Living more frugally

[MsSassyBaskets]

I'm really proud of myself, I just put money into our long-term savings for the first time since our home purchase 3 months ago. 3 months of financial hemorrhage on furniture and house "necessities" (lawnmower, dehumidifier, etc. etc. etc. etc.), and I'm finally turning it around and the money is flowing back in the right direction.

I'm energized by this and want to start cutting down expenses to save more. Both of us will have loans going into repayment in January so I want to be prepared.

SO, I need to challenge myself to live more frugally. I'm the main problem because I do 90% of the grocery and house shopping, and I'm turning into a bit of a Target addict. And I buy so much for DD - clothes, toys, etc... she is the stereotypical spoiled first child of a dual income household. Granted, she needs clothes when she grows out of her old ones, but I could try Goodwill and I could keep her wardrobe more simple than it is. She's freaking adorable, what can I say, I love dressing her up.

Here are my main "pain points":
- Target last minute purchases. I go for diapers and end up getting 10 other things. I never used to do this, but it's been getting bad lately. A few days ago I went for gluten free hamburger buns on the way home from work (it's the only place I can find them!), and I got baby lotion and baby shampoo, babyproofing cabinet latches, a ball for DD, a new small cooler for traveling with breast milk on my next business trip, etc. etc. etc. And I always buy a soda at Target. We don't drink soda at home but both of us will grab one at the checkout when we're out running errands. I need to limit my Target trips to once a week or less, and plan my list ahead of time. And hydrate before I go.
- Starbucks. Again, I never used to do this but it's getting bad lately. I need to cut out caffeine anyway for the sake of DD's sleep, so I can't allow myself to start substituting decaf.
- Baby clothes. DD just had a crazy growth spurt at the same time Carter's had a sale. Enough said. Time to try Goodwill, and limit baby clothes purchases to the absolute necessities. Grandma will buy the pretty stuff.
- Amazon rabbitholes. I was planning on taking DD swimming last weekend, and realized the last time we went to the splash pad that my current swim suit was just waiting to be pulled off by grabby baby hands. Also DD's sunscreen was horrible and sticky and I wanted new. So I ended up spending $80 on Amazon on a new swimsuit and new sunscreen because I didn't want to go try on swimsuits in person. Then it rained and we never made it to the pool.

My challenge to myself is to think twice before spending money. I think one of the biggest problems is my lack of time - I'm not going to be browsing a lot of garage sales and trying to find deals when I'm working full time. I get tired of it and just pay full price because it makes my life easier. But shopping takes time too, and there are plenty of situations where I can just do without and it will be fine.

I'll try to hold myself accountable here, at least for a couple weeks to see if I can start to modify my habits. Anyone want to join me?

[ladymoreta]

Great job on restarting savings!! I think those are good plans, and they'll add up to more savings quickly.

[MAPPLEBUM]

I don't go to Target very often because I'm quite sure it's impossible to spend less than $100 when you're there

[medpedspouse]

How I cut my Tar-jay habit? I order everything via Amazon. If I am not in the store, there is no temptation. Luuuuuurve target. Also, if you cannot control the online shopping, you can do like my friend and get the auto ship for the staples. I still like to "browse" Amazon.

You can also go into Wal-mart one afternoon.....that right there cured me of shopping at Wal-Mart "fer eh-vahhhhhh". . Yup, you want to learn to dislike shopping....head to your nearest Wal-mart.

[spotty_dog]

Right on! These are terrific steps to take.

For the baby things, you've really got to find a kids' consignment store. It's the perfect hybrid between overpriced brand-name shopping, and having to pore through funny-smelling thrift-store stacks to find the stuff with the least stains.

For Amazon, I try to keep things in my cart for a day and then go back to re-evaluate before clicking buy. For example, I was feeling like I needed better containers for packing my kids' lunches, so I went on a blog that talked about the things they like to use, and from there everything went in my Amazon cart. But then I walked away, considered what I use and need, and took 2/3 of it back out again.

Every little bit counts, even the latte factor, especially because it's the mindset (for me, 'don't buy it if you don't need it'; and, 'what you spend today you won't have later when you need it') that leads to big, overarching changes in your spending and saving habits. Keep it up!!

[MrsC]

Well done on the savings! We've been spending more than usual lately and need to get back to normal so I'm on board!

I try to take DS shopping with me as it really cuts down on how long I can spend there. The kid haates target. It actually saves me a lot of money because it's the only place where he throws a tantrum every time!
I order diapers etc online through amazon or diapers.com. I do the same as spotty dog and leave it in the cart for a while. I often end up deleting things.
I need to get back to asking myself if it's something I want or need with everything I buy. That helps a lot too.

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[MrsK]

Well, my Starbucks loophole has closed and I'm just dying. I was buying Starbucks recovery vouchers on eBay at about $2.50 each. Still a lot of $$ but not so bad when I cash them in for a Venti Triple Non-Fat Latte which costs over $5. IDK if they were being sold by disgruntled employees, counterfeiters, or what but I don't care. Starbucks has switched over to a $4 plastic recovery gift card system for their "oopsies" which aren't available on line. So, now I've gotta start investing in good coffee to make at home. Also, developing a taste for simple black coffee helps cut down the cost (and calories).

For Amazon, I have an extensive wish list (250+ kindle books). I check it multiple times daily because you never know when Amazon is going to reduce the price of a Kindle book to $0.99 or drop the price 87% or something wild like that. I just keep a running list of what I want to read there and every time something goes on sale super cheap, boom, put it in my Kindle.

For the kids' clothes (and mine) and the kids' toys, I buy a ton of stuff at thrift stores, resale shops, and consignment sales. I fill in with stuff from the Target clearance from time to time but I get much better quality and prices resale. I'm super picky about the brands and condition of "previously loved" clothes so my kids are wearing a lot of Gymboree, Janie & Jack, Mini Boden, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, BabyGap, Petit Ami, etc. Then, when they grow out of the clothes -- assuming that the clothes survive in the case of my boys -- I resell them at seasonal consignment sales. Sometimes, I even sell them for more than I paid. I came out over $200 ahead at the last sale and everyone is always telling me how adorable Lambie's clothes are. I love it because I get my shopping "fix" without the guilt and I don't freak out if the kids get messy (or get me messy) because that brand name dress only cost me $6 anyway.

(I've got more on this but Lambie is literally stamping her feet and demanding that I make dinner immediately.)

[MsSassyBaskets]

So, I do believe that target brand diapers are still cheaper than buying on Amazon Mom... I dunno if others are ordering the name brands, but I'm happy with Target brand myself, or luvs. We get name brand wipes though, the target ones are awful, so I could subscribe & save for those.

I'm currently resisting a pair of jeans I want at Nordstrom Rack. If there's one thing in my wardrobe that is worth the money, it's a good pair of jeans. They would get worn literally hundreds of times. But I already have several decent pairs and don't NEED them so I'm trying not to. I might give in this weekend though, agh!

[MrsK]

Target brand diapers are only cheaper if you can make it to the diaper aisle (center of the store usually) and back to check out without accumulating $100+ worth of stuff that you didn't plan to buy.

[SoonerTexan]

I do similar to MrsK for clothes...o bought almost everything for N at consignment sales and I had a cousin with 2 boys that sold me all her adorable boy clothes for cheap. Unfortunately once you get past about 3T the quality of used clothes just drops. And BabyJ lapped my cousins boys...so now I've been buying stuff ahead of the season on clearance from BabyGap, Gymboree, and Tea Collection for N. And buying less of it...she tends to wear the same stuff. The nicer stuff just lasts longer. It really does. And when Gap has a 40% off sale every other freakin day it isn't so bad. Gymboree has fantastic online clearance sales with free shipping. Tea Collection has good seasonal sales and their stuff wears really well. There is a buy/sell Tea Collection Facebook group I've bought several items from.

I have no idea if we will ever have another girl, so I sell all of Ns outgrown stuff on a local Facebook group or at seasonal consignment sales. It's more work, but I get way more $$ back then I would at a resale shop. I'm keeping all the boy clothes because I'm about to have a 2nd boy in the same season--huge win there!

I've also bought several sizes worth of neutral colored Toms when they go on sale at Zulily...some are about to be worn by child #3


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[civilspouse]

We are usually pretty good about being frugal, but have been in a spending mode lately. We have been eating out more and making a lot more misc purchases. I am planning to reign us back in soon, mostly me since I do 90% of our purchasing. In our last location I bought most of our kids clothes at a consignment store. I also had some luck in the smaller sizes buying a lot/set of clothes on craigslist, then I'd just fill in a few pieces from other places. I don't like to shop so that worked to have a whole wardrobe all at once. Now that the kids are getting bigger like ST said it's tougher to find good used clothes. They wear them longer and wear them out. I can usually buy ahead for the next season online during sales and pay less than I would at a consignment store.

I also do Target diapers, but I can go in and just get diapers if that is all we need. There is usually something else that we need though because I wait on purchasing stuff if I can so I just make one trip. Fewer trips to the store, less money spent. Don't get me wrong, there are always things I want, but I can usually say no.

We love amazon too and it is so easy to just add things to your cart and have them show up a few days later. It doesn't feel as much like spending money. I've noticed that I am more willing to spend money online than I am in a store so I have to be careful. I usually add stuff to our wish list and let it sit there for a while before purchasing it. Occasionally I go through and delete things out. I like wish lists for shopping for birthdays and Christmas too. I add things to the wish list I'm considering then I go back through and based on our budget pick out the items I really want to get, order them all at once, and delete the things that didn't make the cut or save them for the next gift occasion.

I think my biggest problem is when we are in a stressful or busy period I kind of let our spending go and think, "Oh, we deserve a treat." That is what I've been doing lately and it isn't helpful. Good luck.

[rufflesanddots]

Dude, Target $100 Disease is real.

So I thought I was being mostly frugal with grocery/household purchases, but then I calculated our August expenditures and I spent over $500... And we eat out a 2 - 3 times per weekend on top of that. So, yeah. The spending got away from me.

I used to be a pretty decent couponer and kept us below $300/month for food, paper towels, cleaning supplies, health/beauty, etc. I've come to loathe couponing, so if I'm not willing to spend the time clipping and organizing, I need to get my butt to WalMart or Aldi's for stuff instead of Harris Teeter and TJ's. HT and TJs are so much closer, but not as cheap as I want to believe they are. I think I also need to be more strategic with Costco. Thankfully we are set with a crock pot and rice cooker. I also just got DH a nice Thermos so he can take coffee from home and have it still be hot and delicious hours later when he's ready for another cup. His $3.00/day habit was adding up...

[spotty_dog]

I think my biggest problem is when we are in a stressful or busy period I kind of let our spending go and think, "Oh, we deserve a treat." That is what I've been doing lately and it isn't helpful. Good luck.

I can really relate. Or thinking, "I haven't had anything nice in FOREVER, I'm going to pamper myself with JUST ONE THING." And then the floodgates open and it's just one MORE thing...and then when the spending adds up enough to make me cringe, I look back -- and in fact, the last time I "pampered myself" was just a month prior!

Not to get all evangelical about this new and exciting thing I just discovered a few days ago, but Marie Kondo advises touching the stuff you buy to make sure that it's going to spark joy for you, and treating shopping trips as pre-planned missions of specific acquisition. As a result I'm trying to get away from online purchasing.
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cul...th-marie-kondo

[MrsK]

Dude, Target $100 Disease is real.

So I thought I was being mostly frugal with grocery/household purchases, but then I calculated our August expenditures and I spent over $500... And we eat out a 2 - 3 times per weekend on top of that. So, yeah. The spending got away from me.

I used to be a pretty decent couponer and kept us below $300/month for food, paper towels, cleaning supplies, health/beauty, etc. I've come to loathe couponing, so if I'm not willing to spend the time clipping and organizing, I need to get my butt to WalMart or Aldi's for stuff instead of Harris Teeter and TJ's. HT and TJs are so much closer, but not as cheap as I want to believe they are. I think I also need to be more strategic with Costco. Thankfully we are set with a crock pot and rice cooker. I also just got DH a nice Thermos so he can take coffee from home and have it still be hot and delicious hours later when he's ready for another cup. His $3.00/day habit was adding up...

$500/mo isn't bad. I used to be into coupons but it's not as helpful any more because stores have changed their coupon policies. Price matching is the way to go.

[MsSassyBaskets]

Day 3 of no Starbucks has demonstrated that my caffeine habit was definitely causing excessive night waking for DD. She only woke once last night and slept later this morning than the last few days. So that's a done deal, no more coffee or black tea until she's weaned.

If I'm being totally fair, my baby clothes habit usually involves Carter's blowout sales, TJ Maxx, or Burlington. I don't pay full price anywhere. And Carter's is the only brand that currently fits well, most others are too wide and short. Although I guess Baby Gap and Gymboree look OK in shape too, but she's only had a few things from there off the clearance rack. So I'm probably not going to stop buying her staples like footies, leggings/jeggings, onesies and hoodies new but on sale. I'll just try to skip the extras.

The real challenge is going to be the Target & Amazon habits, and the extras like a trip to the mall or TJ Maxx every once in a while. And those jeans calling my name.