savings or investing.

Get Cashback or Earn Miles

If you use a credit card, make it work for you. It’s worth the savings if you use your card for automatic payments and large purchases. You can get cashback or rack up miles to fly for free. Just make sure and pay it off each month so you don’t incur an interest fee.

Iron Your Clothes

Rather than taking clothing to the cleaners, invest in a good iron and ironing board and get to work. Some people (me!) find the experience soothing and also rewarding when you realize how much money you have been spending monthly.

Check Your Thermostat and Change Your Filters Routinely

Change your AC filters regularly and keep your appliances running more efficiently by cleaning the dryer and dishwasher filter. Who knew there was a dishwasher filter?! Lower or raise the thermostat when you leave for energy savings or install a smart thermostat.

You may also like Organizing Tips for College Students. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow Diane on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.