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What habits have you adopted to help save money?

Emily H
8 years ago

Pink Piggy Bank With Gold Crown · More Info

Do you sometimes to bring meals to work, instead of buying lunch? Do you look for special deals or try to buy in bulk? What tricks do you use to save money in your household and while shopping?

Share your experience! (photos encouraged)

Comments (210)

  • Isabel Kanhenga
    8 years ago

    We moved our son to a school with cheaper fees that's close to our house and fewer kids in the class.

    We put a debit order on the account where our salaries go. So before we even touch the money, 50% of it is paid to an account that accrues interest if you do not use the money. We make sure that whatever is left is sufficient for what we need.

    We do not purchase anything on credit no matter how big or small it is. If we cannot afford to buy it at once, we wait until we can.

    We bought a one acre piece of land that had a small two bedroomed cottage on it and moved in to avoid paying rent. (We had been paying rentals of $700 then excluding water and electricity). We are currently building a bigger house and are at roof level. Right now we are saving towards putting up the roof so and we won't do anything until we have saved enough to pay for the roof in cash all at once. Paying cash gets you discounts. My husband is vehemently against taking a loan

    We use solar and gas for most of our power consumption.

    We have no TV just a desktop computer where we sometimes watch what we want. It also helps us keep track of what our kids are exposed to because we decide what they watch.

    We grow a lot of our own vegetables and rarely go out to eat and if we do it's not a spontaneous decision and it's to a proper restaurant not a fast food joint.

    Date night sometimes consists of coffee and cake only or snacks and a cocktail and lots of talking. So we get to spend time alone without spending too much money. There is also a lot of cheap entertainment (shows, musicals, plays etc) if you know where to look.

    We opened an account where we are paying money every month that will go towards our children's university fees. (our kids are 9yrs and 3yrs). If they don't go to university, we will have money for a second honeymoon.

    We have one car, pay as you go cellphones, buy the bulk of our non perishable groceries once a month,live five minutes away from my husband's parents (free baby sitters)


  • Tammy Maubane
    8 years ago

    1. Have a "coin bank" (can be an old jar etc.) and save coins from discounts on your must-have grocery shopping -e.g. if the normal price of laundry detergent is $25.00 and it's discounted to $22.00 when you buy it, put the difference of $3.00 into your coin bank. This includes transport money that you would have spent had you gone to work, varsity etc. do not spend the money on an extra packet of sweets.

    Sometimes the discounts are so huge and if you can, instead of buying for the current month's consumption, buy for next month's as well because when you return next month, the item will back at normal price. And again, do not buy a packet of sweets with the discount earned on your next month's budget, it belongs in the coin-bank.

    3. Try out in-house/generic products they are sometimes as good as other brands and slightly cheaper.

  • decoenthusiaste
    8 years ago

    If you have a Neighborhood Market (Walmart) nearby, they're closing and I shopped for 1/2 price yesterday. Most of the shelves were already empty though.

  • Freya Davidson
    8 years ago

    Couldn't find a job at my age so had to become creative. Took my love of dogs and turned it into a profitable business sitting dogs in my home. Now I am so busy I have to contract out the business I can't handle, and I get a commission on that as well! And I don't worry so much about my spending.

  • PRO
    T.J.'s Painting & Renovations Co.
    8 years ago

    Hire great contractors who are conscientious of your hard-earned money. I try to educate homeowners that hiring a contractor will honors your money - and will work with your budget - is akin to saving money. Don't think of spending money for a home improvement project ~ Think of how much money you can save and still be completely happy with the outcome of the project. It's not just about spending money, it's about spending money in the right way on the right things. All the best!

  • kimhause
    8 years ago
    Live like you make minimum wage. Frugality is key! Splurge only once in a while. Have a play/eating out budget and stick to it.
  • rayojoy
    8 years ago

    I have probably done all of the above. Long story short, never pay full price for anything, Never buy anything new unless you can find something just as good used, never pay interest on anything except a house purchase (& don't live in anymore space than you absolutely need) and pay it off as soon as possible, then start in on investment property. Never increase your life style no matter how much your income improves, live close to shopping & transportation (no suburbs). take advantage of every free cultural thing in your community from the library to sand-lot baseball games, Make all your own clothes, cook from scratch, give at least 5% of your income to charity, Don't buy any more insurance than you need, don't collect Social Security until you are 70, Invest in quality stocks and hold them through thick & thin, always remember that a penny saved is a penny earned. Listen to Suze Ormen. Get the best education possible and go back to work the minute your last child is in Kindergarten. Your life and your home should be managed like the business it is so run it that way. Charge everything, you get free credit for a month until the bill is due and then pay in full. If you can't afford it you don't need it. We never had an income above $35,000/year and have a net worth of several million and an annual income almost 4 x's what we did when we worked.

  • Ryan Pulai
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I pay myself first as much as I can. A good way to start is by talking to your accounting staff at work, have them deduct more net income and put into some sort of savings account (holiday pay or other). For example, I sell cars and normally I have a $10 holdback per unit and have it paid out in December. This year I've decided to bump that to $20/unit, I normally sell 120+ cars annually, so it's nice to get $2,400 at the end of the year on-top of my holiday pay.

    Also, if you use online banking (which I'm sure 85% of you do), utilize the automatic withdrawal feature. I have $150 semi-monthly transferred to another savings account. This really adds up and improves your saving disciplines.

    Last thing, you don't need to be cheap when it comes to buying groceries and what not, but honestly try cook more at home. I eat out once per week with a $15-20 budget. This saves you huge.

  • PRO
    Rediscover Your Home
    8 years ago

    I like to suggest to my clients to more creatively use what they have to redecorate their homes before buying anything new. Changing things up and using them in different rooms than first intended will give new life to your home. I also know that others have had parties among friends where they switch up / trade their things that they may be tired of in their own homes. Kind of unrelated but still relevant to saving money - I no longer purchase fabric softener and don't miss it at all. Instead I fluff my clothes in the dryer for about 5 minutes as soon as it comes out of the wash and then hang to dry. I return them to the dryer when almost dry if need be, and I find they are still soft. I also mix my own cleaning solutions now and they work just fine.

  • rubyloves2shop
    8 years ago

    If we can do it ourselves we do, such as cooking , cleaning, yard work, repairs, painting and more. Shop at discount stores and sales. Make your money work by using cards that pay you to use them. Repurpose, rearrange, recycle, reuse instead of buying more things. Ask friends for help when needed and help them in turn. Rarely if ever carry cash it is far too easy to spend. Take modest mini vacations instead of long lavish ones. Be content with what we have.

  • Suzanne Melton
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    The following are our experiences within only the past
    five-plus years. We were high school sweethearts, separated for 45 years, who
    reconnected in 2010. Dave’s skills include knowing how to build and remodel
    houses. My skills include planning and organizing.

    Remodeling the House
    We closed on this 1986 1700sf manufactured home three years
    ago this month. Dave has done just about everything to “rebuild” this house. We
    had a couple guys from the neighborhood, at $12.50 an hour, help with
    sheetrocking and under-the-house work. We had professionals install a
    furnace/heat pump and the new gutters.

    Utilities
    Every wall and ceiling was re-sheetrocked over the original
    lauan. The house is now so “insulated,” we can’t even hear the rain and we live
    in the Pacific Northwest.

    We had the original 90amp furnace replaced with a 15amp furnace
    and added a heat pump.

    Dave also ordered new double-pane windows to his specifications,
    shorter than the originals. When the windows arrived, he shortened the bedroom
    and living room window frames because the originals were so low, we couldn’t
    put anything in front of them.

    The new sheetrock, furnace, heat pump, and windows lowered
    the winter power bills to half of what they were in 2013; the summer power
    bills are about fifteen dollars higher (air conditioning). It will take a few
    years for the return-on-investment but the comfort level can’t be compared!

    Garbage/Recycling
    After closing, we rented a dumpster and tore out every
    cabinet and plumbing fixture. Even after returning the dumpster, we had too
    much garbage and recycling for weekly pickup. With the amount of remodeling we’re doing,
    including replacing every door, laying hardwood flooring in every room, etc.
    (we’ve “finished” eight out of ten rooms), we'd be charged additional for "overage." Even now, we figured out that lining
    fifteen no-longer-used-for-moving plastic tubs with 33-gallon garbage bags and
    collecting them in an unused area in the back allows us to load them (and the
    massive amount of cardboard) into the cube van and drive the 4.5 miles to the
    sanitary landfill/recycling center. And, no, the garbage doesn’t smell; twice a
    day, I remove the kitty leavings from the four litterboxes into a small plastic
    bag (at auction, Dave won more than we’ll ever use); that little bag goes into
    a larger bag from either the kitchen — evening — or one of our offices —
    morning — and, yes, Dave won 6,000 of the larger bags at auction.

    Speaking of kitty litter, I used to use clay litter. Someone
    on Houzz mentioned The World’s Best Cat Litter so I “did science” to see how
    good it really was. Although more expensive per pound, it actually saves us $460.80
    annually. See attached image.

    Automotive
    I have a 2002 compact sedan and Dave has a 1997 SUV. Later
    this year, we want to sell both and get one vehicle that has the sedan’s fuel
    economy with the SUV’s cargo space (we’re thinking the Chevrolet City Express
    or the Ford Transit Connect). We also have a Chevrolet cube van with a 12-foot
    box that we use drove about 3,800 miles last year.

    When we reconnected, we each had different automotive
    insurers so we (OK, I) checked around and found that both our then-insurers
    were much more than the one we went with in 2012. We plan to review vehicle
    insurance every five years.

    Back in 2008, I had a technical-writing contract that had me
    driving 68 miles round-trip every day. I had been using GasBuddy.com for a few
    years prior and decided to “do more science.” I’d fill up with the same brand
    and grade five times in a row. Then, I’d test another brand and grade. I’ve had
    people tell me that “all 87 octanes are the same, all 89s are the same, and all
    93s are the same.” You can see from the second attached image that, while all octanes
    may be the “same,” additives are surely not the same. My car has a low
    compression ratio so knocking has never been an issue. I encourage you to figure
    out which brand/grade is best for your vehicle. If you drive 5,000 miles a year
    and have been filling up with ARCO Regular, maybe you could switch to Shell
    Regular and save $300 a year.

    The Budget
    Regular monthly payments (house, insurance, power, etc.) are
    not included below because they are pretty much the same every month and we
    can’t change them.

    I keep a budget divided into six categories.

    Each of these three categories has a maximum to be spent per
    month:
    Household Expenses (food, toilet paper, soap)
    Necessary Expenses (toner cartridges, hearing aid
    batteries, dry cleaners)
    Food Out (restaurants, fast food)
    Frippery and Gewgaws (Lotto, DVDs, art, games, books)

    These two categories have no maximum:
    House (remodeling, furniture, gardening, appliances)
    Automotive (fuel, licenses, tires, oil changes)

    I also have a “Recovered” category for craigslist sales,
    etc. I balance our checkbooks every week and we discuss exactly where we are
    in the budget.

    Credit
    We have no credit cards. Dave carries a debit card; I carry
    cash.

    We bought the house with a 30-year trust deed. We’ve been
    making additional principal payments every month. We’ve made 36 payments which
    include 138 principal payments. So far, we’ve “screwed the bank” out of 73% of
    the interest they would have expected at payment 138.

    We’re now making five additional principal payments every
    month and think we can pay off the house in six years (2019…we’ll be 72 years
    old).

    We did put the gutters and then the furnace/heat pump on
    time from a local credit union. Both were paid off many months early

    Last August, I borrowed to pay for my hearing aids.
    They’ll be paid off in eight months, not 36 months. I almost feel bad that the
    credit union isn’t making much money off us. Almost.

    Because we are both 69, we wanted to make end-of-life plans.
    The Neptune Society happened to have a no-interest deal in the Fall of 2014, so
    we are making monthly payments on those.

    Auctions/Craigslist/Estate Sales
    Partial list of auction
    finds:
    Villeroy & Boch farmhouse sink for kitchen, new: 210
    Porcelain vessel sink for Old West master bathroom, new: 60
    Murray Feiss SF225 ceiling fixture for Old
    West bedroom, used: 10
    1895 Koken double-round barber chair for Old West bathroom,
    needs restoration: 210
    Bison skin for Old West bedroom, used: 60
    Elk skin for Old West bedroom, used: 65
    Victorian fainting couch for living room, used and in great
    condition: 300
    Victorian settee for living room, needs re-upholstering: 20
    Will Rogers/Wiley Post lamp for Old West bedroom: 200
    Will Rogers clock for Old West bedroom, needs repair: 65
    Will Rogers’ last autograph before leaving Barrow
    with Wiley Post: 85

    Partial list of craigslist finds:
    Two thousand square feet of dark hardwood flooring: 3,980 (1.99sf)
    …marked down from 11,980 (5.99sf) business closing
    Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer, black, barely used: 750 for
    the set
    GE electric stove, black, used in good condition: 180
    Upright freezer for utility room, white, used: 60 (Dave used black appliance paint to match the other appliances)

    Partial list of estate
    sale
    finds:
    Dishwasher, black, new-in-box: 75
    Eight 3’x7’ teak veneer bookcases for library, used in good
    condition: 320
    Ethan Allen Georgian Court Triple Dresser for Old West
    bathroom: 350
    Range hood, white, new-in-box: 25 (black appliance
    paint)

    We don’t tend to go to many antique stores; they’ve already
    been on their own treasure hunts and charge accordingly.

    My Fives
    I save five-dollar bills. I rat-hole them with a note of
    what I want and, when I have twenty fives, I turn them in at the bank for a
    hundred-dollar bill. I rat-hole that and, when I have enough to pay for
    whatever I wrote on the note, I deposit them in the bank and buy something that
    Dave thinks we don’t need or is too expensive. The first thing I bought was a
    bidet toilet seat (for the Old West bathroom, naturally!). Then I saved up for
    a dining room rug because I knew Dave would think $600 was too much. By the
    time I’d saved six hundred dollars, the rug was on sale for $450. My favorite
    expression: “But, it’s my fives!”

    Our Motto
    We’re not tight, but we ARE cheap!

    Of course, I don’t take Dave to the Benjamin Moore paint
    store or the frame shop. He may be coming around to Benjamin Moore though; the
    first time he rolled it on, he said, “This rolls on like CREAM!”

  • capeanner
    8 years ago

    Suzanne, be grateful there's a Dave. Even when paying to have work done it isn't easy to find a reliable person at a reasonable price.

  • Suzanne Melton
    8 years ago

    capeanner, I'd like Dave around even if we weren't remodeling the house! Were I living alone, I'd be in a condominium needing no work.

    P.S. As a 23-year-old single woman, I bought a 75-year-old house that needed lots of work. Even though I was making good money, it was tough having to depend on others to get most work done.

  • capeanner
    8 years ago

    @Suzanne, part of my frugal living arrangement is to rent out my properties when I'm not in them (one is a duplex so half of that has a permanent tenant) . Condominiums have too many restrictions, also I'm a bit paranoid about getting stuck with bad neighbors. Have enough of those now, but at least they aren't in the same building. Have heard too many bad condo stories. Probably will go the condo route eventually as I'm not getting any younger. Other possibility will be to sell both houses, move to senior housing in MA then rent a seasonal place in FL. Who knows. I sort of shoot from the hip, but always live within my means.

  • Lisa White
    8 years ago

    Dear Suzanne, I am in awe of your combined expertise! Good on you for "doing science", I am actually tracking much each meal and snack costs me to make and am challenging myself to do better (the kids DO eat!); I love the fives idea too, although I can't carry debit card because I tend to forget to write it down. My hubby & I just went over the budget again two nights ago and found we were spending too much in incidentals like soda he buys for the kids and junk I buy @ our local non-profit, mostly craft stuff. We live in county but they aren't too strict on "overage" rules for garbage; we pay in tax every year but not as a separate bill; I don't throw away couches, for example, but I could if they are not to heavy for our sanitation workers to lift, they don't say anything. I do make recycling part of my routine just 'cause I want to, and take it in every other week along with my regular errands.

  • Lisa White
    8 years ago

    @grazius- not to get too personal, but do you have family or church fam nearby that could help you out? Also, in our county we have community service hours for our high schoolers, if you want you could approach the principal or school board with that idea. Your local seniors center may have more ideas. Plus, indoor plants can live on a table w/a grow light or a sunny back porch, so you don't have to bend. I just started my own herb collection- basil and thyme in my kitchen window, it finally feels like home after 12 years .

  • grazius
    8 years ago

    Lisa White - Thanks for your suggestions. No family nor church nearby. My city has a service with volunteers who will shovel snow but it might take days to get one to come. I love your idea about the grow light and feel it's worth investing in one. I am also going to grow my own vegetables this year in a high planter I bought long ago but never used. I'm glad you are feeling happy and at home in your house.

  • havingfun
    8 years ago

    please, i would like more info on the high planter grazius. i was going to have all hanging for veggies like tomatos and beans, etc. but now cannot reach too high and idea of hanging from a clothes line did not work. too heavy. Now i was trying to work out a concept of stacking pallets and putting pots on that. Of course first problem, how to get down the stairs on a regular basis to water etc. hubby tends to forget and kill it all.

    i have figured out that if you find something to stand them on, you can plant in the old lunch bags out of plastic or the reusable shopping bags, both can often be gotten at thrift stores for under a $1, way less than pots. you do need to put some holes in the bottom.

    I used to be a big debit card user. But yes, i guess part of my problems are i do not remember to often enter things. Our new solution is my checks go into my acct. his go in his. He gives weekly payment of like $200. My checks pay for electric, mortgage, those kind of bills. he pays his gas, little groceries etc. when out we confer and i give him cash for incidentals. Working well so far.

    Person mentioned about kids snacks. When my son was a teen went through the same thing, they kept costing more and more. finally I gave him $5/week. I still provided good snack food - milk, fruit, etc. but you know he did not really want that. so we went to $1 store and he got 5 snacks. they had to be approved so no bags of lollipops, but things like peanut butter crackers in snack size were a yes. Sometimes he would put part of his allowance up, but normally not. He learned to budget and what gave him the most value. He did not suffer, because these were just those impossible teen treats they must have. to paraphrase - i am a child of the modern age, i must eat at least one square thing a day. said with a perfectly sincere face. lol

  • grazius
    8 years ago

    Having fun: Just google "wooden planter box on legs" and you will see many styles. Check for the right height and size for you. Make sure you place it in a location that is convenient to you and where you can water it easily. Not all vegetables need full sun, either.


    I avoided getting a debit card for a long time because I worried I would forget to enter in the amounts. However, now I just slip the receipts into my wallet at the checkout counter and once a week or more, I take the receipts out and enter the amounts into my checkbook. Now I love my debit card. You don't have to write so many checks and you save on not having to order new checks as often. Good luck with both!

  • havingfun
    8 years ago

    thanks.

  • Suzanne Melton
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Debit Cards or Cash
    Dave is now so used to handing me receipts and I'm so used to keeping those receipts inside my To-Do List (see photo), very rarely do we ever forget.

    Debit or cash, everything gets entered into the Excel spreadsheet budget. I shred the cash receipts and put the debit receipts in Dave's checkbook drawer. I really do have a "debit card" but use it only for online purchases. When I buy something online, I write a note (date, vendor, item, price) and put that in my checkbook drawer.

    After the debits hit the banks and after balancing the checkbooks, I shred the debit receipts...EXCEPT I save all home-remodeling receipts and all auction receipts.

    To-Do List
    Dave used to give me a hard time about depending on my To-Do List. I didn't update or even look at it for three days. Now, he asks almost every night, "What's on tomorrow's list?"

    Besides anything we need to do at a certain time (yellow highlighter), I write in all kinds of tasks and reminders. Every night, I line out what we did and move those tasks to the bottom, move things we didn't do to a later date, and print a new list (hopefully on the back of used paper). On the right is permanent and semi-permanent information.

    Under the rubber band are items I don't want disorganized all over the bottom of my purse (receipts, paint color chips, restaurant coupons, etc.)

    Whenever someone asks me if I'm "anal-retentive," my answer is, "Better than being anal-expulsive, I always say!"

    P.S. We didn't always have "Necessary" and "Frippery" categories; we had "Personal Expenses." Then I figured out how much we WERE spending on frippery so I separated them. Guess which category gets the most play...

  • Suzanne Melton
    8 years ago

    Lisa White, Thank you for the compliment! I understand Seattle is now checking garbage to ensure that residents aren't garbaging anything they should be recycling.

    We now recycle only cardboard and mixed paper.

    I used to recycle plastic and then I was lectured at the recycling place. I kept all recyclable plastic in a 33-gallon garbage bag in a separate, clean garbage can. When we headed to the dump, we'd stop at the recycling area first. They have separate bins for clear glass, brown glass, green glass, and plastic. I'd place the entire garbage bag containing the plastic into the plastic bin.

    Last year, I was in the process of lifting the bag into the bin and one of the employees told me I had to dump all the plastic milk cartons, etc. into the bin separately and take the bag to the dump. As he was telling me this, two other employees stood there watching him.

    Bottom Line: three people who were getting paid to collect materials that the recycler would then sell were telling me how to do their job.

    Thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

  • Vicki Magee
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I got rid of my Cable service. It was $85 a month and it was really never watched. For some, this would not be a good way to save. My mom loves it and uses it so for her it works.

    I rarely if ever eat out. I buy fresh and cook. Buying fresh isn't inexpensive anymore but it is a necessity for me. I just can't buy the premade stuff. Too much salt and sugar not to mention all the additives.

    I use Folgers coffee and brew my own and even though I do own a Keurig, I only use it with the pods that I can fill with my own coffee. Pods are very expensive items and I have heard many people tell me how they save money because they don't waste coffee but I can get 30 servings of coffee for about $4 which is the price of about 8 cups of coffee with the K-cup pods. So I do not believe anyone actually save money with a Keurig and K-Cups.

    I am looking for ways to save on repairs and things that I am either unable to do or just really HATE to do. (Clean out gutters)

    My car is 10 years old so the insurance keeps going down as well as the tag! YAY.

    Saving money is like a hobby to me and I love it.

    My problem is that when I want to splurge I do and that wipes out what I have saved.

    I think the key is to just be sensible and save where you can. Money is a commodity and I use it to make my life better. Sometimes that means spending for something that is going to make my life easier.

    There is a website called " Everydollar.com" and you can make your own budget. I enjoyed doing it and it helped me see where I spend money.

  • Lisa White
    8 years ago

    I completely understand, it's so frustrating having to do someone else's job. Fortunately, our county is not so picky but I am:), I've seen greasy pizza boxes and dirty paper plates in our dumpsters-on-wheels, yuck! I just try to keep it clean, our county ships to another county and only gets paid about 40 cents a pound? City gets theirs picked..(sigh) it would save gas. Choices! Ps, I love your to-do list, I have a running one for when I don't grt everything done today that I thought I ought to, and a family calendar so everyone knows "Where's Mom?".

  • Lisa White
    8 years ago

    Love all the extra ideas on this thread, btw! We cut dish last year too and have netflix instead, we paid off our house back when there was more work, by following Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace workbook, common sense, and some help from Mom and Dad (both working at the time) when hubby's truck died! Budgets work when you srick too them, not too restrictive, whatever.

  • jillll
    8 years ago

    This is fabulous! I do many of these things.Out on a limb here but my hubby joined the military and received all his professional training and schooling for free and enjoyed travelling. Pay at the time was about half what he could have earned on the outside. When he left and we had 2 young children he got a job paying twice as much and quite honestly I saved all the extra which quickly mounted up and helped pay for our own home. Suggest where possible that if or whenever there is a pay rise in the family try and save a percentage of that raise. Act like you have never received it and you wont miss it.I haven't read all of these wonderful ideas but I like to browse the flea market (we have quite a big one). I have shopped at Goodwill (even though I don't need to), and I have sold at consignment stores...but they are very hit and miss. We also sold a ton of old furniture on Craigslist (please be careful) because we moved and didn't want the hassle of transporting things that no longer fit or were just plain old.I was very surprised how much we were able to sell... and am still doing so. I also take my own lunch to work and always have.American portions are so large I can never finish a lunch portion anyway!:) When single I lived on a very tight budget and growing up my Dad lost his job so I know what it is like to live frugally. One last thing....always pay your credit card off every month if at all possible and if you cannot then don't use it unless for an emergency. It is the best thing in the world to not have credit card debt!!

  • havingfun
    8 years ago

    But why pay at all when there is so much free on line? A friend used to use the backs of envelopes to make notes, messages and lists, now i do, never a loss for used envelopes. i too am not a big recycler in the standard sense. i reuse most things, soda bottles are bird feeders, small bags are reused for garbage etc.

    I got really tired of the whole recycling scene after hearing from several residents that their recycling had on numerous occasions been dumped with the regular garbage. And they were from at least 3 states. I used to do cans, but despite all the work to get them clean, one still grew something, and smelled awful, so don't do that anymore. Our old company did not require bottles rinsed, they got way more than the new one. everything in my life is based on cost versus my value. i used to make about $30/hr, now i don't work, but i still have value so i do $15/hr. Having a cost analysis on any project, changes the whole perspective. This is really important. whenever you get mad at yourself for not doing things, list everything you do or did that day and how long it took to do it, weed out what is not quality. Remember your goal is to have fun, no matter what you say, this is your goal. So always work toward that goal even if you have write down what fun is to you and give it a value.

  • di3h1s
    8 years ago

    When I find something in a store that I like I, but I'm not sure about buying it, I do two things: First - If I really like it I ask myself how many hours will I have to work in order to buy that item. Sometimes my time is worth more. Second - I might put it in the buggy while I consider the purchase, if I'm still not sure when I'm ready to check out, I tell myself......when in doubt-do without and put it back on the shelf.

    Throughout my married life, 40 years now, we have found that if we spent only my husbands salary and saved every thing that I made, we had plenty for retirement at age 60, and we did not have big income. If you are single, put away at least 10% from the before tax amount. These are both do-able solutions. And yes, we did retire at 60.

  • Ann
    8 years ago

    I budget carefully. I never have a balance on a credit card that isn't paid the first month before any interest is charged (never in my entire life). We eat most meals at home. I clean my own house. We save for new cars before we buy them rather than getting a car loan. With the last several homes, we've paid as much additional principal as the budget will possibly allow and, as a result, paid off our home loans many, many years early. We've contributed to 401k plans whenever available to us. Basically, spend your whole life making sure to keep retirement saving/planning high on the list. Oh, and we began saving for college for our children when they were very, very young and added to that fund each and every month.

  • curlieq
    8 years ago
    I use the library for free movies, exercise videos, magazines, museum passes (who knew?), books, books on CD (when driving), cookbooks...
    I have several pieces of furniture (including a quirky wooden "step stool that flips to a chair") purchased at my fave consignment shop.
    I bought a gorgeous, and much needed, 45 piece set of dishwear, used every single day, at Goodwill for $45.
    Another way to save money is buying quality pieces, even if a bit more. Anyone remember Glamour's "cost per wearing" segment? We have All-Clad pots and pans, and Wusthoff knives. Expensive, but permanent in our house.
    Re clothes/shoes/makeup, I am not a shopaholic. To quote DH: "The dog has more stuff than you do!"
  • Vicki Magee
    8 years ago

    curlieq made me think of something else I do. If I find something I like, I look online at the auctions to see if I can find it cheaper. I use a particular brand of makeup and I can get it for a fraction of the cost there.


  • highlandspirit
    8 years ago

    I can't believe how many comments are on here... so many money saving tips. Here's my two cents worth...

    • When picking something up on a whim in stores, walk around with it in your hand and ask 'will I love this forever or will this be really useful' before making that purchase. (Also a good idea to think about where you are going to put it once you get home)
    • Keep a money diary - even if it is only for a month. Write down everything you've spent and for what. This will open your eyes and make you think twice next time you're going to buy that morning latte or those new shoes! You will be amazed at home many little things add up to a whole lot once you multiply the amounts over a year.
    • If you decide to make or do something yourself instead of buying or hiring, think of the time you would spend doing it, the cost of the raw materials and the amount of stress it would cause before making your choice. Some things are just worth paying that little bit extra for in the long run.
    • Use rewards credit cards and set up an automatic payment to pay off the outstanding amount every month - remember to keep within your budget.
    • Don't let the stores fool you into buying items that you don't really need with their 2 for 1 or free credit offers. Banks don't pay enough interest these days for the free credit to be really worth it. So don't buy that more expensive item because it's on free credit, buy the one you can afford.
    • Is it going to make you really happy or are you just buying it because you think you have to have it, or you want your friends or neighbours to know you have it?
    • Live simply, honestly and stay true to your heart (and budget). Nothing is worth the stress of being in debt.
  • Mark Ewart
    8 years ago
    First replace all light bulbs to led, if possible run your house lighting on a 12 volts led system with battery and solar panel, buy none perishable items in bulk such as bleach, toothpaste, tissue , oil etc etc, season all your meats at once and package them for each day to be cooked, if you natural seasoning then blend them, wash some clothes by and use the sun the to dry them , the rinse water from the wash machine can be used to wash another load , rinse water can be use to water plants and put those coins away , buy what you need not what you want
  • Architectural Notice
    8 years ago

    Mark Ewart, I think your last comment "buy what you need, not what you want" sums this thread up nicely.

    I think the reason many people get into financial difficulty is that they always want the latest and newest in everything, e.g, electronic gadget, car, shoes, clothing, etc.

  • jingogb
    8 years ago
    Buy cars that are a year or two old, take care of them and drive them into the ground. Use "car payment" for travel, having fun and creating fond memories that will outlast any vehicle.
    Don't buy anything, other than your house, that you can't pay for at time of sale.
  • gigiwood
    8 years ago

    Except for groceries and large purchases, I do not use shopping cart. When my arms are full, it is time to pay and go.

  • Maegan Brassfield
    8 years ago
    I turn off my 4g when I am using WiFi or when I am not using the internet at all. For instance if I am at work not using my phone the 4g is constantly going but if I turn it off for awhile it helps to not go over my limit and then I don't have to pay the overcharge. This trick really helps on a family plan where everyone is sharing data and it is easy to go over.

    Also to save on electricity, my parents unplug minor appliances when they are not in use, such as the coffee maker, toaster oven, etc.
  • havingfun
    8 years ago

    Several years ago, I managed to have an electric bill that was under $25. my hot water heater was gas, but that was the only thing. I did not turn my appliances off, nor did i change lights. it was a month where I was able to hang out laundry, I did not heat or cool, and I did not use the oven that month. If you are home and capable, using the windows and drapes properly make a difference too. Certain times of day, your house will absorb the sun's warmth, sometimes in the winter you can open the windows for a few hours, but you have to be prompt about closing them. In the summer of course the opposite applies, and black out drapes do help keep the house warmer and cooler. Along with the very old trick of putting drapes in front of your doors, and shutting doors to unused rooms.

    I even tried to turn the hot water heater off during the day when i lived in FL. It never made more then a $5 difference in the bill. the amount of times that cooking, washing and showers were delayed, made it not a worthwhile endeavor.

    From my real life experiences, I found that at least in my home, Cooling, heating, oven use, and dryer made the major difference.

  • magilojoh
    8 years ago

    Switched from big national cell company to textnow.com-was $45 a month (& never used the data) & now pay $18.99. Gave up cable phone-which was $30 ea month plus required equipment rental of $10/month. Bought a refurbed Ooma from Newegg-$60-now my Ooma VOIP phone bill is $5.14 each month-so saving about $60 each month on phone &cell phone combo so the Ooma paid for itself 1st month

  • Vicki Magee
    8 years ago
    • I called my cell phone provided and found out that I am not using my data and she suggested that I go down from 3 to 1, as I have never gone over 1 (gig, or whatever the measurement is for data).
    • In doing so, I will cut my bill by about 40 dollars a month! I can do this when my contract expires in a few months. I am really excited to learn this.
  • Vicki Magee
    8 years ago

    @ having fun,

    Thanks for posting your electricity usage for us because I try very hard not to waste it! I do not burn any light, EVER (unless I totally forget that it is on )unless I am using it.

    My problem is that I have an aging dog who requires a lot of washing and drying of her bedding. I am always having to wash and dry something and feel this is using a lot of electricity.

    I guess this is just how it is and nothing I can do about it.



  • apple_pie_order
    8 years ago

    @pauli12: you can use an electricity meter to see how much the electricity in running the washer and dryer is costing you. Then you may decide if hanging some laundry to dry will work for you. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RGF29Q

  • cocoanlace
    8 years ago

    I loved them when I first started seeing them a few years ago, but I preferred the stand-alone letters or rustic wood signs to the decals. I voted "No" because I didn't think I had indulged in this trend. But then I remembered that I have two small, colored ceramic plaques. "Relax" hangs beside my chaise lounge and "Create" is on the wall in my craft room. But overall, I am getting bored with this decorating device.

  • Lisa White
    8 years ago

    @pauli12, this is where having an extra dog bed might come in handy. You might find one cheaper @the local humane society.

  • magilojoh
    8 years ago

    @having fun-I completely agree with what you say about prices of stuff. In my experience turning the hot water heater off when I am on vacay is the only time I notice a big difference in my bill from shutting it off

  • havingfun
    8 years ago

    pauli12, please take my word that in the realm of electrical usage, that dryer is using more than most of your other eqpt. I hate for you to spend $30, just to find that out. I think i have a better solution. Go to Walmart and buy their cheapest bath towel, buy more than one set, think of a days worth. the reason you are buying these is that they dry quickly, because they are so thin. After you wash them hang them out. Mine drys in my shower in a day, i use it because my shower seat has holes that are uncomfortable, so when i am done it is thoroughly soaked. If you cannot hang outside, hang inside in the kitchen is usually a good spot, although i have a towel rack in my bath tub and i use that. Not the warmest spot in the world during the winter.

    majilo, i am confused and have fingers crossed. Who is your internet provider? that is the bill i am trying to get down. Verizon just went up to $75 locally. I have magic jack - $20/yr and no cable-i get all programs online for free. Oh, when we upgraded the magic jack for $50 it gave us 5 years free. but it must have a cable. i do not see a way around this.

    to all those with cell phones, your deals still have not beaten using tracphone burner, only for emergencies, $28 every 90 days.

    The figure i am trying to beat is $85/month for cell phone, internet, phone + LD, and cable. i am very interested in knowing how to do that.

    Oh and i remember one more thing, we were out a washer or dryer for a couple years, so hubby took laundry out. We do not use any detergent with bleaches or perfumes, we do not use dryer sheets, but because everyone else did our clothes started to get holes by the 6th washing. If you can get your own mini or regular washer and do not use bleach or all the other additives your clothes will last years longer.

  • PRO
    Rediscover Your Home
    8 years ago

    On a decorating note in terms of saving money - are any of you aware of a term called "redesign"? I'm not talking about starting from scratch, moving walls etc. but rather making the best use of what you already have on hand to redecorate your home. This is the ultimate way to save on interior decorating. It involves a decorator specialized in "use what you've got decorating" (like myself) but at a reduced cost in that you don't need to purchase anything new but rather enlist the help of a decorator skilled in function and form who loves personalizing rather than designing from scratch. Using what you've already got, they will balance the larger elements of a room and pull together your accessories and personal effects to create a cohesive look with a decorator's eye for just the cost of their time spent doing so. So many of us have things that we've purchased because we love them in the store, received as gifts, or were handed down from the family, but when we get them home they just don't have the impact we imagined they would. Perhaps it's not what you have but how you use it.

  • decoenthusiaste
    8 years ago

    Rediscover - you must be new to Houzz. My professional name is Re-Design Dr. and while I no longer work out in the public, I join other Houzzers here under the "handle" you see above to advise on just such issues - the main stay of what goes on at Houzz. Welcome - we look forward to your input.

  • oceangirl888
    7 years ago

    Saving EVERYTHING for land.

    Cut the accounting software for my job, dropping off my own trash instead of paying for it, etc etc.

  • PRO
    Lisa Williams
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Such great ideas, thanks everyone for sharing...

    As I was reading, I realized that I, too, have changed my spending ways over the last 7-10 years. Some I was forced to change, some I chose to...Most I'm glad that I did :)

    - Drive less expensive car with better fuel economy

    - Started buying "throw away" items (paper towels, TP, shampoo, etc.) at Dollar Tree (or Big Lots).

    - My daughter trims my hair and I color it myself

    - My daughter is vegetarian and we have started cooking, with a weekly meal plan

    - Take dinner leftovers for lunch on work days

    - Know the gas stations nearest to home and work that have the lowest prices

    - My daughter loves to buy clothes at thrift stores (I'm not there yet)

    - Maintain a smaller wardrobe, no dry cleaning

    - Gave up mani/pedis, except for special occasions, no more lash extensions

    I will say that Dollar Tree has become one of my favorite places! Literally, everything is $1. My daughter and I used to spend $100 at CVS easily and now we walk out of Dollar Tree for $10-$12 dollars. Some cosmetics, we still pick up at CVS but all those disposable items are so much less now. Greeting cards, gift wrap, plastic bins, tin foil, dish towels....all these things are $1 each...where at the grocery store or CVS you'd pay $2-5 per item!

    We cook together most nights, so it gets us interacting and learning to cook together too!

    When I moved and downsized, I sold lots of home furnishings, rugs, decor and used that money to help offset moving costs. The items I didn't sell, I keep in the garage and now swap out my decor when the mood strikes. So I have stayed out of Home Goods, which I used to frequent just because I love home decor :)