Okey-dokey...here's what's been going on the last month:
I got an upper-respiratory infection and have had to stop working out :(
I had to take 2 courses of antibiotics, which i will finish in 3 days, thank God! :)
While I'm waiting to heal, I thought I'd pass along some frugal living tips I've started using to help keep costs down while we try to save up for a Christmas visit to my mommy's house, and hopefully, SNOW!!! (My babies have never played in the snow, or been sledding or made snowmen or snow angels either, so it's a big deal.)
So here's what we're doing to get that money together:
1. I use spot shot for a laundry pretreater...I've tried every natural/economical concoction and never had much success with them, so I just use the carpet spray. It works great and I don't have to stand there, scrubbing out marker like a crazy person, or wash the same clothes 5 times!! (also purell or milk work really good for removing ink stains, and you can get rid of grease stains with baking soda...just FYI)
2. I make my own laundry soap. 4C of boiling hot water, 1C shredded hand soap, 1C borax 1C washing soda. Mix all together in a 2 gallon bucket until dissolved. then add enough water to fill the bucket. Let sit overnight and stir, using 1/4C per load. (or just mix the dry ingredients and use 2TBSP in each wash).
3. I'm making my old gas-guzzler into a hybrid...How? I'm having my husband and son make me an HHO fuel cell for my son's science badge in Cub Scouts, thus saving on gas, which, let's face it, we all need a little help in that area, and simultaneously achieving a badge for my son!
4. Work with my electric company to lower my costs. We have an evening plan that lowers our rates from 7pm-7am which is when I'm up cleaning the house after the kids have gone to bed anyway. There are also weekend plans, where it's free on the weekends, kind of like a cell phone plan.
5. Prepay utilities with my tax return. This one I LOOOOOVE! We take our tax return and prepay all of our steady utilities- Water, sewer, trash, etc. a year in advance. They usually will give us either a lower monthly rate or a free month for paying in advance, and then it's one less bill we have to figure out how to pay, and it keeps us able to pay our mortgage and other floating cost bills we can't pay for in advance. (*NOTE* some electric companies will let you pay $X.00 against the cost of your electricity for that year, that will take a certain amount off every month. example: pay $1200 with your taxes, it will take off $100 every month for the next year. *Some cell phone companies will extend the same free month of service for advanced payment as well.)
I know not everybody gets a tax refund, and that's okay, you can still save if you do the next step...you'll save a TON, too!!!
6. Shop deep discount sales only with coupons and keep to your list! I only shop with coupons, and only when the item I have a coupon for is on a great sale. For example, if a 5lb bag of tyson chicken tenders is on sale for $6.88 and I have a $1.50 off coupon, then that's what I'm buying, and that's what we're eating! I'll make pot pie with some cream of chicken soup and frozen mixed veg; Or fried chicken tenders, mac n cheese and green beans, which I always buy on sale. My shopping rules are: Only buy what is A) on sale B) has a coupon and C) will keep in my freezer or pantry. I try to keep my fridge open for prepped food and fresh fruits and veg. My kids will eat a pound of fresh green beans before I even get home from the store! :)
7. Put what you saved into a savings account! Since I'm out shopping anyway, I add up all my receipts' savings and take out that much from my debit card at my final register/POS. (If it's $6+, I round up to the next ten.) And put it in my savings account at the credit union. I never save with big banks. I'll do checking since it's more convenient while traveling, but the yield rate on a credit union savings account is usually higher than that of a larger bank, and credit unions are non-profit and locally owned, which gives you less chance of getting completely screwed out of your own money.
8. Buy what you can locally! and EAT WHOLE GRAINS! I'm not one of those "save the planet, shop local" types, (I couldn't give a damn) but I find that we eat less when our food is grown locally. I don't know why, but it seems like it's more nourishing when it's fresher, therefore requiring less of it to feel satisfied. I also use whole grains whenever I can for the same reason...Give it a try! Switch to whole wheat for a week, and see how much further it goes! :) Buy whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, etc. Whole grains are your friends! :)
Well, that's about it. I've only been employing these techniques for a month, and I've already put over $200 into savings. I haven't even got that HHO fuel cell in yet! Imagine how much I'll save then when I only have to buy gas once a month!!!
I dare Y'all! Go on and try it! If I can do it, Y'all can too!
HUGS AND LOVE!
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