Thought this might be fun...things we do to save a little money

[twuoo]

So I'll start....

You know how we get all those cc bills in the mail and they usually give an envelop with your bill? Well, I take their nice envelopes and use them to send my own stuff....LOL!

I haven't had to buy envelopes now for quite some time.

What do you other folks do to shave a little here and there?

Oh yeah, at the dollar store, it's sometimes easy to go overboard because you think "geez, it's only a dollar". But before I hit the cash register, I look through my cart and make sure what I have in there I really need. I usually end up putting several things back. That's a few dollars in and not out of my pocket!

[lrprn]

Great thread idea, twuoo!

I'm a big grocery coupon user - I routinely save $5-10 for small runs and as much as $25-35 for bigger ones.

When I need to replace things, I love using the "online shopper" sites - PriceGrabber, NexTag, BizRate, and DealHunter - to find the best prices. I love unearthing a great deal!

I also scout the local consignment shops for our clothes.

It all adds up!

[Keebler]

Please don't get me started...

One thing I have learned about myself is how my being an avid bargain hunter and all-around thrifty person has gotten me in to trouble financially.

You see, I have equipped myself and my family with countless "luxuries" that I've gotten for a fraction of the normal cost. I'm very disciplined about my purchases and I seldom buy something we don't need or can't use -- but, can't afford is another thing altogether.

From my free pre-paid cell-phones with minutes that never expire and service for $3.00 a month to the vehicles and a referigerator I bought on eBay, there's almost nothing in the house that hasn't been purchased at a remarkable discount with a story that goes along with it.

I've equipped myself and the kids with computers for less than most people spend for a single computer. I've purchased flat screen LCD monitors for $55 after rebate and I even have a color laser printer that I bought for less than the cost of the toner cartridges inside.

I even bought a new vehicle last fall and six months later the used trade-in price is still more than I paid for it. I hardly put any money down and stretched the payments for the maximum length of time and I still have equity in it because the loan is lower than the value.

But you see, it was too easy! I bought almost everything for half-price but went out and bought three times as much stuff as anyone else.

I'm lucky because I've learned that about myself and I'm able to change. I'm hoping bankruptcy will give me a chance to redeem myself and live a little closer to my means.

Remember: Being thrifty is fun and exciting, but it's best left to those who can handle the responsibility -- be careful.

[Minnymouth]

A point well put Keebler,

Its just as bad to overspend on something as it is to "underspend" and buy lots of one thing. Expecially if the bargain is something you don't really need....... it's still wasted money that can be used for something else.....

Its smart to buy in bulk unless your bulk freezer items get freezer burn and you have to throw them out later......

Fewer trips to the story with a "list" will save you money in the long run. Less gas is used getting there and back, buying just what is on your list keeps cost down and buying on sale in in bulk when on sale is an additional bonus. Especially if it is on items you use a lot of - ex. paper towels, tissue, etc....

I personally spend "more" if I shop more often, and poke around too much in the store. If I just run in with my list and back out...............then I buy no extras.

[BKOnce]

Excessive, compulsive, obssesion

[JollyGG]

The biggest thing we do is make a menu every week and go shopping with list in hand.
That way we only have one trip to the store. Because even if I just ran to the store for eggs I still manage to spend $20 on other stupid stuff. So the once a week trip keeps those expensive midweek trips down.
The menu helps becasue when we get home from work tired and crabby we don't have to figure out what to make. What's for supper is posted on the fridge and the food is in the house.
It prevents the discussion that goes like this "What do you want for supper", "I don't know, what do you want", "I don't know, let's just order pizza".

[USCGrad90]

We tried the Blockbuster Online movie rental as an alternative entertainment while the kids were out of school this summer. It has a 30 day free trial, so we tested the waters for a few weeks. It is nice to be able to turn in the movies at the local store and get more in exchange. I eventually reasoned that we were spending a lot of time trying to make sure we got new movies every day and not necessarily doing much as a family. I canceled before the billing cycle started. We essentially got about 20 free movies in the month and I caught up on some that I had missed. It's a great way to get some free movie rentals if you want to catch up on what you've missed.

[whatamess]

I grocery shop every two weeks now, only take as much money as I am comfortable spending and a list. I buy in bulk at a wholesale club, buy whatevers cheapest with a coupon or special (many times both at BJ's wholesale). Before I go to the register I double check everything and question myself on its need.
As for clothes, I prefer catalog shopping for my kids so I search coupon sites for baragin codes like 'free shiping plus 10% off'. I buy good quality but not excessive clothes thats last a long time. I try to buy everything so it matches and no loud prints or thngs that go out of style fast so my younger one can use them.
Buy GOOD QUALITY, timeless shoes and bags and keep them a long time. Europeans do this. They buy MUCH less than we do. At least the ones I home stayed with.
Hanging your clothes outside to dry or on a line in the basement helps them last longer, pill less and not shrink. Plus you save on electricity on the dryer.
I Dont use air conditioning unless its over 80-85 and or very humid. Keep heat set at 65 in winter and wear warmer clothes.
Rent movies, books and music from your local library, its free!
Join a book and DVD exchange.
If its on sale/extreme markdown and you would not consider paying full price if you could afford to, you probably dont like it that much. It will end up in good will within a year. Why bother.

AVOID medical bills by eating good quality food, & stop smoking!! (I need to follow that one more, but Ive never smoked!) After my husband quit smoking we saved over $100 a month!!!!!
WAM

[Bandit]

I do not know why and do not have a certain routine but I just look for bargains & sales in everything. There is no reason to pay full price most of the time.

Now, my Dad is another story. He can talk your ear off about the price of groceries, how much he saved and he will let you know when you make good deals and when he can get it cheaper. He has a way of turning a 100.00 grocery bill into only costing 25.00. I wish he lived by me because he loves to shop for groceries while finding it soothing to help people out doing their shopping and bringing them the deals. Coupons, Rainchecks, specials...he has a network with people in the grocery business and a pocket full of reciepts, coupons, notes just waiting to use them or turns them in for credit for some people who run little stores just before they expire.

[Keebler]

Here's the kind of bargain hunting that gets me interested because it's funny and thrifty to the extreme...

Click for link to FatWallet Forum

The thread starts out innocently enough...

1) Go to Meijer.
2) Buy six 8oz blocks of Kraft Philadelphia "1/3 Less Fat" Cream Cheese at 99c each.
3) Go to self-scan and check out. You will receive TWO $4 general shopping coupons.
4) Go back and get another 8 blocks of cheese.
5) Go to 3).

Repeat ad infinitum

NOTE: In step 4 you need only buy another 6 blocks of cheese. Use the extra $2 as you wish.

Somewhere around the fifth page of the discussion, someone posts a great description of thier visit...

[SinkingFast]

Back when I was in College, an Engineering Student friend told me to always empty the gas line when filling my tank.

Shut off the pump and squeeze the handle to release the pressure in the line. At that time, it got us about an extra penny of gasoline. But a penny here and penny there adds up. I forget how many extra gallons of gas/year he figured he got using this technique.

So I've always done that. Shut off the pump. Squeeze the handle. Release the pressure on the line and get that extra tad of gasoline.

Evidently someone else does the same thing. I go to the gas station one day. I hadn't even put the handle in the gas tank of my car. Turn on the pump, and the price immediately jumps to a dime. And that was back when gas was $2/gallon.

I'd bet the hose holds 15 cents of gas now at $3/gallon!!

[whatamess]

Ahh gas, Ive been ripped off quite a bit lately as in NJ we are not allowed to pump our own gas. Our Toyota should not be burning gas so quikly. A tank use to last us a week and now its three to four days less.
Funny, I have no idea how to even pump gas!! When weve gone out of state I just ask some poor guy to help me because I am a dumb broad from NJ, and he ends up doing it. I dont like touching the things, to stinky!!! NJ folk are weirdos like me.

BTW WHAT would one do with eight to ten blocks of cream cheese? I have a hard enough time using up one block. Make a hoard of cheese cakes? Can you freeze it? Ive bought cereal, meats and pasta/can and jar goods in bulk only.
WAM

[sandhall]

well I guess you can say that we do what is called block cook we have a group of 6 women and we all have 3 others in our household so we all only cook one night a week but when we do it is for 18 people it saves alot of time and really money and it is nice that after work you don't have to rush home to cook but one night a week. On my nite since I get home at 5:30 I usually start the meal before leaving for work and my hubby comes home at lunch and finishes it and delievers to the other families. On Sunday no one cooks for any one but their family that way everyone can do what they need to with family. And you can get pretty creative when cooking for 18 and it doesn't have to be a huge meal last night we had stir fry a little different oriental flavor ramen cooked water drained your choice of meat and a package of veggies and mixed together very inexpensive.

[arkienurse]

Shut off the pump and squeeze the handle to release the pressure in the line. At that time, it got us about an extra penny of gasoline. But a penny here and penny there adds up. I forget how many extra gallons of gas/year he figured he got using this technique.

1. Most of the pumps in our area now don't shut off until you place the handle back in it's cradle. so there is no way to milk the handle anymore. Especially the ones where you can pay at the pump without going in and being tempted by those evil candy bars.

2. Someone else is having to pay for your gas that you got out of the hose.

[Bandit]

1) Go to Meijer.
2) Buy six 8oz blocks of Kraft Philadelphia "1/3 Less Fat" Cream Cheese at 99c each.
3) Go to self-scan and check out. You will receive TWO $4 general shopping coupons.
4) Go back and get another 8 blocks of cheese.
5) Go to 3).

Repeat ad infinitum

NOTE: In step 4 you need only buy another 6 blocks of cheese. Use the extra $2 as you wish.

This reminds me of an old friend. I cannot remember exactly what she does but when she got to the bottom and end of her cart, somehow she had all this free stuff. It was not buy one get one free either. She made two seperate piles on the belt and the first stuff was all coupons and things, then the last batch was all free stuff though not exactly from using coupons. I know this because when I went, she told to me do everything exactly the way she does it and she would point out what would be free at the checkout.

Another good one if you really have time and can do it religiously, is to do the rebates. Some of the rebates can bring in a nice paycheck once it gets rolling.