Monday, November 8, 2010

Saving money at home

I was thinking about my Make it Monday post this weekend and I decided to share with you some things I do to save money at home. I think this might benefit you because if you are saving money on your day to day things, you will have more money for your wedding. Plus, I have really enjoyed doing my part to not use as much energy and resources. Okay so here are some changes we have made in our family to help cut grocery costs and save on bills.

1. I am a coupon shopper. I get the Sunday paper and save the coupons. I go to websites like, The Grocery Game and Frugal Living NW to get insider tips on sales in my area. I use all store club cards like Safeway and Walgreen's. I just got a $5 gift certificate to Walgreen's just because I scan my card when I shop and fill my prescriptions there. Plus you can load coupons to your Safeway and Fred Meyer cards for additional savings!

2. I also use Swagbucks.com I have received $20 in Amazon gift cards just by searching normal things I would look for online. It is a cool deal!

3. We have replaced all the light bulbs in our home with efficient ones, even the dining room has them now. I honestly saw a difference in our bill the next month.

4. I get together with my friends and we cook meals to put in our freezer. Not only does this cut down on the cost of groceries because you are sharing the bill, but it helps you to have meals in your house so that you are not getting take out on days you don't have time to cook. PLUS we always have leftovers for lunch the next day, again, better to have yummy leftovers than getting fast food.

5. We keep our heater at 65 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night. This might not be for everyone, but we don't mind wearing long sleeves at home. We also use our wood burning fireplace to heat the house when we have wood.

6. We have a budget. For some this is a given, but I know people who don't keep one. This really helps me stay accountable to living within our means. I have a curtain amount for groceries, gas, entertainment (like going to the movies or eating out with friends), clothes, gift giving, etc. This budget helps me plan for my month. If I have a lunch date towards the end of the month, then I make sure to eat at home and watch Netflix online at the beginning of the month. I only buy clothes for myself and my family that we need, and I don't spend a ton of money on crafts and sewing projects (which could really get away from me if I let it ;).

7. Don't buy it unless you have the money. We put nothing on credit cards that we can not pay off the next bill. We use an AMEX from Costco to get the cash back bonus each year, but we pay the card off each month. We have a savings account that we have a scheduled transfer to each month. I set it up like a bill so that I know we are saving the money. When we want to buy something like a new tv or a video game, we look at this account. If the money is not in there, we don't get it.

8. I almost forgot to mention a couple little things.  First, our tv has an Eco Solutions option that turns down the brightness and uses less energy. Second, when we leave, for even one night, we turn everything off and unplug everything. If something is plugged in but not being used, like a toaster, it is still drawing power. So we keep all unused appliances unplugged until needed (like the toaster, coffee pot, accent lamps, etc)

I hope these tips help you save in some way. They have helped my husband and I be debt free except for our house and with that we even pay more on the mortgage each month which will help us pay it off sooner and not pay as much interest. If you have any questions about our method, please let me know, I would be happy to answer any questions.

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