[angel_bayou]

I'm looking into ways that can help our family save money! We just found out that DH is going to be taking a $1,500 per month pay cut and I really want to stay home with my girls, who are 2 and 3! Then I have my son who will be home all summer too and I miss him already since he goes to school so not an ideal time to work with no family around to help! SO I decided I need to figure out ways to save some cash!! I'm already trying couponing so any other ideas?? I'm also open to ideas on how to earn some cash from home too!

[denise marie]

What we have done to cut cost is...We have cell phones and i lowerd the plan down saved a ton this way!also bundled phone and internet was also cheaper.I meal plan around what i have in my pantry already before going grocery shopping.Coupons are good to but i look for all sales on top of what i have for coupons.
We cut down on intertainment too! cut cable and just watch basic tv.We dont eat out much..so for fun we pack a picnic lunch and head to the park,We have a movie night and rent them from Redbox at 1.00 a movie.we do this a couple times a month.
I cut alot of cleaners bye using household products baking soda and vinegar can sure clean alot of things.These are some of what we do to cut cost.It has helped our budget quite a bit.
We do not buy new clothes often most times we go to thrift stores if we need something.

[robandjulie]

Hmm....things we do that seem to save a lot:

1. no cable; just rabbit ears (well, these days digital tuner built into TV). We also have no cleaning service, no lawn service, etc.

2. cloth diapers which were mostly used with first child so practically free. You can check around at consignment shops or diaper trader, but at their ages you may want to just shoot for potty training if they aren't.

3. hang dry most of our clothes (otherwise cloth diapers arent' so economical!).

4. menu planning based on grocery sale ads. Every week I read the store ad for the store I like and plan to stock up on some basics that are on sale (basics: beans, pasta sauce, pasta, oil, etc) and if there's something on sale that we like but doesn't store well (bread, produce, deli meat) I drop that into our weekly menu. Menu planning has three benfits: we intentionally buy cheaper food, we waste less food that we buy "on sale" but then don't use and end up throwing away, and when you know what you're having for dinner and have it mostly set out and ready to go you're less likely to opt for take-out in a hurry. You can do even better if you cross-compare a few store ads but frankly I don't have the time or energy to drive all the way across town and haul in and out of two or three stores to save an extra 4 cents on 6 cans of beans and $1 on cheerios. I like my locally owned shop and just do the best I can there.

5. It's the perfect time for putting in a garden. May not save much the first year with all the start-ups costs, but if you have the space and time you can save a ton on tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. and make a lot of your own sauces and such in the fall and freeze/can them for the year.

[MamaS]

#1. Get a membership in BJs, Sam's, or Costco. BJ's is my first choice because you can get discount gas. Buy staples in bulk - toilet paper has no expiration date.
#2. If you are close to a Public Library, check out their summer programs for free activities for the kids.
#3. For extra money, what about being a sitter for a school-age child? Your son will have a playmate, and you will have some extra income. Call the daycare centers and find out what they charge so you will know about what to ask.
#4. Sell items over Ebay. You need a digital camera to take pictures, but you can sell ANYTHING -- new or used --. You can pack and label in your home and make one trip a week to the post office.
#5. Run yard sales for your working neighbors. Offer to do set up and run a sale for 10% of the take. They provide the stuff, you provide the time.
#5. Depending on your neighborhood, you could distribute flyers offering to be a house checker, plant waterer or pet sitter for neighbors who are going out of town. It is easier than babysitting.

[dac_cincy]

get the book "tightwad gazette" from the library and read it as many times as possible- some suggestions:

1. make a shopping notbeook- track costs at every store you buy at- price difference may shock you.
2. Costco/Sams may not the be the cheapest when you price out the unit cost for things (back to the notebook)
3. buy clothes from yardsales
4. start a vegatable garden
5. eliminate meat from most meals
6. eliminate all convienence foods
7. do the car repairs yourself
8. repair items before deciding to replace them


There are lots of other ideas- but those are the biggest that come to mind.

Love to you,
Deb

[becky]

Another thing to think of is an 'insurance check up'. We raised our deductibles on every policy and saved hundreds of dollars. Since we never turn in any claims, we felt it was a safe thing to do.

We also cut our cell phone plans and cable/internet bundle. Those things all helped.

Adjust your thermostat. I never go above 67 or 68 in the winter...and at night I lower it to 65 since we are all covered up. In the summer we stay on 76-78. It's not 'cool', but if you wear shorts and t-shirts around anyway, it's not untolerable.

I agree with planning your menu around what is on sale at the grocery.

Give up eating out...it's expensive!

[NJRach]

***Definitely*** Definitely*** Definitely*** get the Tightwad Gazette book. It is the absolute bible of saving money. There are two versions - three books, Parts I,II and III, and then also one large version which combines all three. I'd buy it from Abebooks.com or Amazon and get it used. We have used their tips for over fifteen years now. The family of eight lives on less than $20k per year. Whenever we were concerned about money, I'd tell myself "If they can survive on so little, we can too."

We actually met them once. They live in Maine and would let people visit, so we stopped by one summer when on vacation nearby. They lived exactly as they said - with a large garden, sofas with homemade replacement cushions, painted garage sale find furniture, thrift shop clothing, a non-fussy lawn, homemade curtains. They were truly inspiring.

It's amazing how many things in life we think we "have" to buy. The book tells you how to get around them or make them yourself.

Rachael

[angel_bayou]

Have any of you read the Dave Ramsey books on finance? If so what did you think? I found one this past weekend at a yard sale for 25 cents and it was in like new condition so I bought it!! I heard good things a while back about it so I figured I'd try it!

[lmvsmom]

I didn't read the other replies, but these are things I thought of:

1. Drop land line and internet service. Most libraries offer free use of computers. Could not do without cell phone, but lower plan coverage, too.

2. Drop all cable/dish.

3. Stop newspaper delivery. Would keep Sunday's for the coupons. Stop magazine subscriptions, too.

4. Use box fans in the windows to draw out heat, draw in cool air instead of a/c.

5. Babysit?

6. Sell stuff on Ebay.

7. Have a yard sale.

8. Buy in bulk and separate into small packages.

9. Buy generics

10. Shop consignment stores/Goodwill stores

11. Make a budget and stickt to it. Dave Ramsey has a wonderful web site and books on how to that you could find at your library.

[Tammy2005]

1. I have heard of people plugging their t.v vcr`s and what not in a extention cord with multiple outlets and they unplug it when not using, they say you say allot in electric bill, they do this around their house.
2. Buy only what is needed at the store, nothing that isnt.
3. If you have a cell and landline phone, get rid of one or the other.
4. Cut back on your t.v channels, go basic.
Do more walking if you can, leave car at home.
5. Maybe do odd and end jobs, like help people do their shopping, (elderly). I have a friend who brings elderly to the store or she just does their shopping for them when she is doing her own. She charges around 20 each time, she does this for 4-5 people a week. She makes $100 or more a week. She also has a couple of dogs she walks while she is out doing her own walk. Good luck. Tammy

[cmfayz]

I buy almost all my kids clothes, shoes, toys, etc. from mom2mom sales, Craigslist, garage sales, etc. I have a really hard time buying them anything new!!

[w8ting4Thomas]

Thanks for this thread. I lost my job at the first of the year. I was able to find employment after about 6 weeks. But then, at the end of March, DH lost his (we foolishly worked in the same industry...not advised!).

I don't have anything new to offer, but PRAISE THE LORD he was only asked to take a cut instead of complete job loss!!! It has been a challenging year so far!

[JoshGuat]

In addition to all the great ideas everyone wrote above, I just want to add....use coupons and shop at Walgreen's. You can get so much free stuff, like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste etc. Sign up on one of the coupon sites, print some coupons from home, and get some from friends, neighbors, and the Sunday paper on occasion. I have saved a lot of money clipping coupons and getting on moms list to learn how to save each week.

Also, save by not going out to eat, shop at thrift stores, yard sales, buy generic food items at Walmart, look for buy one get one free, (online) super markets near your home-and use a coupon on that item, don't buy anything that you do not need, enjoy the free community events, eat pasta and rice more often, buy in bulk and freeze, stock up when things are on sale if you know you will definitely use it later, definitely cut cable TV-get free movies at the library, some channels will come in on the TV without cable-just a bit fuzzy, downgrade the cell phone minutes, downgrade the land line phone, shop around for cheaper rates in auto, life,home, and insurances-use an independent company to find your rates, combine shopping trips to save on gas, look for the clearances usually on the bottom shelves of far away from main isles-just ask someone to show you where the clearance sections are.

I have done all of the above and it has helped

[michelemk]

We have read Dave Ramsey's books and were inspired by him to try to be debt free. Just paid off our adoption loan this month (woo hoo!) and are now working on my school loans and our car.

I shop at Costco and Aldi (do you have one of these near you?) When I do go to a regular grocery store, I buy a lot of generic.

My boys only have one pair of good tennis shoes at a time, plus whatever shoes they need for whatever sport they are playing. We shop at second-hand stores and garage sales.

We don't have cable. We don't take vacations very often. We try not to eat out a lot.

You can do it! I've never read the tightwad gazette, but will try to get it now. (From the library! )

Michele

[Slatond10]

u got some great ideas -- but one thing I do every year is review all "bills" ( mtg, elec, gas, cable, phone ..etc) for ways to cut cost in them or change them to cheaper plans.

Check rates on mtg . refi might be a good option w/ low i % rates.
Check i % rates of all Credit cards (if you have )... there are lots of 0 interest rates that u could transfer to until u get paid off!

I am a garage sale junkie.