I really need to come up with a way to save/make more money

[Only me]

Up until recently we've been able to survive just with dh's salary. Lately though because of the high cost of gas, groceries, tuition for dd and increased medical bills for dd we are finding ourselves short and falling further into debt.

 

At this time it would be impossible for me to work outside the home. I am looking for a job that I can do at home and I've heard a few mentioned before on this board but unfortunately didn't pay too much attention. I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

I'm also trying to figure out a way to save money on groceries. We are a family of 5 and have been spending well over our budget of $150 a week. Because of sports, dh's meetings, etc. we need quick, convenient meals at least twice a week. My family really doesn't like a ton of meat so most roasts are out. They will eat chicken and I will occasionally use hamburger. Unfortunately they are also not big vegetable eaters so we tend to eat more fruit than vegetables. I would really appreciate some low cost meals to stretch our budget.

[Twinmom]

The easiest way I've found to save money is by couponing using the Grocery Game (www.thegrocerygame.com). Running off to do school, so I don't have time to explain the whole thing...check out the site for details! I saved $8,000 off my grocery bill using this the first year, and love it! I find that I easily save the cost of the list each week, sometimes on the cost of just one item. It is, of course, possible to coupon without using the GG, but it is far more time consuming. I have a family of six, and I easily can make your budget each week or even go below it if need be.

 

As for meal prep...we eat very well and very healthy using the GG. I stockpile meals in the freezer using recipe lists I get from www.savingdinner.com and have them ready to go on those pesky late sports days. If I'm not using the freezer meals, I use crockpot recipes (also available on the site) and we are good.

 

Best of luck!

[JFSinIL]

ideas from the Tightwad Gazette - the three years it existed were made into a book of that name.

[Brigitte]

Good Morning America just did a segment last week on working at home and they featured a woman who was just hired by LiveOps to take infomercial customer orders over the phone. A woman, Pamela???, who was on this board used to talk about working for them and I think Quiver (Jean) might be working for a similar company, if not that one.

 

It would be something to check out.

[asher]

We had a very similar experience when we moved here. I now nanny for twin boys, part-time. It has helped us significantly in getting out of debt. I really could only do it PT, though.

[mysticamethyst]

Okay, this is just a list of some things

If you have the room and tolerance, babysitting. This can be upsetting to your normal daily schedule, but a new routine can be found.

 

If you are a fair to good cook, make up flyer for your neighboorhood or apt. building close by offering to cooking meals for busy families; you can run into licensing issues so check with your Health Dept. if this gets to big. For one or two families I don't think it would be an issue.

 

LiveOps is a real company, I have a few friends that work for them.

 

My MIL cleans apts also started with a flyer aimed toward busy families, and only cleans the ones in her complex.

 

There is also the old timers; Tupperware, PamperdChef, Discovery Toys, and Avon. These all depend on your sales skills, I do not have any nor am I an outgoing person.

 

Sell stuff on Ebay, this can make you money but watch the cost of Ebay and PayPal. To start clean out your stuff and sell it, use profits to go to storage auctions and buy cheap and sell for a small profit. This takes lots of work not as easy as one would think.

 

Can you offer any kind of home school class that one might pay for? Sewing, writing, science experiements, foriegn lang., youcould write up unit studies that you could sell on lulu.com?

 

Are you an organized person, some people pay lots to have their lives organized, this would involve leaving the house though. You could schedule around your DH work.

 

These are just a few ideas at the moment, I am sure more great ones will be posted. Good Luck, I know we are all feeling the crunch in the pocket book and will need to do something sooner rather than later.

 

 

Another one if you sew, knit or crocet; maybe make stuff for babies or those little cell phone purses. These are quick to make and can be jazzed up with doodads; when complete could sell at flea market or also on Ebay. I am sure I will think of more and I am not sure if any of those would work but they might.

 

Oh, are you into exercise, people will actually pay you to encourage them to exercise. You do not need to go to gym, to be personal trainer.

[periwinkle]

I have not had much success with working at home, although I do thrift shop/yard sale rummage to find used books and resell them on half.com. This only brings in a few dollars/month. If you want to do phone work, there was website posted recently that had a lot of opportunities listed. Perhaps someone has it bookmarked?

 

I searched for a job working about 8 hours a week for several months and finally found one in January. I work 3 mornings a week, from approximately 6 to 8AM. This is virtually invisible to my family, but brings in about $200/month.

 

Also, I try to buy in bulk items on sale or buy one, get one free. We eat breakfast (eggs and waffles or pancakes) once a week for dinner, as this is pretty cheap for us. The rising cost of groceries and gas has crunched our already tight budget...I would imagine this is happening to many of us!

 

Blessings to your family,

[Pamela H in Texas]

I'd be glad to share any more information you may need about Liveops.com. I do think it's a wonderful opportunity and GREAT about flexibility since you'd be considered a contractor rather than an employee.

[j.griff]

I have been thinking about cleaning houses for people- but I have no idea how one charges folks for this. Would it be by the hour? Or would it be according to what jobs you do? X amount per room for vacuuming, x amount per room for dusting? Does anyone have any links for tips on starting such a "business"? I'm off to google again. :D

[my2kidsmom]

I've looked on and off for a couple of years. I have seriously thought about doing the LiveOps thing, but that would require me to get a phone. They don't allow cell phone use. There are other companies out there that do the same thing and you can work for more than one at a time. Here are two sites that have a good message boards about WAH jobs. http://www.workplacelikehome.com/forum/index.php

and

http://www.wahm.com/

 

I signed up with survey sites. In March, I got checks for 79.70, paypal for 7, Amazon gift certifictes for 55 and three really cool test products that I like but would have never bought for myself. If you want to know more about survey sites, let me know. As you can see, it's not much money, but it takes us out to eat a few times and I use the Amazon certifictes to buy gifts or homeschool books.

 

I also resell books and other items. I'm bad about not taking the time to list on ebay. I hate that their rates (and paypal's) are getting so high. I've sold something on Criagslist with great success.

 

Although I've never done this, I've looked around the freelance sites. I just don't know if I have the skill set most of those sites need. If you do, check out freelance jobs.

 

good luck and keep us posted

[CookieMonster]

Tutoring can be just a couple hours a week, at your schedule, at your house. I think the going rate is $20/hr.

 

And have you thought about a paper route? Seriously. A friend of mine took one of these on because hours were being cut back at work and expenses were going up at home. He does it every morning before work. It takes 2-3 hours and pays pretty well. For a mommy, you could pile everyone in the vehicle if you had to. Or perhaps you'd be able to run the entire route before dh left for work in the morning.

[Pretty in Pink]

my grocery bill used to easily run over 150.00/wk before i got it under control

 

i did grocery game for a while and it works but was too time consuming for me.

 

now i shop the sales ad from my local grocery store (publix) and plan meals around items i can buy there. if i need something i can't find on sale at publix i buy it at super walmart.

 

we eat really healthy meals here and i keep it at 100.00/wk (not including toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc) i sit down w/ my calculator and sales ad when i'm planning my menu (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks all planned for the week) and just tweak and tweak until i get it where i want it. i spend around 80.00 initially and have 20.00 left over for bananas, milk, eggs, etc. if i run out during the week.

 

to give you an idea, here's our menu for the week coming up (tues thru mon):

 

breakfasts (all served w/ milk):

 

T: bagel w/ peanut butter & honey, banana or apple

W: cold cereal

T: grits w/ cheese, salt & pepper

F: bagel w/ peanut butter & honey, banana or apple

S: cold cereal

S: grits w/ cheese, salt & pepper

M: bagel w/ peanut butter & honey, banana or apple

 

lunches (all served w/ ice water w/ lemon wedge or unsweet tea):

 

T: stir-fry veggies & toasted cashews over ramen noodles (drained)

W: hummus w/ crackers & veggie sticks

T: spinich dip w/ crackers

F: fettuccini alfredo w/ spinich

S: hash browns, eggs, fruit

S: birds eye VOILA! meal kits

M: corn chips w/ bean dip, veggie sticks

 

suppers (all served w/ milk):

 

T: black & white baked beans, corn on the cob, marinated rapini

W: penne w/ meat sauce

T: bowtie pasta w/ marinated zucchini, red onions & black beans

F: date night

S: meatless "meatballs," roma tomatoes w/ crispy breadcrumb topping

S: spiced shrimp, couscous salad

M: pancakes w/ fresh blackberries, syrup, butter

 

HTH!

[Call Me Cordelia]

I worked for Special Counsel for a year summarizing legal transcripts and depositions. I just had to quit as I am working full time outside my home. I really liked it, but it wouldn't be for everyone! You can check out their website or google deposition summary.

[Guest Lorna]

I really recommend getting a copy of 'The Tightwad Gazette' by Amy Dacyczyn. We survived a very lean period using this. We ate frugally and learned many, many coping strategies which enriched our lives for the better. She teaches you how much per hour you can earn by saving. Often economics makes it cheaper not to work outside the home.

If you possibly can, borrow it from your library, but otherwise make it the last thing you spend your money on.

Best wishes in your endeavours!

[Quiver0f10]

I have been thinking about cleaning houses for people- but I have no idea how one charges folks for this. Would it be by the hour? Or would it be according to what jobs you do? X amount per room for vacuuming, x amount per room for dusting? Does anyone have any links for tips on starting such a "business"? I'm off to google again. :D

 

I clean regular weekly houses and I also clean empty new construction and rentals. The weekly regular houses I charge by the hour and the new construction I charge by the square foot.

[Quiver0f10]

 

And have you thought about a paper route? Seriously. A friend of mine took one of these on because hours were being cut back at work and expenses were going up at home. He does it every morning before work. It takes 2-3 hours and pays pretty well. For a mommy, you could pile everyone in the vehicle if you had to. Or perhaps you'd be able to run the entire route before dh left for work in the morning.

 

My DH held 2 paper routes while in college and he made decent money! We have been considering this too.

[Sahamamama]

These are from The Well Drained (yes, DRAINED) Mind:

 

http://thewelldrainedmind.blogspot.com/

 

Layer bean dip - no meat. We pour a bunch of corn chips in a big bowl, I quickly layer refried beans, sour cream seasoned with taco seasoning, salsa, lettuce, cheese, olives, scallions and avocados sliced up. This is a fun "Friday" dinner for us where we will just throw down a table cloth on the living room floor and eat while we watch a family movie.

 

• Asian salad with BBQ chicken. You can either buy a kit for this (Costco has a great broccoli one which includes dressing and crunchy noodles) or you can throw together your own using bagged shredded cabbage or broccoli, the dressing of your choice and some chicken. My husband cooks ours on the BBQ, leaving very little work for me.

 

• Mini Pizzas. We will use anything from pitas to bagels to English muffins to do this. A quick tomato sauce, some cheese and a few veggies for toppings do the trick.

 

• Breakfast for dinner. This is one of my kids' favorites. They love it when we can have "short order" breakfast for dinner. A quick Eggs Benedict (with a mock hollandaise sauce) is one of their favorite breakfast for dinner items. Throw in some fruit or some asparagus or broccoli which don't taste at all bad with it and you have a delicious balanced meal.

[Sahamamama]

If this doesn't apply, ignore it. You stated that:

 

1. You need more money.
   
2. You need quick and easy meals.
   
3. You don't have time to work outside the home.
   
4. You go to a lot of sports events/extracurriculars.

My two cents -- cut back. Do less of the extras. Send the children out to PLAY, instead of carting them to organized sports. Is this an option for you?

 

Then, you could perhaps use the time you usually spend sitting on the side of the soccer field to:

 

1. Cook food that takes more time to prepare.
   
2. Complete some paid work/produce & sell a product.
   
3. Save money on gas, sports fees, and uniforms.

Sports might be important to your family, and you won't want to give them up. On the other hand, you might decide that FOR NOW it is more important to your family's well-being for you to be able to economize with meals and to have more time for doing some sort of paid work. HTH.

[Jennifer in NH]

I really recommend getting a copy of 'The Tightwad Gazette' by Amy Dacyczyn. We survived a very lean period using this. We ate frugally and learned many, many coping strategies which enriched our lives for the better. She teaches you how much per hour you can earn by saving. Often economics makes it cheaper not to work outside the home.

If you possibly can, borrow it from your library, but otherwise make it the last thing you spend your money on.

Best wishes in your endeavours!

:iagree: We have all three books and they are a God send! I still use one of them for the homemade play dough recipe! We always have tons of playdopugh and it is cheap and lasts a long time! Plus, it is any colour you wish... I have stopped going to yard sales and stuff for kids clothes, but I am seriously thinking of doing that again this year! I'd love to find something I could make money at from my home too, but so far,nothing has really sounded feasible for me...However, I suscribed to this thread just in case!;)

[Sahamamama]

For large® families, these are GREAT. Some suggestions:

 

 

• Chicken -- put in chicken pieces, cover with cream of X (any type) soup, cook on high 4-5 hours, serve over noodles
  
• Meatballs & Peppers & Onions -- chop the vegetables finely if your family doesn't like them, they will never know they're in there. Dump in frozen meatballs (Sam's Club), a jar of sauce, and chopped onions and peppers. Cook on low all day, serve in rolls or over pasta
  
• Sweat & Sour Meatballs -- Sam's Club frozen meatballs, can of pineapple chunks with juice, chopped onions, carrots, peppers, peas, some sweet and sour sauce (I make my own, but you can purchase this). Cook on low all day and serve over rice.
  
• Beef Vegetable Stew -- chunks of beef, vegetables (peeled and diced), canned diced tomatoes, seasonings. Cook on low all day. Serve with cheese biscuits.
  
• Chili -- does anyone need a recipe for this? It's GREAT in a crockpot.

The top advantage of the Crockpot is that you can set it up the night before (in most cases). In the morning, you simply plop the pot into the base, set it, and forget it (do I sound like a commercial?). I use the crockpot along with my bread machine, they are timed :001_smile: to finish the meal at the same time. Add a salad, if your people will eat it, and you are good to go, baby. I NEVER cook in the evening, I am too beat by then. Set your meals up in the morning if you can -- all types of salads (tossed greens, macaroni, egg, potato, chicken, tuna, fruit) are all make-ahead and pull-out meals. Soups and stews and sauces that go in the crockpot are great for the tired-at-the-end-of-the-day syndrome. Burritoes, lasagna, casseroles -- that go in the oven -- can also be made ahead, pulled out before dinner time, and popped into the oven without too much fuss. Hope this helps.

[Carol in Cal.]

If you buy dry beans in large quantities at Costco, they last for a very long time and are quite cheap. You can cook them in a crock pot or sun oven, and freeze them in small batches. I like to make my own bean soups and also refried beans that way. They are so much better than canned, and cheaper, too!

 

Here is a quick cheap spaghetti dish: Buy a bag of those old, but not spoiled mushrooms at Safeway. Also buy one of those big jugs of olive oil and big buckets of cream cheese at Costco. Wash and cut the mushrooms in chunky slices. For 1/2 lb of spaghetti, 1/3 lb of mushrooms is plenty. Cook the spaghetti noodles. While the noodles are cooking, in a large bowl, put thin slices of cream cheese across the bottom. You need about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Then quickly saute the mushrooms in just enough olive oil to keep them from sticking. Once they have given up their liquid and are done, put them in the bowl, too. When the noodles are finished, drain them and immediately pour them into the bowl. This will melt the cream cheese. Toss with two forks to blend. If it is still a little dry, I usually add a bit of olive oil. This whole recipe takes about 15 minutes. It is hearty and very good. The mushrooms give it more protein, but you can leave them out--it's not nutritious enough for every day, but it's fine for sometimes and tastes great.

 

Plant fruit trees and bushes and use them like crazy. Apples and blueberries do great in your climate, no? And both can be dried or frozen. Grow lots of tomatoes in the summer and freeze them--frozen are way better than store bought during the winter.

 

Buy the book, "This Organic Life"--it has lots of practical info and experience about living on your own land in a cold climate (upstate New York, as I recall.)

 

Consider chickens or ducks for eggs and to keep your garden bugs down.

[Joanne]

My two cents -- cut back. Do less of the extras. Send the children out to PLAY, instead of carting them to organized sports. Is this an option for you?

 

Then, you could perhaps use the time you usually spend sitting on the side of the soccer field to:

Cook food that takes more time to prepare.

Complete some paid work/produce & sell a product.

Save money on gas, sports fees, and uniforms.

Sports might be important to your family, and you won't want to give them up. On the other hand, you might decide that FOR NOW it is more important to your family's well-being for you to be able to economize with meals and to have more time for doing some sort of paid work. HTH.

 

Edited because I took the above quoted post "wrong" and caused hurt. I'm sorry.

[Carol in Cal.]

This feedback bothers me. I value organized sports for my boys (I would for my dd, too, but she's disabled). "Carting them to organized sports" and "send them out to PLAY" seem pretty heavy with judgement.

 

When I was a single mom, I gave up some things in order to keep my boys in organized sports. Our family does baseball, both Fall and Spring season. They are busy seasons, with some logistical challenges and financial ones.

.

 

Joanne,

I think the 'feedback giver' was pretty careful in this case not to assume that this was the best choice, but just to offer some good 'food for thought'. If I had been the original poster, I would have been glad to receive this feedback to consider, because I might not have thought of it on my own. I have been startled by the advice in some frugality books, but startled in a way that enabled me to think more creatively.

 

For instance, there is a case study in one of Larry Burkett's books where he counsels a young couple to sell one of their two cars. They do so, and it is VERY inconvenient for them. But the truth is, that second car was breaking them; and it would not have occurred to them on their own to sell it. When I read that, I was in serious frugal mode. Even so, I did not run out and sell my car; but a few months later when we were in a serious accident and it was totalled, I chose to delay replacing it for almost a year so that I could stay home longer with my young daughter. This honestly would not have occurred to me if I had not read this in that book.

 

I think that it is really worthwhile for people to get a lot of input and then consider what is and isn't a priority for them, and then to try to figure out a way to focus on their highest priorities and make them happen. The difference between being frugal and being cheap is that cheap people won't spend any money, ever, but frugal people choose to only spend what they must on their absolute highest priorities. That element of choice is empowering. Good for you for making the frugal choice to keep your kids in sports--a very high priority for you. And good for the OP to have an opportunity to be asked whether this is also a high enough priority for her to be 'worth it' or not.

 

Respectfully, Carol in Cal.

[Joanne]

I think the 'feedback giver' was pretty careful in this case not to assume that this was the best choice, but just to offer some good 'food for thought'. If I had been the original poster, I would have been glad to receive this feedback to consider, because I might not have thought of it on my own. I have been startled by the advice in some frugality books, but startled in a way that enabled me to think more creatively.

 

You are absolutely right! I'm sorry for having hurt the poster who was trying to help the OP.

 

Organized sports can be a challenge in several ways. This is worth revisiting during seasons of parenting.

[Doran]

I work 15 hours a month as a writer/editor. This is done almost entirely from my home. When I'm on deadline, sometimes the school schedule has to shift, but it really is not terribly disruptive because the publication only comes out bi-monthly. It is well worth the time for what I am paid. I'm actually hoping to find another, similar arrangement so that I can earn double what I'm making now...though I'm not sure where I'm going to come up with another 15 hours a month! :confused:

 

Prior to this work, I was a market farmer which enabled me to work at home while our kids were young, something I'd never thought I'd be able to do. I was also the manager of the farmers' market which was a handy little "second income" for an all day Saturday job.

 

 

In terms of saving money:

 

We just switched our health insurance provider (my dh is self employed), and upped our deductible. That move will save us roughly $350/mo...at least until the new provider starts with the monthly premium hiking that they all seem to do after the first year or so. Don't get me started.

 

I buy the bulk of our clothing at consignment.

 

I am a member of a food buying cooperative which enables me to buy natural foods such as those I would choose at a smaller, more expensive, health food store, for less money.

 

We do not have cable or satellite t.v., are not members of Netflix, do not subscribe (yet) to high speed internet, and only just enrolled in a cell phone program this past Christmas.

 

I barter with people when appropriate.

 

I buy used curriculum and "get by" a fair amount in terms of our schooling resources, despite a strong desire to buy the latest and greatest of so much that is recommended here. There have also been several women here who have enabled me to "afford" certain resources by either giving them to me to use for a period of time, or by giving them to me outright. Such a gift!

 

We don't take expensive vacations, go to the movies often, shop at WalMart where the temptation to over buy rules ;), or buy the "latest and greatest" of nearly anything.

 

Not sure if any of these ideas are helpful, but they are ways we find useful towards helping us live within our means.

 

Oh, and though I don't do house cleaning work, I think it's a great recommendation if it suits your lifestyle (not sure if you can leave your home). People pay A LOT to have clean homes - more than for many other kinds of jobs - and you've got your exercise in for the day to boot! :D

 

Doran

[Nestof3]

Joanne,

 

I didn't find her post offensive either. I think what happens sometimes is a person is sensitive about a certain subject already and it rubs them differently. I thought she was very clear that it was only something to consider for a while if it was necessary.

 

She also took time to give great meal suggestions which indicates to me that she didn't post just to give a blasting statement.

 

I am off now to find a previous post of my frugal meal suggestions.

[Nestof3]

Here is some info I posted on a previous thread:

 

Cooking from scratch can save a lot of money. My Dad was impressed that he and my mom don't spend much on groceries -- he said $500 a month and I about passed out. If we spent the same, we'd be spending over $1,000 a month in groceries! My mom buys a lot of meat, a lot of prepackaged stuff, donuts, etc.

 

We eat mainly vegetarian meals, and if we do have ground beef, I run it through the food processor to make it fine. It seems to go farther in spaghetti sauce, chili and such. It adds a little flavor without needing a lot of meat. I usually buy a large plastic container of growth hormone free from BJs at $2.99 a pound, brown it all in a skillet and freeze portions in little ziploc bags.

 

I make soups with leftovers a lot. I buy organic chicken broth in cartons at BJs -- I really stock up (no pun intended). Every few days I take all leftover veggies, rice, barley, lentils, pasta, meats etc and throw them in a pot with a carton of broth, an onion, some diced garlic from a jar, white pepper and salt.

 

I also make other soups a lot:

 

corn chowder (chicken broth, corn, potatoes, sometimes diced red peppers, milk, salt and black pepper). I usually have salad and some kind of muffin or homemade bread along with it.

 

chili (with diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, kidney beans, frozen peppers food processed, an onion, diced garlic and spices). I usually make brown rice to serve the chili over. We then sprinkle some mexican shredded cheese on top. It's very filling. We also eat leftover chili with quesadillas with tortilla shells and cheese.

 

Another cheap meal is carrots, potatoes, a little ground beef, an onion, ketchup, white pepper, salt, marjoram, dill, basil and garlic pwder cooked in the crock pot or oven together until carrots and potatoes are tender. I scrub the potatoes but do not peel them.

 

We also drink mainly water around here. My husband likes his apple cider and I drink coffee, but we don't by sodas and very little juice.

 

I buy fruit when it's on sale.

 

I buy generic products 99 percent of the time (except toilet paper and paper towels because we just end up using more of them).

 

Whole grains are more filling than white grains.

 

We also have green beans and potatoes cooked in chicken broth with a lot of pepper and onion. I add other things as side dishes -- it just depends on what I have. Muffins, homemade bread, lima beans, carrots -- who knows. Potatoes are still pretty inexpensive, so I use them a lot.

 

My carrot lentil casserole is also very cheap.

 

We eat pancakes and eggs for dinner often. Sometimes I make roasted potatoes too. Coat potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with dill, basil, marjoram, white pepper and salt. They're like hasbrowns. The boys like them with ketchup.

 

I know some people who do not have a regular land-line phone. Since they are paying for a cell phone, and long distance is usually free at night, they have cell phones only. That can save a lot of money.

 

Late fees and bank fees can add up too. Be diligent about library items, video rentals, keeping up with how much is in your checking account, etc.

 

Thrift stores are GREAT -- especially for children's clothing. We also bring almost anything we no longer need to our house church for others to go through. This includes food no one likes, hair products that didn't work out, toys, books, clothes, etc.

 

I have sold some things on Craigslist as well. Every little bit helps.

 

The internet is a wealth of info as well. So often, there are just the right math practice sheets or whatever without spending a dime. Many audio books can be downloaded from sites like librivox as well as through your library.

 

I notice that since my children are homeschooled and don't watch TV, they are oblivious to what toys and clothes are hot. A friend of mine was telling me about a pair of "crocs" she bought for her daughter (because they are so "in" -- I played along but had no idea what she was talking about).

 

I buy heavy duty freezer bags in gallon and quart size from BJs. I then wash them, hang them to dry on my kitchen curtain and reuse them. I know this saves quite a bit because I rarely have to buy them.

 

You can cut dryer sheets in half and they work just as well.

 

I compost so I can spread it on our garden and flower bed.

 

I buy the boys' markers, colored pencils, construction paper, paper, etc. at rock-bottom prices during back to school sales or with a coupon from Michaels and A C Moore. I bought my own Prismacolor pencils from A C Moore with a coupon and got a rebate on top of that. They also sell homeschool things like solar system, gem, chemistry kits. They sell some Dover coloring books, sketch books, lots of art supplies, Lincoln Logs, Thomas the Tank, all sorts of things. There is always a 40 or 50 percent off coupon available.

 

I buy huge boxes of computer paper from the office store or BJs. This is the drawing paper for the boys. I make scratch pads from scratch paper. I cut 8.5x11 sheets of paper into four sections and staple together.

 

We are also very organized. When you are organized, you don't lose things and things tend to be taken care of better, thus you have to buy less.

 

I hope all of these tips help.

 

 

Here is the thread:

http://67.202.21.157/forums/showthread.php?t=12389&highlight=chili

 

AND

 

http://67.202.21.157/forums/showthread.php?t=11918&highlight=chili

[Nestof3]

Here is one of my favorite frugal living websites:

 

http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

 

Another thing I do before I go grocery shopping is to list everything I have in the freezer, refrigerator and pantry that can be used to make a dinner.

 

From this list, I might see that if I pick up some tortilla shells I can have quesadillas with black beans/corn/rice because I found a partial bag of frozen corn, a baggie of leftover frozen chicken, a can of black beans and rice.

 

I will usually try to use up what I already have by mixing it with what is on sale at the store that week.

 

I write down dinner ideas on one sheet and what I need from the store on the other sheet.

 

I always try to have the following on hand. I find it easy to make a soup, a loaf of bread or a batch of muffins. These are usually the foundation of my meals too.

 

rice

lentils

barley

petite diced tomatoes

beans

pasta (any kind really) for spaghetti or to thicken soups

chicken broth (I get 6 cartons of organic chicken broth at BJs for $9.99 -- that's 6 cents per ounce)

flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, spices/herbs, olive oil, canola oil, eggs, yeast, sugar, butter

cheese (chunk cheese is usually cheaper than shredded and you can shred your own in a food processor)

 

When I buy chicken or ground beef, I buy in bulk -- it's cheaper that way. For chicken, you can separate and freeze in freezer bags whatever you would use in one meal. For ground beef, I cook it all up at once, run through my food processor and then store in freezer bags. I also freeze leftover meats in little bag to throw into soups.

 

For stale bread and the heels (of no one wants to eat them), throw them all in a freezer bag when you have them. After a while, run them in the food processor until little crumbs. You now have bread crumbs which can be stored in a freezer bag. I buy a box of tilapia from Super Walmart and cook with salt, pepper, dill and bread crumbs. The bread crumbs can also be used for meat loaf.

 

For fruit that isn't rotten but doesn't look appealing (this happens quickly with blueberries or grapes), I run them through my food processor to add to plain yogurt or for smoothies. For over-ripened bananas, don't throw them out. Either make banana bread or peel and freeze them. They make a great base for smoothies.

 

I try to keep an eye on food that isn't moving and make a plan to use it up before it has to get thrown out.

[Sahamamama]

To hpymomof3 and Joanne --

 

I am sorry that it may have come across in my post about sports that I was being judgmental and negative. This was not my intention at all.

 

For the past several weeks, my daughters and I have been listening to the Little House books on CD -- all that work in the Big Woods and all that struggle on the prairie. We are worn out just listening to it, ha ha, and we are certainly not pioneers! :001_smile:

 

But I suppose my mind has been turned lately to the sacrifices and choices people made to have the life they wanted, and when I read your post (OP), I was thinking about sometimes having to choose. I'm sorry if what I said about sports came across in any way as being what Joanne said it was...

 

I'm sorry, I can't type any more. I read Joanne's response, and I've been crying all evening. My husband wants me to just quit this forum... I'm not supposed to say anything about that, I know, just quietly leave...

 

But before I do, Joanne, I just want you to know that I am sorry I offended you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Mrs. Beth Barsoum

[jail warden]

I realize I was not one of the offended, but I would hate for you to stop frequenting these boards because of this one post. It's hard sometimes to relay online what your true feelings and intentions are. I've had a few of those myself recently. I think also that what makes this board so great is that you find people from all walks of life and sometimes a different POV like you gave today is just what a person needs. (((Beth))) I'm sorry you took it so hard.

 

I agree, when I read through The Little House books I realized I have nothing to complain about! We have food and don't know what it would be like to come close starve to death because one winter the trains couldn't get through!

[Elaine]

Joanne,

 

I didn't find her post offensive either. I think what happens sometimes is a person is sensitive about a certain subject already and it rubs them differently. I thought she was very clear that it was only something to consider for a while if it was necessary.

 

She also took time to give great meal suggestions which indicates to me that she didn't post just to give a blasting statement.

 

I am off now to find a previous post of my frugal meal suggestions.

 

:iagree: It's not offensive at all. Just a helpful suggestion that the OP can take or leave.

[pianoplayer]

:iagree: It's not offensive at all. Just a helpful suggestion that the OP can take or leave.

:iagree:

 

I have found it easy at times to take disagreement personally, almost as if the person were being critical of me rather than disagreeing with my idea. I am praying that this hurt can be resolved so that no one leaves offended. ((hugs to all))

[Twinmom]

:iagree:

 

I don't think your original post was offensive at all, Beth. I actually believe it gave some good food for thought...at least it did for me. I think the point of the original poster was to come up with ideas that maybe she'd not thought of in order to save money. It's up to her to decide what her own priorities are and whether or not the advice given fits. Every family is different. For example, if I asked for posts on how to save money and someone suggested that I skip church to save on gas, that wouldn't meet with my family's priorities. I wouldn't be offended at the suggestion...I just wouldn't take it. However, maybe skipping organized sports for a semester would fit for us...it was just an idea, not a judgement, IMO.

 

:grouphug: Hugs to you. Try not to let it get to you.

[Joanne]

Beth,

 

I answered in the other thread. I'm sorry that I took your post completely wrong and created pain for you. I hope you can forgive me and not leave.

[ConnieB]

Carol,

 

I'd agree if the tone and phrasing in the post I quoted was less heavy with evaluative words, negative words and judgement.

 

"Organized sports can often be quite pricey. The cost of registration, equipment, adjustments in meals, gas, uniforms, Coach's gifts, team parties can stress budgets. It might be worth considering taking some time off from these activities" is completely different than:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the perspective of a parent who would make participation in organized sports a priority, the post I quoted was quite negative towards that choice.

 

With all due respect, she also started her post with:

 

"If this doesn't apply, ignore it."

 

For Joanne, it obviously doesn't apply....sports are important to your family. For my family....it's a non-issue because none of my kids are in, or probably ever will be in, organized sports. We just could care less about sports in general....the kids win tickets to the baseball game every year as part of the summer reading program at the library, and every year they gave them away....then last year we decided to go, for the experience, to see what so many other people enjoy so vehemently......and while it was an interesting experience, no one in our family has suggested going again. But that's us....if you told me that your budget was tight and then told me that you'd spent hundreds of dollars on sports tickets, or for your kids to be in sports, then from MY perspective, that's what you should be cutting. But, that's MY perspective. You'd probably look at the money we spend going to the ballet and symphony and tell me to cut those out, and to be honest, I'd probably be just as defensive about how important those are to MY family. And don't get me started on what we spend on computers and internet in this house....I can't see giving them up, but I also always moan about the cost whenever money gets tight. And yet, we never have given it up, even when my DH was laid off....our reasoning went that he could use it to find a job.....and that the cost to reinstall it wouldn't justify getting rid of it as we hoped the unemployment time would be very short. Instead, we got rid of our landline phone, because our cell phones still had contract to them....and we stopped eating out....and had his unemployment lasted another month we'd have not renewed our season tickets to the ballet and symphony (and we were all near tears at the thought, but he got a job 2 weeks before the cut off date!).

 

So, if sports are important to you, more power to you....but the poster prefaced her remarks. Her words were a little harsh to your ears because it is important to you....to me, she said exactly how I feel about sports too (and nicer than the letter to the editor I wrote when the county was proposing several million dollars for a new stadium when our libraries were closing every weekday morning due to budget cuts!). Or fancy SUVs that eat up gas just making it to the next gas station....and yet I'm sure a lot of people here drive them....some because they have such large families they have no real choice in vehicles. Some drive vehicles larger than they need for the number of people in their family....and I probably fit in that category too, but I can't see giving up my van any time soon.

 

Same could be said for those living in houses that are thousands of square feet in size for their relatively small family.....while others live in apartments with two or three kids to a room. Neither is wrong in what they're doing...it's a choice. We have friends who are a family of 5 who live in a 2 bedroom apartment, by choice....they could afford a nicer house than I have, but instead they chose to save mortgage/rent money and they take an annual month long vacation to some really wonderful places that I can only dream about....all over Europe, Egypt, Asia.....and we go for a two week vacation somewhere nearby if at all. It's all about choices.

 

I'm sure that there are many things that are important to each of us that aren't exactly the frugal budget minded items...but we all pick and choose what's important, but, sometimes you have to give up something you want for something you need (or want more). For me, giving up sports is easy...for you, it's like breathing.

 

I'd love to hear more about Liveops and other places like it....I read their website and it sounds very intriguing, but I'd really like to know more about the calls being taken. I've seen some of the infomericials while scanning the tv, and I think I'd have a hard time selling some of the questionable quality items being hawked. But it almost sounds like LiveOps you get to chose which companies you take calls???? Tell me more! Please!

[profmom]

You've been given so many great ideas, but I thought I'd still mention the book Misery Moms by Joni McCoy. When she quit to stay home with her kids, she made it her job to reduce their expenses. Much of the book is about saving money on groceries.

 

In addition, you may already do this, but we have been surprised at how much less we spend and how much more $ we have since beginning to budget consistently. As Dave Ramsey says, "Every dollar has a name before the month begins!"

 

HTH!

[Pink Fairy]

Did you mean Miserly Moms? :lol: When I'm trying to economize, I think I like your title better.

[profmom]

Did you mean Miserly Moms? :lol: When I'm trying to economize, I think I like your title better.

 

:lol: Oops! Yes! That's what I meant! Thanks for the correction! :rofl:

[battlemaiden]

I'm doing exactly what SAHAMAMA suggests.

 

We have a house on the market in Virginia, and we're renting in Hawaii- two large payments a month.

 

We have decided not to enroll the children in any sports (especially their favorite TaeKwonDo $$$$) to save time and money.

 

*And*

 

Thanks for all the excellent posts on cost savings- I appreciate it.

 

Jo