What did you do today to save money?

[phillybeth]

Both recipes are from Quick Cooking magazine Nov/Dec 2003 issue.

Taco Bean Soup:
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
4 cups water
2 cans (16 oz each) kidney beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans (15 oz each) garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans (14-1/2 oz each) stewed tomatoes
2 cans (14-1/2 oz each) Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jar (16 oz) chunky salsa
1 small can green chilies - optional (if you like it hotter - I added these)
Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and sliced ripe olives

I a large soup kettle, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning and mix well. Stir in the water, beans, tomatoes and salsa. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Garnish with sour cream, cheese and olives. Yield: 12-14 servings.

I halved this recipe on Saturday- I used a pound of ground turkey, and black beans instead of the garbanzos. I also used all salsa instead of a can of stewed tomatoes (had the salsas in my pantry, they were BOGOF from months ago to avoid a trip to the store). It was yummo! Even iwth a half-batch I'm sure there is enough for lunches for the week for me and DH!

 

[MeMom]

We're saving for a big trip in July, so I've been the "light patrol" at my house. My boys are almost scared to turn on a light at this point! I've turned thermostat down, like many others, and we've been lucky enough to have a light winter, so I hope that helps. This is a huge thing for me, because I'm extremely cold-natured. I defrosted my big freezer and am just using the small one in the fridge, because the big one really didn't have very much in it. I'm frugal by nature, having raised three kids alone on a teacher's salary, but saving for a trip makes me even moreso. Whatever is left over at the end of every payday, after bills are paid, goes straight to the trip. I call it in and am paying it down little by little. We pretty much eat whatever is on sale, and I haven't bought anything except groceries since Christmas. Of course, the scrimping and saving and sitting in the cold dark (when the boys aren't home) gets blown out of the water when college son comes up in with a $245 dollar book order for this semester...and that's only part of them. The others won't come in until tomorrow. We'll see what the damage is then. I'm really enjoying seeing what all the rest of you are doing, and I think it does give us the fortitude to stick with our savings plans. There are many things we used to buy without thinking that we really can do without. Especially when a Disney trip is the reward!

 

[minnie1928]

I got soooo lucky today!

I called DVC on saturday to book a room at Hilton Head for Good Friday. We are driving down (from PA) with friends and staying at their timeshare in Orlando. We decided to split the drive into 2 days so we offered to get a room at the DVC in HH. When I called on Saturday, there was 1 studio available and I needed a 2 BR. I could cash pay for the room, but couldn't use my points. I said I'd call back after discussing it with DH. We talked about it and decided to pay cash for the room ($326!).

I just called down and said that I wanted a room for Good Friday. The CM says they only have one room left...it's a 2 BR!!! I nearly screamed "I want it!".

On another money saving note, I'm having Dish Satellite installed today. If it works out, I should save about $240 this year compared to my Comcast bill (which just went up another $5!).

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Decided NOT to accompany DH on his business/pleasure trip to St. Maartin. All we would have to pay for is my airfare- but that is $600. I wanna go but I just can't do it.

 

[KristinU]

Hey mom, what is a redbox? I've never heard of this?

I, too, was curious...it looks like an automated video rental system (www.redbox.com) Here I got all jazzed up because I thought McDonalds was offering some sort of reusable containers...guess I should know better, huh?

 

[Cindy B]

I was talking about renewing my health club Bally's membership--it would have cost $100.

I found out that at my college, there is a fitness club for free for students. I went and worked out there today.

Granted, I'm still paying for school tuition, but at least the health club is FREE instead of paying my $100 renewal fee to Bally's.

 

[barbmouse]

checked books out from the library
used cold water when washing laundry
i am also always walking around the house turning off unused lights
coupon will be used for tonight's dinner...dh and dks have many activities tonight

Keep the great ideas coming. thnaks for the motivation from this site

 

[nzdisneymom]

Not money for me, but for my friend who took me out for lunch today -- I had a coupon for buy 10 wings, get 10 free - so I saved her $5 And I also saved her $5 because her DSs can use some of those Valentine's Cards I have stuck back that I was going to take to consign - I'd rather her have them for her kids.

I'm having hot chocolate this afternoon instead of a soda.

 

[Pembo]

My son got tadpoles for his birthday and now we're the proud owner of frogs. Today I went to buy crickets, 12/.90 and they were sold out, so the girl said to try mealworms. My froggy loved it and they are only 50/1.50. Not a big savings but still.......

 

[disneymom3]

I sat down last night after reading this thread adn getting reinspired and planned out our lunch and dinner menus for the next two weeks. I have often planned dinners but never lunches and they get me in trouble. I feel so relieved about this!! They are planned and I used what was already available in my fridge, freezer and cupboard. There will be a few fresh items of course that will need to be purchased but that should do it. Today was my first lunch on the "plan" and it was so awesome to just know what i was going to serve the kids.

 

[calie_j]

I threw together a soup in the crockpot with stuff that was getting old and we don't really use; can of beef consumme, 1/2 jar of pizza sauce, can of mushrooms; along with things we had on hand; beef boullion & seasonings, frozen hashbrowns, 1/2 bag of frozen mixed veggies, 1lb hamburger. I'm hoping it turns out good but my H & teenage boys will eat anything

 

[bookgirl]

Changed out a regular bulb for an energy saver. (We've been leaving a lamp in the formal living area on so it needs a energy saver, not going to tell either because I'm the only one who likes them, bet they don't notice it's changed either.)

Went to Wallyworld and bought K20 water with get it free coupons so only paid tax on them.

Went to CVS and bought nephews chef boyardee at $1 a can (they love this stuff).

Dark chocolate bars for .99 for me as it's the only chocolate I really like and I can toss it in the freezer and have it for that one time when I really crave it,,,,,yeah you know when.

Twizzlers were buy one get one free, we like this as a treat so I picked them up.

Came home and made up my own snack mix, bran cereal, unfrosted wheat and bran shredded wheat, cranberries, cherries and almonds. Healthy and so much cheaper than buying premade stuff half of which I won't eat because they all use rasins which I dislike.

That's it unless you count the fact that I did therapy (second job that I do when not at library) with a client today and took him out to lunch and his mom always pays for mine as well.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

well, I used my son's library card to reserve the books I want to read instead of mine ---

avoiding the $3.05 in overdue fines that are sitting there on my library card.


ok, that's pretty bad.


maybe I should take my cans into be recycled and get the money to pay my library fines.

 

[OceanAnnie]

This thread is inspiring! I'm saving the money I would've used to eat out and putting about half of it in my (unused) Christmas savings fund.

 

[snowman]

1 - Made pot roast in the crock pot yesterday for lunch.
2 - Made stew w/ leftover pot roast/gravy (added veggies) and had that for supper last nite.
3 - Had the remaining stew for lunch at work today.

We've also
Stopped the daily McD's McGriddle for brekkie - now saved for just Saturday mornings (better for the waist line too).
Stopped the daily take out lunch at work - now just for Fridays or we can go out as a family for supper on Fridays instead of on Mon & Wed & Thur & Fri just because we forgot to take something out of the freezer. (again, better for the waist line).
Cancelled Showtime/Upper channels on cable (So no more Cash in the Attic on BBC America).
Reduced our house phone back to the minimum we can get - only have the phone for the alarm system.
Putting more of my paycheck in the savings account each week - if we don't see it in checking we can't miss it.

But - I do have to write a $100.00 check so DNephew can go to Philmont next year for Boy Scouts...a once in a lifetime chance for him. And I'd be doing it even if we weren't saving money

 

[mommyof3grlz]

I made sandwiches for my girls and me to eat on a 2 hour road trip. I poured kool-aid in spill proof cups to avoid stopping and buying drinks.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I made sandwiches for my girls and me to eat on a 2 hour road trip. I poured kool-aid in spill proof cups to avoid stopping and buying drinks.

I know this will save you money but it's probably also healthier!

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

Today I saved money by buying the pajamas I desperatly needed at Kohl's. I've never been in there before and I found myself 2 pair of pjs for ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::drumroll please::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
$1.43 a PAIR! I was so excited!

 

[#1hockeymom]

Today I saved money by buying the pajamas I desperatly needed at Kohl's. I've never been in there before and I found myself 2 pair of pjs for ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::drumroll please::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
$1.43 a PAIR! I was so excited!

Awesome deal!

I ate a school lunch for free today. I'm still not sure it was worth it, though! For dinner we're having yesterday's chili leftovers.

We've been very lucky with our thermostat this year. I really hate turning on the heat when it starts to get cool. I HATE that musty smell when the furnace first starts going again. Because of that, I put it off, and let the sun warm the house on the cool mornings. Our fall was so mild this year we really used the heat very little. We got used to the cold! Our thermostat is at 64/65 if we're home, and 58 if we're asleep,(we prefer a cooler house to sleep in), or at work. I will turn it up to 64 when I get up at 5am and it heats the house up and makes everyone happy. Before I walk out the door at 6:30 I put it back down to 58. Everyone is out of the house by 7 at our house.

 

[minnie1928]

I carpooled with my neighbor to Karate lessons that our sons take together.

I switched to Dish satellite today, that'll save me about $250 for the year.

Although, I did cave and turn the heat up from 65 to 68. My poor little toes were freezing!