Each month Debtfree DIGI looks at LIVING ON LESS and ways that consumers can save money. In the May 2013 issue of Debtfree we discuss one of the most simple ways yet:

LIVING ON LESS

H2O

Nothing beats a nice cold soda on a hot day. The cool sensation of it running down your throat, the fizz in your mouth and that sweet, sweet flavour. No wonder there are so many choices of drinks out there. It is estimated that 1.7 billion units of Coke are sold each day world wide and that if you tried one of each type of coke product a day it would take you over 9 years to drink them all.
Because sodas often cost only a few rand at a time it can be easy to ignore their cost…until you start to track your expenses throughout an entire month. Now start to add up those costs over an entire year and you will get a fright at how much you might be spending.
For example: if you spend R4 a day on a soda that means R120 a month. If you are a couple and both by a can of soda a day that means R240. In a year that means more than R2600. Now ask yourself what could you do with an extra R2600. Pay off one of your debts? Buy yourself or your kids something nice? The point is that these small costs can quickly addup over time without you noticing it.

In America a country that has a reputation for drinking sodas it is estimated that 53 million cans of soda are sold each day and that Americans spend around R700 Billion on sodas in a year.

Though very tasty and refreshing sodas are often filled with sugars which your body will quickly turn to fat. Extra weight puts you at higher risk of all sorts of things so, not having all that extra sugar can also benefit your health as well as your pocket. We all know how expensive trips to a dentist can be.
Some people have invested in a water jug with a filter to ensure they are able to enjoy the best from their tap water. The investment is a fraction of the cost of what they have in the past spent on soda when thirsty.Often it is during the day that we get thirsty so one idea is to take a bottle of water to work with you. Some offices even have a water cooler for you to use. You can even put a bottle in the freezer the night before to ensure it is nice and cold during the day. No one enjoys lukewarm water that has been sitting in the sun.

Drinking water also cuts down on cravings for food. So having a drink can hold back the hungry monster which demands that you spend money on sweets and chips to snack on. If you go out for dinner and intend to have a soda or two with dinner why not make the first thing you order when getting to the restaurant a glass of water (not a bottle- those can be pricey). This will help quench your thirst so long and maybe then order a soda when your meal arrives. This will reduce your over all bill especially if you are out with the whole family.

Sometimes when times are tight we lament that we have done all we can to cut down on costs and save money and yet still we are running short. Drinking water is no doubt healthy and a simple and effective way to save a few extra Rand along the way.