Best Money saving tips

[momo4]

Here are a few of ours:

Homemade laundry detergent and household cleaners
Videos/DVD's from the library only
Hardly any processed foods/meals from scratch
(This includes things like homemade ketchup/mustard/pickled ginger/dressings/etc)
No extras on the land line
Pay off credit card every month-no interest fees
I heat the house once in the morning and then turn the heater off for the day
Stock up on food items we buy when they go on sale
No cable
Buy cars used and pay cash, maintain them ourselves.
Most clothing,books, and toys are second hand or gifts.
I make my own toothpaste, deodorant, and most of my make up as well. Haven't figured out mascara.:) Don't say no make-up.:eek:

[Ottakee]

Buy ONLY (or almost only) what is on SALE at the grocery store---and 10 cents off is NOT a sale. I usually buy stuff at 33-50% off and then stock up.

STAY OUT of the big super stores. I find that even with my great "bargains" I end up spending more. The fewer times I go into a store, the less I spend.

[Whisperlily]

For electricity:

Change bulbs to compact flourescents. Use only as many bulbs as necessary. A 4-bulb fixture might provide plenty of light with only 2 bulbs.

Turn off the computer at night.

Use a power strip on TV/DVD/Game Systems to completely cut power to those items while off. Those lights, channel displays and even extra clocks on the units (if you don't rely on them) cause electricity drain.

Don't use halogen bulbs.

Use the dryer only for full loads, and hang large items to dry whenever possible.

Re-think the extra freezer if it is less than half-full, or you could possibly make room for everything in your other freezer.

Install light sensors on your outdoor lights, so they automatically turn off during the day.


Gasoline:

Plan all your errands on one day, and plan your route.

Cut down on extra trips to the grocery store by making a well-planned grocery list and menu.

Pay bills online or over the phone if you can, saving postage or gasoline.

Pack lunches for working spouses, saving money on both the gasoline cost of going out, and the extra for eating out.


Food:

Check into local co-ops (I've recently heard good things about Angel Foods, though I've never tried them so I don't know much about them.)

Use coupons and buy loss leaders when they're something you already buy.

Check out pricing at the local farmers market. Sometimes they have good prices, and sometimes they are higher than the grocery store.

Try not to buy more than you really need, and use what you already have whenever possible. A good, complete meal plan saves a lot of money.

[Jean in Newcastle]

No make-up!! (but that has nothing to do with the cost - I just don't like how it feels on my face)

ditto meals from scratch

ditto thrift stores

we only have one car (I go without except Wed. and week-ends - and evenings)

ditto paying off credit card

[home4school]

I can't believe I'm going to be the first one to ask this! Apparently, everyone already knows but me, but HOW EXACTLY do you make laundry detergent and make-up? :confused:

I have always considered myself very frugal, but I had no idea you could make these sorts of things!

Thanks!
Kim

[melissaL]

we grow all of our own veggies and meat. makes a huge difference to the bills.

MelissaL

[Amy in NY]

and the well-planned weekly menu. I've recently started menu planning for all three meals and snacks. What a difference in both time and money!

I buy new clothes off-season - for instance, I guesstimated on boot sizes for this winter last July, as well as mittens, and bought it all at campmor.com. I still spent about that same as I would have at Target but got much better quality. And I try to buy as many clothes as possible at consignment shops.

Also, we check eBay when we need replacement parts for household items. (We just bought a new pump for our washer off of eBay.)


Amy

[Amy in NY]

I can't believe I'm going to be the first one to ask this! Apparently, everyone already knows but me, but HOW EXACTLY do you make laundry detergent and make-up?


Laundry detergent isn't difficult to make. The hardest part might be finding the ingredients.

For a front-loader washer, I make the following powder:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, finely 'shaved' (I cut it into small chunks and grind it in my blender to a fine powder)
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax

Mix all together. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per load.

I make this in huge batches using 3 bars of Fels Naptha Soap and the appropriate amounts of washing soda and Borax. It lasts quite a while & works pretty well. I also use white vinegar as a softener.

Now, about the homemade makeup...I am curious about how you make your own. Jean, can you share how you do this?

Amy

[momo4]

but HOW EXACTLY do you make laundry detergent and make-up? :confused:

I use the exact same laundry detergent recipe as Amy.

The make-up is a longer story. I wanted to cut the chemicals out of my make-up and found a great site for "healthy" ingredient make-up. Purebodysolutions.com The purest brand's ing. were stuff I had around the house! So for under $10, I bought the iron oxides from the internet to make the color. It is a life time supply, because they give you so much and you use so little. And started with face powder. Then I found the book "Creative Face" by Maxine Nelson at the library and voila, I had the recipes for lipstick, blush, eyeshadow/liner, and concealer. She has a foundation recipe too, but I don't use that. Anyway, I tweak her recipes, because her ing aren't perfect. She also has a mascara recipe, but I didn't have the ing and I like the natural one I use for not much $$.

It is super easy and fun. Great sense of accomplishment when I mix up a blush for less than $1, in a color that I like better than any I have ever bought and all the ingredients are so pure.

[momo4]

No make-up!! (but that has nothing to do with the cost - I just don't like how it feels on my face)

Jean, I said you couldn't say no make-up!!!:D

[Jean in Newcastle]

I know, but I'm a rebel!

[sclisa]

I heat the house once in the morning and then turn the heater off for the day


The exceptions would be that I *do* wear make-up upon occasion, and I don't make it myself. Also, we do have debt that we're snowballing ala Dave Ramsey -- this was from our spendy days & we're working hard to pay it off.

However, I have a question about the heating of the house once per day & then turning it off. I'm genuinely curious and absolutely *not* being argumentative or snarky in any way. Is this truly less expensive than setting the thermostat at a lower temperature?

I may be completely off-base, but when I try to figure this out in my head, it seems as if more energy would be used to heat a much colder home once per day than if you set the thermostat at..say...55 or so. The furnace would only need to run for a short while each time it dropped below the set temperature. So it *seems* as if this might be less expensive. However, I'm certainly open to being told differently. :D

Let me know your thoughts on this. I'm genuinely curious.

Lisa

[ThelmaLou]

Shop CVS: learn how to roll your Extra Care Bucks and incorporate manufacturer coupons in order to get all health and beauty (and many grocery items) free
buy as many non-consumable homeschool materials as possible
return your library books on time
pay your bills on time
don't overspend on clothes just because you find a great sale. (I've fallen into the trap of buying more than I need simply because it's a great deal.)

[MtnMom]

After we went to buying more whole and organic foods we discovered we are actually spending a little less because we are not buying a bunch of processed stuff!

DH gets paid once a month, so I put together a cash-flow plan each month and assign each dollar to a category (e.g. mortgage, tithe, retirement, groceries, vacation fund, gift fund, gas, utilities, clothing, car fund, etc.) Once we started telling our money where to go ;) it started behaving much better!

The other thing that has helped is that we pay cash for most things. Any change we get back from the transaction go into a piggy bank that we can use for a designated purpose. Last year we were able to buy our food and a few "extras" for our summer vacation. The great thing was that it was money we didn't even miss!

Anyway, these are just some things that work for us. HTH!

[Tutor]

1. Sweat the small stuff. If you focus on sound financial decisions in the "small things" we have to address every day (buying store brand over name brand, turning off a light when we leave the room, etc), we will develop a mindset that is naturally thoughtful when confronted with larger financial decisions.

2. Spending isn't saving. Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you have to buy it. You need to decide firs whether or not it's something you need and have money for in the budget. Sales don't save you money, they only require you to spend less for something you were planning to buy anyway.

3. Implement the WOW factor. This is something described in The Tightwad Gazette. Some things we do because we need to (eating, sleeping), somethings we do because they save us money (carrying water in a reusable bottle instead of waiting to buy it while we're out), and some things we do because we enjoy it (going to a play, going for a hike). My dh and I love books. We could borrow books for free from the library, but we get a bigger WOW from buying books and living in a library. However, we generally buy used books if we can. We wouldn't get 10x more pleasure from a $5.00 copy of The Hobbit than we would from a $0.50 copy, so why pay 10x more?

[jail warden]

1. Shop at Aldi's
2. Only buy meat on sale at local grocery store,
At the same time I buy their loss-leaders
3. We barely ever eat out, (especially if noone else pays for it:) my in- laws are very nice:))
4. Plan meals

One more thing, buy only a very few basic clothes, being homeschoolers we're home more and so we don't need nearly as many clothes.

[GreenKitty]

No cable
Turn lights off when not using them
Heat 68
Eat out maybe once a month (not fast food)

[jacqui in mo]

ditto Aldi's. Milk is usually .50 cheaper there. Also we use Dry milk for most cooking needs & sometimes a little mixed with the regular milk to extend it between shopping trips.

[one l michele]

ask dh to help you color your hair at home

let your hair grow so it doesn't need cut as often

minimal cable if any, we have dish family for $25 a month

we dropped our land line and use our cell for everything, dh and I have free mobile to mobile, he calls over his lunch hour and we chat while he drives home, once he steps foot in the door the kids are all over him

double and triple check your bills, especially insurance statements

basic cleaning supplies

we keep 2 sets of sheets, towels, etc per person, and minimal clothing & shoes for each of us

if you think you'd like to have something, put it on your wishlist for at least a couple of weeks, then see if you'd still really like that item

we get our movies from the library

we don't eat out

free/cheap entertainment - nature trails, museums/zoos with reciprocal memberships, etc..

shop around for auto insurance - LOL, really it's true

always travel with a cooler of snacks and water

shop thrift stores, yard sales, clearance racks, etc.

sell stuff you aren't using, doesn't fit, doesn't make you feel good, you don't need, etc.

[jail warden]

I almost never buy milk there, it's always cheaper at one of the 2 other supermarkets that are close by. (Until just this last week that is!)

[momo4]

However, I have a question about the heating of the house once per day & then turning it off. I'm genuinely curious and absolutely *not* being argumentative or snarky in any way. Is this truly less expensive than setting the thermostat at a lower temperature?

Good question. I am not sure. That was one reason I put that on there. I was hoping if it was a bad idea someone would mention it. This is our first month of trying it. The problem with leaving our heater on is that once it heats the house up to the set temp it then starts to blow cool air from the vents. It drives me nuts! So that was my solution. I usually only heat the house up to about 70 degrees every other day and that is very comfortable and we still have snow on the ground here and some very cold days. I will have to check my heating bill this month and then try the lower temp next month and see what works best.

I forgot to mention the meal plans for us too, that really cut down on grocery costs.

I learned how to cut my dc and dh hair and my neighbor is a stylist and cuts mine.:) I add a few highlights to my hair using hydrogen peroxide, but it makes me LOL to think of my husband helping me with that. I have had him cut my hair though.:)

Whisperlily's electric ideas are great. I need to use those and stop sending my bills by mail. I have wanted to stop that for a while now.

Thanks for all the great ideas!

[sclisa]

The problem with leaving our heater on is that once it heats the house up to the set temp it then starts to blow cool air from the vents. It drives me nuts!

On your thermostat, you should have two fan settings: "On" and "Auto." The "On" setting causes the air to continually blow, whether or not the furnace is actually running at the time. This is probably why you're feeling cooler air. The plus side is that this setting actually does help circulate the warmer air. The downside is that it drives you crazy! :D

Try setting the thermostat to "Auto." This setting will cause the fan to blow only when the furnace is actually running, so you shouldn't feel the cool air in between.

I hope you report back on this experiment. I really would like to know if it's money saving.

Oh, and I know it's been said before, but I wanted to mention this again. We, too, shop at Aldi's for some things and it definitely saves money. However, if ingredients matter to you, *please* check the labels. Many of the products sold there have high fructose corn syrup in them. Actually, not only is that ingredient in the product, it's often one of the first few which means that it's not just a little bit of it...it's probably a lot. I'm not being judgmental, just pointing it out for those who might be interested. :)

Lisa

[Whisperlily]

However, I have a question about the heating of the house once per day & then turning it off. I'm genuinely curious and absolutely *not* being argumentative or snarky in any way. Is this truly less expensive than setting the thermostat at a lower temperature?



My brother is an energy consultant by profession, so I can answer this one. Yes, it will save money. I asked him a similar question once... and he explained the "how and why."

I do have more electricity tips, too BTW if you're interested. ;)

[jacqui in mo]

I do have more electricity tips, too BTW if you're interested. ;)
Bring 'em on!!

[Basketmaker Amy]

Bring 'em on!!

I agree! Please share them!

Thanks!

[Friederike in Persia]

Aldi is my biggest spending factor!
We live in Tajikistan, where there isn't that much to buy, even food runs low this time of the year (there's enough, but old potatoes, carrots and onions aren't that exciting). BUT, Aldi have their special offers on-line, so I tell my mum what I want and end up spending quite a lot of money. :p

[Mrs. Readsalot]

cook from scratch
don't eat out
pay in cash
never never get into consumer debt
if you want something and it is not a need just a want think about it for several weeks before purchasing it.
shop at yard sales and thrift stores
take care of things you own and they usually maintain their resale value
get books on bookmooch and paperbackswap
get DVDs on DVDswap
drink water
do home maintenance yourself
grow a garden

[JudoMom]

Shop CVS: learn how to roll your Extra Care Bucks and incorporate manufacturer coupons in order to get all health and beauty (and many grocery items) free

You can do the same thing at Walgreens, too (we don't have CVS here). I went this weekend (this was my first time) and bought Sunsilk shampoo, conditioner, & a styling product, Jane makeup: 4 eyeshadows, 1 blush, 2 eyeliners, and 1 mascara, Softsoap Spa bodywash, Venus razor, a Speedstick 24/7 deodorant, and a Fructis deep conditioner and spent only $22 out of pocket. But I will be getting $25 back on a Walgreens gift card, so I made $3 on the deal and can use the gift card to "fund" future months (& I've got a $3 off coupon/register rewards on any future Walgreens purchase, so it's almost like they paid me $6 to take this stuff off their hands :D).

Here's a link (http://www.moneysavingmom.com/) that explains and walks you through both CVS & Walgreens, and many other deals.

[ThelmaLou]

Judomom,
Yes, I know folks who do Walgreens, too. I have both, but prefer CVS. The link you provided is fantastic. I've been doing CVS and serious couponing for a couple of years now, but a friend just clued me into the site recently. I've added it to my list of sites to visit daily. I'm so impressed by Crystal. What an encouragement to see such a young mom being so wise with her spending and helping others. She was homeschooled, by the way!

[elegantlion]

have one car
cut our own hair
instead of eating out, get food to go - saves drink and tip
declutter
never pay retail
our only debt is our house
..... and car we bought used with 12 months of payments
95% of our clothes are from Goodwill (we have .50 Sundays here)
paperbackswap.com has saved me at least 50.00 on curriculum for next year
wash in cold
grocery shop alone
we eat breakfast for dinner a lot
walk for exercise
take vitamins
got rid of land line phone
flourescent light bulbs
my dh has started selling aluminum he gets off of job sites - just made 35.00 this morning.
quit getting the newspaper

[Jean in Newcastle]

Keep up on home maintenance. Changing furnace filters regularly, changing batteries in the thermostat, keeping your washer/dryer/dish washer clean - including the hidden lint and food traps, vacuuming out vents yourself, cleaning the refrigerator coils and all the other picky things like that really makes a difference. The cost of just having someone come out now a days is so high (let alone the actual repair cost!)

[jmgconner]

I'm loving these lists - it encourages me to see if I can save even more money!

I'm a CVS shopper. :)

Grocery game and couponer, as well. I like Crystal's site (linked above) and afullcup.com to help me find deals on needed items.

We bought a deep freeze and stockpile when there are sales. I also use it to make freezer meals for times when I don't feel like cooking.

Buy sandwich bread at the Wonder store (make my own, otherwise).

Rarely eat out.

Cook from scratch as often as feasible.

Using Dave Ramsey to allocate our financial resources (pay off debt, build wealth, etc.). Set goals for your money.

Drink water - we haven't had soda pop in almost 3 years (and this is coming from someone that was addicted to Coca-Cola!)

As our old lightbulbs burnt out, we replaced them with energy efficient ones.

DH and I are planning our first ever Victory Garden!

I like using my AeroGarden for fresh herbs - those fresh herbs right on my countertop inspire me to cook!

Free/cheap entertainment - arboretum, parks, hiking, family pass to the zoo (we love the zoo and we more than make up for the money spent), family game night, Redbox with free codes for movie rentals (check InsideRedbox.com for free codes and also sign up for the free Monday night code).

For gift-giving, I'm making a very real effort to purchase only meaningful items or to make them myself (quilts, cross-stitching - takes some planning, but I'm enjoying the return on my investment).

Home-decor - we've recently re-done two bedrooms. I got my ideas from Pottery Barn, but made whatever I could make. This includes two beautiful Pottery Barn-style quilts - both were made for very little money using king-size sheets my Mom found on sale at Target for $7.99.

Cut our own hair.

Use the library extensively. We rarely buy books, and when we do, we buy them used.

Make smart vehicle purchases. We keep up on maintenance (DH changes the oil himself to save money). Use a commuter car for DH (public transportation isn't a reasonable option here), and drive as little as possible when the whole family is going out (condense shopping trips into one trip). DH also checks the price of gasoline online for the route we will be taking and knows where to stop for the best price.

Clothes get washed in cold water. Only towels and sheets get hot water. I also refuse to pay over $2.50 for a 32-load laundry detergeant (and I mostly buy it at CVS, saving me even more!)

Shop with cash! <--- this has saved us SO much money! When we do need to use a debit card (NOT CREDIT!), we have the Keep The Change program. Every month we end up with $20 or so in change that is applied to debt reduction.

----

I can't wait to read even more ideas. I know I need to implement the power-switch one and start turning off all the appliances when not in use, but I LOVE having my computer on all the time - I'm off and on all day long (and now with my pregnancy insomnia, I even read blogs in the middle of the night!)

[percytruffle]

...but I throw away all catalogs when they come and do not subscribe to or buy any magazines besides academic ones like Scientific american. This includes homeschool supply mags. Why keep the temptation around. Learn to be joyful about what you already have instead of creating wants. :)

[Whisperlily]

More electric tips: NOTE, some of these things may be worth spending the extra $$ for convenience sake. I know I don't do all of these, but if every penny counts, these things will help.

One of the most electricity hungry appliances is your clothes dryer. I mentioned before that you should always dry a full load (but not so full that the air doesn't circulate and you have to run it twice. ;) ) Hang dry anything that is reasonable. Try not to use it just to de-wrinkle things unless it's an emergency. Set a timer or a short cycle for things you know dry quickly, like sheets or dress shirts.

Lowering the temp. on your water heater and getting an insulator really does help for gas or electric. It doesn't affect showers much, but your dishwasher and washing machine use the "straight" hot water.

Refrigerators and freezers use less electricity if they're "comfortably full." Not crammed full or the air won't circulate. If your freezer is bare, try filling plastic milk jugs 3/4 full and freezing them. It'll take up space that won't need to be cooled, and the extra ice will help maintain the colder temp. (I used to move my ice-jugs to the fridge if I needed more room in the freezer... same principle. The ice helps cool the fridge.) Of course at this point, we NEED the room in our fridge and freezer with so many hungry people!

At one point we rented a temporary home during one of DH's year-long training sessions. The home had single pane windows, and we'd actually get ice on the inside of the windows in the coldest months. Because it wasn't our home, we didn't want to invest in heavy draperies. We actually hung thick blankets in the windows during an ultra-cold snap and I can't tell you what a huge difference it made. I wouldn't, however, recommend it in a permanent home as a decorating technique. ;) So, insulating your windows by use of storm windows or heavy curtains helps keep your furnace or AC from working too hard during the peak months. Bamboo shades, if they're appropriate for your home, also cut the heat from the sun in the summertime.

Draft stoppers and well insulated doors are a plus.

Make sure the flue is closed on your fireplace when you're not using it.

Use LED night lights instead of the standard incandescent bulbs.

Install motion detectors on security lights.

Make sure your dishwasher is full before you run it.

Make sure your TV/radios aren't on when nobody's watching/listening.

Unplug battery chargers and cell phone chargers when the charge is complete.

Using ceiling fans in the main living area will circulate warm air in the winter, and cool air in the summer, so your furnace/AC can be set to a lower temperature.

Unplug your microwave and other small appliances when not in use if they have a lighted display.

Use a toaster oven when able, instead of your full-sized oven.

Use low-flow shower heads, or turn faucets on halfway when showering or washing hands.

Using a crockpot in the summer months will help keep the oven from overheating your kitchen.

Check what you have plugged into outlets. Does it really need to be on? Is it something that draws energy even when turned off? Unplug it! Think about your printers, coffee makers, sewing machines, etc. do they shut off ALL the way? Sometimes a power strip can be an excellent tool.

I might have more... I don't have my own list, this is just floating around in my brain. ;)

[BMC]

~ schedule an errand day to save on gas when possible (Bible Study, library, doctors, shopping)
~ buying only what is on sale
~ using coupons only on what I normally buy
~ not using coupons on what I don't use
~ planning meals
~ not buying books - using only the library
~ using the ACMoore 40% off coupon for my hobby purchases (new knitter here!) or buying them on sale (those things that never seem to go on sale I purchase on 25% off days/nights)
~ buying a used tux (this year we found a new one for the price of the used ones) for DS instead of renting one 3+ times a year (he is required to wear one for each of his concerts and ensemble performances)
~ not asking DH to pick up anything on his way home (never let him into the grocery store!)
~ keeping a price book (I use an electronic one that I update quarterly) for groceries
~ doing our own car maintenance/repair
~ home schooling instead of private schooling
~ being debt free
~ no credit accounts
~ paying our 15 year mortgage on an accelerated plan

I'm sure there are others I can't think of right now...

[Nan in Mass]

Check your car insurance and make sure you aren't paying for anything you don't need. If you own the car, you can decide to do things like NOT have comprehensive and have a high deductable. We set ours so we are covered for accidents to people and other cars, but with a high deductable (of something like $2000), and if our own cars (old used ones) get hit, we buy a new car. By consistently doing this over the years, we've saved thousands of dollars, even though we've had the occasional accident (or rather, our teen have).
-Nan

[Virginia Dawn]

I'm wondering how getting rid of a land line is cheap. We have a land line with a flat 40 dollar a month plan that lets us call anywhere in the US anytime. Dh has a pay as you go phone, but that only costs him 20 every three months, and he only uses it when necessary. That is all we have and all we need.

From what I've seen and heard of other people's cell phone bills, they pay *much* more than we do. Besides after being through a couple of hurricanes and seeing other people frantic because they couldn't use their cell phones, I like having a land line.