New ways to beat the economy crunch

[lovemygoofy]

We are having a swap items party later this month that includes 4 other couples and their kids. Women are swapping books including cook books and also accessories like purses, belts and shoes. The men are swapping video games and books and each child is bringing books or 3 toys to swap out.

I'm providing several homemade pizzas. Another couple is bringing dessert, other bringing the drinks and another couple is bringing plates and stuff so less cleanup.

We all enjoy hanging out and I don't care about everyone running around the house. We also are rotating houses for get togethers. It almost looks like the commercials where people are getting together.

 

[ccgirl]

We are having a swap items party later this month that includes 4 other couples and their kids. Women are swapping books including cook books and also accessories like purses, belts and shoes. The men are swapping video games and books and each child is bringing books or 3 toys to swap out.

I'm providing several homemade pizzas. Another couple is bringing dessert, other bringing the drinks and another couple is bringing plates and stuff so less cleanup.

We all enjoy hanging out and I don't care about everyone running around the house. We also are rotating houses for get togethers. It almost looks like the commercials where people are getting together.

This is a really neat idea. Thanks for sharing.

 

[lovemygoofy]

This is a really neat idea. Thanks for sharing.

No problem, I've also learned that if you can get enough couples/families together alot of places will give a group discount.

Last month we had 6 couples and almost 15 children and received a group discount for bowling during a mid Saturday morning. Several of the same people are going skating soon and we are talking about breaking down the costs of renting a boat out for a weekend as a treat.

I know that most people are feeling the same money crunch and it's nice to still "indulge" on a budget. The whole misery loves company is the truth!

 

[Free4Life11]

You would be amazed at how much driving at or near the speed limit and not flooring it at every light can save! Just good luck not getting run over by the other cars who are in a hurry!

I'm hoping to see better mileage...I admit that it's hard not to speed when it seems like everyone around me is flying but I can't afford these high gas prices!

 

[mdrob214]

I'm hoping to see better mileage...I admit that it's hard not to speed when it seems like everyone around me is flying but I can't afford these high gas prices!

My DH has increased his mileage for his truck from 14 mpg to 17 mpg mostly by staying around 2000-2500RPM. You can still drive fast--it's that acceleration that kills the mileage.

 

[shelwoj]

The $5 rotissere chickens at Sam's club are my best friends. DD and DH like the dark meat and I usally just eat 1/2 of a breast. I only have to make a side and a veggie to go with it. The next day I use the left over breast for taco's, paninni's, cream chicken and noodles or chicken salad sandwhiches.

Don't forget to boil the carcass for chicken stock! I make homemade egg noodles add them to the stock and it's one of our favorite meals.

 

[laurafergie]

Why dont you just double cook Thur night so then you get all of Friday off...

Hoping there are some good tips here. I just filled up my gas tank (in my car) and it was $52 wow...I remember the days of $25...

I'm old enough to remember when gas was so cheap - it wasn't even a line item in our budget! I just filled up my minivan today, and it was $58..sigh.

I have been haunting sales for food at Amazon. The subscribe and save feature is awesome, and you can cancel anytime. My latest purchase at Amazon was 4 boxes of Apple Jacks cereal for 5.29 shipped to my door. Can't beat that.

 

[HannaBelle]

My latest purchase at Amazon was 4 boxes of Apple Jacks cereal for 5.29 shipped to my door. Can't beat that.

Nice find!

We buy all of our meat in bulk and portion it out. I try to cook once and eat twice. Grill chicken breasts on Monday, then use leftover for grilled chicken Caesar salad later in the week. (I do this with Salmon too, but it is NOT budget friendly! Lol) I too am a huge fan of the Sam’s rotisserie chickens. I have teenagers, so we eat one whole chicken for a meal. I like to go to Sam’s on Saturday with the whole family, snack on the samples for lunch, buy 2 chickens…everyone gets a dark meat quarter for dinner and then I have enough chicken breast for 2 more meals.

Here is one of my favorite go to recipes for the rotisserie chicken meat.

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

Using a 9x13 casserole that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, layer one bag of frozen broccoli, 2 shredded chicken breasts, spread 2 cans of cream of chicken soup and cover it with foil. Baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Pull it out, remove the foil, place a layer of American cheese slices on top and put back in the oven for about 5 minutes. If you like your broccoli soft, leave it in 30 minutes before adding the cheese.

I just wish my DH was on board with working at cutting back. It is hard when your SO spends money you would prefer to save.

 

[jgreco]

I just wish my DH was on board with working at cutting back. It is hard when your SO spends money you would prefer to save. [/FONT][/COLOR][/FONT][/COLOR]

I feel you. For every dollar I save, he spends 10! We do ok financially, but I hate to be wasteful, so he thinks I am cheap. My family grew up poor, so I am a creature of habit.

 

[AndreaDM]

I'd rather eat out less and go to a nicer restaurant once in awhile

I totally agree! I would rather go out to a very nice dinner once a month than a so-so place every week. That's why I cook almost every single night, or cook enough one night to have leftovers the next. I can't stand paying for mediocre food and crappy service! We had friends ask us to go out tomorrow night, but instead they are coming over for drinks and a ton of appetizers, much cheaper and just as much fun!

We are lucky to have a dollar theater nearby, so any movies we see are there.

 

[Mom_Rides]

We've cut down on eating out as much as what we had previously. I lost my job a year and half ago, spent 6 months unemployed and when I got my new job, it came at $4 less per hour. We had to make a huge budget overhaul.

The one thing we've been doing is showing the kids how much fun we can have at home. And honestly, we're learning too! We spend so much more time together now then we ever have and its nice to sit around the table after dinner and talk, instead of feeling rushed out of the restaurant. We play more board games or Wii games together. DH saved gift cards from his birthday and Christmas and got an XBox that him and the boys play together. We gather around the TV for family movies on Netflix. We've built snowmen this winter and played with the dogs in the snow. We bake more with our kids and let them help plan meals out.

And we've learned to make our favorite restaurant meals at home. Even though some of them may cost a little bit more, spending $20 to make a meal at home is a heck of a lot cheaper then the $60+ for us to get it out!

 

[MrsPete]

Friday has been so ingrained.

Friday's everyone's pizza night -- that's why they never run specials on Friday!

 

[C.Ann]

We are having a swap items party later this month that includes 4 other couples and their kids. Women are swapping books including cook books and also accessories like purses, belts and shoes. The men are swapping video games and books and each child is bringing books or 3 toys to swap out.

I'm providing several homemade pizzas. Another couple is bringing dessert, other bringing the drinks and another couple is bringing plates and stuff so less cleanup.

We all enjoy hanging out and I don't care about everyone running around the house. We also are rotating houses for get togethers. It almost looks like the commercials where people are getting together.

Love this idea!! What a great way to indulge in some "new to you" items without all the expense of going out and purchasing the items.. I could see these types of parties becoming a huge hit!

 

[pampam]

We are having a swap items party later this month that includes 4 other couples and their kids. Women are swapping books including cook books and also accessories like purses, belts and shoes. The men are swapping video games and books and each child is bringing books or 3 toys to swap out.

I'm providing several homemade pizzas. Another couple is bringing dessert, other bringing the drinks and another couple is bringing plates and stuff so less cleanup.

We all enjoy hanging out and I don't care about everyone running around the house. We also are rotating houses for get togethers. It almost looks like the commercials where people are getting together.

Please tell me more. Do you do this at home with friends?

 

[aprilgail2]

Why dont you just double cook Thur night so then you get all of Friday off...

Hoping there are some good tips here. I just filled up my gas tank (in my car) and it was $52 wow...I remember the days of $25...

Mine was 72.00 to fill up yesterday!

We eat out a few times a week (anywhere from 2-5 times!) but I use doubletakedeals.com and get the coupons for half off restaurants there. I like it MUCH better than restuarant.com because its not a coupon like at restaurant.com- you don't have to spend 50.00 to be able to use it!

 

[reggiemcp]

Hi

Did not read all the posts, but was in the same position. I stopped working to stay home with my son and decided Friday night delivery was a waste of money. So I went to Target and spent $16 for Cuisinart Pizza Pan, buy frozen dough at the market ($2.50 for two crusts) and $1.69 at Trader Joe's for their pizza sauce (delicious - can get 2-3 large pizzas from jar). I get my fresh mozzarella at Costco (under $10 - and get 2-3 pizzas from it). I sometimes add eggplant, mushrooms or pepperoni to it.

Pizza takes about ten minutes to make and ten to cook. Comes out with thin crust crispy delicious pie every time. So now we have homemade pizza with our Friday night movie every week. I don't feel like I am throwing money away anymore.

Try it out and you will be very happy.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

We typically have pizza Fridays or Saturdays, but we get Costco pizza. I think the ingredients are fresher than the frozen stuff. We like it better anyway.

Dawn

Yep, we have replaced our fast food habit with a Costco habit! It (seems) healthier and cheaper. Not as cheap or healthy as making dinner from scratch, but it is a nice alternative on a night when there is just no time to cook. I also try crock pot meals once or twice per week, but sometimes my mornings don't go as planned and it just doesn't get done. My Costco is less than 1 mile from home, so very convenient for us. From the "fresh" section we like their fettucini alfredo, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, korean beef...(each around $12), rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes ($5+$2.50), pizza ($10). We buy their angus cheeseburgers from frozen and serve with carrot sticks and cucumber slices with dip instead of fries. You can keep these in the fridge for 2 weeks and just pop in the microwave.

Looking for more ideas,too....as the need for budget cuts keep coming. Last time gas prices spiked up, we were spending nearly $800 / mo on gas I don't even track it anymore...makes me crazy!

 

[princessnoelly]

We typically have pizza Fridays or Saturdays, but we get Costco pizza. I think the ingredients are fresher than the frozen stuff. We like it better anyway.

Dawn

Us too....I love Costco!

 

[NiftyJ88]

One of our local pizza joints sells pizza kits. It's 3 12" crusts with sauce and cheese for under $9. We're a family of 3, so we just make some salads and we each eat a few slices of pizza and it's a super cheap and very tasty dinner because it is all fresh ingredients. We eat one pizza for a meal. So for about 3-4 bucks when you add in the salad, we all eat.

 

[LUVMYTINK]

For the past year I have switched from buying pizzas to making my own, except maybe once a month or every other month during the school year when I go get acouple from Little Caesar (once a month from 4-8pm they donate 15% of their profits to my kids school).

This year with all my kids involved in baseball or softball I am using my crockpot every night they have practices ( and once games start too) instead of stopping for a pizza or going thru a drive thru.