With the cost of gas, food, and other necessities going up, people are looking for ways to save money.
You see it everywhere. How the Cost of Living Has Increased Over the Last Two Years. Gas Prices Straining Budgets. Higher Prices for Essentials Like Food and Gas Hit Consumers.
I know I’m feeling the crunch. In my town gas prices have topped $3.50 a gallon, and I paid $2.25 for a half-dozen eggs earlier this week. Not a dozen. A half dozen. I went to the YMCA yesterday to cancel my membership. The form I had to fill out asked for a reason, so I wrote, "It’s not in the budget anymore." The lady at the desk looked at me, sighed, and said, "There are a lot of things that aren’t in the budget anymore."
With the price of necessities like food and gas going up, a recession looking more an more like a good possibility, and the crunch in the housing industry right now, we could be in for some tough times. What’s a person to do when faced with the threat of recession?
A few things I’ve been doing lately to save money are not driving as much, making my own cleaning products, and growing my own produce. But I could use more ideas.
What I’d like to do is compile a big list of things people can do to save money when times are tight. And I need your help. I would love it if you all would leave comments with your ideas. In a week or two, I will take your ideas, and compile them into one big, organized list that people can refer to when looking for ways to save money. I’ll link back to those of you with blogs, of course.
So let me have it. What are your favorite money saving tips? I’d love to here everything from the little things you do to the extreme things you do and everything in-between!
Photo by danperry.com.
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March 14th, 2008 at 4:45 am
Hi lynnae, a couple of things
Every night I turn off every electrical item at the plug, it takes me about 5 minutes and I half dishwasher tablets.
March 14th, 2008 at 5:01 am
I could write a mile long post but here are some things we do daily
no lights on during the day
line dry clothes when it is warm and sunny
let dishes airdry after running through the dishwasher
no cable tv
shop for produce at local farm stand ($5 for a week of fruit and vegetables)
eat less meat
okay that’s enough for now
March 14th, 2008 at 5:53 am
I cook probably 5x a week in the crockpot — it helps keep the house cool because the oven isn’t on.
Also, I can cook large amounts, eat leftovers, and freeze a portion for later use.
We bought rechargable batteries - a big layout, but with our cameras, remotes, game controllers and all of the boy’s toys, it’s been a very wise investment.
March 14th, 2008 at 6:06 am
I do lots of frugal things - some examples
run errands one day a week & consolidate so as to drive the most effeicient route
cancel magazine subscriptions and use the library for mags and books, tapes, movies
walk everywhere possible (luckily I live across the street from the grocery)
extend haircuts to every 8 or 9 weeks instead of 6
scrape the jar to get out every last smidgeon - then I rinse the jar and use in appropiate ways (ketchup & spagehetti sauce in meatloaf, juice & jelly in syrups, etc)
cook from scratch
compost
read newspapers on line
dumpster dive - in my 55 community we have our own dumpster for garbage and recycling and yard waste - I get newspapers to wrap my wet garbage in, occasionally magazines, green tomatoes out of the yard waste, flower pots, pieces of 2/4s, screening, misc screws & nuts, etc
I set aside one day a week for repairs - to fix anything from sewing on a button to touching up paint
never eat out, buy water, soda or coffe out
ALWAYS grocery shop with a list and take advantage of EVERY sale IF I was going to buy the product anyway and stock up
accept anything anyone wants to give me - if I can’t use, find someone else who can use it, I donate it. So far this month I’ve received a new 5lb bag of rye flour, some cuttings of pothos, 2 towels that needed the hems repaired, and a small bag of trimmings to be used for crafts. The towels I will repair, add some trimmings and give to a needy neighbor. The flour I will use for bread and return a loaf to the donor. The pothos will be grown into plants and will give to anyone who moves into our community as a Welcome gift.
Remember to reuse, recycle, repurpose, rethink, repair
I don’t do anything extraordinary - just live frugally every day.
March 14th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Since I was laid off last spring, I have done many little things to stretch the dollar. I consolidate trips and try to map out a “loop” so that I wind up back home and finished, not having to double back ever. I stretch out what is in the pantry, even if it isn’t the greatest offering in the world. I also decided to sell something every week. I think of all the stuff we have that just sits in corners and closets and off to ebay it goes! Even if it makes only a couple of dollars…that was more than it was making sitting gathering dust. And my perennial favorite in times of plenty or in a pinch - never spend change - I always stash away ALL the change and stick it into a savings account.
March 14th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Its funny we haven’t really changed much except for doing our main shopping once a month and a quick stop every two weeks, and staying home more (the car battery has been dead since Saturday and I still haven’t even tried to jump it.)If I stay home I don’t stop at the thrift shop and if I don’t stop at the thrift shop I don’t spend $20 on random clothes and things we don’t need, and if I don’t buy clothes at the thrift shop it cuts down on our laundry. I guess we have also been going through and getting rid of all kinds of excess stuff-that saves money too–when we have less clothes it makes for less dirty laundry (my kids think that if it is on the floor it must be dirty and often throw their clean stuff on the floor.)
March 14th, 2008 at 6:58 am
I keep a price book and track prices by unit cost.
Stockpile staples when prices are low.
Limit eating out and clothes shopping.
Make sure my tires are at proper pressure and drive carefully (no sudden stops or acceleration if possible) to maximize gas mileage.
Hope that helps!
March 14th, 2008 at 7:36 am
We’re eating cheaper dinners as a family - lots of spaghetti, pasta dishes, etc., and less meats.
My wife takes me to work a few days a week to reduce the two-car fillups!
As the weather warms up I will start riding my bike home from work (wife drops off me and my bicycle in the mornings).
Celebrate “no-spend” weekends where we try not to spend a dime from Friday evening to Monday morning. All meals prepared at home, free entertainment, etc.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Hi.. What my family is doing:
*We have 2 cars, gasoline and diesel. We use the diesel one for everything. The other car is only for emergency.
*instead of going out every weekend we do special dinners at home.
*In the summer, we don’t use the hot water.
*We don’t use brand food.
*Are cell phone is in a family plan.
* and more stuff it will be a long list.
I know it seems that we been cheap; but the situation demands it.
Keep up the good job.. have a great weekend
March 14th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I stopped buying anything from our work cafeteria. I was spending, easily, $5 a day there without even thinking. Now I take that money and put it in a can as savings. When I accumulate $100, I purchase stocks on ShareBuilder.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:25 am
I haven’t really been feeling any type of pinch in the current economy, but I still do frugal things
- I don’t watch tv. This way, I keep from discovering things that I think I “need” to buy. It also helps me avoid knowing what the latest fashion trend is so I don’t go out and buy new, trendy clothes.
- I’ve been checking out various blogs lately that research good deals at Walgreens, CVS, etc. I make sure I only get things that I can use, though, even if they’re free after rebate.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Wow, I could write a mile long list on this topic, and everybody has already listed a lot of the things I do. I will say this though…One thing that really takes the sting out of gas prices, is driving less. I try to limit my trips to town to one day a week and get as many errands done in that day as I can. I also make sure my car is in top shape so I am not wasting fuel.
I stockpile groceries and pack lunches-this can save a lot of money since the cost of groceries is getting outrageous!
Take Care
LJ
March 14th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Thanks for the tips everyone! Keep ‘em coming! This is great!
March 14th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Paying off debt as quickly as possible. I will have paid off my $10,000 Citibank by May 31st and that frees up $300/month for other debts.
Using the Grocery Game.
Using CFL’s.
Eating out only once a month.
Using my hotel points and airline miles for vacations.
Eating less - we eat too much in this society anyway and I’ve lost 25 lbs as a result of eating less (just since Jan 1)!
Can’t wait to see your compiled list.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:57 am
There are already many great ideas here!
Let’s see if I can add some things I like to do to the ever-growing list:
1)See a red light up ahead - coast (Why do people speed up to a red light???)
2)Do house repairs ourselves (husband and I) as much as we can.
3)Eat at home most of the time. When we do go out, we usually split a meal.
4) Reuse! One example - Those plastic grocery bags are great to use as lunch bags, trash can linings, shoes bags, laundry bags on overnight trips, trash bags for the car, etc.
5)Turn down the thermostat. Open the windows on a summer night to cool the house. Use a house fan - that really cools down the house!
6) No landline telephone
7)Rarely, if ever, buy pre-made, ready-to-eat meals
8)Don’t take the 10-minute shower!
9)For entertainment - hiking, free outdoor concerts, local bands, fairs, festivals, books talks/discussions, board games, DVDs from the library or rewatching the ones we have.
10) Another money-saving method I like to do is save money! By investing it!
OK! My list is long enough!
Great idea, Lynnae!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:20 am
I have all major electronics on power strips, so I can unplug them all at night.
I line dry my clothes quite often.
We reuse all plastic and paper bags.
Insulated all of our water pipes.
Bought a convection oven to cook smaller meals with instead of the big oven.
Installed low flow shower heads and aerators on all the faucets.
Ok, I will stop now!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Good idea Lynnae! I love this post. I don’t have anything to add but I really enjoyed reading what everyone else is doing. We do a combination of most of these. Our gas (central Texas) is 3.19/gal and eggs are 1.93/dozen. I thought this was bad until I read your post. Hang in there!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:30 am
I learned how to use the drugstore rebates. It’s a hit and miss with those promotions, like with couponing, but sometimes I really land a bargain. (This week it was shampoo on sale coupon rebate).
When I’m in and out during the day, I park on the street rather than use the electric garage door opener as frequently as before.
We can’t escape out-of-town drives when most of our relatives live an hour away and the daughter’s college is three hours away. But we have cut back on the number of those trips, and will bunch up as many other errands possible during out-of-town travels.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:33 am
I, too, could write about this endlessly. But my biggest tip for people going through harder times would be to decrease your driving as much as possible. Use any public transportation that’s available to you. Walk for trips under 1.5 miles. Bike for trips under 5 miles. If you have two cars, try to get by with one. If you have one car you only use once or twice a week, consider getting rid of it and using cabs instead–you could take pricey cab rides every day for the cost of car insurance and maintenance.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:34 am
My son keeps turning on lights during the day. I turn them off though.
Honestly, I may be in the minority, but gricery shopping really does have me feeling the pinch and I’m not sure what to do about it.
We plan to grow our own tomatoes this year in pots. We would like to grow more but I don’t have the money and time to invest this year with two kids under 4. We have a HUGE rabbit problem in our neighborhood and I would have to have constant vigilance to keep them out of my garden.
We have a great place in our yard for a square foot garden type plan though and next summer I am really going to get into that. watch out rabbits!
March 14th, 2008 at 10:08 am
I think one of the biggest “make or break” factors for Americans is driving New cars all the time or driving old cars. By maintaining and keeping my cars a long time, I save a ton a money vs. those who buy a new car every 2 years
March 14th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I have changed a number of things in the past year. I used to eat at Subway at least once a week. I cut that out. I usually try to eat out just once a month…twice at the most. I stopped using the vending machines at work and bring my own water or store brand soda. I try to plan meals according to what is on sale that week. I’ve been eating a lot of bean dishes, which I like anyway, so that’s not much of a sacrifice.
I have stopped buying more expensive cosmetic and skin care products like Mary Kay and have switched to drug store brands like Olay. Same with hair care products. I’m still trying to determine if this results in a cost savings, though, since I feel like I use more of the drugstore shampoo than I do when I use salon products.
The biggest change: I’ve started using a cash envelope budgeting system. When I use cash, I really think about each purchase more than I did with debit card swiping. I really think this has been the most helpful change for me.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:50 am
No TV, ergo no cable bill, no temptations.
Library for Dvd’s, videos, books.
Buy a car that will go 200,000 miles - maintain it well - do the oil and filter changes faithfully - and keep the car as long as possible. Forget needing the newest model etc.
Cook once -freeze meals -eat for a month system.
Pack lunches.
Homecooked meals from scratch. Crockpot helps.
Eating out is ONLY the dollar menu - I still consider a burger for $1 a decent deal. No fries or drinks. Fill water bottles at home.
Keep ’soup starter’ jars in the freezer - dibs and dabs of leftovers and broth go in them for crockpot stews. NOTHING is wasted!
Buy groceries at least every week - ONLY what is really on sale or is couponed. Get rain checks if they are out - and USE them. Buy for 12 weeks use - as that’s the normal rotation time for most sales items. It’s within walking distance - so the gas is not a factor for me.
Buy groceries every 4-6 weeks at the discount marts - We have 4 in the same parking lot - Grocery Outlet, Dollar Store, Goodwill and BiMart - and I share the ride down with a friend, as gas IS a factor there.
Christmas & birthday buying - a year round affair for me. Garage sales and sewing mostly. $1 bag sales for velour bathrobes - cheap fabric that way
My family is used to garage sale items for gifts - been doing it for years - so there is no problem with them.
Email away for freebies - great stocking stuffers. I get diapers for the grandkids, snacks, cereal, perfume, soaps and shampoos, dog/cat food for a neighbor, toys,and clothing. All for email time.
Sell excess items - books, vintage linens, garage sale finds - ebay or craigs list. Etsy for homemade items.
I cut my work week from 5 to 4 days. Less hours,less pay,no commute - but those hours are spent on remodeling my house. I don’t have to pay someone else to do what I am capable of doing myself (a 54 year old woman CAN sheetrock, mud, tape, and paint, lay tile, grout, and seal it, cut boards and install shelving) I am saving more by working myself on my house than I would have earned working (by a LOT!!!) Investing in a $29 portable electric drill (on sale) and a $12 100 piece accessory kit for it was one of the best investments I ever made… I can do wonders with it
Most tools and paint supplies from garage sales. Check books and do-it-yourself videos out of the library if you need help with a project. That’s how I learned to tile and shelf.
Grandkid trips - once a month our museum has a free Saturday - that’s the day the Grandkids and I go to the museum. Small town and close enough to walk there and to the Library with them. Parks and packed picnic lunch for them is a great way to spend time with the grandkids also.
Gotta have a Garden!!! If no space, try pots on the patio or lining the driveway, or window pots.
Garden surplus - My dehydrator works overtime - anything and everything given to me is dried, frozen, or canned. Clean out ziplock bags and reuse… I store my reusable ones in the freezer.
Reuse everything! The 3 times at least rule!
My local dump/transfer station is the source of a lot of my free firewood - keeps me warm in winter with my highest electric bill at $44.
When buying, ask yourself - this item is costing me so many hours/minutes of my work time…is the cost worth the time I had to use earning the money? Stops a lot of purchases!
Make your money work for you - make sure you are getting the best interest/return on your savings, CD’s, etc.
Good luck!
March 14th, 2008 at 11:09 am
We just spent a year with two house payments after a move to a new city. We were really having to pinch all our pennies.
I bought 3 drying racks for drying clothes(5 kids) and place them over the air vent- place it under one if yours are higher up. You can also use your shower rod. I dry clothes about 5 minutes so that they are not wrinkled and hang on hangers to dry on our rod.
I have started seeds for a garden. Some things I am planting in containers. Save the water from boiling eggs or noodles and cool to use for watering plants. It is full of nutrients.
I have gone from 5-6 gallons of milk a week to about 2. We don’t eat cereal with milk so high. We now make pancakes or biscuits or other things made with cheaper ingredients. We eat more soups,stews,casseroles,stirfries instead of a main meat with sides. That was the bulk can be rice,pasta, potatoes and beans. I just add a little meat. I started making spaghetti with two jars of sauce and 1 lb of meat. I add beans to tacos. I use leftovers to make frittatas, quesadillas, potato topping. I bulk buy things when they are on sale so I don’t have to pay full price for anything. We accept any invitation to dinner. I also took advantage of festivals, go to Sams and get free samples as a snack, church socials, anything that can entertain us and feed us at the same time. Offer to clean up and you may be offered leftovers.
I bulk cook and freeze extra meals to save electricity. I make sure everyone takes off good clothes to wear again and puts on play clothes and wear them till really dirty.
I ebayed clothes and stuff we did not need. I found things that I had bought and not used and returned items to the store that still had tags on them.
I got the state tourism guide free by mail and noted all the festivals and stuff within an hour from us and each weekend we took advantage of free days going to new cities/towns. We live near mountains with a lot of hiking trails and picnic there. We buy season ticket to theme parks or museums each year. This is a great birthday gift that keeps on giving all year.
We cut our own hair. I use gift money I receive to buy magazine subscriptions. We have money taken pretax out of our check and put into a flex account- we get a little savings from the tax savings. I keep a gift box that I fill with clearanced toys and art/craft supplies for kids to give at birthday parties.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:22 am
My list…
1) Pack a lunch every day. It was worth it to me to invest in proper containers for this. When things are packed nicely, they are more appetizing and you can take a greater variety of things.
2) Use a spreadsheet to keep an eye on variable expenses. I have columns for each variable expense (food, entertainment etc) and when I spend anything I just put the number in the column. It totals it up for me and tells me how much I have left to spend in that category.
3) I do not drive. My bus pass is $110 a month but it is worth it to me, so much cheaper than a car. If I have to go in a suburb where it is too hard to get to by transit, it is usually a family event so I get a ride with my parents.
4) If you rent housing, rent from a person and not a company. either have roommates or rent an apartment inside a house. Often you can negotiate deals that way. For example, I get a break on my rent in exchange for tutoring the landlady’s son, and I also get free laundry, cable and internet because she shares hers with me. Plus she has a car and if at times I need access to a car, she’ll take me.
5) Visit the public library and learn about their services. In my library, you can reserve everythig on line and they just call you to come and get it when it’s ready. Very handy!
March 14th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I am pretty new to frugal living after years of living in debt. We are working hard now to pay it off and I have learned so much from your blog and others like it! We are driving our cars longer (I had accepted a car payment as an inevitable part of life…NO MORE!)
The very best thing I do when money is tight is to dig in and work on improving my home by simplyfying our space. I work at giving things away. Saving money by blessing others sounds counter-intuitive, but I am a clutter bug by nature (another huge money sapper) and by cleaning out closets and getting my home in order I am blessed in several ways:
1) It reminds me how fortunate we are and how little we really need.
2) It allows us to bless other people with what we are giving away.
3) It allows me to receive greater joy from what we have by using it more…only dressing and having in my closet clothes that make me feel good, only having toys out for the kids that they will really use and love, etc.
4) It keeps me busy! Less time for shopping and running around.
5) I feel a greater sense of peace and contentment from my clutter-free, organized home. I heard a wonderful quote at church last night that basically said that the universe hates a vacuum and so that when we empty out the negative, the good and peace immediately come rushing in!
Thanks for doing this!
March 14th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
*DON’T EAT OUT!!
*Have and go to garage sales! We all have things we don’t need, sell them and use the money to go to garage sales and buy what you need! If you do’nt live in an area where you can have a sale, (out in the country, etc) get together with some neighbors and hold one at a church or in a parking lot in town. Use freecycle and Craiglist too!!
*Entertain at home. Have friends over for dinner and make it a pot luck. Have friends over for game night and just serve snacks.
*Stop drinking soda! Drink water or if you have to, make koolaid.
March 14th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Great idea Lynn.
Driving this works much better with a standard than an automatic, but 6 things I always do when driving.
1. Always turn the car off at lights (pay attention to when it turns green)
2. Coast when ever I can, why race downhill. There’s a back route to my house were I can coast almost 90% of the way.
3. Watch your driving in the city, lights traffic etc.
4. If your not in too much a hurry draft behind a large truck. I don’t do this too often personally
5. Turn off the engine and coast to a stop, careful with this one as the breaks begin to fade, as I gotten comfortable with how the car handles with no power I’ve started doing this more often.
6. On a long trip keep a steady foot.
7. And if it’s an option use a discount card. Our local Grocery chain Carrefour offers discounts on gas up to 10% important when you paying over 6$ a gallon (4.20€)I pay attention to the discount (posted on a huge sign at the side of highway) and gas up accordingly.
I actually get better mileage in the city than I do on a long trip because I tend to drive flat out most of time. Doing this I’ve knocked about 5% off my driving costs. I love the challenge of how far I can go on a tank of gas.
March 14th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I actually wrote a bit about this last night. It is a mindset change you have to accomplish.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I use a fee-free credit card with points that can be redeemed for gift cards. We charge ALL of our household expenses and any bills that can be paid with a credit card on it and then pay it off in full every month. The cash we would have used sits in a high-yield CD for an extra 30 days, earning a bit more interest. I cash in my points to use the gift cards for all of my clothes purchases or a treat for my son. Occasionally I get practical and buy diapers, but I like to use them for things we are generally doing without because we are on such a tight budget.
Living in SoCal, where our gas prices are around $3.80 a gallon or so, I try to consolidate my car trips, like many people have said here.
Using my own bags at the grocery store - each one is a 5 cents credit at many stores.
March 14th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Oops, I forgot the biggest one - become a vegetarian!
March 14th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Hi
I was told if you put your used batteries in you freezer overnight, you can use them again. havnt tried it myself not using batteries at all but i heard it works.
March 14th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Ohh, this is a great idea! You have so many awesome comments already
I don’t watch TV. This saves a LOAD in cable bills, plus then I never have contracts that I potentially would have to break out of.
I get creative with the food in my kitchen. I will use all the last bits of everything, and never throw away leftovers. I have, since the Simplicity Challenge, started to lot let any food go to waste. If some veggies are nearing the end of their lives I will try and concoct something in the crockpot and then eat it over a few days - that way the food doesn’t go bad.
I get creative and re-use most of my things for presents. A load of old Christmas cards with the front pictures cut out can be collaged together to make a pretty and personal card next year! I don’t think I’ve bought Xmas cards in like 5 years - I just keep making handmade ones out of the ones I received the year previous.
On the same vein, I re-use old jewelry. If I lose an earring but it’s beautiful, I’ll buy an inexpensive chain (25 cent machine!) and take off the hook and make the earring a pendant! These are pretty popular with my friends.
I do my own manicures: http://www.antishay.com/?p=13
I cut my own hair
I make my own jello! It takes three minutes and then I have two weeks’ worth of daily jello snacks for about $1.50 (don’t a pack of six pre-made jellos cost like $4? Holy crap!)
This is less saving, but still relevant: I take the free stuff people offer me. I either sell it on ebay or craigslist, or keep it and use it!
Another thing I used to do a few years ago: If you live in an apartment, see what wireless networks you can access in your flat from your neighbors. Then post signs asking if you can share internet connection with the people whose networks are called “________” etc., and split the cost with them so you both save money!
Along the same lines, if you have many websites, consolidate them to all one host and share hosting with your family and (possibly) friends - you’ll save a lot of money that way (I share hosting with Sean and with my mother).
I know it’s been said by many people before, but I turn the heat down! My place is regularly around 55 degrees F. I am a naturally chilly person so this was torture at first, but now I’m used to it. There is no one to impress at home and so I bundle up in “cozies” and keep the heat down.
ALSO - a lot of people don’t realize, but a little candle goes a LONG way. I bought a load of tea candles from IKEA a few years back and even with burning them every day, I haven’t run out yet (I think there were 100 in a package). Lighting three candles in a room where you spend most of your time will raise the temperature by like 7-10 degrees. And it costs almost nothing, especially with little candles like tea lights.
I get most of my entertainment from the internet, which is all free
Hope some of this was useful.
Thanks for this! You’ve got me on a roll
March 14th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I’m new to the frugal thing.
We recently moved 800 miles, down to one job, I’m a SAHW…..
My friend told me about CVS! So I’m doing CVS now and Couponing, My Kroger will double coupons up to .50.
And really trying to think of all errands I need to run and go once to twice a week.
Something I’ve always done is turn off lights, etc. when not needed.
I’m really working now at not just running the air / heat.
Can’t wait to see all the tips compiled! THANKS!
March 14th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I meant to say running the air / heat unless absolutely necessary.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
We have not felt the crunch yet but I know we need to cut back and become more frugal.
I use coupons at grocery stores that double.
CVS has a wonderful rewards program. This month I got 5 free toothpastes.
You can also win free items from my blog.
http://funandfreegiveaways.blogspot.com/
cost nothing and you just might win.
Rebecca
March 14th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Buy generic/ store brand every thing, like tomato soup its about $1-2 a can name brand about 50-60c store brand. If the kids complain about not have name brand cereal, swap it in the name brand box, they will not know the difference, as long as the dont see you - anyway who pays $7-9 a box for cereal, that about how much i can cook a full dinner for 4 people on.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
I’ve gotten used to lower temperatures in the apartment and while I won’t become a vegetarian I am eating meat less often, and smaller portions of it.
After a while most things become habit and I don’t notice the difference.
March 15th, 2008 at 3:56 am
I am a single mom who’s kids have flown the nest. I can cut back quite a bit.
Unplug items not in use, ie microwave, tv. The tv will stay unplugged sometimes for over a week.
Turn off pc if I won’t use it for the next hour. Never leave it on when I go out or to work.
Cut way way back on eating meat. It’s a good thing I love oatmeal
Stop using the cafeteria at work and bring food from home instead.
The very very occasional times I have gone out to eat (usually with one of my kids), I have been very dissappointed with the meals. “I paid how much for this??”
I live close to work, around 3 miles. I am intending to try walking to work.
Shop with a list.
I have cut out buying junk food like donuts. Instead I will occasionally make a quick bread.
I have started drying laundry, except for towels, either outside or on a wooden rack inside.
My big weakness is books. I go weak at the knees at the sight of a good bookstore. lol I guess it could be alot worse.
March 15th, 2008 at 4:08 am
We save on grocery by buying Angel Food. http://www.angelfoodministries.com is all over the U.S. You get a lot of food for $30.
Also, if there is a light on it (monitor, printer, etc) then it is using power.
The TV and DVD player also use electricity even when not on, so unplug those, too.
Use night lights that come on only at dark.
Use night lights in the bathroom, so at night you don’t have to turn on the light.
Ameritrade/Suze Orman is doing a combination theme now where if you pay yourself $50 in an Ameritrade mutual fund account for 12 consecutive months, Ameritrade will give you $100 free on the 13th month. It’s called Suze Orman’s Save Yourself. I just got my $100 free this month. Plus, your account earns interest 2 or 3 times a month.
I look forward to seeing the entire list.
March 15th, 2008 at 5:24 am
Well we have the high gas & food prices, but working in a high end Easter Candy Outlet I have barely noticed a drop in money being spent. So if people are cutting back at home, it hasn’t been on qualtiy chocolate!!! LOL!
I am certainly waiting for warmer weather when we can turn off the furnace & extra heaters we have had to use this year.
I am also looking forward to making more of my own “take out” type meals. I’m getting really good at Pizza. It hardly costs anything to make it at home & usually $20 to order it out.
March 15th, 2008 at 10:00 am
For us, a lot of our food items are going to be grown ourselves.
We have some extra land at the goat farm we are setting up and we intend to rear chickens, and grow a fair amount of vegetables.
Should be healthier and cheaper to boot.
March 15th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Keep the freezer full. Fill milk jugs with water to take up space if needed. It’s much cheaper to cool the freezer when it’s full than if it is half empty!
March 15th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Lynnae what your feeling are the effects of the Bernanke reflation of the US economy. We’ve just been through a 20 year period of low inflation and high growth so it’s hard for most people to remember what it was like in the Carter years. But to give you an idea I remember my Mom having to ask my Dad for more money in the budget for shopping because it wasn’t going as far as it used to.
What this means basically is prices keep going up year after year after year. Two things to keep in mind, the further the dollar drops, and a weak dollar is what is the primary factor behind the sky high oil prices, the more it feeds into inflation, and secondly the more the Government subsidizes ethanol and bio fuel the higher food go. Unfortunately frugal living only goes so far, you going to have to get used to increasing your food budget each year. As an aside inflation hurts the poor the most, there the ones who can least afford it.
March 15th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Being new to the world of frugality, here is my list of things I now do/use:
Line dry all laundry
Find/invent Crockpot recipes
Set thermostat to OFF
Cancel all subscriptions no matter what they’re for
Work on a strict grocery list with meals planned for each week
March 16th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Here’s an unusual one: when urinating, flush the toilet every two or three trips to the bathroom (instead of every time).
Also, never leave the water running when rinsing dishes before putting them in the dish washer. Use only what is need to rinse each dish.
I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have proof that my water frugality works. I have a post planned for the next week or two about this very topic.
March 16th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
I try to be frugal and I am always looking for more ways to be frugal and earth friendly too:
• We recently replaced all of our burned out light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs that were a great deal at Costco.
• I pretty much only buy children’s clothes used.
• We use the crock pot a few times a week to save on time cooking and energy.
• I only run the heater once in the morning to heat the house and then it stays off during the day unless it gets below 64 degrees. We also don’t run the heater at night.
• My children shower with me instead of a bath by themselves. We use less water and I am guaranteed a shower. (They are only 7 months and 2 years old…I have a little more time left with this frugal strategy.)
• I do meal planning with what I know is in my freezer from the previous weeks sale.
• I am part of a freezer club. It is a group of ladies in my neighborhood that exchange freezer meals with one another once a month. It is cheaper to make a lot of one thing, than a little of many things.
• I don’t typically pay for babysitting. I will trade with another mom. For example, my neighbor and I take turns watching each others kids one night a month so the other couple can have date night.
• I make my own baby food. It is not a huge savings, but I believe it is something. I also feel better because I know exactly what goes into my child’s food. The cost of regular groceries has gone up quite a bit in the past two years, but I still thinking making my children’s baby food is some savings.
• I use a kitchen rag and not kitchen towels to wipe up. I just throw the rag in the washer once a week and I don’t waste paper towels.
I am sure I do other things, but I am tired and I can think of them right now. I appreciate all of your tips. Thanks!
March 20th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Don’t know how true this is but got an email from my dad with the following gas saving tips.
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS
I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline…. but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon..
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
March 20th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Better late to comment than never, saw this over at MoneyNing. I live on the cape where the gas prices are usually .20 to .40 higher per gallon than the mainland.
I don’t own a car but I do tend to chip in on gas every now and then so it amuses me to see the shock on everyone’s face when they talk about how much gas is on the cape. I think because we already pay higher than most places it is something we are used to.
So when we head over to the mainland, we actually save money buying gas over there. The crazy part though is the prices on the islands which is usually .50 to .80 higher than the cape.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:56 am
My favorite money-saving tip is to always take a snack and bottle of water with me whenever I am out of the house for more than an hour. If I just ate a meal I usually just take the water that way I don’t have to buy it while I’m out.
March 28th, 2008 at 10:04 am
The biggest way to deal with inflation is to get out of the consumer clutter (easier said than done) If your on the work upgrade work more treadmill you can live on alot less.
Watch this video about STUFF may make you feel alot better about being frugal and living without the latest gadgets.
Story of Stuff