You know you're budget minded when....

[Cindy B]

We all have heard Jeff Foxworthy's redneck jokes... well, lets play a game here..

I wanted to write budget queen but in deference to the few males here.. made it ok for all of us..

I'll go first


You know you're budget minded when...



Your kids know what day is "curbside shopping" day.


You scout out garage sales/resale stores/and other venues for Ebay stock


You are on first name terms with the meat guy in the grocery store (since you are there when he marks down the meat in the morning)

You can differeniate between the "good" and the "bad" dollar stores

You reuse everything....a dollar store tablecloth becomes bibs for your kids, or a mat for under the high chair, etc..

You tell people when they compliment you on your outfit.. ."I got it for $2 at the Salvation Army!"

You shop with coupons only, and a good shop you save at least 20%, if not 50%

[Cinders]

...the lady at the post office smiles and asks if you have more Ebay boxes for her.

...your youngest DS insists on checking out the clearance stuff at all stores for Ebay items.

...your DS insists you buy him a Columbia coat that is 3 sizes too big at a garage sale 'cuz its only $8 and you see his point. :p

...you call your DH twice in one day to remind him to bring home unsealed padded envelopes from the bulbs he's installing that day so you can use them for packaging auctions.

...buy several very old magazines....not to read but to take apart and sell the ads on Ebay....but tell the former owner you love to read such informative articles.

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

You only buy soda when it's on major sale and then you stock up for the next month by purchasing the limit for each brand.

You save coupons for purchases when items are already on sale.

You buy Christmas Presents after Christmas for the following year when sweaters are on major sale.

You go to Costco ONLY for the one item you have a major coupon on and refuse to purchase anything else.

[frannn]

...you eat out on the weekends, but eat your leftovers for lunch the following two weekdays.
...you do online reward programs that take away your precious "me" time (and sleep and bathroom time) only to earn a lousy 25. gift cert after 3 months of @#*& clicking.
...you know several of the CMs by voice due to calling CRO for AP and other discount rates on a daily basis.
...various car rental companies are going to give people your # since you know so much more about their rates than they do.
...The ratio of $ you spend on Disney surpasses the amount you spend on everything else for the year combined.

[crazyforgoofy]

When you consider a last minute trip to Disney because the SWA rates are so low right now AND DU Travel can get rooms at Courtyard @ Downtown Disney for $39 per night. Okay I didn't do it but if I could have just stretched that budget a bit farther with all the tips I've read here.

[LIFERBABE]

You shop the Grocery Store ads on the last day of the sale, and you are HAPPY that they are out of stock so you can get rain checks instead of spending the money to stock up!

Your children know that all the snacks in the house "are for Disney World" because you take your own and they dare not eat them before you get there.

Your children understand that more toys equals less Disney.....and choose Disney!

You give Connections Gift Cards....As Gifts!

You split a meal voucher and take the dessert out. (now that's just cheap! LOL)

You spend more on DVC than on a new car. Disney Budget Minded that is.

[renessa]

...you see a frozen food clearance (wal-mart) and buy so much that you must duct tape the freezer door to keep it closed!!!

(and the freezer at work has lunch for a week, and the fridge has tonight and tomorrow nights dinner)

Much to the dismay of my DH!!!!

REN

[RobinMarie]

None one in your office has an internet 'favorites' folder for bargain sites because you know them all off the top of your head!

You feel like a travel agent for all of your friends finding low prices.

Your 6 yo always checks with you at a cash register, "Mama, any coupons?"

[HeyMickey]

... you have almost nothing in your closet that you didn't get at a 70% off sale or factory outlet.

... your body lotion never smells the same twice because you collect the little hotel bottles and dump them all into one big bottle.

... you never buy printer paper, you steal it from the office.

... you have an elaborate coupon exchange set up among extended family scattered across the state.

... you won't use the A/C in the car because it hurts the gas mileage, and you won't have A/C installed in the house because of the electric bill.

... you charge everything to your airline credit card to "get the miles."

... you reuse plastic spoons you get at Dairy Queen and smuggle straws and crackers out of restaurants.

... you take your own lemonade and popcorn to major league baseball games.


All from personal experience, unfortunately... :p

[C.Ann]

You still haggle over prices at a garage sale where everything is only a quarter to begin with...

You only shop the Dollar Store when they have their 75% clearance after each holiday...

By the time your child is 3, they can't recite their name, address, or telephone number - however, they do throw out complete phrases such as:

"Use it up, wear it out - make it do, or do without.."

"If you don't save dimes, you'll never have dollars.."

"Money can't buy happiness - unless of course you're spending it to go to Disney World.."

-----------

You brown bag your lunch for work (which consists of a PBJ sandwich) AND you rinse out and reuse the same plastic baggie for a minimum of 3 to 6 months..

You tell everyone you "love" wearing your hair long - while the truth of the matter is you don't want to spend the money to get it cut until you're tripping over it..

You dress in garage sale clothes from head to toe and your DH gets all misty eyed when he says, "Punkin, you look like the $1.98 Beauty Show.."

You serve your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers to your family twice a week - until the following Thanksgiving..

You quit your job - so you'll have more time to devote to selling on eBay so you can go to Disney World................... ;)

[MollyBelle]

I thought I was good. I really did. I don't hold a candle to you people.

[Cindy B]

-- Here's another one..

You find an article about $5 a week for groceries per person.. and you actually do it


You find that spaghetti without meat is actually pretty good.

Your DH knows when you come home from the grocery store and sees a name brand something.. "I Know,don't get used to it-- its on sale!"


You scour the bargain bin in the dairy section at the grocery store for 25 cent yogurts!

You have checked out the Tightwad Gazeete volumes 1-3 at the library multiple times because you are too cheap to buy it!

You do survey sites and test drive incentives to get Target Gift Cards.

You want a bigger car so you don't have to pass up good stuff at curbside!

Your kids on a bike ride around the neighborhood tell you what a good trashpick is and sometimes bring it home for you

:eek: (My son has done that!, teaching him well, aren't I?)

[GoofItUp]

...you gather the dryer sheets after each load and re-use them on the next loads.

...you keep your house about 60 degrees in the winter so you won't have to run central heating.

...you get to work an hour early because your huband has to be there at that time and you want to carpool to save on gas.

...you can't afford all that "healthy" eating at lunch since Dairy Queen has HungerBuster's on for 99 cents. And you have to split a drink with DH to save on that! (Or bring a bottle of water from the office.)

...grocery shopping takes an extra hour and a calculator since you have to divide every item to figure out the best price per unit of measure.

[Cindy B]

I also reuse dryer sheets...


.... also if..


When you recieve free samples in the mail, you divide them up so you get the most use (ie face clothes/makeup samples, and shampoo) My one time use shampoo sample is going on three days worth now!


You use baking soda and vinegar to clean your counters

[reeddi]

- you only buy your kids clothes at garage sales.
- you only but yourself and husband's close at end of season sales or closing Kmart's (but only when it is at least 70% off).
- you buy the meat at Sam's after they mark it down. (thursdays around here)
- you buy holiday decorations the first week of January for next year.
- you talk your brother in law (miltary) into to go to disney just so you can save on tickets. (he wants to go anyway.)

I definately do the reusing the dryer sheets.

[Cindy B]

I forgot another one..


If your DH is balding or very close to bald, you buy your own clippers for $35 and do his hair every 3-4 weeks.

Every haircut used to cost $12--the clippers were paid for within two months.

I also do my sons hair as well.

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

I thought everyone reused the dryer sheets!

How about:

You only buy generic OTC drugs (no name brands here)

You only run the dishwasher, washer, or dryer in the early morning or at night, not only to save energy, but to save $

You don't purchase gas until you're sure you've found the station with the lowest price.

[SeaShelley]

You know you're budget minded when.....

Your kids think "irregular" is a brand name.

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by SeaShelley
You know you're budget minded when.....

Your kids think "irregular" is a brand name.

LOL!

[Cindy B]

When you buy heating oil in July since the price is only $1.09 a gallon versus $1.59 a gallon in November!

[Cindy B]

Thanks for remeinding me about perscriptions...


My Rx plan at work has a FREE no cost plan if you do mail order. I ask for samples to tide me over until the mail order comes in.. usually a week or less.

[HeyMickey]

... you take bags of your old stuff to Goodwill to donate and then go inside to shop for "new" stuff for yourself.

... you ask the cashier at the department store to leave the hangers on the clothes (that you got at 70% off)

... when you find out a major chain store is going out of business, you go to one location every night until they close looking for the best bargains.

... old toothbrushes never die, they just become cleaning utensils.

... your towels are so thin they're translucent.

... you buy a bag of charcoal while on vacation and bring what's left home with you on the plane (my mom actually did this once!)

... you give "Christmas 2000" ornaments as gifts - for Christmas 2001.

[beansmom]

you get really, really upset when you don't save at least 50% on your groceries with coupons.

Your kid doesn't understand why thrift store t=shirts are so much better than mall store t=shirts.

[frannn]

Oh, its a joke, ok...

[darlene9947]

Hi, All!

These are great tips. Here's one I haven't seen on here but I do this everynite. I only fill up one section of the dishwasher soap dispenser with detergent. My dishes still come out clean and shiny!!:Pinkbounc

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

You know that 75 cent coupons are better than dollar ones, since your supermarket will do double coupons, but only under a dollar.

[Tigger Fans!]

You know you're budget minded when .....

- you don't even look at the clothes in the front of the store....you head straight for the "clearance" racks in back

- the salesgirl at GapKids knows you by name and tells you what items have been marked down when you walk in the door

- you take multiple ads with you shopping to get stores to "price match" and beat their competitors prices

TTFN!
:earsgirl: :earsboy: :wave:

[cinlee3]

You not only reuse the dryer sheets in the dryer - you use them to dust the furniture.

I love the one about irregular being a name brand.:teeth:

[gm]

1. When you use Carryout instead of Delivery for Pizza Order(no tipping)

2. Have hubby cut my hair(its straight so just a snip at the bottom so no need to spend money):eek: , go to $2.99 haircut place to get kids cut and hubby's haircut.

3. Keep transferring medications from pharmacy to pharmacy to get bonus gift certicates Ex: $20 transfer to CVS,etc .

4. Wear hand me downs from family(sis manages a dept store so she always has great clothing that her daughter wears maybe once or twice because of her bulk buying at generous discounts)

5.Use a toenail cutter to cut my nails instead of going to Kim Nails

6. When you buy toys from the local thrift stores for kids(hey, they have almost new toys like the one I bought today called Spiderman city a town you build with spidey flying around it for $1.50)

7. When you pile up oatmeal soap at the Dolphin to use at home:smooth:

8. When you use the same mattress for 10 years even though you can afford a brand new one.
:eek:

9. Never buy clothes from the mall and stock up during 80%off for clothes for use for next summer:cool:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Michelina]

You risk some really bad hair days by getting $4.00 hair cuts at the local beauty college...

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by Michelina
You risk some really bad hair days by getting $4.00 hair cuts at the local beauty college...

I've done that as well, but gotten them for free! I sign up to be a model at the fancier hair salons.. I have gotten two to three haircuts for free, and one color.

Everytime you go somewhere different (which I do!) ask to be put on the model list.

[tinaw]

When your 4 year old daughter says "Here mama, this dress is too small, can you sell it on Ebay?"

[powellrj]

Your kids don't know you are allowed to eat out in resturants and not use a coupon.

You have the next years christmas shopping done in the middle of January because you got everything for 75%.

Your kids are the ones at the party yelling "don't tear the paper"

Your kids can figure 25%, 30%. 33% ect... off before they can write their names.

You have made friends with people that you only see when Target has 90% off seasonal sales. And you see them at more than one store on that day!

You are always a holiday behind. You are giving out halloween candy for christmas, christmas for V-day, V-day for easter, and freezing easter for halloween.

[DiznEeyore]

These are wonderful!! I have a few to add:


... you cut your no-brand dryer sheets from Dollar General in half, and use vinegar in your (free) Downy ball to soften clothes you'll hang to dry

... you tell your family they're only allowed to *want* pizza on Wednesdays, when it's $3.99 for a large carry-out

... you use a clothesline to dry laundry when it's sunny & warm; when it's not, you hang the laundry inside on everything that will stand still so you don't have to use the dryer

... you stock up on all kinds of things when they're on super-sale/coupons (I still have red "Grinch" Saran Wrap from 2 years ago when I got it w/coupons for .12 per roll at KMart and I've been using the Wisk sample tablets I bought at CVS w/coupons for .03 for the last 2-1/2 years -- won't run out of Wisk for literally another 2 years, esp. since I only use 1 tablet per load! LOL)

... you risk life and limb giving your long-haired cat a "sanitary trim" (if you have a long-haired cat you know what I mean) with $10 clippers from Meijer so you don't have to keep paying the vet $15 every other month (We have another clipper set that we use for home haircuts for dh & ds)

... you get free perms done by your mil rather than paying $60 at the salon (the "salon" for me is a great gal who cuts my hair for $15 in her basement!)

... you drive 1/2 hour in a blackout to stow your precious Aldi groceries in your church's freezer so they won't be ruined

[jiggerj]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by frannn

...you do online reward programs that take away your precious "me" time (and sleep and bathroom time) only to earn a lousy 25. gift cert after 3 months of @#*& clicking.
/QUOTE]

LOL !!! been there, done that and NOT going back ! :)

[onecoolmama]

- when your hair is 8 different shades because you keep buying which ever do-it-yourself hair-dye is on sale

- when your kids think that the store brand cookies are the best

- when you get one refillable mug and everyone shares it!

- when the disney store CM's point you to the clearence items

- when your kids have one b-day party becuase there b-days are a month apart and their theme is whatever happens to be on sale!

[Shelby5514]

- you talk your boss into paying for broadband so you can always be connected to work.

-you also talk him into paying for your cell phone so he can get you anytime. (m-f 8-5 only!)

-you work from home instead of an office and they pay you $100/mo. for "office space".

-you only buy cereal when it's under .50 after coupon.

- you have a stockpile of toothpaste (all free after coupons).

-borrow dvd's from the library.

-clip your kitties claws yourself. (Be VERY careful if you try this. It helps if their half asleep!)

-decorate your house with dept store visual displays they were throwing out.

Shelby5514:Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc

[crazymomof4]

THIS IS FUN! And it's nice to know that there are so many other "Penny-pinchers" out there!!!

~When the stickiness goes out of the diaper tabs (bc. you got powder on them or whatever) so you fasten your baby's (clean)diaper with duct tape rather than waste it!

~When more often than not, the cashiers at the grocery store have to call for an overide because you have TOO MUCH taken off your bill by using coupons. I say to them, "Did I save too much again?" and they just shake their head and say, "Ya." They have labeled me "The Queen of Coupons".

~Your kid's ask for an item in the grocery store and before I can reply they say outloud, "I know, I know, not with out it being on sale and you having a coupon!!"

~You cook up the giblets from a turkey bc. your cats love them and it saves one can of catfood.

~You read "The Tightwad Gazzette", borrowed from the library, of course.

~You save all the many papers your kids bring home from school because they are usually blank on the back and they can be used for scribble paper for the 2 yo.

~You use the leftover water in the cat's bowl to water a nearby plant.

:) I'll think of more! This is great!:)

[crazymomof4]

:jester: You read all the posts on a thread called, "You know you're budget minded when...." to get some good ideas on how to save money!!:jester:

[crazymomof4]

Originally posted by Annie&Hallie'sMom
You only buy soda when it's on major sale and then you stock up for the next month by purchasing the limit for each brand.



I do this too but I drag along my 14 yo DS (his eyes rolling and head shaking) to also buy the limit. I just got a few cases of the store brand at $.13/can and plan on selling them for $1. a piece (on ice) at our town-wide yard sale next month!

[crazymomof4]

~Before going to the movies you tell your boys to change into their baggiest pants with the biggest pockets so they can stuff them full of candy. Then you catch your 2 yo DD shoving rolls of smarties into her waistband.

~You have a purse that you only use when you go to the movies bc. when empty, it holds an entire bag of popped at home microwave popcorn.

~You save the AA batteries that are too weak to power the kid's personal CD players and RC cars bc. they still have enough juice in them to use in the TV remotes.

~You scrape the ice cream from the lid on the carton, it's only a half-spoonful but, hey, you paid for it! (SIL made fun of me once when she saw me doing this:( )

[Charleneluvsdisney]

This is the cutest thread! I didn't realize how much of this stuff I actually do until I read these.

My son actually screams when he hears the word SALE! But not in the good way, he gets mad at me because I won't buy anything unless it is on sale.

I just thought of another one..........

Read the sale ads weekly for school supplies. Only purchase the sale items at that store and continue to check them off the supply list until all have been purchased. I have been doing this for 3 weeks now and have spent $6 on school supplies with 2 weeks to go before school! I think I am down to 3 items left and I know I will find them on sale eventually!

[MaMudduck]

Originally posted by LIFERBABE
Your children know that all the snacks in the house "are for Disney World" because you take your own and they dare not eat them before you get there.

Yep, guiltly as charged!

[Coll0610]

Your DS knows the route around Target to catch all the end-stands with the clearance items on them.

You tell DS that you have to go to Kroger that day and he says "well duh, it's triple coupons week".

Your family loves to come shop in your stockpile of shampoo, toothpaste, etc that you don't like but bought anyway because it was free with coupons.

[crazymomof4]

Originally posted by LIFERBABE


Your children know that all the snacks in the house "are for Disney World" because you take your own and they dare not eat them before you get there.



Showed this to my kids and said, "See, I'm not the only one!"

[reldridge]

I believe that all of you have been hanging around with my wife!!

:jester:

[GoofItUp]

reldridge - What a lucky man you are to have such a woman! (At least that's what I keep telling MY DH!!!) :p

[lynetteSC]

Wow! You guys inspire me! Some great ideas! :)

[MollyBelle]

I see myself in so many of these!

Target "end caps" rock! Disney CM's know my name and also point to clearance! My daughters say, "is this enough percent off for us?", etc....

My friends make fun of me, but they tell me they really admire my tenacity...I say, "is tenacity another word for cheap?"...

ha

[Cindy B]

I shop off the target clearance end caps as well.. i go straight to them...

I go directtly to the clearance racks first anywhere I go..

I went to new Disney store, and they had the clearance rack hiding... i had to HUNT for it! but you know, I picked it clean!

[callaghan]

When in Target....

your four year old asks "Mommy, are we going to scan it or buy it?" as she hold up one of the random (hopefullly clearance items) in your cart.

callie

[MaMudduck]

......your travel agent friend phones you and asks "what's the cheapest way to get my other clients to WDW!"