What did you do today to save money?

[Chickysmom]

DH came home from week long business trip and wanted to go out. I said I would cook but he did not want it. We compromised with a take and bake pizza.....so still way better than it could have been. And I've eaten at home with DD all week!

 

[minnie1928]

I bought into the TMobile prepaid plan about a year ago, paid about $100 for 1000 minutes that don't expire for one year. Well, one year is today. I went to renew, fully intending to spend another $100 and decided to read the fine print. Looks like I still had 465 minutes left (yep, I don't use it much!) and if I bought more minutes by the end of the day they would rollover to the new expiration date. Turns out by purchasing $100 last year I'm now a member of some "Gold" club and any purchase of time is good for a year. So, long story short, I only paid $25 to bump me up to 650 minutes that don't expire for a whole year! Saving me about $75 from what I planned to spend!

Now I'm off to look at the grocery store and CVS ads and see what deals I can get with today's coupons.

 

[roadtripper]

I talked the roofer/window installation guy into knocking a couple thousand off the bill as an "off season - cash discount."

Check your federal and state taxes for credits for this, too!
I just got a 600.00 energy CREDIT, as in 600.00 off our state tax bill, due to insulation we put in in 2005. The utility company paid the other half when we put it in, so we got our insulation for free! Plus we have cut down on our heating bill for the past two years due to better insulation. Federal taxes will give you a credit for those windows (not sure about the roof), so save your receipts.

 

[ohiominnie]

This is from yesterday but I didn't get a chance to post.
Noticed gas was $1.92 at our Walmart so when I went in to pick up my presciption, I bought a WM gift card and got my gas for $1.89 a gallon!

Also went to CVS and ONLY bought what was on sale and used manufacturer coupons to the hilt (thanks, grocery game) I also had some ECBs to use and a coupon from our newspaper. Got about $17 worth of stuff for just over $5.

Went to Easton yesterday. Had to pick up a USB keypad and a carrying case for the laptop. After gift cards, my total money out was about $10. Tried out the keypad last night and it just didn't function how I expected it to, so that will go back....savings of just over $40.

Tried to eat at the Cheesecake Factory (with a gift card--that probably wouldn't have covered dh and my split meal and cheesecake) but the wait was 2 HOURS so we grabbed a quick bite at McDogfoods (err, I mean McDonalds)

 

[ducklite]

Today is day SEVEN of the Intervention Program for Compulsive Eater-Outers! I'm meeting a friend this afternoon, I suggested Starbucks (She's a HUGE coffee drinker and I've got a gift card!) instead of a place like TGIFridays--which would have blown my diet as well as costing probably $20 by the time we got out of there.

I'm taking DS to a Civil War re-enactment. I'm going to take the less fuel efficient roadster, which will cost me a little more, but save him $$$ because he wo'nt be able to buy anything that he can't fit into his pockets because there is no trunk room in that car--it will hold a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread.

Anne

 

[minnie1928]

I tried something that someone had posted here on the boards. DD has long hair and we spray it with detangler each morning. This morning we were almost out and I remembered reading about simply putting a few drops of regular conditioner in the bottle and then filling with hot water and shaking it up to mix it. I gave it a try and it worked! That saves me $2-$3 per bottle, that I won't need to buy anymore!

Thanks!

 

[tar heel]

I have vegetable soup on the stove cooking, which means I'll start the work week with three of our favorites -- enchiladas, chicken and dumplings and vegetable soup -- already in the refrigerator ready to serve.

I also have my middle son's birthday cake baking. This isn't anything new -- I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times we've bought a birthday cake. Last time we had a bought one, one of my kids said it looked cool but didn't taste good!

 

[Hedy]

I didn't buy the Disney Crocs at Dicks.

 

[Tink561]

This hasn't been a great weekend for me but so far today... I've stayed home and stayed *off* Ebay!

I've been doing great with groceries and eating out but I'm having a hard time not buying clothes for my new dd. The custom outfits on Ebay are so hard to resist sometimes.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Unlike most every Sunday, today I am not going into any stores. Not Target, not CVS, not a grocery store -- I do love to "save" money, but as DH always says, it's not a savings if you didn't need to buy it in the first place.

Dinner will not be take-out, I'll make something with the chicken breasts currently defrosting (and, of course, bought on sale).

Congrats. to ducklite/Anne on reaching day 7 of the Intervention Program for Compulsive Eater-Outers.

 

[#1hockeymom]

I have enough chili for an army in the crock pot right now. Later I'll whip up some cornbread to go with it. This will keep me from throwing everyone in the car later to eat out!

I just finished refilling DH's bottle of wrinkle release. We've used the same bottle for a few years, just filling it with a half cup of Downey then filling the rest with water.

Anne>> Congrats on your seven days of eat out freedom! I am trying to do the same thing. We came close, but pizzas came in one day when DS had friends over, and arby's came in another day when we were running behind. We never ate out table service, so that was a huge savings.

 

[tinkarooni]

I gave my DH a list and sent him grocery shopping. My "list" was four items long and is all we need for the week which includes two super cheap items on sale with coupons (thanks grocery game). My husband NEVER buys anything that isn't on the list. Him just going probably saved me $30.00 or so in the extras I usually throw in, you know the good deals I have to have. So I'll call it $30.00 saved and three loads of laundry in cold.

So disappointed in a friend yesterday. She had her daughters b-day at Chuck E Cheese yesterday at noon. Saturday at noon for family and friends. Now we've known these people for about 11 years, we are close friends, this is not just a class mate. Husband's family was there too BIL and SIL who had traveled about 5 hours to spend birthday with them. Can you believe they did not feed the adults. NO extra pizzas, no sodas NOTHING! Now please don't flame me but if I take my kids to a chuck e cheese b-day for a class mate I do not expect anything and will order for myself, but we were invited as a family to attend this party. I have been ranting haven't I. Sorry Bottom line is I had to feed DH and I since we had to go out afterwards. $10.50 at Wendys. This is our first eat out since we made our New Years resolution to eat out less but could not be helped.

I'll just have to save more money to make up for it.

Kep the motivational ideas coming.

 

[Traveliz]

Today is day SEVEN of the Intervention Program for Compulsive Eater-Outers! I'm meeting a friend this afternoon, I suggested Starbucks (She's a HUGE coffee drinker and I've got a gift card!) instead of a place like TGIFridays--which would have blown my diet as well as costing probably $20 by the time we got out of there.

I'm taking DS to a Civil War re-enactment. I'm going to take the less fuel efficient roadster, which will cost me a little more, but save him $$$ because he wo'nt be able to buy anything that he can't fit into his pockets because there is no trunk room in that car--it will hold a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread.

Anne

Yes we are Eater Outers as well and I am going out - bad me - but its Bears game day here in IL and my husband is going to my brothers for the game so my daughter and I are going out. we are stopping at CVS on the way home for the Pantene on sale though -- with coupons and we will get the ECBucks too!

Liz

 

[Pembo]

First time chiming in but we had to buy a new vacuum cleaner yesterday, the old one completely died after 6 very faithful years. We only had $150 cash to spend, so after some internet research and some price shopping we bought one at Sears. Today it was ON SALE in the ad, so I made a trip back out to the store and saved $23.38. Yesterday I spent $149.99 plus tax which put us just over our budget and today we are back in the black.

I have another one...we have been contemplating a trip to Florida this year even though we could use the money elsewhere. Last night DH received a phone call from a young man he confirmed 15 years ago. He's getting married in AZ and wants DH to perform the wedding. (Dh is a minister). He offered to pay for dh's airfare and hotel for the weekend. So we get a trip to Arizona for only the price of a rental car and one airline ticket. PLUS my best friend from HS lives there and has been bugging me for years to come visit. So we should be able to extend our "vacation" and stay with her.

 

[Chickysmom]

Instead of going out for lunch I made egg sandwhiches for DH...

Hanging a load of cold water washed items to dry again today...

NOT going into town to shop....saving gas and money on the shopping!

 

[minnie1928]

Trying something new...home made cleaners. I made window cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner and drain cleaner. MUCH cheaper than buying name brand cleaners!

 

[neatokimmo]

I made my once a month taco filling today. I cook 1 pd ground beef & drain, then add 2 onions, 2 cans of drained chick peas, 1 drained can of corn and 1.5 packs of taco seasoning. After all that is hot I whirl it around in my food processor.

My dad calls it taco sludge because it is a lot like dip when you are done but very tasty. It also holds the soft taco shell together better when you roll it up.

So I made 20 tacos for $5 to eat all month long (it freezes well).

Kim

 

[nzdisneymom]

When I was getting the boys' pants out for church this morning, I had them try them on and sure enough, they were too short. I pulled out 4 more pairs and they were all too short, and then I found the $5 courduroys I bought at WalMart in December which were just right in length. How does this relate to saving / making money? I put the too-short pants in a neat pile ready to take to the consignment shop this week! We normally pass hand-me-downs to one of DH's coworkers, but these pants are nice enough that I can actually get something for them! So I have six pairs of pants to go

I also put all the Box Tops for Education things I've been saving into an envelope for DS to take to school tomorrow - cleared off my counter and gets something for the school And I'm going to sign up with mycokerewards after I post this.

 

[Tink561]

Trying something new...home made cleaners. I made window cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner and drain cleaner. MUCH cheaper than buying name brand cleaners!

I'd love to have the recipes for these. Also, what do you store the toilet bowl cleaner in?

thanks!

 

[southernbohemian]

The baby and I have both been down for a cold the last couple of days, so instead of me going to Target and wasting money, I just sent my boyfriend with the list. Of course, he didn't use the coupon that I sent with him for the baby wipes ("What's 75 cents?" he asks), but it's good until April so we'll get it sometime.

Now I have a question. He bought the Target brand of infants Tylenol because our bottle of namebrand Tylenol was running out. The Target brand caused Atticus to throw up almost instantly both times we tried it. So I sent him back for the real stuff this morning, but my boyfriend didn't want to try to return the Target stuff since it was opened and used. Can we still return it (have the receipt) because we are unhappy with it? I thought that was some kind of rule when you bought the store brand. Anyone?