Ways to become Thrifty

[~Daisy~]

I'm trying to learn. Here is one interesting site. Maybe you guys have more?

http://www.counteverypenny.com/

[Sunny]

Great site, Daisy! I've bookmarked it & will check it out later. At a glance, I saw a section about around the house ways to save $.  I recently attended a meeting in which a representative of our local Energy company presented a power point presentation on various ways to save on your electric & heating bill. It was SO informative & very common sense things that we may not be aware of.

For example, she informed us of several programs that are available to any household...such as rebates on updating & upgrading our homes - energy-saving windows, improved Centeral Air units, insulation to a certain thickness, water heater conservation, etc..

It may be a good idea to contact your local utility companies and ask about similar programs.

[Cookie Parker]

Cool ideas....we used to keep our thermostat on about 66 degrees and kept the children in sweats with plenty of throws around for them...they had fewer colds, as we didn't have our heat high and then expose them to the bitter cold, and they loved playing in sweats....also, I'd iron their PJs and Sweats with a steam iron...they were SO warm when they put them on...the look of "Ahh" on their faces I'll never forget!!!  I do it for my grandson now and he has that same look his father had!!!

[Sunny]

Great story, Cookie. I can't wait to have that option again.  I would much rather be cold than hot...and I agree that keeping it cooler will help to fight off those nasty germs!

[Cookie Parker]

Just think, Sunny.  Four seasons.  Even snow is fun...especially with children..outside sledding and then warming up with warm baths and then pjs and a chocolate milk...with flavored marshmallows...and all snuggling under blankets...ah....then spring and flower planting...and bug and bird and tree buds watching...in summer, leaning on the sidewalk watching ants drag big pieces of leaves or big insents down their holes.....falll.....walking in the woods with the leaves crunching below...bonfires...hotdog and marshamallows....it's great to be a kid in the north...and it's even more wonderful being the parent!!!!  Those memories, while they may be lost on your children...warm your heart every season!!!!

WOOO  HOOOO!!!!! Fall tales followed by winterwonderlands!!!

[~Daisy~]

Lots of leaves out by me right now. Living so close to a  state park and a campground has big perks (lots and lots of mature trees, and their colors are starting to turn). Fall is my favorite season! Its chilly here in the house; we are all bundled up, and I couldn't be happier (unless football was on the tube)

[Sunny]

This IS my favorite part of the year...although I'm not a big football fan, I love the sound of it on the television -- just knowing it's on is a good excuse to eat fattening snacks & be lazy on Sundays. And all of the things that go along with fall...

Cookie, I attempted to post a response to your wonderful entry last night...but, computer didn't want to cooperate. UGH! There appears to be a problem that I need to get fixed. Real slow.

But, a short re-cap is that I SO agree with your ethusiasm about raising children in the Northern states, I was just talking with a friend about that yesterday. It's like children get a chance to be children longer. You know, the county I currently live in has the HIGHEST teenage pregnancy rate in the state? And by the looks of it, quite possibly in the country?

See...all of these things I overlooked in attempts of pleasing my husband...

[Sandy Eggo]

Just a few things that I do:

• I buy off season, but a larger size, for the kids. Things that won't change style-wise.
• If I see a big sale on holiday or wrap, bows, etc.,  I scoop up a few and toss them in the closet. I may not need them then, but I will.
• I use coupons on a regular basis. It sucks to take the time to cut them out, but I've saved as much as $80, with just coupons. I always check the prices while I'm shopping too. If I can get the item cheaper w/another brand, rather than the one I have the coupon for (even w/the coupon) then I get the cheaper one. Unless, it's something I'm brand loyal to, like mayonaise.
• I'm the original cheap date, LOL, I love to find free and cheap things to do with the kids. We go on a lot of hikes, picknics and recently I was introduced to geocaching (see cache's thread...like a hike and scavenger hunt), the library for story, puppet or movie time, local museums have "free" or $1 days.
• My daughter, just turned 9, loves the Dollar tree. I can hand her $5 and tell her to find five things and she's thrilled. Much cheaper than toys R us and the toy lasts about as long before it's forgotten or broken. I save the "expensive" toy trips mostly for special occasions. Of course she's still little enough to be easily entertained.
• Consigning children's clothes is a good way to pick up a few bucks too. I'm too lazy and donate all of ours, but I've known people who've made enough to add a few bucks back into the household.

Just some thoughts.

[Sunny]

Consigning children's clothing is the best...and I believe Daisy is going to Once Upon a Child today -- fantastic store! I usually take clothing in & buy the next season's wardrobe with the money (they give cash instead of consignment!).

Also, EBAY -- sometimes can get awesome deals on there!

I watch several online stores for end-of-season specials & just as Mojo said, buy a size bigger for next year.

[Pa Kettle]

HUGE wastes of money:

Eating out at restaurants all the time.   Track how much you spend (even for a quick bag of chips from a convenience store) for 3 months, and you'll be absolutely sick when you figure out how cheaply you could have eaten at home or by bringing something from home for lunch if you work.

Buying into the whole "designer" racket.
Paying several hundred dollars (or even over a thousand) for a purse, suit of clothes, boots or shoes, etc. is just insane.

Owning a house that's WAY larger than your family actually needs.  Unless it's in a "can't miss" market area, a too-large home is a money vaccum.

Working moms often "guilt spend" on their children.  It's a subconcious attempt to try to make up for time lost with them during the work week.
Spending time with them is all they'll remember long after the toys, outings and expensive activities, and fancy clothes have been forgotten.

Premium channels on TV.   Many people pay over $100 per month just to watch stuff they forget two hours later.

Trendy, "top shelf" wines, beers, and liquor.   $100 for a bottle of wine, vodka, or the like is retarded.  It's not a "lifestyle"--it's a beverage.


There are a few money drainers, ma'am.
You may not have a problem with any of these things, but many people do.
Good luck.

[Sunny]

  Won't fess up to which one(s), but guilty...

Thanks for this insightful list, Pa Kettle -- I applaud you.

[followsthewolf]

Excellent post, Pa.

Agree with all of them, especially the designer thing. Why would anybody want to spend a hundred bucks to advertise someone else's name on their butt? 

[~Daisy~]

Wow...I'm guilty of a lot of those. Wow. Thank you very much! I will pay attention to those things and probably make some changes! I've been considering dropping premium channels. There are often movies I watch on them, but its pretty few and far between anymore, especially since Sopranos is over.

The one thing I have to disagree on is the thing about designer labels. Not so much as far as the "trendy" factor, but as far as the quality factor. I've bought cheap stuff and more expensive stuff and the cheap stuff faded, fell apart, stretched out of shape, etc. and I found myself replacing them often, instead of buying quality fabrics that cost more initially but because they held their value and useage, were actually more economical in the long run. 

This works best if you are a conservative dresser, which I am. I don't wear the latest fashion, or bright funky things. I prefer my clothes to be neutral or earth tone, and conservative but young. I am also a self proclaimed "color-phobe" so this works well for me.

[Pa Kettle]

To clarify the clothes thing; I wasn't talking about finding a dress or whatever at The Dollar Store or something like that.
However, I've found out (the hard way) that the difference in wear, quality, and fit between moderately priced clothes, belts, shoes etc. and the expensive designer brands to be about the same.
   Maybe I'm just a tight-wad, or too old to care that much, but there's NO way in the world that any pair of jeans is worth $80--$100, athletic shoes worth $80 and up, or a shirt worth $60 and up. And don't EVEN get me started on $200 sunglasses!   
      Also, I believe I saw in a previous post of yours that you have little kids.   PLEASE do yourself and them a favor and buy them gently used clothing whenever possible.
They don't care about how "nice" clothes are unless you teach them that, and as fast as they grow and tear stuff up, it's a waste to always buy them new stuff, let alone expensive new stuff.
Nobody in the world can tell the difference between a brand new suit of clothes that's been laundered once, and a well cared for used suit of clothes that's been carefully laundered 8 or 9 times.
     You might be surprised at what nice things can be found at consignment shops and at rummage sales put on in "toney" neighborhoods.
As for their everyday play clothes, never buy new--especially if you have boys.
      Hope this helps.


Oh--and one more thing.   If you're a working mom, your best friend can be a good quality slow cooker.
Twenty minutes of "prep time" in the morning, and you come home to a great meal that's ready to sit down to, and at a fraction of the cost you'd incurr at one of the moderately priced restaurants like Applebees, Fridays, or the like.
     Five or six bucks worth of chicken, or a cut of beef or pork roast, another Five or six for veggies, rolls, and pop.
Ten or twelve dollars to feed a family of four certainly  beats the $35 to $50 you'd surely  drop at one of those chain restaurants.
   Many meals also freeze really well for a week or two.
You can cook a couple of double-batch meals on one of your days off, freeze them, then simply heat 'em up at meal times.
These kinds of things really helped out when the Mrs. and I were raising our kids.
Again, good luck retooling the way you spend--it's worth the extra effort.
     

[~Daisy~]

I am big on preparing meals at home. We actually do try to make a lot in advance and freeze for later, but instead we end up eating the same thing for a week +, because we end up enjoying so much. LOL Another thing I do now is get recipes online from some of the restaurants we like (franchise ones, anyway) and prepare them at home. Its amazing what you can find, and its much cheaper. We seldom go out to eat with all of us, unless we hit a buffet like Ryan's, because we can sit for ever and get a random selection. We don't do that often, just every now and then.

I do buy a lot of the kids' clothes through consignment. I've found in the area that I work a store where I can get the kids nice clothes for a fraction of the cost. It helps. Like you said, especially with boys, the play clothes are a must to be bought that way!