Advice on being thrifty, please

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One way to get top quality food for very list is to join the Grocerygame.com. If the URL is wrong, please Google Terri’sList or grocerygame. It is worth the $10 every 8 weeks. Seriously, a person already clipping and organizing coupons can use this list and save loads of money. Just clipping coupons I saved 20%. Add Terri’s List to my shopping and I saved 50% - 60% without wasting gas money to shop here and there. Always take gas in consideration before shopping. Map out where you are going and figure out if saving 2 pennies on an item is worth the $5 in gas shopping someplace else. I don’t know where you live, I’m in SoCal where gas prices are $2.60 a gal and I drive a suburban. Also, being thrifty is important, but I think I read above where there is a baby being born. For me, 5 kids later, being thrifty sometimes meant time away from my mommy duties. I learned that I have to get my priorities straight (baby first, my sanity, saving a couple of cents later). For instance, after baby #4, I was clipping coupons, exhausted, trying to homeschool 2 older girls and take care of a 15 month old. (not to mention we were in the midst of selling our house so it had to be spotless and company ready at all times) I got everything together went to the market and literally 3 hours later I had my 4 kids (new baby screaming in cart, 15 month old climbing shelves, older girls frustrated and angry with me, and myself…on the floor of the freezer section balling my eyes out. Saving money, at that point, by clipping coupons and trying to find the “best deals” was not worth that. Long story for short point…consider “where you are at emotionally” before going through h__ll trying to save a few bucks. Not thrifty, I know. But I wish somebody had told me that before I lost my mind in front of the frozen peas!

God will bless your efforts, lift your needs up to Him who takes care of all that is necessary.
 
Leave your debit card and credit cards at home. Buy with cash only - this forces you to budget and buy only the necessary items.
 
A power bar is a power strip…maybe they have different names in Canada/US because I’ve never heard it called a power strip before!! LOL!!!
 
organize a neighborhood or family network for exchanging kids clothing, especially winter wear-coats, boots etc --, sports equipment and shoes, school uniforms, baby clothes etc. things that often are outgrown before they wear out. Limit kids clothing choices - one school outfit, one play outfit per day, no multiple changes of clothing that require more washing and wear and tear. A play outfit for after school can be worn for several days, at least in the winter if they are not outside much. Baby equipment is also a natural for an exchange/barter/loan system.

Organize a uniform exchange at school for school uniforms and sports uniforms and gear. This became a community wide event in our last home that became a huge money maker for the school band program, as everyone who came to the sale/exchange paid a small entry fee.

NO TV - for one thing the kids’ demands will be less and it is in my opinion and experience the single biggest threat to family life and values. the average family spends enough each month on cable/satellite fees, movie rentals etc to afford another car payment.

shop garage, tag and estate sales in ritzy neighborhoods all year round for not only good used clothing but household appliances and kitchen stuff, but especially for Christmas presents. The good toys and stuff rich people dump are astounding. If DD has a prom or other event coming up look for formals in her size for great prices.

NEVER pay retail for anything, especially furniture (largest markup of any consumer product except jewelry) and appliances. Know where every outlet in a reasonable driving radius is located, study ad prices so you know when the price is a real mark-down, not just a manufactured sale price. You are not looking for the sale price, but the markdown from the sale price.

Lower expectations. Tell your kids from day one they are not going to have designer shoes, jeans etc. and a room full of toys and electronics even if you win the lottery so they know not to ask. On the other hand, know when it is the right time for an expensive item, such as a computer (with filters and parental controls located in the living area, never a bedroom) which truly has become essential for school work. but do not buy software and accessories for it you don’t need.

one thing never to scrimp on: shoes that fit properly for wide or problem feet, and for growing feet.
 
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coralewisjr:
I stopped shaving my legs a few years ago but thanks anyway for that tip. (hopefully I’m not the only woman who doesn’t shave!! LOL)
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No offense intended BUT IMO this is thrift taken to a most undesireable extreme. Are legs the only thing you have allowed to “go natural?!” I think my husband would go without meals or electricity before he would have me resort to this strategy. If things are THAT tight, I’m sure I would be performing a public service to offer to send you all the razors you need!!

I haven’t seen anyone discuss the old-fashioned notion of barter. Whether childcare, home repair, painting, meal prep, errand running, carpooling, pooling bulk grocery/home supply purchases, yard care/gardening, sewing-mending-tailoring, computer repair, the list goes on and on. You are probably surrounded by friends with a variety of talents, skills, hobbies, free time which, if shared and reciprocated, can be very efficient, and much more affordable than hiring out or going it alone. Not to mention, this sharing often produces the wonderful fruit of social interaction and the foundation for close friendships.
 
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puzzleannie:
organize a neighborhood or family network for exchanging kids clothing, especially winter wear-coats, boots etc --, sports equipment and shoes, school uniforms, baby clothes etc. things that often are outgrown before they wear out…
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Great point I neglected to mention. We did this in my old neighborhood–all the Christmas holiday/Easter dresses for the little gilrs “made the circuit” and I’m sure if we ever pooled our family pictures our kids would look like they were part of a huge family with well-preserved hand-me-downs!! We also shared uniforms from our Catholic school–which can be very expensive to buy new every year for multiple kids. Things like the jumper/shifts/skirts for girls or the walking shorts (no knees or elbows to wear out) were virtually indestructible and were almost always outgrown, not worn.
 
If you’re expecting a baby, consider that garage sales and thrift stores are absolutely the best place to buy baby clothes and items. Most kids’ clothes are sold or given away, not because they’re no good anymore, but because the kid has outgrown them.

I hardly paid anything for my daughters’ clothes, and they had so many I had to jam them into the closet and the drawers.

Also consider cloth diapers. They really are less expensive and don’t add more trash to our environment. You can buy diaper covers with velcro closures that make diapering easy.

I also recomment a clothesline. A few years ago, the price of natural gas here just soared. I strung up a clothesline, and my bill dropped by $70 a month. That’s $840 a year.
 
A word about VoIP - very important for parents - if VoIP is your only phone, make certian your VoIP provider allows 911 calls. You do not want to find out that you don’t have 911 when you REALLY need it!
 
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kage_ar:
A word about VoIP - very important for parents - if VoIP is your only phone, make certian your VoIP provider allows 911 calls. You do not want to find out that you don’t have 911 when you REALLY need it!
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Plus, when the power goes out, so does the phone.
 
Those are good points about VoIP. DH knows that our provider doesn’t have 911 but we know the emergency # for the hospital and we have phone books, should we need to call the police department. Obviously, if the power goes out we have no phone, no CAF (very sad), no email…so we’ll find flashlights and wait it out.

God blessed us with a very generous mother; she’s given me a few maternity clothes and she’s given her grandchild four outfits already. We have a Catholic charity in town that gave us a dresser full of baby clothes, diapers, baby wipes, and more. We were humbled by the big gift and I hope that we can do our best as Christians to pass the gift forward in prayer and random acts of kindness.
 
chuffle said:
3. Don’t be afraid of store brands…I do a ton of shopping at a grocery store named Aldi. They mostly carry their own brand and the quality is top rate. They are not a “mega” supermarket, so you don’t pay for the frills. www.usa.aldi.com
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I used to shop at Aldi when we lived near Chicago. I recently found out Trader Joes is owned by Aldi, and TJ items are usually organic, preservative free and all that plus a lot of items (milk, etc) are cheaper than the supermarkets. I also like Safeway when using their club card and usually only buy the brands that are on sale w/ the club card, or the Safeway brand which is pretty good.
I’ve noticed lately at least that Wal-Mart doesn’t always have the best prices.
 
Oh one more thing, esp. if you are having a boy!

Join the Kids Advantage club at Sears. They will actually allow you to return any kid jeans that you buy and exchange them for a new pair at no cost as long as you are buying the same size. my SIL buys her son’s jeans there and I think her record is exchanging a pair like 6-7 times for free. You have to keep your reciept.
Another advantage is that when people (or yourself) buy your kids’ clothing there you get credit towards new clothing.
 
Some of the ones I do are already posted, so I won’t repeat. Here are a few.

Make your own cleaners. Vinegar is your friend. I have a spray bottle from the dollar store in each bathroom and in the kitchen. I get a huge bottle of Vinegar at BJ’s for very little. It also can replace fabric softener in the laundry. I’m kicking myself becuase I can’t find the link.

About reusing bags, some stores will actually take money off for bringing your own bags. Canvas onces are worth the investment. I have a wonderful set that are pretty indistructable.

I have a son with food allergies and I have food allergies as well. We need to be careful about what is brought into the house. It was distressing at first becuase our food bill went up. Then I realized, “hey, I can make that!” I make my own bread, as well as many other things from scratch. It sounds hard and time consuming, but if you manage it right it is not. And the freezer is your friend in this case. And you save so much money.

I think someone else mentioned meal planning. It is a life saver. This is what I did. I made an inventory for my pantry, my fridge/freezer and the snack cupboard. I lemintaed them and put them in each spot. There is also a dry erase marker next to them. When we run out of something, we mark it off. On my computer I have the same list. We shop at a couple different stores as well. I have a code so that if it can be found a store A Or B it is next to it. It helps manage the trips. It also helps becuase my husband can also do the shopping if need be. When I had my third child my mom ended up staying here for close to a month due to complications. It was a life saver for her.

All of this comes from the one thing my grandmother taught me, it is hard to have thrift withour organization. And one thing I have learned when you are married, it is hard to have organization without cooperation.
 
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annemjones96:
Some of the ones I do are already posted, so I won’t repeat. Here are a few.

Make your own cleaners. Vinegar is your friend. I have a spray bottle from the dollar store in each bathroom and in the kitchen. I get a huge bottle of Vinegar at BJ’s for very little. It also can replace fabric softener in the laundry. I’m kicking myself becuase I can’t find the link.

About reusing bags, some stores will actually take money off for bringing your own bags. Canvas onces are worth the investment. I have a wonderful set that are pretty indistructable.

I have a son with food allergies and I have food allergies as well. We need to be careful about what is brought into the house. It was distressing at first becuase our food bill went up. Then I realized, “hey, I can make that!” I make my own bread, as well as many other things from scratch. It sounds hard and time consuming, but if you manage it right it is not. And the freezer is your friend in this case. And you save so much money.

I think someone else mentioned meal planning. It is a life saver. This is what I did. I made an inventory for my pantry, my fridge/freezer and the snack cupboard. I lemintaed them and put them in each spot. There is also a dry erase marker next to them. When we run out of something, we mark it off. On my computer I have the same list. We shop at a couple different stores as well. I have a code so that if it can be found a store A Or B it is next to it. It helps manage the trips. It also helps becuase my husband can also do the shopping if need be. When I had my third child my mom ended up staying here for close to a month due to complications. It was a life saver for her.

All of this comes from the one thing my grandmother taught me, it is hard to have thrift withour organization. And one thing I have learned when you are married, it is hard to have organization without cooperation.
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You are amazingly organized. Wow.
 
I*'ve seen some posts that recommended shopping at thrift stores. If your local hospital has a thrift store, check it out! That’s where the doctors and their wives send their clothes. You can get some really great name buys there.

Peace,
Linda
 
Island Oak:
No offense intended BUT IMO this is thrift taken to a most undesireable extreme. Are legs the only thing you have allowed to “go natural?!” I think my husband would go without meals or electricity before he would have me resort to this strategy. If things are THAT tight, I’m sure I would be performing a public service to offer to send you all the razors you need!!

I haven’t seen anyone discuss the old-fashioned notion of barter. Whether childcare, home repair, painting, meal prep, errand running, carpooling, pooling bulk grocery/home supply purchases, yard care/gardening, sewing-mending-tailoring, computer repair, the list goes on and on. You are probably surrounded by friends with a variety of talents, skills, hobbies, free time which, if shared and reciprocated, can be very efficient, and much more affordable than hiring out or going it alone. Not to mention, this sharing often produces the wonderful fruit of social interaction and the foundation for close friendships.
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I stopped shaving back when I lived with my parents and had almost no money worries. I don’t like bending down and all that and my hands shake so I used a few Band-Aids. It’s not a matter of being too poor for razors; we still buy those for the 'pits. Thanks for your concern.

Bartering is a great idea. Hopefully DH and I can find a friend or two in this town to do that with. Most of our friends are our age (college age) so they’ll be leaving in May. Thank God that we made friends with some other parents who won’t be leaving!!

The hospital’s thrift store is actually more expensive than the Catholic thrift store, which says a lot about the Catholic thrift store. It gets lots of donations too, and I’m going to bring some of our old clothes there sometime soon.

KGalvin, we have no income so there’s no point in investing in Grocerygame.com. DH and I are job-hunting and hopefully, we’ll both get a job and I can quit before I birth Baby and then be a stay-at-home mama. Please pray for DH, as he’s fighting the cold that I’m getting over and he’s under a lot of pressure to get a job.
 
sarcophagus said:
- Change your phone plan to the cheapest plan possible. Inform family/friends that you may not call as often as before.
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We pay $5/month (local phone # plus incoming calls) for VoIP origination and 1.3 cents/minute for termination (outgoing calls).
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sarcophagus:
Use email/MSN to talk to long distancec friends.
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We use email and standard IM (jabber.org) to talk to people usually.
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sarcophagus:
Never use the phone during the day (when rates are more expensive)
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Time of day doesn’t change our phone costs… though if we could convice friends and family to use VoIP, it would be free to call them or vice versa 🙂

sarcophagus said:
- If using highspeed, downgrade your speed to save moeny
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We rely on cable internet for our phones, websites, emails, etc… Besides, analog phone + dialup would easily cost more than $40/mo cable internet…

sarcophagus said:
- Go to the library for books/video/magazines…most of the time, it’s free
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The internet is also a great source for books/video/magazines… and you’d don’t need to make a special trip to get them!

sarcophagus said:
- save lose change in one spot and roll them when necessary, put the $ in a savings account
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I’m actually wondering if it would be more beneficial to convert all our money to silver bullions. Inflation should easily offset any interest we get with a bank…

sarcophagus said:
- take quicker showers. Save the water from your shower in the tub to shave your legs instead of leaving the water running.
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Water is the one thing included with our rent (which is very overpriced for the area)
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sarcophagus:
Drink water and more water
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Unfortunately, the stupid government will only give us some of the money they take if we spend it on certain items at WalMart. These include milk and juices.
 
Island Oak:
No offense intended BUT IMO this is thrift taken to a most undesireable extreme.
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How so? What is wrong with hair on the legs?
Island Oak:
Are legs the only thing you have allowed to “go natural?!”
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We cut hair and de-“naturalise” things only out of utility (for example, necessity for getting a job and/or visibility)
Corinne shaves her armpits, which (in addition to shaving legs) seems totally pointless, IMO.
Island Oak:
I think my husband would go without meals or electricity before he would have me resort to this strategy.
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That’s just sad…
 
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