What are you best money saving hacks?

[mommyoffive]

What are your best money saving hacks? 

 

I feel like this time of year we are all trying to stick to spending less and saving more. 

What are your tricks for doing that? 

 

 

 

[Slache]

Once a month cooking.

Only getting gas at Costco.

We don't go out to eat. Literally. My dad takes us for sushi once a year or so and we get fast food on road trips, but we don't go out for the experience or food.

Call your credit card company, cable company and insurance company and ask to have your rates lowered.

Take up hiking or frisby golf instead of paying for entertainment.

Only bye clothes and shoes on clearance.

Brush your teeth with a baking soda/hydrogen peroxide paste. It prevents cavities and whitens teeth.

Make your own baked goods, desserts and snacks.

Buy online to avoid unplanned purchases, even toilet paper and laundry soap.

Get a rebate app on your phone.

Eta: We don't have cable or home internet. We rely on our phones which is on a family plan so it only cost us $50 a month.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Slache

[SparklyUnicorn]

Shop only when it goes on sale for 100% off.

 

:lol:

[SparklyUnicorn]

get rate quotes on insurances every year to see if you can get a lower rate

 

make a list when you go shopping and stick to the list

 

 

[Ottakee]

I buy ground beef and skinless boneless chicken breasts in bulk on sale and then cook them up and freeze in smaller amounts....Great for tacos, soups, casseroles, etc and having the meat precooked makes it so much easier and cheaper.

 

My biggest hint though is to stay OUT of the store and away from on line shopping as much as possible. Then I am not tempted to spend more.

 

For kids clothes...Find friends, neighbors, relatives that have kids in sizes just above yours for hand me downs.

[prairiewindmomma]

Don't buy stuff.

 

Really.

 

There are any number of tips in the world on how to save money, but for *my* budget and family, these are my big money leaks:

1. takeout instead of making dinner at home

2. buying clothes

3. amazon

 

Our greatest savings, though, come from the big tickets items:

1. repairing things ourselves around the house

2. comparatively pricing things when needing to purchase a big ticket item or a big home repair

3. generics and coupons for prescription drugs

 

We save a TON of money every year buying generic zyrtec from Costco.  If I were to find a deal on name brand Zyrtec at .50/pill, it would cost $182.50 per person in my family that needs it. Instead, I spend $15 at Costco for their generic. There are 5 people in my family who take Zyrtec.  I save $837.50 a year on Zyrtec alone.  There are now more makers of cetirizine (the chemical name for Zyrtec), so it's easier to find....but it's those kinds of savings that make up for me not clipping  endless .25 coupons.

[Katy]

Stay out of stores.  It's much easier to not spend money when you don't find things you never knew you needed.

 

Don't watch commercials or browse through catalogs or shopping websites for the same reason.

 

For home renovations... have you heard that things can be cheap, good quality, or fast but you can only have two of the three?  That's true.

 

It's also true for cooking...  Things can be cheap, fast, or healthy, but you can only have 2 of the 3 at any given time.  Generally fast is what goes in my house.

[Guest]

Review cable,phone, Garbage, insurance every year.

 

Watch your gas mileage and water usage and take action when needed. Consider upgrading appliances to cut energy bill.

 

 

Buy quality clothes for people who aren't growing.

[Murphy101]

Don't buy stuff unless you really have to.

 

Seriously. That's The Best one.

 

Yes, I know it's buy one get one free or half price. And yes, I know that might be a great deal. But it won't save you as much as just not buying it at all.

 

Second best is:

 

If you must buy it, buy the best quality for your money. Knit kitchen towels last longer than store bought. Store bought last longer than paper towels. Those yellow autodetail towels from costco last better than all three and are surprisingly cheap. Need some pretty? Fine, keep some pretty for company, and use other for daily general use.

 

Thirdly works with the first two:

 

Plan realisticly. I know it'd be cheaper to make from scratch for every meal. But the reality is I got 2 hours of sleep last night. We are going to have cereal for breakfast. If we don't also have it for dinner, I'm calling anything else we put together a win.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Murphy101

[Cecropia]

Aldi...

 

No cable tv.

 

Become a homebody. 

 

Cook meals at home. 

 

Shop the loss-leaders in the grocery ads and try to buy regular priced items only when absolutely necessary.  When a staple goes down to its lowest price, stock up for as long as you can.  For instance, the better brands of butter always go to $1.50-$2/lb somewhere at Thanksgiving time and again at Easter.  I try to buy enough butter in November to last until March/April, and enough in March/April to last until November again.

 

Keep the alcohol to a minimum or cut it out entirely.

 

Slickdeals, but only if you have good self-control.  I like using Slickdeals alerts.

 

camelcamelcamel price watches.

 

Buy seasonal closeouts/clearance for the kids ahead of when they'll need them (sometimes this doesn't work though, for instance I bought size 14's long ago for my son who needs 14 husky's instead.  Not a big deal, though, because they will be available for the next boy in a few years).  Store hand-me-downs.

 

Plan to catch other useful, predictable seasonal discounts/clearance (i.e. hams after Christmas, fresh lamb after Easter, Target toy clearance)

 

For larger items, like furniture, bicycles, that kind of thing, I watch local garage sale ads and I've been known to haggle.  I don't mind buying used if it is good quality and taken care of.  If you go in the last hours of a garage sale, most people are looking at all their remaining stuff with dread and they will deal deeply to get rid of it (of course, the useful stuff may be gone by then).  The most amazing deal I ever got was at a garage sale that only had an hour left. 

 

Similarly, you may be able to score great bargains at local farmer's markets on the last hours of the last day of the season.  It isn't advertised but it never hurts to ask.  I have gotten flats full of tomatoes and peppers for a steal and canned quite a few jars from them.

 

Always keep the credit card bill paid off on time every month.

 

I wholeheartedly agree about home repair.  I'm so lucky to have a very handy dh!

Edited January 26, 2017 by Cecropia

[Stacia]

If an appliance or something breaks, google & try youtube for information on fixing things yourself.

 

I've fixed both my washer & dryer that way.

 

I'm very thankful for people who repair stuff & take videos of themselves doing it & sharing the details of what to do! :thumbup1:

[Cecropia]

If an appliance or something breaks, google & try youtube for information on fixing things yourself.

 

I've fixed both my washer & dryer that way.

 

I'm very thankful for people who repair stuff & take videos of themselves doing it & sharing the details of what to do! :thumbup1:

 

Oh yeah, dh has learned to do many car repairs this way.  Buy yourself a repair manual for your particular make/model/year, learn from videos, save a TON of money.

[Bambam]

I agree with staying out of stores. 

 

Go with a grocery list to the store. Don't pick up extras.

 

Thrift stores and consignment stores have great clothes.

 

Garage sales can be your friend - or not if you tend to buy stuff you don't need.

 

Buy used cars. Learn to do the basic maintenance things yourself - changing oil, changing spark plugs, replacing air filters, replacing brakes. 

 

If something breaks in the house, Stacia is right - google it to see if you can fix it. Often you can for cheap. There are some things you don't do this one though - I knew a capacitor was blown in our AC unit, but I also know that if you make a mistake and it discharges on you, you would be sad, so we called the AC guy to replace. Unfortunately, even though I told him what was wrong with it, I didn't get a discount. Unfair!

 

If you are really good, you will stock up on the stuff that is on sale. I have plenty of butter (frozen currently), cream of soups (yes, I know they are evil, but I keep several for quick roast or chicken & dumpings), etc. 

 

I think this saves money, but I'm not sure. When I'm making chicken tacos or chicken pot pie, I make extra and freeze it. I'm not sure it saves money overall, but those have often become our meals when I didn't have time to cook and we would have went out instead, so I'm sure that is a money saver.

 

 

[regentrude]

Cooking from scratch.

Only buy things when needed. 

Driving cars a long time.

Repairing instead of replacing

Live two hours from the closest mall, Whole Foods, Trader Joes....

Edited January 26, 2017 by regentrude

[DawnM]

Don't have a teen driver.

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

Buy big stuff used.

That means cars, appliances, and furniture.

Then keep them going far past the 'reasonable service' lifetime.

 

That saves a lot more than pinching pennies over groceries, but that's a good thing to do, too.

 

Build some survival skills into your planning.  So, for instance, we have a solar oven.  I don't use it a ton, but in a natural disaster scenario or if fuel got very expensive, I would use it a lot more often.  In the meantime, it's a 'nice to have' kind of thing.  Ditto for our fireplace and woodpile.  Ditto for our fruit trees, although I don't kid myself that the fruit would all go to us if there was real trouble.  But in small to medium level trouble, it's nice to be able to bring in something to eat from our garden almost year round. 

 

Look at every single thing that you pay retail prices for and figure out how to get them cheaper.  For instance, if I know I need a new niceish dress, I start with a local 'free clothing' exchange.  Then I try thrift stores.  Then I try resale stores.  Then I try outlet stores.  Only after those sources are exhausted do I hit the full on retail establishments.  Some things I know those initial sources will never work on, like jeans, but once I found my faves, I found an outlet store that sometimes carries them, and when I find them there I stock up.

 

Buy staples in bulk at Costco if you have a good place to store them where they won't spoil or get buggy.

 

Avoid shopping as much as possible.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Carol in Cal.

[heartlikealion]

I just joined several FB coupon groups and a bargain group. I'm not very good at couponing but I figure I can at least get a heads up about some deals and take a little more time to find some coupons. I don't usually get inserts (we don't buy papers) but I do have a few stores that offer digital coupons (Dollar General, Walgreen's, Family Dollar... I think there are more). I used a couple digital ones this week. I print some like a $3 off one on my razors. I thought that was a pretty good coupon! I might start stocking up on certain items when I can find them cheap. We've also set up a few subscribe and save lists on Amazon. That should help. I need to remember to use my Walmart Savings Catcher app. I also use Shopkick. Have never used Ibotta. I'm in the air on that one. I feel funny about photographing the receipt because it has location and payment method. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

 

Shop only when it goes on sale for 100% off.

 

The other day I went to a store and asked a manager if they had anymore of the discounted gift wrap. She said no. But then I found a roll with snowflakes and price checked it. It rang up 3 cents. I walked to the check out and she told me to just take it. She wouldn't even ring me up.

[Slache]

Think of things not in terms of dollars, but hours worked. That dress isn't $100, it's 10 hours of work. Is that worth 10 hours to you?

[La Condessa]

Don't buy things unless you really need to.

Buy food in bulk for the best price, use a large freezer, eat less meat, and cook from scratch.  (I use Cash & Carry for most staples.  I will also, for example, buy four turkeys at Thanksgiving and cook one every few months.  But really, even just baking your own bread and eating oatmeal or brown rice for breakfast makes a pretty big dent.)

Shop around for the best price on internet, and use Republic Wireless for cell phones ($23.10/month with tax for 2 phones, which act as smartphones anywhere with wifi) and Netflix for TV.  No need for Cable or landlines.

Mend clothes with minor damage yourself.

Buy clothes from Goodwill.  Furniture from there or Craigslist.

Enjoy the outdoors for entertainment.

Cut your family's hair yourself.

Open windows and use fans in the summer, use extra blankets and sweatshirts indoors in the winter to reduce heating/cooling bills.

[Stacia]

Another thing is to check your library & local parks systems for free resources & programs.

 

Ours offer all kinds of family programs, kids programs, adult programs & classes, state park passes (free parking/admission for a week), zoo passes (good for a family of 4 to get in free), various museum passes, portable wi-fi hotspot that can be checked out for a week, etc.... They also have things like book club kits (if you belong to or want to start a book club), check out Kill-A-Watt meters, & so on.

 

Basically, they may offer more things than you realize.

[Carol in Cal.]

Don't come at being frugal from a perspective of depriving yourself.

 

Come at it from a perspective of choosing better priorities.

 

You are not denying yourself that dinner out.  Rather, you are putting that $25 toward being able to save $40 for retirement.

[KungFuPanda]

Cultivate a deep hate for shopping. I swear I save more by avoiding shopping like the plague than my bargain-hunting, savvy shopping friends and all their tricks.

[Guest]

Stay out of stores. It's much easier to not spend money when you don't find things you never knew you needed.

 

Don't watch commercials or browse through catalogs or shopping websites for the same reason.

 

For home renovations... have you heard that things can be cheap, good quality, or fast but you can only have two of the three? That's true.

 

It's also true for cooking... Things can be cheap, fast, or healthy, but you can only have 2 of the 3 at any given time. Generally fast is what goes in my house.

All of this.

[Guest]

Don't come at being frugal from a perspective of depriving yourself.

 

Come at it from a perspective of choosing better priorities.

 

You are not denying yourself that dinner out. Rather, you are putting that $25 toward being able to save $40 for retirement.

This is so, so important!

[Artichoke]

Get rid of Amazon Prime.  Since giving up Prime two months ago, I haven't bought anything from Amazon because I'd have to pay for shipping or spend more.   It's stopped many an impulse purchase. 

[DawnM]

Don't come at being frugal from a perspective of depriving yourself.

 

Come at it from a perspective of choosing better priorities.

 

You are not denying yourself that dinner out.  Rather, you are putting that $25 toward being able to save $40 for retirement.

 

This is what Dave Ramsey says as well in his phrase "Live like no-one else"  meaning that once everything is paid off and you have made choices that will save, you can live so much better later on.

 

I am not a DR fan simply because his personality grates on my nerves, but he has some good things to say.

 

I remember one summer we had been saving for a while.  The kids were little so they still ate kids' meals, but we put a $100 spending limit on eating out for each month.  We found every coupon we could, went to free kids' meal nights, etc.....so that we could maximize our eating out budget.  I think we ate out more then than we do now!  I was very careful.  We only really went out after church or with a homeschool group, but we were very careful.

 

Then our upstairs heat pump broke.  It was going to be $5K or so to fix.  You know what we did?  We moved the boys downstairs on mattresses on the floor in the living room for 5 months!  Since our air worked on the main floor, and our master was on the main floor, we just saved for all of those months to pay cash.

 

My boys thought it was great fun and still talk about it, 9 years later.

[umsami]

So many above.  If you eat out, order water to drink for everybody.  With a family of six, this can reduce our bill by $12-20!

[StaceyinLA]

I can't really add to this, likely because I spend too much money, and even living in the boonies doesn't save us money - likely costs us MORE money because I make the hour drive to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, etc. rather than shopping in our nearby, almost-as-expensive grocery store that sells stuff I really don't want to eat.

 

Also, because we live in the boonies, we pay WAY more for things like internet, cell service (because we HAVE to have a lot of data due to limited internet), TV, etc. I'm sure lower property taxes and housing prices out here balance it out, but it looks bad on paper.

 

I could stay off Amazon...

[Hyacinth]

Great ideas here! One silly thing that has helped me lately is simply writing down what I spend. Knowing that I will have to document that $6 lip gloss or $15 lunch or whatever makes me less likely to spend on non-necessities in the first place. It's kind of like telling on myself. To myself. Yes, it's probably immature but, as I said, it's helping me draw those sometimes blurry lines between wants and needs. 

[heartlikealion]

Dropping Prime has crossed my mind, but I don't think we will. My state just announced they will add tax to Amazon purchases in Feb. I better shop now? LOL :(

[mommyoffive]

Think of things not in terms of dollars, but hours worked. That dress isn't $100, it's 10 hours of work. Is that worth 10 hours to you?

 

I love that thought.  I use it a lot.  Really makes things real. 

[Joyofsixreboot]

Stay home. Seriously, you avoid eating out, clothes, Knicks knacks, impulse buys. I know that isn't always feasibl but I try not to kill time in stores. I take our snacks, drinks, coffee. I single bag snacks for the kids for lunches, snacks, etc. so they don't eat the whole thing. Avoid sales websites. Budget! There is nothing wrong with fun if it is planned.

[Zinnia]

We switched to a low cost phone provider (Ting).  We pay about $50 a month instead of the $180 it was before (for 2 phones, as much data as we want, though the more you use, the more you pay).

 

I also switched to a demand based, time of use plan for electricity.  We pay a premium 2p-7p June-September.  In our old house, our AC doesn't keep up for those hours anyway, so it's not a big deal to not use it (or have it at 85).  It also charges a premium for the top 30 minutes of use per month.  It's taken a learning curve, but we're easily saving half on electricity.

 

[Baseball mom]

Eat leftovers.  They don't have to be eaten as the same meal, create something new from them.  

 

Keep an ice cream bucket in the freezer, have a bite or 2 of veggies leftover, drain and dump in the bucket.  Can add meat too or keep a separate butter bowl for that.  I usually keep broth from roasts etc. too.  When buckets get quiet a bit in them, make soup.  May have to add a few extra ingredients but it makes a pretty cheap meal that tastes good.

 

Try to recreate meals at home -- you might decide you like what you make better than what you get at the restaurant

 

Don't be afraid to change a recipe to use what you have instead of running to store to buy that ingredient=

 

Keep several lists -- grocery list of stuff you NEED and one of things you use a lot of so when they go on sale,  list of things you are on the look out for (furniture, certain books, craft supplies etc.).   Things you want to save for (mortgage, vacation, furniture etc. )

 

Library for books & movies -- most libraries have the online one where you can borrow books on kindle etc.

 

Repair clothes.  Even if they don't look good enough for out in public they could still be used for hanging out at the house or doing yard work.  Iron on patches are cheap.

 

Turn the heat down (or a/c) up a degree or 2. 

 

Stay home -- don't think of it as punishment, think of it as relaxing and avoiding the crazy people :thumbup1:

 

 

[Χά�ων]

Budgeting and speadsheets that list food by store and list regular prices.

 

Only go to the store with a list.

Buy only what is on the list.

No recreational shopping.

No clearancr aisle.

 

A pre-set amount of cash is given to each person for nonbudgeted spending.

[JustEm]

I think our biggest on going savings is living close to dh's work, which is also our main activity since we all live it and it's free. We live exactly one mile from his work. While I can't walk or ride bikes with the kids because of a dangerous road dh can and does when the weather is good. When the kids are older and I don't have so many littles to keep an eye on we will walk or ride bikes.

 

This means we only need one car and we use very little gas. It has saved us thousands in the last ten years.

[Ms Brooks]

My biggest money saving hack is having good credit and taking advantage of 0% interest for 18 months and low fee balance transfers as promotionals on existing cards or new cards. It makes paying off those expensive unexpected events easier.

 

Walking

 

Shopping with a detailed list. NO EXTRAS

 

No food out. That includes snacks and coffee.

 

I really like the idea of thinking about hours worked or items sold when recreational shopping. 

 

 

[TX Native]

Play scrabble, go on walks or hikes, rent a Redbox DVD, attend a free library or nature program, browse at a used book/CD store, and/or have a picnic for "date" time with your spouse.

 

Shop Goodwill on half price day.

 

If you drink alcohol, enjoy it at home after the kids go to bed instead of buying drinks at the restaurant.

 

Take a packed lunch and large water bottle to zoos, theme parks, and any entertainment attraction. I promise that the $8 hot dog, chips, and drink combo isn't worth $8.

 

Make popcorn from scratch. Kernels are cheap.

 

Try to swap out childcare with another family instead of paying for a sitter or daycare if possible. I know this isn't a good plan If work schedules need accommodated with the childcare, but it is a good plan for date nights, mental health days, and MD appointments.

 

Freeze leftovers in single serve containers as a quick meal for anyone in the house to grab when heading to work for the day and other lunch options failed due to limited time or a bare pantry.

 

Buy all the school supplies you need for the year in July or August.

 

Paint rooms yourself, but splurge on good painter's tape.

 

If you are going to stay at a hotel, $10/night extra for a hot, filling breakfast is worth it for a family of 4+.

 

Get the pets' rabies shots through whatever community program offers a rabies clinic instead of through the private vet. Ours used to be free, but now $10/year.

 

Unfortunately, it wasn't until our 2nd child came along and we really had to pinch pennies that I started implemting the above things. Oh, the money we could have saved!

[rjand6more]

I try to bird dog the disposable items. I point out when too much TP is going to waste(pun intended. lol)  I'm not a crazy person about it, but it's literally money flushed down the toilet.  I point out that we are only able to do fun things if our budget is on track.  It is HIGHLY motivating at our house.

 

We are in the middle of home remodeling.  Kitchen currently.  We bought a great used kitchen on Craig's List(cabs, counter,all appliances)-OK so that was a money saving hack, too, I guess.  We are using disposable plates and bowls to save my sanity!  But, normally we never ever buy these types of items.  Paper towels are normally used for cleaning up gross messes.  So we go through very few(and I buy the Select A Size ones-you better have a great reason for using more than one section!) We wash dish towels and cloths.  We use cloth sandwich bags whenever possible.

 

I don't know how much this saves us, but, I love having less waste.

 

My mom taught me to never go to the grocery store hungry. :)  I'm sure that saves a lot of money from impulse buying.  Also, I try to go alone.  Extra people (including DH) increase the grocery bill.  I do not always stick to the list and leave a small part of the budget to things I didn't know I needed. :)

 

I think Amazon Prime saves me money actually.  Before, I would feel compelled to buy more to get the free shipping with the item I needed.  Now I only order what I need.

 

 

[IfIOnly]

Play scrabble, go on walks or hikes, rent a Redbox DVD, attend a free library or nature program, browse at a used book/CD store, and/or have a picnic for "date" time with your spouse.

 

Shop Goodwill on half price day.

 

If you drink alcohol, enjoy it at home after the kids go to bed instead of buying drinks at the restaurant.

 

Take a packed lunch and large water bottle to zoos, theme parks, and any entertainment attraction. I promise that the $8 hot dog, chips, and drink combo isn't worth $8.

 

Make popcorn from scratch. Kernels are cheap.

 

Try to swap out childcare with another family instead of paying for a sitter or daycare if possible. I know this isn't a good plan If work schedules need accommodated with the childcare, but it is a good plan for date nights, mental health days, and MD appointments.

 

Freeze leftovers in single serve containers as a quick meal for anyone in the house to grab when heading to work for the day and other lunch options failed due to limited time or a bare pantry.

 

Buy all the school supplies you need for the year in July or August.

 

Paint rooms yourself, but splurge on good painter's tape.

 

If you are going to stay at a hotel, $10/night extra for a hot, filling breakfast is worth it for a family of 4+.

 

Get the pets' rabies shots through whatever community program offers a rabies clinic instead of through the private vet. Ours used to be free, but now $10/year.

 

Unfortunately, it wasn't until our 2nd child came along and we really had to pinch pennies that I started implemting the above things. Oh, the money we could have saved!

I'm jealous your Goodwill has a half price day. I would be all over that. :D

[mom of 2 boys]

Library for books, thrift stores for jeans and sometimes shoes (especially for toddlers since they outgrow them before they get worn out), shop clearance at the very end of a season for the next year (now's the time to start looking for next years coats, btw.) I used to sell old toys at consignment sales, and the money that I made would at least partially cover the cost of whatever used toys I purchased at the same sale. DIY when possible. Shop at Aldi. 

[frugalmamatx]

Here's mine: 

 

Clearance shop within reason. It's easy to go overboard, but sometimes it's justified {like the 2 pallets of dish soap for $10 a pallet I bought nearly 10 years ago - and I'm STILL using}. Make sure if you buy in bulk it's either something you can use before it spoils or that can be stored long term. Get and use a deep freeze. 

 

A paid for house. A million times over this. If your home is paid for it is so much easier to be able to weather financial issues - there is no mortgage company breathing down your back. 

 

 

Don't use paper products most of the time. I give in and use them when it helps my sanity OR for sleepovers {seriously the amount of dishes 3 tween girls can make in a single night!}. 

 

Garden. Inexpensively. 

 

Don't eat out unless you must OR you have a coupon to get it free. Carry snacks and drinks at all times to avoid those "I need to eat or I'll be sick" moments. 

 

Ibotta. Seriously Ibotta. I get $50-$75 a month back from it. 

[Junie]

We save our credit card points until November and then get gift cards for the stores that we plan to shop at on Black Friday.  Free money and great deals!

[ScoutTN]

Mine are probably the same as everyone else's:

Budget!

Don't shop. (Easy for me. I detest shopping except for books.)

Aldi

Don't eat out. Especially impulse things

Meal planning.

Thrift shop and consignment for almost all kids clothes, some books and home items.

Library, not Amazon.

No cable TV, no land line, gas heat.

Shop insurance - we need to do this!

Big ticket items used - cars, appliances, furniture. 

 

 

Focus on gratitude, being thankful and generosity. Do not compare to what others have. A discontent heart finds thriftyness burdensome. 

 

 

[Katy]

One more - Dress preppy.  It never goes out of style, and if you're lucky you'll live in an area where either garage sales or second hand shops have good quality clothing second hand.

[mommyoffive]

Play scrabble, go on walks or hikes, rent a Redbox DVD, attend a free library or nature program, browse at a used book/CD store, and/or have a picnic for "date" time with your spouse.

 

Shop Goodwill on half price day.

 

If you drink alcohol, enjoy it at home after the kids go to bed instead of buying drinks at the restaurant.

 

Take a packed lunch and large water bottle to zoos, theme parks, and any entertainment attraction. I promise that the $8 hot dog, chips, and drink combo isn't worth $8.

 

Make popcorn from scratch. Kernels are cheap.

 

Try to swap out childcare with another family instead of paying for a sitter or daycare if possible. I know this isn't a good plan If work schedules need accommodated with the childcare, but it is a good plan for date nights, mental health days, and MD appointments.

 

Freeze leftovers in single serve containers as a quick meal for anyone in the house to grab when heading to work for the day and other lunch options failed due to limited time or a bare pantry.

 

Buy all the school supplies you need for the year in July or August.

 

Paint rooms yourself, but splurge on good painter's tape.

 

If you are going to stay at a hotel, $10/night extra for a hot, filling breakfast is worth it for a family of 4+.

 

Get the pets' rabies shots through whatever community program offers a rabies clinic instead of through the private vet. Ours used to be free, but now $10/year.

 

Unfortunately, it wasn't until our 2nd child came along and we really had to pinch pennies that I started implemting the above things. Oh, the money we could have saved!

 

 

Great tip.  I am going to look into this if we ever find a dog. 

[mommyoffive]

Here's mine: 

 

Clearance shop within reason. It's easy to go overboard, but sometimes it's justified {like the 2 pallets of dish soap for $10 a pallet I bought nearly 10 years ago - and I'm STILL using}. Make sure if you buy in bulk it's either something you can use before it spoils or that can be stored long term. Get and use a deep freeze. 

 

A paid for house. A million times over this. If your home is paid for it is so much easier to be able to weather financial issues - there is no mortgage company breathing down your back. 

 

 

Don't use paper products most of the time. I give in and use them when it helps my sanity OR for sleepovers {seriously the amount of dishes 3 tween girls can make in a single night!}. 

 

Garden. Inexpensively. 

 

Don't eat out unless you must OR you have a coupon to get it free. Carry snacks and drinks at all times to avoid those "I need to eat or I'll be sick" moments. 

 

Ibotta. Seriously Ibotta. I get $50-$75 a month back from it. 

 

 

Wow.  I need to do this.  First I have to get a smart phone for it though. :)

[fdrinca]

Tips I didn't see mentioned in my quick read:

 

- remove all saved credit cards from online vendors, even Amazon. You spend much less if it's harder to purchase, even if that difficulty is waking to your pocketbook and pulling our your wallet.

 

- get serious about reducing food waste - all of it.

[scbusf]

Grocery pickup. Saves me from impulse buys!

[Annie G]

 

Take a packed lunch and large water bottle to zoos, theme parks, and any entertainment attraction. I promise that the $8 hot dog, chips, and drink combo isn't worth $8.

 

 

 

Agree! Also we take picnic lunches when we take day trips and when we drive to and from visiting our folks (1000 miles away). We started it mostly because we started watching our diet a lot more after dh had his heart attack a decade ago.  I worked pretty hard to make sure our packed lunches and snacks were more appealing than fast food. Bandanas for napkins, real forks, nicely prepared foods...it converted us. 

 

We do splurge on a treat- dessert or a special snack at Epcot or visiting a quaint ice cream shop when we're day tripping. But I'm not wasting money on food that isn't better than what I can bring. 

 

We've saved a TON of money that way.