I thought I'd add a few things we are trying to do to save money and some things that some of you have told me about. I know its hard right now and we are all in a pinch, so here are a few things that are helping out our budget and others that I know of!
1. I re-joined with coupon sense and I am saving about %50 on my grocery bills. (ie: Fry's last week, spent $160, saved $158.00) On average I am saving about $200 per month. I am spending $22 per month for the Sunday paper coupons and Coupon sense website membership.
2. Cut off my Direct TV programming extras. Only a few cartoons and networks- saved about $25-30 per month.
3. Planning all meals and eating out only once or twice per week - when eating out, finding the "kids eat free" places. Not ordering kid's meals when eating fast food and packing the kid's drinks from home.
4. Packing at least half of DH's lunches
5. Buying mainly second hand clothing and shoes for the kids and ourselves ( I draw the line at some items):)
6. Recycling cans, aluminum went up in value
7. Discussing all "extra" purchases with your spouse on a weekly basis. It stops the emotional and impulse spending and makes you realize what is actually important to buy. (ie: buying that extra movie at the store, if you wait a few days and bring it up at your meeting, you may not find it so important)
8. If there is anything left over that month after bills, put it in a savings account, don't look at it as extra money.
9. Unplug appliances and lamps you don't use regularly, they drain electricity even when they are not on. Use a hanging line for drying clothing, we definitely have the dry weather for it!
10. Buy used, save the difference (Dugger family motto)
For more tips on dealing with the stress of the times, read John chapter 10 and just look at the precious way our saviour cares for our every need and what He did to be sure we would be cared for for eternity.
3 comments:
Such wonderful advice, thank you! I like the meeting with your spouse once a week idea, gonna have to try that one!!!!
For readers/homeschool moms:paperbackswap.com. You list books you no longer want/need by ISBN#. People request them from you. You mail them at your cost. But you can request books from others who then mail their books to you at their cost. It works on credits. Every book you mail earns a credit which you can then "spend". So you obviously want to put books up that would "move" quickly. It's free to sign up. You DO need to be organized & follow through with mailing books. I have got some of my teacher guides here. Nice for big readers too. If you sign up use my email so I get a free credit:)
Kathy
Kathy
Thanks for the coupon website. On a limited income I can use all the help I can get.
My love to you and all.
Post a Comment