I officially *love* this thread.
It took me literally 3 days to read it - a little at a time - and I'm implementing quite a few of the ideas. I'm doing 1/4 cup baking soda in the wash and 1/4 vinegar in the rinse for fabric softener. I use some essential oil, and there's no big difference except a less heavily fragranced load of laundry, but the savings are worth it
. Haven't tried the laundry detergent yet because I can't find the washing soap...but when I do I'll try it.
I have started counting coupons and I will implement some of the removal of paper products like napkins and paper towels. I don't eat out at all.
I have recently gotten married and my husband is from Scotland and until everything is set with immigration he can't work (he had his own business in Scotland and is sort of in limbo right now.) I support my mom and baby sister and currently am the only person in the house working (though my mom is trying to find a job...just the economy is bad).
My biggest frusterations are that no one likes my suggestions (without giving them a try)...namely my mom. You guys with kids are lucky you can make them do whatever, but having to deal with adults who fight me tooth and nail and who you can't slip things by is stressful. My mom is set in her ways. She hates the energy efficient lightbulbs and pretty much any budget tip she is skeptical about and really doesn't like even before the getgo. Which is also frustrating since I'm also the one with the paycheck at the moment...we can't make ends meet I'm trying the best I can, and all I get is grief...and all I'm trying to do is my best that I can with the little we have. You'd think as adults they'd realise.
My husband is supportive though. Of course he helps me a ton with my eBay business.
Anyway....
Questions:
1. Aldi people...is it worth it? I mean, is it significantly less than say,
Walmart? I only ask because my closest Aldi is 1/2 hour away and I don't know if it's worth the trek.
2. How do people get such good prices on meat? I never find really good prices anymore and I read all the ads...Walmart, Meijer, Glenns, and so on.
My Tips:
These aren't amazing but a couple of ones I didn't see that I use
1. I like body sprays (like from
Bath and Body Works or Victoria Secret) but if I get one for a holiday that I don't really love the scent I don't want to waste it. What I do is one of a couple things...I sometimes water it down and use it as a spray to spray on bed and pillows to refresh it (but I have to like the scent a certain amount to do this) but what I don't like on me, I might like on my pillow in a watered down version.
Sometimes I use it on clothes that get wrinkled for a refrest and toss them in the dryer for a minute and they smell good too. IE. you wear a sweatshirt and it's still good for another wear but a little wrinkly.
You can also organize a cosmetic swap with all of your girlfriends. Everyone brings their partially used bottles or unused bottles of whatever and you can trade for something you wanted to try or might use.
2. When I go on a trip and have to use a hotel (not WDW for me though) I used hotwire.com. If you are adventurous it can save you a ton and you can get a nice room for less. Did this last summer to Cedar Point and I saved a lot and got a way nicer room than I would have otherwise for that money.
I take the soaps that are leftover in the room (you are allowed to take these but I'd never steal something that you aren't allowed to take) and I use them as handsoaps in the bathroom. My husband and I got upgraded for free to the Ritz when our hotel was booked for a hockey tourny we got the NICEST Bvulgari Soap from there. Everyone loved it. It's also lasted longer than our liquid soap does. The little shampoo bottles are good to make up little guest baskets for company. I leave things like sewing kit because I don't use it and I don't like wasting stuff.
3. Lately I've been putting together a family recipe book on the computer. I'm trying to do meal planning by the month and I think this will help. It will have things like roast chicken, hamburgers, etc...anything we eat weird or common so that if I can't think of an idea I can look through our family book. It'll have the ingredients for ease of shopping and the approximate cost. If I try a new recipe it'll go in if it's good enough for a repeat...if not it doesn't make the book. I'm going to put it in a 3 ring binder so I can expand and I'm making it on the computer. I'm only doing main dishes and sorting them by main ingredient: ie. chicken, beef, fish, veggie, etc.
Hope these help. I'm terrible at budgeting, but I'm getting good. These are HARD times, but I count it as blessings because I would not have learned these things if I didn't have to. When things are normal again (God Willing) I will still be doing these tips and saving tons of $$$$$.
) this weekend. It really does hold a whole load of laundry. The only draw back is I can only do one load per day while I wait for the clothes to dry. I told my husband I want to budget another rack in next month so I can do at least 2 loads at a time. He's all for it! 
) I will start making and using my homemade detergent, fabric softner (aka vinegar) and dryer sheets.
. My husband's mom used to make something like this all of the time. She called it American Chop Suey (apparantly the name is a New England thing but it's known as goulash or Johnny Marzetti). We make it with cooked chop meat, sauteed onions & celery. It's very good, filling & easy to stretch.
