Saving Money.
None of these ideas are by any means unique or earth-shattering. Also, for the record, I am not a coupon-crazy person. I usually lose the coupon or don't remember to use it at the checkout. However, I wanted to share some of the little things that add up to some saved money.
10 Things I Do To Save Money
1. Don't buy coffee out every day. I love Starbucks, and I LOVE Dunkin' Donuts, but buying coffee and brewing it at home is so much cheaper. Plus, you can find recipes to make your favorite lattes, mochas, etc. on Pinterest.
2. Eat leftovers at least one (if not two) nights a week, or eat them for lunch. Wasting food is like throwing money in the trash can. If you don't like leftovers, try and be creative--turn the leftover grilled chicken into noodle soup, make potato pancakes out of mashed potatoes. If you can't eat the leftovers, consider freezing them for later. Most things freeze pretty well.
3. Don't shop for entertainment. If you're bored, don't go shopping. I never walk out of Target empty-handed, so I try not to go there unless I really need to buy something. And believe me, that is harder than it sounds, because Target is right across the street, and they have sooooo many cute things.
4. Make a menu for the week.
5. Make a grocery list.
6. When traveling, pack snacks and drinks to go with you.
7. Don't buys books! Use the library or borrow them. This might not save money for many, but for me it was a big one.
8. Be patient. If you're looking for something, try and find the best deal. If you wait, you might be surprised at what comes your way.
9. Hand-me-downs for the kids. There are so many kids clothes out there, and most of them don't get worn out the first time, so find someone with bigger kids and see if they would be willing to sell, or lend, or give you their kids clothes.
10. Don't go overboard on holidays. Try to make homemade gifts. Do something as a family instead of buying so many gifts. Better yet, spend money doing something for someone else as a family.
And what to do with the money you save? Stay tuned for an upcoming post. . .
4 comments:
A coupon holder helps. I have a little file folder (about $4 at Walmart) that fits in my purse. I pull out the coupons I'm planning on using and I have them in the front of the holder. It's a simple way to keep them organized. The ones further back are organized into categories (cleaning supplies, tolietries, canned goods, etc.)
Do you have any homemade gifts planned this year? I have several planned, mostly using items I already have on hand (a few items were bought at garage sales a few weeks back; I went with a list looking for supplies, and I found several).
We have a pretty big garden, so we can goodies to give out for Christmas (salsa, relish, jelly, etc.). I also make fudge, caramel corn, and Chex mix as gifts. And I am crocheting pot holders and dishrags as well.
Thanks for the advice!
These are great tips that seem like common sense but so many times we overlook the simple! Thanks for the reminder. I would love it if you'd link this up on my blog carnival (www.celebrating-family.com/2011/10/31/family-time-tuesday-6)!
Janice
What about homemade gifts for your immediate family?
Post a Comment