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Forum
-> Household Management
-> Finances
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amother
Babyblue
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 Tue, Dec 11 2018, 7:02 pm
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Looking for ideas and suggestions in order to cut down my expenses (utilities, food, clothing, etc)
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nchr
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 7:06 pm
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Write them down first to see which are necessities and which are extras. Then you can go from there. Obviously cutting down rent may not be realistic; however, cutting down on dry cleaning may be.
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Reality
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 7:07 pm
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Only go to the grocery store 1-2 a week. All those little in between grocery trips really add up!
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thunderstorm
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 7:07 pm
Shop for groceries once a week and only cook with ingredients you have at home. Creativity comes into play. Buy only what you need. Try not to buy too much frozen ready made food.
Wear hand me downs, or shop in places like Burlington for the family's clothes, shoes, coats etc.
Keep lights off when leaving the house.
Use LED bulbs
Wear sweaters instead of hiking the heat up. We keep ours at a steady 65/66 degrees. In the summer our Thermostat is set to 76 degrees.
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amother
Azure
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 7:25 pm
| amother wrote: | | Looking for ideas and suggestions in order to sit down my expenses (utilities, food, clothing, etc) |
I make several trips to different stores for groceries, wherever is cheapest for meat, whichever has sales that week on other products I need, Shoprite for paper good, etc. and buy large quantities and stock up on whatever is on sale.
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amother
Magenta
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 7:51 pm
Force yourself to pay yourself first. My savings came right off the top before any other expense.
Insulate your house really well. This cuts down on the utilities. My utility bill is about 25% of what a house my size typically has. We hired an energy consultant, and he more than covered his cost the first year.
Run your dishwasher off peak hours or do your dishes by hand.
Give yourself a budget and stick to it.
Don't buy expensive coffees outside the house.
When you want to make an impulse purchase, force yourself to wait one day. I think only once did I go back for the item. .
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amother
Tangerine
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 8:13 pm
Dont buy papertowels or paper/disposable chatchkas. —I buy from costco yellow towels instead and wash and rewash a million times.
Wait for sales
Only spend $ you have now—spend with cash not credit so you are forced to stick to your budget. (Inconvenirnt at the register—have your “negotiable items saved for last at the register)
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amother
Pearl
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 8:15 pm
| amother wrote: | | Looking for ideas and suggestions in order to cut down my expenses (utilities, food, clothing, etc) |
Check out kids clothing stores whenever you’re passing and have the extra time and buy what’s on sale even if you won’t use it for a while.
Save a lot of money like that
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Rappel
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 8:59 pm
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We're vegetarian during the week, and wear warm clothing instead of raising the heat (feels healthier that way, anyway).
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itsmeima
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 10:05 pm
Oh, I love this topic, I'm always looking for new ideas!
Regarding food:
- make a menu and stick to it.
- At least twice a week we have a vegetarian meal: soup, eggs, beans etc.
Clothing:
- Target, Ali Express, sales..
Heating:
- We invest in warm clothing, underwear, socks instead...
We budget using Minted.
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amother
Crimson
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 10:53 pm
First track your spending,
Then try to cut 10% from each category.
Food is usually the easiest. Between sales, and foodbank and menu planning it can work.
Clothing just always keep 10% number in mind
The rest of your bills, take one at a time and try to save 10% on each one.
The rent is usually not changeable, but your mortgage might be negotiable it doesn't hurt to call.
When you take it one thing at a time, its a little less overwhelming
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LittleDucky
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 11:02 pm
I have mentioned this before: COUPON. Yes, I use paper and digital coupons and have saved the most that way (know your rules, 1 manufacturer coupon per item even in different forms). But it can be as simple as a few clicks on your phone: There are many major chain grocery stores that have apps today with digital coupons. Just sign up with your grocery card and click coupons. Obviously don't buy something just because you have a coupon on it. But if you were buying it anyways... coupon away!
Start to notice what are "normal prices" and "sale prices". Sales happen on about a 6-10 week cycle at major stores. But every so often you get those "cheapest ever" prices. When something is at the lowest ever price buy a few extra, depending on your family's usage of it.
Shop around at different stores. A local dollar store has some great items that I don't need "highest quality" like party decorations or other "use once" items.
Don't be afraid to try store brand items. I was a loyal "only name brand diapers" after a bad experience once. I happened to find cheap store brand once and that is my go-to unless I found a really good deal. Some things it doesn't pay to buy store brands but the only way to know is to try it once! Or find a friend who has tried it, see if you can swap diapers to try out on your kid!
I don't buy paper towels unless I am frying a ton. I bought a package of cloths years ago for cleaning and have been washing ever since! Eventually I will have to replace but not for a while. I love to think how much money I would have spent on paper towels.
I also look to see what is "needed" and what is a "want". Buying coffee, takeout, or even pre-prepped items (like the cut squash or frozen spice cubes) is all a want. See how often you buy those extra "wants". For instance, while I would love the frozen spice cubes, I wash basil and it is so much cheaper! Or wash cilantro for my soup and freeze half the bunch for next time (since it is going in soup anyways...).
Turn off lights when not in use. Wash full loads of laundry. Full loads in dishwasher. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth (even if you don't pay for water, it is still a huge waste!!).
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flowerpower
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 11:03 pm
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Cut down on papergoods. Use paper plates or dishes instead of plastic.
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naturalmom5
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Tue, Dec 11 2018, 11:15 pm
A single, 3-ounce serving of broccoli sprouts contains 60 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, 10 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, 6 percent of the recommended intake of calcium and 4 percent of the recommended intake of iron.
Chicken and steak cost 10 to 20 times more and gives you less than a tenth of the nutrition per serving
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amother
White
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Wed, Dec 12 2018, 3:06 am
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There is no trick. You've got to stop spending money. A penny saved is a penny earned. It is not easy living without things that makes our life easier and more pleasurable but is totally doable and makes you a stronger more disciplined person.
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amother
Babypink
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Wed, Dec 12 2018, 3:47 am
When I lived alone I always left heat and lights on even when I left the house. Now we have LEDs everywhere and we only turn the lights on when we use the rooms. We turn down the heat over night in the living room and bathroom.
Clothing we buy on sale and food, I don't usually buy ready made food. If you buy the basics and cook yourself it's usually quite cheap. Unless you want meat every day.. but you can buy meat when it's on sale!
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amother
Lemon
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Wed, Dec 12 2018, 4:13 am
Find a friend to swap clothes with. I give one friend my son's clothes as they get too small on him, she gives me dresses for my daughter. Another friend supplies my son with clothes! For the in between I buy cheap cheap.! Shabbos shirts are uniform slim fit etc.
For heating we use hot water bottles in eve and an extra blanket at the foot of everyone's bed. Heating goes on fro. 6-8am and then again from 4-8pm. Rarely in between..
For food. We make a make menu every Sunday and stick to it. Egg and fries are one day as is baked potatoe and tuna for example
I bulk buy chicken and meat for the mth and use it all up bf buying again.
We don't dry clean except my husband's suits a few times a yr. Shirts get hung as do dresses.
We don't take the kids out to
..ever...they only order pasta anyway lol
We run one car and share.
The c.c is only for emergencies.
Another tip...I don't carry my purse with me ...I only bring my debit card if I'm actually going grocery shopping. This way when the kids want to stop off for somethinf I have no money on me anyway..
I bake cakes and bake challah.
I'm.sure there are more ways I can save but thats what I do for now
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BadTichelDay
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Wed, Dec 12 2018, 5:34 am
Don't enter any shop or supermarket unless you have to, that is, unless you need to buy something specific. Make up your mind or write a list before you enter the shop and stick to it.
If you want to buy clothes for yourself or your kids, think about what's actually needed before you enter the shop.
Don't go into a supermarket when you are hungry, seriously. I have noticed that I tend to buy more food and especially more junk food when I'm hungry during shopping.
Sometimes I eat a chocolate bar right before entering a supermarket to prevent that. It works for me...
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essie14
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Wed, Dec 12 2018, 6:25 am
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Hand me down clothing - I have received things in such great condition.
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amother
Rose
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Wed, Dec 12 2018, 7:11 am
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Re keeping lights off in an empty house: for security purposes, it can be an idea to leave on just a few so the house doesn't look empty....
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