With EVERYTHING going up, what are YOU doing to save?

[Took]

Taking out "savings" money from up front each paycheck. Keeps me from spending it or wasting what I should be saving.

No netflix, cable, or regular movie renting. Use library or read books (again, from the library).

Using our hybrid Civic to drive instead of the SUV. Combining trips whenever possible.

Coupons, sales, and store brands have been a way of life for me but, like others, I'm more careful about waste nowadays. I save leftovers and take them for lunch. DH will eat them, too, now which is new!

Cutting my hair less often and doing my own nails.

Garden with in-laws in the summer to save on vegetable costs. Buy from the farmer's market in the summer, too. It's not only a bit cheaper, the food tastes much better!]

 

[pampam]

I started to make my own pasta. Love it. I've been making my own bread for some time, and just started to make my own pizzas for treats on the weekends. I buy the flour at a bulk place, by the sack, and it's a lot cheaper. I also buy the yeast there too.


For entertainment, we have friends over instead of going out for dinner or a movie. On other evenings we plan game night, and put on cds and play board games. We also have a karaoke machine that DD loves, so when it's just the family we sing (off key) to our hearts content.

If we want an evening out, sometimes we rent the senior's center and have a get together. There is a box at the door to cover the hall rental, (if each person puts a buck in the cost is covered). We have a pot luck dinner, and play music, dance and visit with friends. It's nice to have something to look forward to, without breaking the bank.

 

[StitchBuddy]

I take out $100 a week for groceries and coupon, anything left over goes into my mad money drawer. (Use for vacation spending money if we take one).

We do the same for entertainment, but I am thinking we may cut it to $50 a week.

I am also just trying to stay out of stores. I use to go to Walmart every week now every other week.

Not turning on the ac opening windows and using fans. Thankfully, our house is pretty energy effiecent.

Paying more on our house to pay off soooner to save on interest.

Combining trip to save on gas.

Stocking up on sales and plan meals accordingly.

 

[sydneysmom]

we just did a biggie yesterday to save money ! We decided to trade in my DH's Nissan Frontier (2006) w/ 105,000 miles on it. it was a gas PIG! We found an awesome deal on a 2008 Toyota Prius. It has 50,000 miles, still under warranty, looks fantastic.....and gets 45 mpg!
We got it for just a few thousand more than they gave us for our trade in. I'm SOOOO excited. What we budget in gas is going to pay that little bit that is over the trade in!) we are going to use it every day for commuting to work. We're looking forward to saving ALOT on gas now!! YIPEEEE!!! (I can't even tell you all what a relief it is to be done w/ the truck !)

 

[NMW]

I traded in my Nissan Pathfinder for a 2011 Nissan Rogue in January. I really do local driving that's stop and go. I was getting 11 miles to the gallon (according to the on screen computer) with the Pathfinder. With the Rogue I am getting 23 miles to the gallon. With gas being $3.69 today, that's huge. I told my husband I am just done with big SUVs. I just refuse to pay the $$ it costs to put gas in them anymore. He agreed, and we got the Rogue. I LOVE this car. It's all wheel drive and was awesome in snow this winter. I will NEVER go back to an SUV.

 

[englishteacha]

I've been trimming my own hair this winter and each time I put the $20 I saved into my piggy bank. I pluck my eyebrows rather than paying to have them waxed, so that's a savings. I buy generic whenever I can and we are trying to eat at home more. IUnfortunately we haven't done as well with eating at home having had a couple very busy weeks, and a dinner meeting at a restaurant, etc. I do all the laundry in cold and hang a lot of it. When the weather warms up, most everything will be hung outdoors. I'm really, really, trying to make due with what we have, which is tough because I love to bargain shop!

We're going to a Renaissance wedding in June and I've borrowed an outfit. It's a bit snug so I have incentive to lose some weight. I bought my DH's outfit at a thrift store, so we're set there. I've started pricing things out before I buy them and try to get the very best deal. $3 saved is $3, right?

The biggest? We were planning a trip to NYC. 4 nights, going just about as cheaply as we could and staying at THE cheapest lodgings was going to cost at least $1300. We have tentatively canceled, but I'm pondering going for 2 nights and taking megabus. Not luxurious, but very cheap!