Only use cash!!

DH and I only carry cash for gas, groceries, and lunches (when we don't have leftovers from dinner). Once it's gone, it's gone till you get paid. Having a card with you makes it easier to go over budget, since you know whats "available" in your account. Plus, this way you have change leftover, too. We save up all the change and cash it in every year to do something special for our anniversary. This year we had almost $200 in change!!!

This might create an arguement but I'm a huge Costco fan. Milk is a $1 cheaper per gallon than anywhere else and we go through 3-4 gallons per week. So that adds up quick. Diapers and formula were a big saver for us too. After that I can see people debating if it saves money or costs you more because you buy more stuff. I like it though.

polooo26:

This might create an arguement but I'm a huge Costco fan. Milk is a $1 cheaper per gallon than anywhere else and we go through 3-4 gallons per week. So that adds up quick. Diapers and formula were a big saver for us too. After that I can see people debating if it saves money or costs you more because you buy more stuff. I like it though.

I agree with you. CostCo and Sam's take planning (can't just treat it like a weekly grocery run) otherwise shopping there can generate lots of waste - especially on perishable items, but it does save money.

Prioritize!!

What we consider clean food is more important than TV, cell phones, electronics, toys.  

We'll cut satellite, phone plans, sell electronics before we sacrifice our food (not food to sustain life, but the "quality" of our food).

This might be laughable to some, and that's OK.  It's a priority for us, and our spending reflects it. 

vlagrl29:

finding what you have been wanting on sale at a store and then using a coupon on top of that.  kid you not i bought my bff a $100 necklace for xmas and I only spent $13 of my own money.  

That is awesome!  I envy people who are able to get great deals like that. 

I try to buy things that are on sale, unless I truly need it. 

vlagrl29:

finding what you have been wanting on sale at a store and then using a coupon on top of that.  kid you not i bought my bff a $100 necklace for xmas and I only spent $13 of my own money.  

I love it when that happens. We find stuff on sale at Tartget, then have a coupon, and then our 5% back credit card, and then sometimes we have an additional 5% pharmacy reward after that. It sometimes results in getting electronics at half off.

Oh, and that's how we clothes shop. Clearance items and then a coupon. We rarely buy anything that isn't 70% off or more.

Know what is coming in

Know what is going out and where (track spending)

Have a budget and live by it.  Adjust as needed until you get the right balance

Do not spend what you do not have.

Know the difference between a need and a want - fund needs first - then debt - then savings - then wants

Sisugal:

Know what is coming in

Know what is going out and where (track spending)

Have a budget and live by it.  Adjust as needed until you get the right balance

Do not spend what you do not have.

Know the difference between a need and a want - fund needs first - then debt - then savings - then wants

exactly this.

know where your money is and where it goes

live by a budget (and make sure you budget some 'fun' money too!)

PLAN FOR EMERGENCIES (aka set aside money for car repairs, home repairs, etc)

as far as 'daily frugal tip' . dont go grocery shopping hungry. pre-plan your shopping trip (yes that means generally planning meals in advance) and don't stop mid-week for treats, etc.  check coupons and online shops to save a few dollars here and there. buy in-season food!

Direct deposit into an online savings account with the highest interest rate you can find. (ie Barclay, Amex or Ally) This way you never see it in your checking account. We act like we don't even have it. It takes three business days to transfer otherwise.

polooo26:

vlagrl29:

finding what you have been wanting on sale at a store and then using a coupon on top of that.  kid you not i bought my bff a $100 necklace for xmas and I only spent $13 of my own money.  

I love it when that happens. We find stuff on sale at Tartget, then have a coupon, and then our 5% back credit card, and then sometimes we have an additional 5% pharmacy reward after that. It sometimes results in getting electronics at half off.

Oh, and that's how we clothes shop. Clearance items and then a coupon. We rarely buy anything that isn't 70% off or more.

having a kid has done this to me.  when i was single i would buy clothes full price back in the day when online couponing was not that big.  now i'm addicted to deals.  i love macy's one day sales for DD's clothes.  I've gotten tops and pjs for her for $5 a piece.  just as good as consignment shop toddler clothes. 

vlagrl29:

polooo26:

vlagrl29:

finding what you have been wanting on sale at a store and then using a coupon on top of that.  kid you not i bought my bff a $100 necklace for xmas and I only spent $13 of my own money.  

I love it when that happens. We find stuff on sale at Tartget, then have a coupon, and then our 5% back credit card, and then sometimes we have an additional 5% pharmacy reward after that. It sometimes results in getting electronics at half off.

Oh, and that's how we clothes shop. Clearance items and then a coupon. We rarely buy anything that isn't 70% off or more.

having a kid has done this to me.  when i was single i would buy clothes full price back in the day when online couponing was not that big.  now i'm addicted to deals.  i love macy's one day sales for DD's clothes.  I've gotten tops and pjs for her for $5 a piece.  just as good as consignment shop toddler clothes. 

Yeah, most of the clothes we get are not much more than the consignment shops. Having a kid does make you shop a lot differently.

Sisugal:

Know what is coming in

Know what is going out and where (track spending)

Have a budget and live by it.  Adjust as needed until you get the right balance

Do not spend what you do not have.

Know the difference between a need and a want - fund needs first - then debt - then savings - then wants

This should be posted somewhere on the main page. I really like the bolded. Sometimes when you make your first budget you realize that you were way off and need adjusting on certain items. It's all about balance.

polooo26:

This might create an arguement but I'm a huge Costco fan. Milk is a $1 cheaper per gallon than anywhere else and we go through 3-4 gallons per week. So that adds up quick. Diapers and formula were a big saver for us too. After that I can see people debating if it saves money or costs you more because you buy more stuff. I like it though.

 

i love sams club and costco. they are wonderful for things that you use a lot of and non perishables. 

Sisugal:

Know the difference between a need and a want - fund needs first - then debt - then savings - then wants

This is the most important thing, in my opinion.  If you don't need it, don't buy it.

Also, it you can be responsible, credit cards are good.  We use it for everything, and cash in the points for gift cards and use those to go out to eat.  

Kaiene:

Sisugal:

Know the difference between a need and a want - fund needs first - then debt - then savings - then wants

This is the most important thing, in my opinion.  If you don't need it, don't buy it.

Also, it you can be responsible, credit cards are good.  We use it for everything, and cash in the points for gift cards and use those to go out to eat.  

I love the rewards on credit cards. I've earned or saved about $500 this year by using them.

My personal all time favorite tip is

STOP CARING WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOU!

and

DITCH CONSUMERISM!

Buy the things you need, not the things you want. Buy clothes that are functional and high enough quality to function well, but untrain that need for image, brand, etc. Fewer toys, but ones you really use, are more valuable.

I got to perfect this one most as a poor student, then poor grad student, then poor post doc. I own clothes, furniture, and other 'stuff' from 5-10 years ago that are perfectly functional. When I actually do need something, I just buy it and don't waste tons of time on coupons. I have no credit card debt, car is paid off completely, and I just increased my salary 2.5x without changing my standard of living (finally out of academia and into a 'real job'). I'm going to use all this extra money to save 100K in 4 years for a house because I don't need to reward myself with unnecessary little stuff along the way. I think that's the most valuable mental shift in the world.

Use less of everything. Less laundry detergent, less DW soap, less toothpaste. We as Westerners tend to use too much of everything without even realizing it. Use a pea size about of toothpaste instead of a big glob. Same with laundry detergent. A 35 load bottle of 7th Generation laundry detergent lasts me about 6 months. You don't need to use the recommended amount on the bottle (which they want you to keep buying so they tell you to use more) when less will due. You should only use enough that your clothes are clean, not enough that your clothes smell of soap. If they smell of the detergent you used too much and that is left over soap in your clothing and wears out the clothes faster. Keep vinegar and baking soda on hand at all times for cleaning, they go a long way, are safe for the environment and work great for cleaning so many things. Cut your dryer sheets in half a whole sheet is not necessary when half will do and the box lasts twice as long.

Use less electricity and water as well. Try raising/lowering your home temp by 1 degree at a time to see if you can tolerate a more cost saving temp. I have my AC set at 80 degrees during the day and 78 at night. My heat (when we need to use it in FL) is at 70 during the day and 66 at night. This is how I keep my electric bill at a decent price. We use ceiling fans to help keep the cost down. I also only use my washing machine 1 day a week and run the D/W every 3 days to save on water. We installed dual flush low flow toilets when we replaced our toilets 2 years ago (they were really old when we bought the house). In 15 months both the new toilets paid for themselves in water savings. Here in FL we have to be water conservative at all times. We are surrounded by water, but we cannot drink it and desalnization costs a lot of money. So we learn how to use less as much as we can.

Reduce your trash as much as possible, recycle what you can and reuse items. Our trash company reduced our monthly trash bill last year by almost $10 a month, by going to 1 day a week pick up and gave us a larger rolling recycling can so we could recycle more. My trash company takes so many things for recycling that I usually only have 3 bags a week in the garbage can so going to 1 day a week pickup has not been a problem and I like the cost savings and helping the environment at the same time. Use it up or wear it out as much as you can. Find multiple uses for items in your home before you throw them out. I reuse my old coffee grounds to fertlize my rose bushes, the love the acid from the coffee grounds. Put orange peels through the disposal to make it smell good instead of throwing them in the trash.