Share your budget or money saving tips

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

Erinna, I only get my hair cut about once a year too, and I am always at how much it costs. But I have had my fair share of disaster cuts so would rather go somewhere decent once a year than somewhere cheap more often.

Being low maintenance in general must save me lots of money.

Also, I save about $1/day (coin laundry) by hanging clothes to dry. Easy to say in So Cal I know. But, everyone does this in England, we bring stuff in and out between rain showers! We never had a dryer at home. I remember when I first moved away I couldn't believe that everyone used dryers even in the summer so I am glad to be finally back to hanging stuff up again.

[spotty_dog]

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

Being low maintenance in general must save me lots of money.

Ditto! Unfortunately that mindset gets me in trouble. I'm always like, "Budget schmudget, I don't get my nails done or buy iPhones or purses so I am obviously Ms. Frugal!" When that clearly isn't the case just from the amount I spend on our family's food. Sigh.

Seriously though, today's upheaval in the financial district is smacking some sense into me, I'm going to try as many of the tips in this thread as I can as well as instituting a REAL budget for once!

(I've been getting my hair cut on my mom's dime when I go visit every six months or so, so I get to see my old stylist who's been doing my hair since I was 6!)

[Sheherezade]

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

I've started hanging laundry when I can on our back patio. My jeans are so much nicer now! Dryers destroy denim. Who knew?

[alison]

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

I've started hanging laundry when I can on our back patio. My jeans are so much nicer now! Dryers destroy denim. Who knew?

Air-drying is so much better for colors and denim. I don't like crunchy jeans or towels though.

[Deebs]

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

During training, I colored my own hair. I didn't want to get hair that looked colored, so I would change the color, at least slightly, each time I died it, so it didn't become just one solid color (if that makes sense). I do pay for it to be highlighted now - but I admit that it is indulgent.

Kids supplies - there are easy and CHEAP recipes online for bubbles, silly putty, playdoh, etc. Save your broken crayons (or the cheapo, restaurant crayons) - break them into pieces in muffin tins and bake - your kids get round crayons (plus, you can do more than one color together - they turn out really cool). I have DD make them with me, and then she's doing a little science project. We also experiment with what things you can use as bubble wands.

I am a sucker for picking up a good book at Costco, or while on the road. I don't save money there, but I do trade them with friends and family (I guess I have a sort of private library system ).

My sisters and I all have a couple of products that we rely on from dept store makeup brands (I have to use Estee Lauder powder or I break out). We all only buy when there is an in-store bonus, and then we swap the sample lipsticks, etc, to the ones that look best on us.

Can't really think of any others that haven't been mentioned...

[Amiens]

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

During training, I got my haircut maybe once a year. I think it was more like every 18 months. One time I knew I needed to get my haircut when dh said "Honey, do you ever want to do something with your hair, or you are going to let it grow to your waist?"

Now getting my haircut is my splurge. I have thought about checking out the beauty trade school and check out their prices, but I love Aveda.


Oh, I was at Costco today- Nice soft fleece Carter Jammies for $8. I bought them the next size up for the older ones.

[MDPhDWife]

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

I am LOVING this thread. I am a bargain hunter at heart, so it always gives me great pleasure to know I'm getting the most bang for my buck.

We do a lot of what has been suggested here, but I wanted to share my Wal-Mart story. DH and I watched a documentary about Wal-Mart and by the end of it I was completely outraged and swore I wouldn't shop there anymore. Once I started shopping at Smiths, another grocery chain in our neighborhood (some call it Krogers) my grocery bill nearly doubled and we just couldn't afford it anymore. Especially since Wal-Mart will price match the 3 other grocery stores weekly ad prices. I will say that now I do go to Smiths for their weekly ad stuff though instead of having Wal-Mart price match it. Once we're in a better spot financially we definitely won't be shopping at Wal-Mart though.

Although we live in a city that has a lot of sprawl, DH manages to ride the bus daily which is free for students so that's a HUGE money saver for us since the campus is across town.

Re: Share your budget or money saving tips

This isn't a huge money-saver, but we get our diapers and paper products through Amazon subscribe and save:

http://www.amazon.com/Subscribe-Save-Gr ... =251482011

Last time I priced the diapers, they are about the same as buying from Costco. I think the savings comes from not driving there and not buying anything else when you go into the store.