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Forum -> Household Management
Upper middle class yet somehow tight, ideas to cut expenses
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zigi




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 1:01 pm
if you buy books check out the used books from amazon. new is 10$ I got it used 4.00 with prime shipping.
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amother
Turquoise


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 1:04 pm
Skip the flowers for shabbos and find someone who can give you the week old mishpacha. Easy 15$a week. Once a week do a five/seven dollar supper. Tacos/ sandwiches/tuna casserole/pancakes/pasta and ground meat/ lasagna/ chicken hot dog..
Good luck!
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Cbk




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 2:54 pm
The fact that you are thinking of it is already a step closer then many I know you said you don't want to budget Down to the dollar but from my experience that's the only way that works my husband introduced me to dave Ramsey (google him if you need) and I learnt his way of handling money and am very happy I did. Good luck
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UnFarvosNischt




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 3:23 pm
I started a few weeks ago to plan my meals. At first it was only to make it easier because I used to be overwhelmed between my baby, work, home care etc. (Unexperienced mother here 😊)
But I realized after a week that it really helped me cutting down on the groceries!
We have a tiny fridge so I used to go grocery shopping every other day because I had no idea what to cook.
Now I think about everything I already have in my pantry and I really have enough for weeks before I have to go for shopping! Smile
I guess we are not in the same situation but just go through your pantry and make a list of all the meals you could make and you'll be amazed! And it will help you save some finances ^^
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amother
Saddlebrown


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 3:48 pm
How did you know I'm a flowers girl 😲?? I try to buy cheap ones in shoprite and try to get 2 weeks out of them but I'm really trying the meal planning thing, I just made supper for tomorrow to start my week off right, hope it sticks.

I've heard Dave Ramsey on the radio though never read his book. I know he's into the debt free thing but growing up my parents never fully paid off their mortgage so they could always use the home equity for weddings, etc. Does that even make sense? Not sure.
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amother
Navy


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 4:36 pm
I meal plan and prep on Sunday. so if I'm making sweet potato fries one night, their peeled and cut on Sunday, I also make sure I have all the needed ingredients in the house.

I bake my own challah- at 5 bucks a peice it saves me at least 10$ a week and it tastes much better

I send home lunch unless my kids love the school option then I'll allow them to purchase that day, it saves a few hundred dollars a year.

I only buy one magazine a week on subscription

I bake for shabbos, never buy

I keep a few 5 minute suppers on hand ( sausages to make into sausage and egg scramble, frozen beef patties, kani) so I don't have to resort to takeout- it really adds up.

I do my own nails

dry shampoo the sheitel to extend washes

order don't shop in the store.
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 4:51 pm
I have a present closet where I keep gifts that I purchased when on sale. I then can "shop" my closet when I need a gift.

I also save gift wrap decorations from other presents and from Purim and reuse. Plus, I make my own bows.
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amother
Oak


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:11 pm
amother wrote:

I bake my own challah- at 5 bucks a peice it saves me at least 10$ a week and it tastes much better


Not quite. You need to factor in the cost of ingredients (quite low in this case) and the cost of your time as you bake and clean up. You're still saving a lot, but not the entire amount.
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amother
Slateblue


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:19 pm
yksraya wrote:


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!!!


I admire op wanting to cut down but full time cleaning/babysitting help is not an absolute need if you work part time.
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trixx




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:27 pm
zigi wrote:
if you buy books check out the used books from amazon. new is 10$ I got it used 4.00 with prime shipping.


Or abebooks, eBay.
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amother
Navy


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:29 pm
amother wrote:
Not quite. You need to factor in the cost of ingredients (quite low in this case) and the cost of your time as you bake and clean up. You're still saving a lot, but not the entire amount.


I disagree.
yeast- about 50cents a week
flour- 3.50
suagar- about 50 cents
oil- about 50 cents
salt- 15 cents maybe
I get my ingredients cheap and in bulk

it takes 4 minutes active time to put up. the rest of the time is waiting- for the mixer to mix, dough to rise and bake. I have to cook the rest of shabbos anyways, I just start with that. I don't spend a lot of time braiding, if I'm pressed for time I just do a twist and place in my reusable non stick pans, I skip egging as well and have never had any complaints

I get 6 large challah's out of each batch.

dollar for dollar its one of my biggest money savers when it comes to shabbos cooking

I also have a magic mill which is really easy to clean. ( I bought it 7 years ago second hand and it has more then paid for itself)
I haven't bought challah in 8 years, and I do sometimes by takeout for Friday night- the time/cost savings on takeout vs challah is just to overwhelming to ignore.
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yksraya




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:35 pm
amother wrote:
I admire op wanting to cut down but full time cleaning/babysitting help is not an absolute need if you work part time.

OP has stated that this is something that she won't cut down on. So for OP this is a need. Whether you agree with her or not. So can you please stick to the topic of what else she can cut down on?
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amother
Oak


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 5:44 pm
amother wrote:
I disagree.
yeast- about 50cents a week
flour- 3.50
suagar- about 50 cents
oil- about 50 cents
salt- 15 cents maybe
I get my ingredients cheap and in bulk

it takes 4 minutes active time to put up. the rest of the time is waiting- for the mixer to mix, dough to rise and bake. I have to cook the rest of shabbos anyways, I just start with that. I don't spend a lot of time braiding, if I'm pressed for time I just do a twist and place in my reusable non stick pans, I skip egging as well and have never had any complaints

I get 6 large challah's out of each batch.

dollar for dollar its one of my biggest money savers when it comes to shabbos cooking

I also have a magic mill which is really easy to clean. ( I bought it 7 years ago second hand and it has more then paid for itself)
I haven't bought challah in 8 years, and I do sometimes by takeout for Friday night- the time/cost savings on takeout vs challah is just to overwhelming to ignore.


I also bake my own challahs (and don't buy takeout) and think it's a huge money saver.

I was trying to say that whenever you trade buying for doing something on your own, you aren't saving 100% because time has value, and there's an opportunity cost as well. It might be worthwhile, but when you consider what something costs, you have to take all factors into account, not just the dollars and cents.
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 6:08 pm
amother wrote:
I also bake my own challahs (and don't buy takeout) and think it's a huge money saver.

I was trying to say that whenever you trade buying for doing something on your own, you aren't saving 100% because time has value, and there's an opportunity cost as well. It might be worthwhile, but when you consider what something costs, you have to take all factors into account, not just the dollars and cents.


Navy also missed all the clean-up costs. While home made challah is nice, I did a cost/benefit and found at $3.80 a challah in the bakery, homemade costs more if you use a lady to clean and put away the kitchen items which OP does.

When you are paying someone else to prep, assist in the cooking, and clean up the cost savings between homemade and store bought disappear.
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amother
Ecru


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 6:09 pm
I quit my weekly massages and manicures, along with Starbucks (buy it at Costco now) and I'm sure I'm saving a lot but the expenses just keep mounting...2 full college tuitions with no breaks cause we make too much, but not rich. At about $75K for just that and lots of travel for kids lately. I make my challah and almost never use credit. Just debit card and cash. Still, it is challenging actually, and I'm very grateful I don't have to work and my husband has a good business.
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33055




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 6:11 pm
yksraya wrote:
Try making only phone orders instead of going to the grocery, and buy only what's really needed, no extras.

I find that when I go down I end up taking tons of stuff I see. When I call, I stick to what I need.


This works great for packaged stuff. I find I am happier with produce if I pick it out. It seems to last longer. Also, you miss the in-store specials.
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amother
Saddlebrown


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 6:18 pm
Hiring out vs your own time is ALWAYS a factor, which is why I have always had cleaning help and do my own nails. The time spent in the salon is silly to me but it takes me ages to clean and organize and I get very stressed from it so it's my sanity and dh and kids need me to be sane. That's also why we hire someone to mow the lawn and fix the plumbing. If neither of you is handy, that's a calculated decision you need to make.

yksraya, you're very perceptive. I have worked full time since I am married and cut my hrs down slowly as my kids were born. In the past few yrs, I quit working for someone else and started my own business. So yes, I'm part time and flexible, but it's all on me, I'm a one woman show for now. If I have to leave work to take my kids to the dentist I don't need to ask permission but I do sometimes need to work that evening to make up for it. I'm not nearly a workaholic, don't want to misrepresent. I keep my business at a manageable size to make sure I have some breathing room. I take me time when I can, go out with my friends occasionally, and try my best to be 100% mommy when I'm with my kids, even when work obligations keep my phone buzzing. For me personally, having cleaning help makes me a better mom and more cheerful spouse 😉

Oh, and I've tried making challah, big mess and stress, I'd rather buy 😐
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yksraya




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 6:25 pm
Squishy wrote:
This works great for packaged stuff. I find I am happier with produce if I pick it out. It seems to last longer. Also, you miss the in-store specials.

The grocery I use sends me fresh stuff always, never had a problem with it.
If the specials are what you would normally take, it's one thing, but usually the shopping for specials leads to buying stuff you really don't need.
And if it's something you do have on your list, rather get the one not on sale, than to go down, take the sale one, but end up buying tons of things you see and can't resist.
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yksraya




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 6:30 pm
amother wrote:
Hiring out vs your own time is ALWAYS a factor, which is why I have always had cleaning help and do my own nails. The time spent in the salon is silly to me but it takes me ages to clean and organize and I get very stressed from it so it's my sanity and dh and kids need me to be sane. That's also why we hire someone to mow the lawn and fix the plumbing. If neither of you is handy, that's a calculated decision you need to make.

yksraya, you're very perceptive. I have worked full time since I am married and cut my hrs down slowly as my kids were born. In the past few yrs, I quit working for someone else and started my own business. So yes, I'm part time and flexible, but it's all on me, I'm a one woman show for now. If I have to leave work to take my kids to the dentist I don't need to ask permission but I do sometimes need to work that evening to make up for it. I'm not nearly a workaholic, don't want to misrepresent. I keep my business at a manageable size to make sure I have some breathing room. I take me time when I can, go out with my friends occasionally, and try my best to be 100% mommy when I'm with my kids, even when work obligations keep my phone buzzing. For me personally, having cleaning help makes me a better mom and more cheerful spouse 😉

Oh, and I've tried making challah, big mess and stress, I'd rather buy 😐

I'm happy for you! It's great that you take care of your needs and make that a priority. We need to do what works for us. Everyone spends on what they feel is important, and cuts on what they can do without. The main thing is to be a happy sane person, wife and mother.
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amother
Seafoam


 

Post Sun, Dec 18 2016, 6:49 pm
if you want to devote a couple of hours, mint.com is a website that will breakdown all your spending and you can look at it all easily in many different ways as categories, charts, etc. it a high level of clarity. initially, it takes time to make sure its accurate. we have had financial counseling and it was highly recommended to us, and it really is a great tool in financial awareness.
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