How have you saved lately???

Budget101 Discussion List Archives Budget101 Discussion List How have you saved lately???

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    • #270229
      fosterfamily5

      Being proud of cutting a $260 grocery bill down to $140 recently, I was curious if anyone else has a great savings story to share?

    • #413541
      jkpjohnson

      I will have to think about it, but I love these kinds of threads. They spark your imagination (I could do that or maybe this). They are very fun to read as well.

    • #413544
      naturalmommy

      @fosterfamily5 105626 wrote:

      Being proud of cutting a $260 grocery bill down to $140 recently, I was curious if anyone else has a great savings story to share?

      what a great accomplishment!!! i will have to think on it and post later in the thread.

      jkpjohnson;105698 wrote:
      I will have to think about it, but I love these kinds of threads. They spark your imagination (I could do that or maybe this). They are very fun to read as well.

      I love these threads as well, and I agree… it definitely sparks the imagination. It also lets the novices learn about different ways to save a buck.

    • #413545
      naturalmommy

      @fosterfamily5 105626 wrote:

      Being proud of cutting a $260 grocery bill down to $140 recently, I was curious if anyone else has a great savings story to share?

      i did want to ask how you did it. 💡

    • #413549
      Janice Terrell

      Great thread. Thanks for starting it.

    • #413552
      d_awalker

      No big savings like yours but I have done a few things:

      1) Stopped buying bread and started making all the bread. (including flatbread)

      2) Stopped buying pizza and make it from scratch

      3) Stopped buying paper plates, and found sound good ones at the Goodwill so I will not need paper plates any more.

      4) Stopped driving around and stay at home more.

      5) Turned down the thermostat.

      Little savings, but they do add up eventually.

    • #413554
      naturalmommy

      OOH….

      I unplugged the fridge (not energy efficient) that was in the garage.

      I buy all fruits and veggies from a local fruit stand at rock bottom prices.

      I go to a bread outlet store instead of the supermarket.

      We, too turned down the thermostat.

      we stopped eating fast food

    • #413555
      Janice Terrell

      Why not start a journal charting your savings. Say in one column what a loaf of bread would actually cost at the store. In the next column show what it actually cost you to make it and finally in the last column show how much you saved.

      I’ll bet you will be greatly surprised how much you save by making your own bread, pizza, etc.

    • #413557
      fosterfamily5

      @naturalmommy 105706 wrote:

      I did want to ask how you did it. 💡

      i shop at safeway and they had some huge savings deals this weekend. i needed to do some shopping for an inpromptu (spelling?) superbowl party we were having. they had some great deals so i stocked up.

      when i swiped my club card the bill went from $260 – 180. Granted It’s safeway’s B1G1 deals and some prices are a little over inflated. but Still I was impressed.

      Then I had coupons for almost everything I bought! final bill $140. It’s not the most impressive but it’s really good for me.

      Hopefully with some creative meal planning it will last well into Feb.

      Nicole in Ca

    • #413566
      d_awalker

      @Janice Terrell 105717 wrote:

      Why not start a journal charting your savings. Say in one column what a loaf of bread would actually cost at the store. In the next column show what it actually cost you to make it and finally in the last column show how much you saved.

      I’ll bet you will be greatly surprised how much you save by making your own bread, pizza, etc.

      That’s a good idea! Maybe it could be a project involving my older son. Since we homeschool, it would be a way to combine home economics, writing, math, and personal finance.

      Thanks for the suggestion!

      The pizza is where I think I make the largest amount of savings. They eat pizza in this house at least once a week. Even though we stopped buy pizza at the delivery places about a year ago, when you have six people in the house the cost of Walmart pizzas add up quickly!

      Plus, when hubby would stop by Walmart, there was the chance of him buying more junk instead of just the pizzas. Now, I make the crust, pizza sauce, and cook my own toppings.

      I am going to purchase another notebook for myself for this project.

      Thanks again!

    • #413578
      mbabb29340

      I’ve saved money by limiting my grocery trips to once a week or once every two weeks is better. That way I don’t do every other day to buy stuff.

      Also saved by sticking to my grocery list as much as possible.

      We try to limit our outings as much as possible.

      We eat out only once a month now instead of once a week. We have a special dinner night each week to make up for not going out. Saves a lot.

      These are a few ways I can think of right now.

      ~ Misty

    • #413603
      jaime

      This is a great post! Congrats on all the savings:) I like the idea of journaling it. I have done so much, I wouldn’t know where to start, but a journal would help keep track of things.

      Thanks everyone!

    • #413620
      brchbell

      The biggest way I save is to only shop once a month. My basement garden is now big enough so we are getting salads once a week. the kids didn’t like frozen milk that much but I had them buy a gallon at the commissary and then buy a gallon at Wal-Mart and now they understand the price difference and they don’t mind using the frozen milk.

      We’re making our own yogurt each week so most of the frozen milk in gallon 1% stuff for the yogurt we make. So maybe they don’t drink as much plain milk but they sure eat a lot more yogurt and make tons of smoothy drinks instead. I’m still fleshing out our years supply so my grocery bill is still higher than what it should be but we think another 2 months and we’ll have everything and then we’ll just replenish what we’ve used and that will help us a lot.

    • #413751
      lcove2000

      I haven’t been feeling well lately so I haven’t done everything I could be doing. But I saw that I have been doing more than what I think I’ve been doing after my husband tried to help last night and go to pick up a few things at the store. $119 for very little.

      I buy so much on approx. $150 week. So if you ever want to see how your doing try sending your spouse out to grocery shop instead.

      It might surprise you.

    • #413785
      brchbell

      I learned long ago that hubby doesn’t go shopping. (period) Even if I can get him to buy only whats on a list he still has a knack for spending way more! By the time he retires we won’t go shopping except for twice a year for things like sugar we can’t produce ourselves.

      Yes I’ve had those “will you stop and get a gallon of milk” trips where he comes home with one bag and spent $100! Take a kids, take a neighbor but leave your spouse at home!

    • #413794
      Tarrien

      -I’ve tried to limit my eating out ventures
      -Instead of buying juice I just buy Koolaid since I really just wanted some flavor with my water
      -Kept my wallet at home so I’m not tempted to spend if I don’t have to
      -I only buy fruit that’s on drastic sale (99 cent grapes, 6 for a $1 apples)

      Made a grocery bill of $15.86 go down to $7.22 from coupons

    • #413797
      JoAnn

      Years ago my Dh was the same. But now he is one heck of a shopper. If there is anything that we are out of and I call him to pick the item up on the way home, that is the only thing he buys… Know if he finds a deal — and I mean a deal he is on it… But then we do most of the shopping together..He sometimes reminds me, about certain sales in the area..

    • #413877
      starsinnight

      ~We buy Angelfood now.

      ~We don’t go out to eat anymore. Maybe once a month.

      ~If we get groceries, we circle what’s on sale in the Ad and ONLY buy that.

      ~And not very healthy/active, but we stay in most of the weekend instead of going out and spending money. If I don’t go anywhere, I can’t buy anything! So we watch a Netflix movie, clean the house, watch tv shows online, do hw, cook dinners, etc.

      ~I make my lunches at work with leftovers and try my best not to go out with my coworkers or get coffee on my way home! I make tea instead. 🙂

    • #413889
      mdowdy

      This week I went to Aldi’s for the first time. Love it. I went with intentions of just buying veggies (canned) started looking around the meat etc was cheaper than at the local Foodlion, bought 155.00 worth of stuff and made menus out of what I bought, have enough for the month. So the only things left for the month is milk when we run out. Also used all my get this free coupons at Foodlion I had to go buy gingerale my boyfrined caught a stomach bug and picked up a few other little things I had coupons for that were on MVP. First calculations of total was 50.46 after coupons and mvp card 18.67. Think I did good. Of course the cashier and the people behind me were not too thrilled but thats ok I was and thats all that matters.

    • #413986
      jaime

      Wow Mdowdy! You really hit the jackpot. I have shopped at Aldi for years and love their products. Koodles to you for the save:)

    • #413995
      JoAnn

      Great job Mdowdy, you go girl…

    • #414010
      pennypinchinmama

      We have being saving as much as we can by:
      1-Turning down the thermostat to 68 degrees
      2-Shopping out of the pantry, fridge and freezer before actual shopping
      3-Turning all the power strips off at night(tv, computer and anything else digital that sucks energy even when turned off)
      4-Keep telling the kids to turn lights off when they leave the room
      5-Using coupons as much as possible
      6-Trying to use only one vehicle rather than two(If we can work it out we will be taking the one vehicle off the car insurance to save more money)
      7-Taking our directv to the lowest package and only using one tv box for the front room tv rather than in the bedrooms and using the new digital converter boxes in the bedrooms for free tv service
      8-Cutting our phone service to the basic flat rate service with no long distance
      9-We will be planting a very large garden this spring and canning everything we can
      10-Selling stuff from around the house on craiglist that we no longer need or use
      11-Making bread, laundry detergent, softener and cleaners homemade
      12-Buying clothes at consignment shops or off the clearance racks
      13-Keep telling the kids to turn off the lights when they leave a room( I know I already posted this one but if your kids are like mine we have to say this all the time!)
      14-Washing clothes in cold water only though I still use my dryer until it gets warm out then we hang clothes out to dry
      15-Always checking freecycle or craigslist for free items we may be able to use
      16-We are looking for a woodstove (cheap or free of course) to heat the house for the next winter season to cut out the gas bill(Our gas bill is outragous)

      There are more ways we save but these are the basics for us.

    • #414021
      Niddi

      Nice going mdowdy. You did good, great savings. Hope you plan to make Aldi’s part of your regular stores. I get lots of savings there also and go about once every two weeks.

    • #414031
      galegehl

      I make my own bread, yogurt, spaghetti sauce, noodles, laundry detergent, fabric softener sheets, window cleaner, all-purpose cleaner. I also start my own seeds for the vegie garden and flower garden in the house. Wash my own car, Use canvas bags at all the stores I shop at.

    • #414046
      fosterfamily5

      I had to get gas today so I used my pump rewards from safeway. I saved
      50 cents a gallon! Pretty cool when I can fill up my car for 29 dollars.

    • #414054
      brchbell

      I’m trying to finish up my full years supply of food and working on the last thing: dried milk & dairy stuff. I just got this email offing a discount and price break in case nayone else is interested here it is! The best thing about Honeyville grain is it’s $4.95 no matter what, to anywhere in th US!

      GREETINGS from Honeyville Farms:

      SUMMARY: Time to stock up! Get 10% off your entire order from Thursday, February 5, 2009 thru Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 6:00PM PST. Simply enter the coupon code LINCOLN during checkout. Act now! Check out our new Dairy Combo Pack. It has our 6 canned, dried dairy products in one convenient, cost-reduced package. Also, check out a phenomenal deal on 2 pound pouches of cocoa in the Clearance category.

      Powdered Dried Whole Eggs – Freeze Dried Fruit – Blanched Almond Flour – Steel C – Home

      n addition to our new Dried Dairy Combo, we’re featuring a great buy on our Gourmet Raspberry and Cherry Hot Cocoas. Due to a production overrun we’re offering 2 pound packages (24 servings) of Gourmet Cocoa, regular $6.49, for just $2.99. You get 24 servings of our delicious, gourmet cocoa for just $2.99. It’s unbeatable. If you act now, you can get an even better deal by applying your LINCOLN discount.

    • #414057
      faxonfive

      Last Saturday I went to the grocery store to get my bi-weekly needs….I took my coupons (thank you everyone!!!) and before I used the coupons my total was $249.69 – after coupons (a bunch were freebie coupons and the store also doubled what I gave them) my bill came to $66.85!! This took alot of planning on my part but it was well worth the time and effort!!!

    • #413969
      Tarrien

      Today-Sunday I’m volunteering at an anime con. I get free entry (its like $50 a day*) and still get to enjoy the con.

      Yesterday- We went to go get my roommate’s car inspected so I picked up a magazine and it had a bunch of ads in it. I found a few “USE THIS LINK AND PROMO CODE FOR A FREEBIE!” unfortunately by the time I got home I forgot what the products were but I still asked for samples anyways XD.

    • #414070
      fosterfamily5

      @faxonfive 106495 wrote:

      Last Saturday I went to the grocery store to get my bi-weekly needs….I took my coupons (thank you everyone!!!) and before I used the coupons my total was $249.69 – after coupons (a bunch were freebie coupons and the store also doubled what I gave them) my bill came to $66.85!! This took alot of planning on my part but it was well worth the time and effort!!!

      Wow!!! you go girl!!! I so do with we had stores that doubled coupons. I don’t need to go the store right now, but when I go next time I’m going to do my research. It’s kinda fun if I treat it like a job.

      cheers to you!

    • #414341
      fosterfamily5

      I hit the big one today!

      I finished my menu for the month of Feb ( weeks at one time) and I posted it too. I went to the store armed with my coupons and my total was $138. Actually not too bad by my usual weekly shopping. Are you ready for the final cost?

      Drum roll please……..

      $58

      I was absolutly floored. I’m so proud of myself. It was alot of work but definately worth it. I owe it all to this wonderful site and the wonderful friends I’ve made here who have given me so much great advice. Thank you!

    • #414342
      mdowdy

      @fosterfamily5 106897 wrote:

      I hit the big one today!

      I finished my menu for the month of Feb ( weeks at one time) and I posted it too. I went to the store armed with my coupons and my total was $138. Actually not too bad by my usual weekly shopping. Are you ready for the final cost?

      Drum roll please……..

      $58

      I was absolutly floored. I’m so proud of myself. It was alot of work but definately worth it. I owe it all to this wonderful site and the wonderful friends I’ve made here who have given me so much great advice. Thank you!

      :038: I love stories like this.

    • #414343
      d_awalker

      @fosterfamily5 106897 wrote:

      I hit the big one today!

      I finished my menu for the month of Feb ( weeks at one time) and I posted it too. I went to the store armed with my coupons and my total was $138. Actually not too bad by my usual weekly shopping. Are you ready for the final cost?

      Drum roll please……..

      $58

      I was absolutly floored. I’m so proud of myself. It was alot of work but definately worth it. I owe it all to this wonderful site and the wonderful friends I’ve made here who have given me so much great advice. Thank you!

      You coupon queens are amazing!!! I need to learn how to coupon!

      April

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Budget101 Discussion List Archives Budget101 Discussion List How have you saved lately???