Here is what I do to have $50 extra a month for c.c payments

[GEORGE]

My latest grocery plan is buying ONLY what's on my list and bringing a calculator, because small amounts can add up fast. I did this on my last trip, and it was a surprise.  The total was over my budget, so I checked my cart. Somehow stuff that wasn't on my list had ended up in there. I pulled out the extras and cut $15 from my total. (It was all "nice to haves," not necessities) This goes along with the "no need to have a grocery store in your cupboard" idea. If I can do this every week, that's $60 right there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Except for ALWAYS NEEDED...(milk bread eggs) I SHOP FROM THE SALE PAPER (SAFEWAY)...not on the sale paper...I don't buy it

 

Some stuff like they had SOUP on sale for like 66% off I bought like 48 cans

 

B.O.G.O. HAMBURGER...BOUGHT 20+ LBS

[GEORGE]

PAY WITH AMEX DELTA

 

2 MILES PER $1.00 ON DELTA

 

1/2 MILE PER $1.00 ON UNITED MILEAGE PLUS (SAFEWAY/VONS/UNITED PROGRAM)

 

ALWAYS PIF THE AMEX DELTA CARD

 

WAY BETTER THAN CASH!!!

[roddysmom]

I loved this thread - so many great ideas!

 

Here's a few that we use:

 

1. If you are a smoker - I was, VERY heavy, 2 - almost 3 packs per day, because I work from home/telecommute. So, my DH and son started complaining about the smell, and now ( a ) I smoke only outside. Difficult at first I still reach for the cigarettes at my desk ( B ) instead of buying 2 cartons a week, I now only buy a single pack. 3 @ 11.97 with taxes (GPC brand). For 23.94 a week - instead of 67.14 per week. Total savings = $43.20 per week, $2,246.40 this year - AND, I am "stepping down" to the point where I will probably end up quitting.

 

2. Albertsons grocery always have different items at 10 for 10.00. Whenever they have frozen TV dinners, meat pies, mac&cheese, boxed potatoes, and especially apple & grape juice, and cereal at this offer - I always pay the extra and buy it. The juice & cereal have a very long shelf life, and my two sons go through it. I rarely buy soda, preferring juice. A box 3.59 cereal for 1.00? You bet I will buy it!

 

3. We subscribe to Gevalia coffee. Every 6 weeks I get my shipment, it costs 32.35. However, I buy a cheap can of coffee and when I grind my "special" coffee - I also add the cheap stuff and grind them together. This way, I am treating myself with the "richer" flavor of the expensive coffee - and stretching it out to last a lot longer.

 

4. I belong to freecyclepheonix.com - if you are interested, go to freecycle.org and look to see if there is a group in your area. BUT, I am a book & puzzle person.. I am now trying to find some type of used puzzle and paperback book club in my area so we can trade (at freecycle, you offer - but no trading is permitted).

 

5. *Vinegar & water does wonders on glass - just put it in a spray bottle and use it instead of windex.

*I vacuum our AC filter and re-use it at least 1 time.

*

 

6. This isn't really saving money monthly - it is a longer term goal, but, a year ago, our mortgage company put us on a repayment plan, as shortly after we purchased our house in 2002 - BOTH my husband & I got laid off, and we almost lost our house. Our repayment plan upped our mortgage by 160.00 per month, however, in the past year, we have learned to live without that "extra" 160.00 - so, when the repayment plan is over with our July 2005 payment - I will STILL make that "extra" 160.00 toward our mortgage! I don't need that "extra" 160, I don't even know it is "there"; so why not keep paying it on the mortgage, and take 10 years off of it?

 

7. We are cave-dwellers.. *laugh* - at least that is what everyone calls us.. I don't think we know what lights are! I also use the mini-white lights (from christmas) hanging above my kitchen window - that is enough light for our family room & kitchen.

 

8. If I want a particular magazine - I will subscribe to it, instead of picking it up in the store. Yearly subscription are ALWAYS cheaper.

 

 

9. Instead of buying cakes, cookies, etc - I bake my own (Love to bake).. and for cookies? I will double the recipe of the batter, divide it into 3rds, then bake 1/3 of the batter; and for the other two - roll or pat the dough into a "log" wrap it in wax paper and freeze the dough. Now, whenever I want to bake them, I just pull the dough out and have my own "slice & bake". Saves time too!

 

KH

Edited February 14, 2005 by roddysmom

[Kona]

Don't buy something you really think you need if it might be a want. See something? Wait a day or two or a week. You may find that special purchase may have escaped your mind.

 

A buy of a item on sale is not a savings if you don't really need it. "Oh, but it was on sale," is not a legitimate reason to buy it if you don't really need it.

[moriah]

Thanks for all the suggestions, people....

 

My guy and I are in an unusual employment situation (we're both contractors) so there are times when we've got a lot of income, and times when it's very sparse.

 

When we were both raking in the overtime, we didn't use a bank account. We got our paychecks cashed, and put as much of it as we could into a "cookie-jar" fund. Sometimes it feels better to see the cold hard cash, and makes it harder for you to spend it. (Also, we know if there's an emergency, we've got the cash, and if we need to put it into a regular account, it'll only take two or three days for it to be available electronically.) Since our jobs can go any day, we take the suggestion "always keep money for four months of expenses" very, very seriously.

 

I must admit, we live fairly extravagantly in some ways -- we do have high speed internet, cable (since our carrier doesn't offer high speed internet by itself), and cell phones -- but no landline phone. We currently have a great deal on rent, it's less than $350 a month, and that includes water. We never go to movies or rent movies -- but we have an "allowance" at Barnes and Noble for books, and use their discount card. It paid for itself on our first trip out there.

 

I can tell our greatest unneccessary expenses come from not being smart about food purchasing. However, half of the time I'm on the road, and not home to cook, so it's frozen pizzas for my guy then. When I'm traveling work pays a per diem amount, based on eating out every day. When we get to a new city, I go grocery shopping -- get a few microwave dinners and some fruit, and end up saving a lot of my per diem for our "cookie-jar" fund. If I feel I absolutely must buy something while on the road, I only use my per diem and my full paychecks are waiting for me at home.

 

When I'm home, on the other hand... we buy a lot of our food from the local health food cooperative. We can get bulk food that's good for you -- and pay about as much as a person does at a high-end grocery store, sometimes less. Meat is very expensive there, but we don't eat much of it.

 

My guy used to have a bad Coke habit (soft drinks, not hard drugs... geez, minds out of the gutter people! <grin>) but he's switched to water at work, saving him at least $2.00 a day. We both love expensive coffee (not Starbucks, but a local place), so we spent $20.00 at Wal-Mart on an espresso machine. Our biggest indulgence is the fair-trade organic Sumatran coffee we both love - and when we get it at the local health food cooperative, we pay about as much as most people do for Maxwell House. Espresso-ground, that pound of coffee goes a long way. We spend about $20.00 a month for our coffee, half-n-half, and chocolate milk to make our favorite mochas daily. We like white grape juice and cranberry juice -- but we always water both down. It makes it last longer, taste better, and cuts calories.

 

I guess my goal has been for us to have quality things, and not pay an arm and a leg for them, since we can do that right now. Then again, we have no children, and not a lot of debt. We've also been looking at getting a bigger place as soon as we both have steadier employment. So things will change. I appreciate all of the suggestions from you all!

[Kona]

Bumping this for all the newbies....and for those who might need a reminder! Best intentions sometimes go by the wayside!

[rockinred]

DH calls me "Ranger Rebate" and "Captain Coupon"...I rarely buy anything without getting some kind of discount/freebie:

 

1. Use the library. I hardly ever buy books anymore (unless I really want them in my library). Our library has a consortium system so I can borrow from any library in the county...I can browse online, make requests & they'll ship it for free to my local library. I borrow it as usual & return it to my local library. I even sell many of my old books on half.com with little effort.

 

2. Combining coupons/refunds/sales. I have a closet full of toothpaste, t.p., deodorant, soap, deodorant, etc. Most of that stuff I won't buy unless it's less than $1. A price book really helps with knowing when a sale is really a sale...you can get info about building one online. I participate in several "coupon trains"...info available online as well...lots of sites have them. Ebates.com (also mentioned above) is a great site when shopping online.

 

3. freecycle.org is a wonderful site (as someone else mentioned). You can get rid of clutter from your home without it going to the landfill and you can get good stuff too...the site lets you "offer" and "request", but you can't make money on anything.

 

4. Read "The Tightwad Gazette" book. It's very extreme, but you're guaranteed to get at least a few good ideas to save $$$. This woman supported a family of 6 on her husband's military salary, they own their farmhouse in ME outright and saved a TON of $$...no debt. Amazing. Yes, she had to get creative, but shares all her tips/tricks. I've been washing plastic sandwich/freezer bags and making my own cleaners ever since.

 

5. Many convenience foods sold in grocery stores can be made for a fraction of the price ahead of time at home. DH & I make our own pizza dough (instead of buying it at the grocery store), make our own stuffing mix (a la Stove Top), etc. I find lots of recipes online or at recipezaar.com.

 

6. Make your own cleaners. Most homemade cleaners are substantially cheaper, safer for you & your family's health and more effective. You'd be surprised how much baking soda, ammonia, vinegar & bleach will do.

 

7. Once a month cooking (OAMC). You can save lots of $$$ by buying in bulk and spending one day a month cooking, freeze everything and you don't have to cook for the rest of the month. Obviously, this takes lots of planning, organization & freezer space, but people with small freezers can do this several times a month. There are whole websites/books devoted to this.

Edited March 9, 2005 by rockinred

[suzzie]

I did the hot water tank thing and it does work. You just have to remember to turn it back on or you get a cold shower.

 

I turned off my home phone and use cell with in net work calling for family. Only use free minutes. Saved lots of money each month.

 

I buy my meat at Costco. I just learned this last month. Tomatoes are a lot cheaper at Costco too.

 

I try to use the last drop of my products too.

 

I used to do coupons but, have not done this in a while. Maybe I need to get back to clipping from the paper again or check the net.

[oneaquarian]

The Motley Fool has a Living Below Your Means message board, dedicated to this topic. You might want to check it out. Not trying to take away from CB, just suggesting another fine source.

[oneaquarian]

I did the hot water tank thing and it does work.  You just have to remember to turn it back on or you get a cold shower.

 

This is how people live in Europe/UK all the time. Utilities are expensive over there (like everything else).

[oneaquarian]

Cable TV has gotten so expensive, with so much crap and so little worth watching. However, many people feel they can't be without 24 hour news like CNN, CNBC, etc. A good solution is sattelite radio, where for $10-12 a month you get all the news channels (which you only listen to anyway). All the music and other programming is excellent too. For movies, documentaries, etc., you can use Netflix for $20/month, all you can eat. So for $30 a month you get what you want to watch, instead of $50+ for a bunch of infomercials and crap.

[oneaquarian]

Watch those bank fees. Look for free checking, or try to join a credit union - their fees and minimum balances are usually lower than a bank.

 

My bank charges me for debit (PIN-based) store transactions, but not for signature bases, so I stopped using the PIN whenever possible. I've also learned only use my bank's ATM (or Washington Mutual, which has no fees). Those $1.50 charges added up. If you have to use fee-ATMs, get enough cash so you don't have to keep going back and getting hit with the fees.  Some banks charge for getting your checks back - if you don't need them, cancel that service. And of course, don't overdraft your account or bounce checks - banks make a fortune on those charges.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree. If you're not banking for free, you're really doing something wrong. Shop ruthlessly for banking deals. There's plenty of free banking out there.

 

Some banks, like USAA, refund a certain number of ATM charges a month. But there's no reason to use ATMs. Just get cash back when you go to the grocery store. They don't charge you for this.

[NotQuite]

I love Consignment Shops, thrift shops, flea markets & ebay!!!

 

Yup, I'll say it again: I'm a firm believer in the 11th Commandment "Thou Shalt Not Pay Retail"

 

It's feels GREAT when I come across a real DEAL on something that's "New to me".

 

At the same time, I can't stand having a cluttered home OR overstuffed closets, so I'm selling stuff all the time: Clothes, shoes, books, toys, household items, etc. Every month or so I go thru and clear out things gathering dust... Every little bit helps

[Sunday]

Great ideas in this topic!

 

I really like the water heater posts, some very creative methods. Here's my little trick to save on water heating: I don't pay anything at all for it most of the time!

 

I have a 5 gallon solar water heater that I use for all (well, almost all) my water heating needs. After three or four hours in the New Mexico sun, the water is piping hot and ready to use. I use it for washing dishes and showering. I use cold water for clothes washing and washing my hands.

 

When the sun doesn't shine, I just heat a little water on a propane camp stove for my needs. I spend about $6 per year on propane cans from WalMart (the sun shines a lot in New Mexico!).

 

In the summer months, I like to take outside showers. About 100 feet of dark colored water hose on the ground will deliver piping hot water at the nozzel. Not recommended for winter.

[debtfree2010]

Maybe a silly question, but how do you know which breaker is for the water heater? Turn on all the lights & just play around? Also, I think my water heater is gas (I'm in an apartment too, if that matters), will I save money on electricity or gas or both? TIA!

[Sultan]

I've already scraped my budget to the bone, so what I need is a way to earn a little extra $$.  Even just $100 - $200 a month would be great.  From home would be ideal, if outside the home I can only put in 4 hours one or two days a week.  No selling, no MLM.  I've been keeping an eye out for openings to deliver the weekly paper, etc.  There are all sorts of "business opportunities" in the classifieds but I assume every one of them is a scam.  Any ideas? 

 

Here's how I save money:

No air conditioning (and it's been 100 here for a few days!)

No cable

No cell phone

No high-speed internet

Four year old computer

Thirteen year old car

Borrow movies from library at no cost

Read books from library at no cost

Only water the front lawn

Only wash dishes once a week

Only shower once a week  :wink:

 

Splurges:

$3 for a 12 pack of diet cherry coke per week

$2 for lottery tickets per month

 

T-t-t-t-t-t-that's all, folks!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

ROFL

[lotsofquestions]

Hi. I am sharing this in the hopes that it will help many of you have more $$ in your pockets each month. 

 

I only have our water heater on when it is actually being used. Otherwise it is turned off. I have been doing this for several years now and it saves me $50 a month alone.

 

I got pretty excited about this when I first read it and was ready to go out and buy a water heater timer right away....unfortunately, a quick search on google put that to rest... If you have an older water (pre-1998 I believe, they were not as insulated and efficient then), then this might not be a bad option to do...you could potentially save some money. If you have a newer water heater, the savings will likely only average about $25 per year for a family of two, and less if you have a larger family. With an initial outlay of ~$100 (installed, as most aren't qualified to do the installation themselves), it'll take 4+ years to pay for itself. The better and cheaper thing to do would be to put a water heater blanket around your heater and leave it on all of the time....only about $20 cost....unless it's convenient for you to manually turn it on and off, but I'm betting for most it's not, and the cost savings probably aren't worth the hassle. Of course, from an entirely environmental standpoint, it's a great thing to do!

 

I know this first post talked about turning it off manually, but subsequent posts moved on to the water heater timer issue. Do a google search before you rush out to spend the money, it may not save you as much as you think it will, unfortunately. I know we've been trying to find ways to trim the electric bill at our home as much as possible...it got out of hand last year with an old leaking water heater (and we didn't realize it as it's tucked away in the leaky basement in a closet!), but once we figured out the problem and replaced it with a new one, the difference has been significant.

 

We've also replaced every light bulb with compact fluorescents, including the refrigerator bulbs, and now do things like turn off the computers instead of leaving them on 24/7 and that has helped as well.

 

-LotsofQuestions

[genseeker]

Another thing people overlook is how efficient your home is. We rent and several of our windows/doors leak terribly. We went to WalMart and bought some of the plastic sheeting window covers. Now even though it is getting warmer, there are some windows we have no desire to open, so those stay covered. We live in a more run-down area of town but it is scheduled for revitalization. Our rent includes heat, gas and water, plus all yard care. By signing a 1 yr lease we paid a little less than a 6 month lease and even less than month to month.

 

We never buy window cleaner, it is basically just watered down ammonia so we bought a bottle for about $0.75 and a spray bottle for $1 and it has lasted over 2 yrs. Old newspapers are great for cleaning windows and glass, they don't leave streaks like paper towels. We invested in some old fashioned handkerchiefs instead of tissues.

 

I had numerous food allergies and need to take vitamins. I found I save loads of money by buying the 200-300 ct @ WalMart. I got the generic multivitamin and calcium for under $10, one was 200 ct, the other was 300 ct. That is basically my yrs supply of vitamins. This works great for any meds. Some people insist on "real" Tylenol, NyQuil, etc but the generics work just as well (for most people) and cost far less.

[poemhdr]

I thought there were some good ideas for water heaters in this thread too.

Wanted to mention something maybe not too obvious - we were in a rental and I was going to buy one of those wrap insulators but it specified on the water tank -

DO NOT USE insulating blankets- fire hazard. This was a new one and the theory was that the inside insulation was enough. Just something worth checking out.

[tds]

Watch those bank fees. Look for free checking, or try to join a credit union - their fees and minimum balances are usually lower than a bank.

 

My bank charges me for debit (PIN-based) store transactions, but not for signature bases, so I stopped using the PIN whenever possible. I've also learned only use my bank's ATM (or Washington Mutual, which has no fees). Those $1.50 charges added up. If you have to use fee-ATMs, get enough cash so you don't have to keep going back and getting hit with the fees.  Some banks charge for getting your checks back - if you don't need them, cancel that service. And of course, don't overdraft your account or bounce checks - banks make a fortune on those charges.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree. If you're not banking for free, you're really doing something wrong. Shop ruthlessly for banking deals. There's plenty of free banking out there.

 

Some banks, like USAA, refund a certain number of ATM charges a month. But there's no reason to use ATMs. Just get cash back when you go to the grocery store. They don't charge you for this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks for reminding me! I have been with my bank a long time and back when I joined there was no such thing as free checking. I called yesterday and had my account converted. The only difference now is that I need to make a direct deposit (I already have 4 - 6 direct deposits a month due to all the jobs we have at my house). It was a simple phone call that will save me almost $100 a year.

[ineedabrowninggold]

By all means use the programmable thermostat, but, but, turning your heat off during the day is a bad plan if you have a heat pump. When you go to turn it back on it kicks in your electric emergency heat. Also those simple programmable thermostats at Lowes are not for heat pumps unless it says heat pump, heat/cool if for gas/oil/electric furnaces with a/c. The hot water heater is a good plan, we put an insulation kit on ours and did the switch on and off, saved bunches. Also, where heating and cooling is concerned change your filters regularly, dirty filters impede air flow and increase required run time.

[shelly5672]

bump for newbies!

[Ocean]

good reading....some great ideas..

[Keishala]

By all means use the programmable thermostat, but, but, turning your heat off during the day is a bad plan if you have a heat pump. When you go to turn it back on it kicks in your electric emergency heat. Also those simple programmable thermostats at Lowes are not for heat pumps unless it says heat pump, heat/cool if for gas/oil/electric furnaces with a/c. The hot water heater is a good plan, we put an insulation kit on ours and did the switch on and off, saved bunches. Also, where heating and cooling is concerned change your filters regularly, dirty filters impede air flow and increase required run time.

 

YMMV...I don't think I have a heat pump, but for the last couple of months I would turn my AC off before I left for work and back on when I got home in the afternoon. This past month, I decided to leave it running all day because I finally took the time to program my thermostat...guess what? It cost me $29 extra NOT to turn it off and back on. I know what I'll be doing for the rest of the warm months...

[BBQ123]

Another way to have some extra money for cc payments is:

 

get rid of cell phone bills, long distance phone bill, remove cable or take it down to just basic, search for the best car insurance rate, shop with coupons, don't eat out.

 

High speed internet

Cell phone

Home phone

 

If you have all three, DUMP THE HOME PHONE... cell minutes are cheap... upgrade your plan and use the cell exclusively. Or get vonage ($29.99 / month beats out 49.99 Verizon unlimited)