Ask:
I just saw this article. What do you think? Are there any suggestions that you haven't used that sound good on this article? Anything that sounds completely un-doable?
Answer:
Darn I was hoping to really be able to save 500. But we do almost all of those things already. I was reading it out loud to dh and the sleeping dog! Dogs name is Bear and he had no idea he was being talked about. Bear is in between a medium and large dog. But 1500 I guess is cheap when you consider how he loves us all and follows us wherever we go. Although I think he just farted or just really smells EWWWWWWWWW
Dumb Dog. Dh is kicking him out right now
Answer:
Great article! I really enjoy it when people pass along good tips for saving money. I was pleasantly surprised that I do 9 out of 10 (the one we don't do is sign up for tax advantage plans at work because we don't have any. It's very practical (ie gardening is not growing your own veggies but mowing and fertilizing your own lawn.
10 suggestions for painless frugality
1. Drive less.
Yes! Dh takes the train to school.
2. Bring your own stimulant.
Dh carries a thermos of homemade coffee with him every morning.
3. Conserve energy.
All energy efficient light bulbs and appliances here.
4. Dig gardening.
We mow the lawn ourselves. I'm hoping to start a veggie garden this summer.
5. Go small or pet-free.
Pet-free in this house.
6. Don't flush money down the commode.
I buy my TP at Costco (The truth is I get someone else to pick up my TP at Costco when they go so that I'm not tempted to overspend.)
7. Limit media.
Again the suggestion wasn't to go without but try going basic. We have basic cable. I went without totally for too many years but I don't need 300 channels.
8. Sign up for tax-advantaged plans at work.
N/A I'm a SAHM. Dh is a graduate student.
9. Eat in.
Again, very practical. We don't eat out much but we still occasionally pick up a cheap pizza for $5-$7 to take home to eat.
10. Don't bank on it.
We pay off the credit cards every month and don't pay monthly fees at the bank.
I feel so much better now.
Answer:
We do most of those things. We do like to eat out a couple times a month, but we really enjoy it and don't want to give it up. We also could never give up our cat and dog!
Answer:
[quote=We also could never give up our cat and dog! [/QUOTE]
I agree! Dh and I could never part with our dog and two cats. I don't think they really cost that much.
Answer:
We do most also. My dog just had to be taken to the vet yesterday for vomiting. It's been three weeks on and off, I've tried everything! (boiled chicken, bland rice, Pepto Bismal, yogurt, puppy food) They took barium x rays but they couldn't find any blockage. They sent him home $360. later with two types of meds and special food. If this dosen't work it's either exploratory surgery or a special food allergist either one will be another $800.+ . CHA CHING. But I love him SO much I would probably take out a second mortgage to make him well.
Answer:
I already do all of these things and more. We dont even buy take out pizza, I make my own at less than 2$. These tips are good but they are more of beginners I think this boeard is full of pros!
Answer:
Yep, I don't think that will save us any money!
I could never get rid of the dogs either. Plus our dogs make us money!!! We sell their puppies for $250-$400 each.
Answer:
I agree. That was an article for beginners!
1. Drive less. - Consider getting rid of one car. Could we really get down to one car per family? We could easily do that in our house (we have three!) but hubby won't part with his two cars even though he travels so much he is hardly ever home and when he is home he doesn't want to go anywhere. I nag him to MOVE the cars otherwise they will rust in their spots. With one car the family would save on insurance, registration and upkeep (the oil still needs to be changed even if the vehicle has just sat there) which would definately get us closert to saving $500 annually.
2. Bring your own stimulant. - Heck, bring your own FOOD. That snack bag in the car has saved me from having to make a quick stop at a fast food restaurant while on errands. And at the times when a snack isn't quite enough, a stop at the grocery store instead of a take-out place is a much better option. When I was working, even if I couldn't manage to pack a lunch, I would often use my lunch hour to run to a grocery store to pick up a piece of fresh fruit, a yogurt and/or a deli item. It is so much healthier and less expensive to buy at the grocery store.
3. Conserve energy. - We could do better at unplugging. The little one accesses her computer maybe once per week. It really doesn't need to be turned on 24/7. Same with her TV and DVD. Now that we have her 'gaming center' set-up, the entire thing could be on a power strip to make turning it on and off easier.
4. Dig gardening. - I seriously doubt busy, two-income families are going to dedicate themselves to the time it takes to garden. HOWEVER, we could all easily get away from shopping at first-tier grocery stores and save money by learning to get our staples elsewhere. There is Cash-N-Carry (or similar stores) instead of Costco / Sams Club. There is the Grocery Outlet (aka: the dented can store), too. There are farmer's markets and roadside stands. It may mean taking the time to shop someplace that isn't a 'one-stop shop' but do we really need to be tempted by all those other non-grocery items?
5. Go small or pet-free. - IF someone is thinking of acquiring a pet, this is something to consider. Most people don't give serious thought to the real costs of owning a pet.
6. Don't flush money down the commode. - This one really fustrated me. The alternative is to buy disposable items at Costco? How silly. How about NOT buying disposable items in the first place? Cloth napkins are so much more civilized and they don't add that much to the laundry routine. How about using real plates and real flatware instead of paper and plastic? A rag bag replaces most paper towels. Reusable storage containers can be washed and used instead of plastic bags. Heck, in most cases, a sheet of plastic wrap can be used instead of a plastic baggie.
7. Limit media. - Take advantage of the 'free' resource that is already in our midst - the library.
8. Sign up for tax-advantaged plans at work. - I know people who weren't saving enough because they didn't have a tax-advantaged plan at work. Heck! Even if one isn't available there are lots of investment opportunities we can do outside of the work place.
9. Eat in. - Yes, I agree but it doesn't stop there. Once we're used to buying a prepared item and eating at home, we can 'step down the savings' even more. We can try preparing that pizza at home instead. Why buy a prepared take-n-bake pizza at the grocery store for $9 when we can make our own version at home for half that? Instead of using the grocery store's deli section for a fast meal, why aren't we stocking our pantry with quick, ready to make food items? Everytime we make a home-cooked meal, we could double the recipe and make another for the freezer. We could simply stop wasting the food that we've already purchased and, instead of throwing it out because it went bad, pre-plan our menus to use that food when it is still fresh to eat.
10. Don't bank on it. - Of course, but IF we have a debt, we can also work to lower the interest rate we're paying. If never hurts to ask. We can also monitor our tax withholding to make sure we're not over-withholding throughout the year. Paying less in taxes per paycheck gives us more money to live on and stops the 'free loan' we're giving Uncle Sam.
I've noticed that most of these articles concentrate on saving money by reducing our grocery bill. I prefer to recommend that people focus FIRST on the non-food portion of their grocery store shopping - CLEANING PRODUCTS and disposable items. Food is so important to us and saving money there could make our lives less enjoyable, ending up making us feel deprived. However, we can easily switch laundry detergents or buy the generic version of window cleaner (or heaven forbid, just use water and a miracle cloth) without feeling a financial pinch. People equate making financial savings with reducing the enjoyment in our lifestyles when the opposite is actually true. When we live frugally and simply, many times our lives are improved and less stressed.