Slashing the budget!!!

[Nennie]

I'm preparing to go on maternity leave, and will have reduced income for a few months. Combine that with the fact that I'm carrying a small balance on my credit card (which I usually don't do), so I'm ready to start cutting back!

I just cancelled Cable (internet and TV) and Tivo, and it feels great!

What else can I cancel?? LOL!!

P.S. I'm not cancelling my Disney trips so don't even think about it! ha ha!!!

 

[bettymae1121]

How about your cell phone plan? If your contract is up (or almost up) there are some great pre-paid plans that are way cheaper, especially if you don't use your cell much. I have pre-paid thru T-Mobil and on average my annual cost is $100. There are even pre-paid plans with data included now.

Insurance is another place to save. Review all your policies and shop around. You may be able to get the same coverage for less (just be sure to get new plans in place before canceling old ones). While checking on insurance, make sure you carry enough life insurance now that your family is growing, that's one place you don't want to skimp.

 

[Nennie]

Thanks so much for the insurance suggestion! I'm going to start getting quotes today! Every little bit helps!

Thanks also for the cell phone suggestion, although I fortunately get my cell phone through my employer, so don't need that one!

Whoever thought cutting back would be so much fun!

 

[MusiqChic99]

No eating out. Buying soda/bottled water. Make tea and get a Brita pitcher, if you dont already have one.

Base meals off of sale items at local grocery stores. Cut out as much extra stuff as possible. Treat yourself occasionally of course and really it will feel like a treat when you do!

Good luck! I've been budgeting too since we are going to Disney at the end of May. I figure every little bit I can save before then will be great. I'm having a yard sale in May too and selling a few items on Ebay. Gonna need that gas money!

 

[DawnM]

You cut your internet? Yeah, we couldn't do that. DH needs it for work for one, but we use it every day and need it.

Are you currently planning a Disney trip? Maybe you can prolong the wait time and go 6-9 months later than planned and save some $$ that way.

I suggest writing a detailed budget, including everything you spend, including Disney vacations and get it all on paper and then see what things would be easiest to cut.

Dawn

 

[cglaura]

Is the cell from your employer for work only? If not, and it has long distance (and it is covered in the plan/ok with employer), see if you can drop that from your landline phone.

 

[2disneyboys]

Congrats on your upcoming littleone!

-We cancelled magizine subscriptions
-we visit the library more than the bookstore now
-reduced our cell phone plan
-we pack a lunch and eat at the park rather than eating out
-I meal plan for every other meal and make enough that the next night dinner can be made out of the leftovers.. so I am cooking every other day and its a lot cheaper to make extra one night then the right amount each night.
-I'm not a huge couponer as I mostly buy fresh meat and fresh fruits and veggies, but I always try to have a coupon for any cleaning / health / beauty item we buy and I try to partner the coupons w/ sales to get even better bang for my buck.
-buy whats on sale (meat/fruit/veggie wise) and make your dinners around those.. easy way to save money AND try new things
-if the weather is nice in your area, try & walk more and drive less..this is a HUGE saver for us (not to mention it's good for you!)
-cancel gym memberships and find a website with outdoor workout routes..
-for after the baby is born...try & have some meals premade and frozen. the last thing I wanted to do after being physically attached to a human all night and day was to make dinner.. it was so nice to pull something out of the freezer and put it in the oven or crockpot and be done with it! and that saved me from just ordering out!

 

[albertamommyof4]

make a detailed budget and then live off of cash. anything left put towards vacation and congratulations

 

[chris31997]

Since you will be on maternity leave, you will not be driving as much, so you can your gas budget back(even though the price has gone up). Do you use dry cleaning? Cut that.

I will echo the others that say, budget and pay cash We make a budget every month and pay cash for everything. I make a habit/game of seeing how much I can save out of the budget and that goes into additional vacation savings.

 

[pam95]

P.S. I'm not cancelling my Disney trips so don't even think about it! ha ha!!!

Well, I guess you don't want to hear this, but I saw from your siggie that you were at WDW in January, and you have two more trips planned for May and September of this year. So, my suggestion is that if you really want to slash your budget, you cancel those trips! WDW will still be there next year after you've had the baby and are, hopefully, in a better spot financially.

I was on unpaid maternity leave after having both of our children, and it was very difficult. I would suggest that you take a look at your current expenditures and from there determine what you can cut. For example, when I broke down our spending, I discovered that most of our money each month was going towards food and household expenses. We were spending way too much money eating out just for convenience. So, I started making more meals at home to save money. I do a lot of make ahead meals that DH can toss in the oven for dinner, and we use our crock pot quite a bit. So, we are now getting the convenience for less money. When we do eat out, we use coupons which I got by joining our favorite restaurants' e-mail lists. I also plan our meals around whatever is in our local grocery store's sale ad. So, if chicken is on sale, I plan a meal around chicken, and I purchase additional chicken to freeze for another week when it's not on sale. I also match coupons with the store's ad to save more money. Virtually everything else - clothes, household items, etc., I wait to purchase when I have coupons. I've been able to slash these areas of our budget significantly.

Good luck and congratulations on the soon-to-be newest addition to your family!

 

[Nennie]

Thanks so much for the great suggestions everyone! Love them!!!!

As for the Disney trips, they are already paid for, and the reason we are going so many times this year is b/c we purchased annual passes. After our Sept trip, we will take some time off from Disney for a year or 2, and then do the annual passes again! Believe me, if I were struggling financially I would cut the trips out in a second, but I'm not on the verge of bankruptcy or anything like that, just looking for ways to cut back during maternity leave.

Thanks again everyone! I really appreciate it!!!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Buy things in bulk it much cheaper.
Pack lunches
Summer time is a good time to shop at garage sales.

 

[briand1023]

For two weeks, collect a receipt for everything, I mean everything you buy and then go through and see what you can cut. You will be surprised at what you spend money on without realizing it.

 

[tlh0726]

Buy things in bulk it much cheaper.
Pack lunches
Summer time is a good time to shop at garage sales.

Not always the case.
Do the math before buying.