Sacrifices

[Eureka]

Supper tonight will be your choice of two mediocre leftovers.

Thank you for making me laugh, I needed it today. Sundays and Thursdays are our leftover days.

 

[raftislander]

I know that this wont work for everyone, but I am in a "WW lunch group" at work with four other coworker's. Each of us brings a healthy lunch ( not more than 10pts on the Weight Watchers points+ system) one day a week for everyone in the group. This has the advantage of being lower in cost, more convenient, and healthier than buying lunch out. If someone is on vacation, the remaining four of us might do a pot luck salad bar to cover the fifth day (someone brings the lettuce and the rest of us bring something that can go on a salad). Usually we can do this without anyone having to shop. Lately, we have had someone who is not usually in the group ask to be the fill-in participant. We have tried a lot of new recipes and keep a book of the ones we really like.

I live alone for most of the year (daughter in college) At least once a month I will try to eat for a week out of my pantry and freezer - buying is limited to milk,fresh fruit, and a few fresh veggies. Food waste due to freezer burn has been reduced to almost nil. I have more space in my pantry and freezer- not to mention that I am better aware of what it contains.

I just stopped my newspaper as I can get news online. It didn't contain much that was newsworthy and since my daughter is no longer in the local school system, I have less need to keep up to date with what is happening locally. I can get coupons online or buy an occasional Sunday paper.

I have had great success in lowering money spent on tolietries using coupons. Pick a store that has a good loyalty program and try to stock up on consumables like shampoo, toothpaste, feminie hygiene products, etc when there is a good sale.

I stay out of stores unless I need something. I see things while out shopping that I would like, but dont need. If you dont go to the mall or browse online, you aren't tempted. I used to spend a lot on books. Between my library and local Goodwill, I no longer have this expense.

 

[MrsPete]

I don't see anything listed here that I'd consider a sacrafice. Cooking at home instead of eating out, not paying for cable, working out at home instead of going to a gym, buying generic brands -- I see these as skipping a splurge.

It's a mindset thing. I've always been frugal, and I consider the lowest reasonable expense to be "the standard" (i.e., cooking a moderately priced dinner at home). Anything above that (i.e., cooking an expensive steak or going out) standard is a splurge.

Why does this matter? Well, if you consider skipping a meal out -- since that seems to be a common one here -- to be a sacrafice, you're only going to do that 'til you see your bank account reach X amount, then you're going to tell yourself it's okay to splurge again. In contrast, if you begin with the concept that cooking at home is "the standard" and going out is a splurge, you'll continue on that more frugal path and will continue to save.

 

[manateesmom]

We are seriously considering scaling back DS's childcare situation, though we're agonizing over it. A year ago, DS was seriously injured at daycare when he was 2 years old (stupidity of the provider, not being watched, area not child-proofed). He ended up with stitches and a scar on his face. We freaked out and probably went way overboard, but hired a nanny. Now we pay anywhere from $800 to $940 more per month for the nanny than we would for a daycare center or home daycare. We can sort of afford it. We're on track for planned college savings. We are not exactly where I want to be on 401k savings (still rebuilding from losing most of my 401k in the crash). We pay all of our bills, but there are times when we end up just squeaking by with enough food for the week. We actually pay more for the nanny than for our mortgage.

DS starts school in 2 1/2 years. I tell myself that we'll be in this position for a couple of years only, we can do it. I have such fear of leaving DS in another daycare. We have not been able to find another family willing to do a nanny-share arrangement (honestly, we're not living in a nanny-level-income neighborhood, kwim?).

But we're thinking about ending the nanny arrangement and putting DS back into a daycare because it's just so much money. I don't know if we're crazy to have the nanny now, or if it would be crazy to economize by cutting back on childcare.

 

[tinker&belle]

We are seriously considering scaling back DS's childcare situation, though we're agonizing over it. A year ago, DS was seriously injured at daycare when he was 2 years old (stupidity of the provider, not being watched, area not child-proofed). He ended up with stitches and a scar on his face. We freaked out and probably went way overboard, but hired a nanny. Now we pay anywhere from $800 to $940 more per month for the nanny than we would for a daycare center or home daycare. We can sort of afford it. We're on track for planned college savings. We are not exactly where I want to be on 401k savings (still rebuilding from losing most of my 401k in the crash). We pay all of our bills, but there are times when we end up just squeaking by with enough food for the week. We actually pay more for the nanny than for our mortgage.

DS starts school in 2 1/2 years. I tell myself that we'll be in this position for a couple of years only, we can do it. I have such fear of leaving DS in another daycare. We have not been able to find another family willing to do a nanny-share arrangement (honestly, we're not living in a nanny-level-income neighborhood, kwim?).

But we're thinking about ending the nanny arrangement and putting DS back into a daycare because it's just so much money. I don't know if we're crazy to have the nanny now, or if it would be crazy to economize by cutting back on childcare.[/QUOTE


Have you looked into a preschool type setting? I think it might ease your mind I'd there were multiple eyes on him and the environment.