Upper middle class yet somehow tight, ideas to cut expenses

amother

Blue

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 2:32 am

The cheaper chocolate bar for the kids and the expensive hide for you and husband only. The more espensive steak cut for you and husband but a cheaper one for the kids. Some butchers have bbq cuts and thinly sliced bbq cuts. Give the kids a cheaper cut (or the thinly cut). The ready kreplach on erev yom kipur and other yomim tovim are so expensive! Use your maid to make and freeze when you have time. Well after pessach. I buy the ready dough and make my own lately. Take out fish for shabbes is worth It in my opinion. They make it so good for just a tiny more $. I know someone makes a huge batch of potato kugel and puts in freezer in bekelech and saves money. But find out which potato because some freeze disastrous.

amother

Blue

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 2:44 am

How are you with cabs? I. Went by cab to the train friday at noon after work to be on time for an appt. Then I took train. Then was at the express bus in Manhattan and wanted to take whatever comes first the select bus or a cab. Someone I know was there too. And she csn afford more she thought im nuts when I said ill tske whatever comes first. She was like "I don't let you". I felt its such a short erev shabbes and I better be on time for my appoi tment. On the way back it was 3 pm. I thought I better not go with train and be cholila stuck under a tube for 20minutes. So I took a cab to BK it cost me 20.50 including a 1 tip. My husband almost flipped. I told him the thought of being underground close to the zman didnt sound right...... I do work but I d love to spend less. I like your topic. I think we should support each other with this topic. Once a week I should go back to crockpot cooking

Amarante

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:04 am

Multiply small expenses by what it costs annually.

It's eye opening in terms of whether you want to spend your money that way. For example, I was spending a $1000 per year on Starbucks. Definitely motivated me to cut down.

As others have said, you can save a lot of money by just shopping sales at the grocery store and stocking up. Buy a freezer if necessary because some items go on sale periodically. Don't drive yourself crazy but if you're u remember prices of items you buy frequently, you will know when it is really a good price. For me, it is chicken breasts.

Devote one Sunday every few weeks to cook up a big batch of a few foods that freeze well whatever you like, like good pasta sauce or chile or braised meat.

Think of spending money on food that isn't takeout but that is easy to prep. Bagged salads and grilled cheese or some stew or soup you have frozen are very fast and easy to make.

Since you are only working part time, it is very easy to throw Chicken in the oven in the afternoon. There are sheep pan recipes for chicken where you just add the veggies and potato. There are already prepped veggies you can buy if you don't want to prep. A bit more money but still less than takeout

Also it's healthier to cook because take out tends to be healthier and lower in fat and salt and calories. Besides it generally tastes better as well because most take out is pretty mediocre unless you're u are buying the really tippy top stuff.

Last edited by Amarante on Sun, Dec 18 2016, 11:39 am; edited 1 time in total

spikta

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:49 am

If you haven't tried to cut down on food at all, that's a really easy place to start. Ideas:

- Look at the price of the meat you buy. There's a large range of prices, and you can often spend less without compromising or even changing your recipes much. There are cheaper roasts and more expensive ones, but at the end of the day a roast is a roast and I doubt your family will notice. What cuts of meat do you typically buy?

- Also at the butcher - buy sales on meat, chicken and fish. You don't have to whip out the calculator, just look at the signs/circular see what's on sale, and try to get that if it's something you know how to use. You were planning on buying drumsticks but you see that thighs are on sale? Buy them instead, you cook them the same way. If you start looking at the prices within a few weeks you'll have an idea of what a good price is for the different things so you can stock up and freeze when you see a good price. Again, no need for math or a calculator, you just start remembering that X is a good price per pound. If you're not doing this yet, you can save a ton of money on meat/fish/chicken with very little change to your cooking and shopping habits.

- Buy frozen/prepared food instead of ordering takeout. A frozen pizza is usually cheaper than takeout and just as easy to throw together. Frozen hot dogs and hamburgers with buns are definitely cheaper. Likewise shnitzel, bagels and spreads, bourekas... Use disposables for cooking and serving and it's virtually the same amount of effort, and you know exactly when it's ready and aren't standing by the door waiting for the delivery guy half starved.

- Look at the weeknight meals you make and see if you make make the cheaper ones a bit more frequently and the expensive ones a bit less. More soups, salads, pastas, omelettes, stews and stir fries, less meals where the main dish is straight up meat/chicken/fish without any fillers.

- Go over your pantry and try to use stuff there, planning meals based on what you have instead of buying new stuff. Most people's pantries are packed to the gills. We buy stuff and forget about it and then it goes bad and we toss it. So look to what you already have. That could definitely save you some cash short term.

Good luck!

imasinger

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:56 am

Every time you save a bit -- cook instead of takeout, choosing a less expensive option, deciding to forego that new outfit and make do with an accessory to dress your classics instead, etc. -- note the amount saved either on a slip of paper that you store in something, or electronically in a file. At the end of the week, take a look at how you've done.

Seeing your success may help you stay on target and away from Target.

amother

Saddlebrown

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 8:49 am

Wow, thanks! I don't buy very expensive meats but I do buy meat and chicken often. My pantry is stuffed, I really better take stock of what I have and use it! I think meal planning is key for me. I'm really going to try to do all that and compare the cc bill with and without takeout.

I don't have a baby on formula but I realized I am constantly buying new sippy cups cuz they get lost, need to keep track of those.

I also have quite a few things I didn't manage to return in time ( I shop mostly online). Nothing major, like some gap sneakers wrong size, a pair of shoes for me, a swim shirt for ds, all new with tags. I wonder if I can easily sell them?? In general I try to send return right away.

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 11:18 am

I realized that I was spending way too much by shopping at target, walmart, dollar tree ... I kept thinking - well, it's a good price, we probably need it- so why not? Shopping lists are the way to go or else you just keep piling things up that you can very well do without.

Another thing- I cut back on my cleaning lady 5 hours a week. That was $55 a week so it's $220 a month less!!! That's how much a have to pay for my son's playgroup!

I also stopped getting manicures.

So here's the 3 things in summary.

1-Make a menu and shopping list before you go out.

2- cut back a few hours of cleaning help

3- no manicures

you will probably save around $5,000 a year!!!

yksraya

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 11:40 am

amother wrote:

What is the op describing? That she has help and did renovations? She's saying she's struggling paying for this lifestyle. How does that show she is really upper middle class? If I lease a Lamborghini that I can't afford does that mean I'm super rich? Surely only the super rich can drive a Lamborghini. But if I can't afford it then I'm just tricking myself. So again, what is the op's annual income that she considers herself upper middle class?

Being that I'm not cowarding under amother, I will not say what abt the OP's lifestyle leeds me to believe her when she says she belongs in the upper middle class catagory. And I'm trying to find a nice way to tell you that it's inappropriete to inquire an exact ammount other ppl make.

All OP wants, are some solutions where she can cut a little to be a bit more comfortable.

Where exactly do you think you saw OP living outside her means? Yes she has cleaning help/babysitting, but she works so it's a need, not a luxury!!!

amother

Saddlebrown

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 1:13 pm

Yksraya, thank you! You're right, Amother or not, I'm not going to list my annual income as that is beside the point. I appreciate you keeping it classy 😉! And I do work hard, btw, at night and off hrs also when necessary. Cutting cleaning help isn't an option because I need her, but also because I'm committed to the hrs.

Everyone has great ideas and Amother honeydew, I totally do the same in target 🙈

I have been doing my own nails for awhile now more because of convenience/time, but then I justify buying more nail polish on a whim whenever I see a new color I like. Ok, this is helpful. I'm realizing that I am quick to justify purchases when I feel like I'm saving $$ because im not doing the more expensive options. Like I have quite the collection of costume jewelry, but I pat myself on the back for buying a $16 necklace from target when my sil buys $120 fake ones from the local boutiques. I'm having an aha moment, ppl 🤔

trixx

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 1:43 pm

amother wrote:

I also have quite a few things I didn't manage to return in time ( I shop mostly online). Nothing major, like some gap sneakers wrong size, a pair of shoes for me, a swim shirt for ds, all new with tags. I wonder if I can easily sell them?? In general I try to send return right away.

I do most of my shopping online. I have a google sheet listing: store, description of items purchased, order #, total price, card purchased with, date purchased, date must return by, and status (awaiting shipment, need to return, awaiting refund, refunded etc)

sounds detailed but in reality, I make an order, quickly fill out the form (most important field being order # and date return by), label the confirmation email under "orders" and archive. takes a minute.

every time an order comes, or sometimes when they send me the shipping confirmation (bc usually delete those), I pull up the form and update as needed. it's easy to see at a glance when to return things by and make sure I'm being refunded properly.

it's seriously amazing. it means when I'm standing in line to return in store, I can quickly pull up the order number. I can search my email by the order number or by the amount total ($58.94). I can see if my credit card was refunded (and you can bet I've caught a few mistakes on company's part over the years)

smile12345

Sun, Dec 18 2016, 3:40 pm

amother wrote:

Or maybe to just eat less meat? Though OP didn't even say that she eats meats as frequently as it sounds you do.
It's not such an obscure practice to make your own potato kugel. I have never thought otherwise.
I always do it in big batches - to save me time, not money.
I have never had an issue with freezing potato kugel, still pulling out from a batch made before sukkos.