What did you do today to save money?

[castleview]

Ok, I did this last week, but it applied to today. I just switched my diapers from Pampers Baby Dry to Luvs - nearly seven dollars difference in the 52 ct. size!

 

[DreaGirl]

Where does everyone get the majority of their coupons? We don't get the paper, so it seems like I never have any coupons. Do you think it is worth getting the paper for the coupons?

 

[UTgirl]

Where does everyone get the majority of their coupons? We don't get the paper, so it seems like I never have any coupons. Do you think it is worth getting the paper for the coupons?

There are some great sites online that have coupons. Sorry can't remember any of the site names at the moment. I'll get back with you on that. You can also google your grocer and they normally have a section for coupons or weekly specials. Also, if you have specific products you use - google those and sometimes they have really good coupons.

 

[Angela&Kayla]

For the past month or so, I have been paying on my credit cards as soon as I get the statements. Yes, I do have balances on credit cards and so yes, I am paying interest, but by paying them as soon as they come in the door, I am saving a little money every month on interest.

 

[UTgirl]

I hate utility bills also, and having a programmable thermostat helps a lot, but the water bill is another story. I was thinking about getting one of the new front loading clothes washers. They use a LOT less water, and saves on the electric because you don't have to run the dryer as long.

DH and I have discussed this as well. Our washer and dryer are 12yo and we've already had to start repairs on them! UGH. I'd much rather spend the money on a new better model

We've also thought about the On-Demand Hot Water Heaters. They only heat the water as you need it instead of the conventional way of constantly heating all day. Does anyone have one or know any more about them?

 

[ohiominnie]

Our dishwasher has been acting weird lately. It stopped working unless you were pushing it in a bit. Or if you were touching the little latch. So I've got a paper towel wadded up and electrical tape holding that in. I have to push a chair in front of it to adequately hold it in for it to run (we have adjusted the latch, but if we pull it out anymore then it leaks onto the floor!)

Anyway....it usually takes messing with it several times during the cycle to get it to restart. Well, last night I just stopped messing after it was done with the rinse, opened the door and pulled the racks out allowing everything to air dry. This morning they were as dry as if they had gone through the dry cycle!

Saved $$ on electricity and saved money b/c now I can put off the Sears service call even longer.

 

[mom4scrapbooking]

I just recently had my phone compnay talk off call waiting. We all own cell phones and if it was up to me i save the $35.00 a month and get rid off phone all together. Anyways $3.00 savings. Turn down heat at night to 63.

Called garbage service to get a smaller can. (more recycling for us). Savings of $6.50 a month.

I am going to use all tax month to pay down and even pay off some credit cards.

I am also beginnning next month going to do all my shopping every two weeks to avoid grocery trips.

I am hoping all this helps to pay off all $8500 in credit card debt this year.

THen in 2008 I can save for Disney world.....

 

[paper1225]

Where does everyone get the majority of their coupons? We don't get the paper, so it seems like I never have any coupons. Do you think it is worth getting the paper for the coupons?

We only get the sunday paper with the coupons-it cost us 12.91/three months. I usually save at least 10-15 with coupons every week-so it is DEF. worth it!!
Here is the break down 12.91/12(weeks)=1.08/week.
So I am still savingin 9-14/week with coupons! Also on the DIS board there is a coupon train that I subscribe too-look for it and jump on! It helps too I also use the grocery game........trying to figure out if I can do this on my own though.....keep comparing the sale ads vs. the grocery game.
Good luck!!

 

[maggiew]

Also, some stores won't accept internet coupons.

Maggie

 

[UTgirl]

Also, some stores won't accept internet coupons.

Maggie

Really? I've never had any problems. Have you noticed if it's from one particular website?

 

[KristinU]

Really? I've never had any problems. Have you noticed if it's from one particular website?

No, it tends to be store policy. I have one that won't take them printed in black and white but will in color (tougher to copy they say), and another that doesn't take them at all.

 

[feedindy]

Around here there is only 1 store that does take internet coupons-Meijer and Kroger won't take anything printed!

I get the majority of my coupons from the newspaper-larger cities get better coupons so if you live in a small town you should check to see if someone carries the larger city or if you can have it delivered (often you can have papers delivered even from another state!) Another great source is All You magazine-they have really high value coupons, most often off just 1 item so it saves a bundle. The mag is sold exclusively at Walmart, but you can get a subscription too (school fund-raisers have the best deal-9 issues for $10). There is usually around $10 in coupons each month so it's well worth the cost even if you never read the magazine.

My biggest tip for coupon savings is to purchase or collect more than one paper each week. I settled on 3 papers because the cost of our Sunday paper makes it work out to around $5 a week I spend getting my coupons-but you can get the inserts free if you have friends & family who take the paper but don't use the coupons. This way when you find a good deal, you can stock up instead of just buying one!

 

[nzdisneymom]

Day TWELVE of the IPCEO! I am still going strong! I've only bought two bottles of water (not allowed to bring my own to a concert) and used my Starbucks gift card for a cip of tea. I figure I've saved over $150!

I'm going to make a list based on Target and Publix's sales and stick to the list for shopping this weekend. I've got so many half used things in the house, I'm going to plan my meals around using up some things to clear some clutter from my pantry. Hoping to keep my grocery bill in the $50 range for the week, but if I see some good sales on "stock up"/BOGO items, I'll go to $75.

Anne

Anne - First of all, I wanted to say "woo-hoo!" for your success with IPCEO! I've been following your progress - you're doing great!

Regarding Publix, I just checked their ad for my list for the weekend, too, and they do have some of our family staples BOGO... chips, ketchup, cheerios, pasta, crackers. Fortunately I don't have much else on my list this week, so I can get doubles on some of the BOGO's.

As for what I did to save $ today, DH and I had our Friday lunch date. We have a frequent-diner card for the place we like to go to -- get 10 clicks and you get a free meal. We had 7 on each of two cards and 3 on a 3rd. I asked if I could combine the 3 and a 7 to make 10. The waitress said no, but someone else there had told us before that we could... so I asked her if she would check, figuring if I couldn't, not a big deal -- she came back and said the manager said sure! So with tip, DH and I ate for $13 instead of the usual $20+ we spend on our Friday lunch-date. We were going to skip going out today since our dining-out budget is really low (we still have $14+ left after today), but I'm testing tonight for my 3rd degree black belt in taekwondo, so I needed to stick to my testing-day-habit (kinda like a good-luck thing). So to do it for less, well, that's gotta be a good thing!

 

[vhoffman]

I hate utility bills also, and having a programmable thermostat helps a lot, but the water bill is another story. I was thinking about getting one of the new front loading clothes washers. They use a LOT less water, and saves on the electric because you don't have to run the dryer as long.

Yes, but............the front loaders can't be interrupted in the middle of a cycle. That is, you can't open it to throw in something extra. I'm just not that organized, seems I'm always finding another item once the cycle begins.

To keep from running the dryer as long I run the spin cycle twice. Seems to cut drying time!

 

[bookgirl]

Where does everyone get the majority of their coupons? We don't get the paper, so it seems like I never have any coupons. Do you think it is worth getting the paper for the coupons?

My step dad works for a major paper here in our state, he is over a bunch of retail stores and he has to collect and count all the unsold papers. We recycle them after he does his counts (at a local elementary as they get paid for the recycle they turn in). However we keep all the sunday inserts from the unsolds. It varies but like that free K20 water a couple of weeks ago, I probably have 50 of them. I tried them and they're pretty good so I'll be gathering those up. We usually only get the free or nearly free stuff, sometimes it's stuff we can stock up on sometimes its stuff we know we can give away or donate to the kids food drives or use in lunches. Once my stepdad got like 25 cans of PorknBeans. Only no one here really likes pork and beans Needless to say I volunteered to make baked beans to bring to the christmas dinner, the kids turned in big bags at food drive time, and we actually made some for a family dinner a couple of weekends ago. I think there is still a can in the cabniet, but only one, finally.

 

[ducklite]

Yes, but............the front loaders can't be interrupted in the middle of a cycle. That is, you can't open it to throw in something extra. I'm just not that organized, seems I'm always finding another item once the cycle begins.

I guess it depends on the model, because my Duet has a "pause" button, and by pressing that and waiting a few seconds it will allow you to open the door.

Anne

 

[vhoffman]

Put a block on my kids lunch account so they can't buy alacarte items. Seems they were spending ~$1 a day on snacks, etc. I pack their lunch 4 days a week, they like the pizza on Fridays and it gives me a break from packing lunches every night. I pack snack items, too, but seems they wanted to buy the school's snacks, probably to go along with the other kids, a "follow the herd" mentality. Well, it just got out of hand, so I blocked them. BTW, our school just started offering this block feature this year, before that the kids could buy pretty much anything they wanted and the parents were billed--if there was a negative in their lunch account the school just ran a tab. Had me tearing my hair out trying to balance their lunch expenses. I wish they had a way to block buying lunch trays, too, because I find they sometimes toss the lunch I pack and buy a tray, anyways! I really put a lot of effort into packing lunches they like, and suficient quantity, so there's no acceptable reason for them to toss their lunch. The school just started this year an online feature where you can check your child's expenditures on a daily basis. A few days of confronting them with their expenditures really helped! Before, the only time I knew they were blowing through their lunch account was when I got a notice sent home that their lunch account was depleted--oftentimes using up a month's worth of lunch money in a week! Now I can check their expenditures daily. If I catch them buying a tray when I packed a lunch they have a consequence that day--usually no tv/computer time. They quickly decided that they'd rather have their time than buying their lunch.

I don't understand what's so great about those lunches, anyways? The kids even say they prefer the lunches I pack, so why are they buying their lunch? Probably the herd mentality again. At last I have control over what they spend in the school cafeteria, for years the only option I had was to pay the bill! Now I can block them from buying snacks and moniter their spending for trays. Also, it was irritating to constantly get those overdrawn notices sent home. Not only were they blowing through their lunch money, it made us look like irresponsible parents. Quite the opposite--we were throwing money down a bottomless pit! Now we truly have control over the whole lunch situation!

 

[Kimmumum]

I guess it depends on the model, because my Duet has a "pause" button, and by pressing that and waiting a few seconds it will allow you to open the door.

Anne

My Cabrio is the same way. I love my new washer and dryer!!

 

[MEM]

I guess it depends on the model, because my Duet has a "pause" button, and by pressing that and waiting a few seconds it will allow you to open the door.

Anne

Except for "sanitary cycle", presumably because the water is heated to super-hot by the machine...

 

[ohiominnie]

My Kenmore washer also allows you to pause and add something you forgot. But that's only up to a certain point. I know once it gets into a certain cycle, that option is no longer there. I don't know when that is, but it's at least 10 minutes into the cycle b/c I've done it that late before.

If I do find something after that I'll just throw it in with the next load even if it's not the same color. I wash in cold water so even if I throw a color in with the whites, I've never had a problem with bleeding dyes.