You know you're budget minded when....

[Cindy B]

We all have heard Jeff Foxworthy's redneck jokes... well, lets play a game here..

I wanted to write budget queen but in deference to the few males here.. made it ok for all of us..

I'll go first


You know you're budget minded when...



Your kids know what day is "curbside shopping" day.


You scout out garage sales/resale stores/and other venues for Ebay stock


You are on first name terms with the meat guy in the grocery store (since you are there when he marks down the meat in the morning)

You can differeniate between the "good" and the "bad" dollar stores

You reuse everything....a dollar store tablecloth becomes bibs for your kids, or a mat for under the high chair, etc..

You tell people when they compliment you on your outfit.. ."I got it for $2 at the Salvation Army!"

You shop with coupons only, and a good shop you save at least 20%, if not 50%

 

[Cinders]

...the lady at the post office smiles and asks if you have more Ebay boxes for her.

...your youngest DS insists on checking out the clearance stuff at all stores for Ebay items.

...your DS insists you buy him a Columbia coat that is 3 sizes too big at a garage sale 'cuz its only $8 and you see his point.

...you call your DH twice in one day to remind him to bring home unsealed padded envelopes from the bulbs he's installing that day so you can use them for packaging auctions.

...buy several very old magazines....not to read but to take apart and sell the ads on Ebay....but tell the former owner you love to read such informative articles.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

You only buy soda when it's on major sale and then you stock up for the next month by purchasing the limit for each brand.

You save coupons for purchases when items are already on sale.

You buy Christmas Presents after Christmas for the following year when sweaters are on major sale.

You go to Costco ONLY for the one item you have a major coupon on and refuse to purchase anything else.

 

[frannn]

...you eat out on the weekends, but eat your leftovers for lunch the following two weekdays.
...you do online reward programs that take away your precious "me" time (and sleep and bathroom time) only to earn a lousy 25. gift cert after 3 months of @#*& clicking.
...you know several of the CMs by voice due to calling CRO for AP and other discount rates on a daily basis.
...various car rental companies are going to give people your # since you know so much more about their rates than they do.
...The ratio of $ you spend on Disney surpasses the amount you spend on everything else for the year combined.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

When you consider a last minute trip to Disney because the SWA rates are so low right now AND DU Travel can get rooms at Courtyard @ Downtown Disney for $39 per night. Okay I didn't do it but if I could have just stretched that budget a bit farther with all the tips I've read here.

 

[LIFERBABE]

You shop the Grocery Store ads on the last day of the sale, and you are HAPPY that they are out of stock so you can get rain checks instead of spending the money to stock up!

Your children know that all the snacks in the house "are for Disney World" because you take your own and they dare not eat them before you get there.

Your children understand that more toys equals less Disney.....and choose Disney!

You give Connections Gift Cards....As Gifts!

You split a meal voucher and take the dessert out. (now that's just cheap! LOL)

You spend more on DVC than on a new car. Disney Budget Minded that is.

 

[renessa]

...you see a frozen food clearance (wal-mart) and buy so much that you must duct tape the freezer door to keep it closed!!!

(and the freezer at work has lunch for a week, and the fridge has tonight and tomorrow nights dinner)

Much to the dismay of my DH!!!!

REN

 

[RobinMarie]

None one in your office has an internet 'favorites' folder for bargain sites because you know them all off the top of your head!

You feel like a travel agent for all of your friends finding low prices.

Your 6 yo always checks with you at a cash register, "Mama, any coupons?"

 

[HeyMickey]

... you have almost nothing in your closet that you didn't get at a 70% off sale or factory outlet.

... your body lotion never smells the same twice because you collect the little hotel bottles and dump them all into one big bottle.

... you never buy printer paper, you steal it from the office.

... you have an elaborate coupon exchange set up among extended family scattered across the state.

... you won't use the A/C in the car because it hurts the gas mileage, and you won't have A/C installed in the house because of the electric bill.

... you charge everything to your airline credit card to "get the miles."

... you reuse plastic spoons you get at Dairy Queen and smuggle straws and crackers out of restaurants.

... you take your own lemonade and popcorn to major league baseball games.


All from personal experience, unfortunately...

 

[C.Ann]

You still haggle over prices at a garage sale where everything is only a quarter to begin with...

You only shop the Dollar Store when they have their 75% clearance after each holiday...

By the time your child is 3, they can't recite their name, address, or telephone number - however, they do throw out complete phrases such as:

"Use it up, wear it out - make it do, or do without.."

"If you don't save dimes, you'll never have dollars.."

"Money can't buy happiness - unless of course you're spending it to go to Disney World.."

-----------

You brown bag your lunch for work (which consists of a PBJ sandwich) AND you rinse out and reuse the same plastic baggie for a minimum of 3 to 6 months..

You tell everyone you "love" wearing your hair long - while the truth of the matter is you don't want to spend the money to get it cut until you're tripping over it..

You dress in garage sale clothes from head to toe and your DH gets all misty eyed when he says, "Punkin, you look like the $1.98 Beauty Show.."

You serve your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers to your family twice a week - until the following Thanksgiving..

You quit your job - so you'll have more time to devote to selling on eBay so you can go to Disney World...................

 

[MollyBelle]

I thought I was good. I really did. I don't hold a candle to you people.

 

[Cindy B]

-- Here's another one..

You find an article about $5 a week for groceries per person.. and you actually do it


You find that spaghetti without meat is actually pretty good.

Your DH knows when you come home from the grocery store and sees a name brand something.. "I Know,don't get used to it-- its on sale!"


You scour the bargain bin in the dairy section at the grocery store for 25 cent yogurts!

You have checked out the Tightwad Gazeete volumes 1-3 at the library multiple times because you are too cheap to buy it!

You do survey sites and test drive incentives to get Target Gift Cards.

You want a bigger car so you don't have to pass up good stuff at curbside!

Your kids on a bike ride around the neighborhood tell you what a good trashpick is and sometimes bring it home for you

(My son has done that!, teaching him well, aren't I?)

 

[GoofItUp]

...you gather the dryer sheets after each load and re-use them on the next loads.

...you keep your house about 60 degrees in the winter so you won't have to run central heating.

...you get to work an hour early because your huband has to be there at that time and you want to carpool to save on gas.

...you can't afford all that "healthy" eating at lunch since Dairy Queen has HungerBuster's on for 99 cents. And you have to split a drink with DH to save on that! (Or bring a bottle of water from the office.)

...grocery shopping takes an extra hour and a calculator since you have to divide every item to figure out the best price per unit of measure.

 

[Cindy B]

I also reuse dryer sheets...


.... also if..


When you recieve free samples in the mail, you divide them up so you get the most use (ie face clothes/makeup samples, and shampoo) My one time use shampoo sample is going on three days worth now!


You use baking soda and vinegar to clean your counters

 

[reeddi]

- you only buy your kids clothes at garage sales.
- you only but yourself and husband's close at end of season sales or closing Kmart's (but only when it is at least 70% off).
- you buy the meat at Sam's after they mark it down. (thursdays around here)
- you buy holiday decorations the first week of January for next year.
- you talk your brother in law (miltary) into to go to disney just so you can save on tickets. (he wants to go anyway.)

I definately do the reusing the dryer sheets.

 

[Cindy B]

I forgot another one..


If your DH is balding or very close to bald, you buy your own clippers for $35 and do his hair every 3-4 weeks.

Every haircut used to cost $12--the clippers were paid for within two months.

I also do my sons hair as well.

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

I thought everyone reused the dryer sheets!

How about:

You only buy generic OTC drugs (no name brands here)

You only run the dishwasher, washer, or dryer in the early morning or at night, not only to save energy, but to save $

You don't purchase gas until you're sure you've found the station with the lowest price.

 

[SeaShelley]

You know you're budget minded when.....

Your kids think "irregular" is a brand name.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by SeaShelley
You know you're budget minded when.....

Your kids think "irregular" is a brand name.

LOL!

 

[Cindy B]

When you buy heating oil in July since the price is only $1.09 a gallon versus $1.59 a gallon in November!