What are your tips...

[MarchMommy]

Share your money saving tips here!!!

[Crunchymomto3]

My biggest thing is to find CO-OP's and participate in them if they are selling products that you can use!! There are local co-ops, internet co-ops, etc...I don't pay full price for anything!!!

Today I just got 3 California Leash Co items (1 bag, 1 wallet, 1 cell phone case) and paid $59. Nearly a $30 discount, plus free shipping :)

[mcurfman]

I don't think that I have bought a single piece of Andrew's clothing at full price. I always go to the clearence racks first, then look at the sale racks. I also participate in consignment sales in the area. At first I would go and buy clothes for him, but now I resale them. I am able to buy enough clothes to last for that season for under $100. I think the most I have spent was $75 and that is including movies and toys, but I also make more than that on what I have resold.

[flatoutgallop]

Couple of tips for food shopping..

Do all your shopping at once, and only make EMERGENCY trips other than that..(so maybe do one big shop a week...and avoid going more than once a week unless its an emergency).

Note down things on your list with a mark next to them if you are running low - dont wait till you run out - then you can look out and see if its on special that week, when it might not be next week when you run out!

Check the supermarket brochures you get in the mail, mark down prices for things, and buy them from the cheapest place (unless theres only 1/2 things - then its not worth the extra trip!)

Try to buy fruit from a fruit shop and meat from a butchery, its often cheaper from there without the prepackaging than it is from the supermarket..and also alot fresher and tastier!

Try to avoid prepackaged things that you can make yourself cheaper...i.e. yoghurt, cakes, bikkies, etc... which you can also make healthier for your family than what you buy!

Have a meal plan each week for dinner & lunch... and only buy the ingredients for those meals to stop yourself wanting something else because its in the freezer.

Go shopping on a full tummy...then you arent tempted to buy things that look like you could eat them NOW...and make sure you DONT FORGET YOUR LIST.

If things are on special - buy in bulk and freeze them if you can (like meat).

When you buy meat, if a 1kg bag is cheaper but you only need say 1/2 that for a meal, buy the 1kg bag, and divide it before you freeze it into freezer bags - 2 meals...cheaper :).

Dont keep too much snacky type food in teh house...it WILL get eaten... - if you only have food that needs some preparation in the house, then people will actually eat because they are HUNGRY...not because its handy and it tastes good. (obviously this doesnt go for young children...more for teens and adults!)

Try to avoid takeaways...they are expensive...they arent good for you....

If you MUST have sweet foods etc.. try making them in the form of deserts, rather than sweets as such. Deserts that you make yourself will be cheaper, might last you for 2 nights, and you can make it as healthy as you like.

And it might sound weird...but make sure your fridge/freezer is running efficiently and at the right temperature - this will affect how long food lasts - and also package food in airtight ziplock bags, or airtight containers - these also make food last longer.

Anyway...thats just a few tips we use...hope they help someone :)

[*loveStef*]

Good tips Megan!!!

[NSenadenos]

Ok, most of what I would say is listed above, but here are my additions.

Sign up for saver's cards at stores, and every mailing list you can find. This will qualify you for what ever specials the store runs for members, as well sometimes you will get exclusive mailings. Signing up for mailing lists, especially on products you use, will increase your junk mail. However, many companies will send you samples and coupons. For instance, most formula companies and diaper companies have mailing lists.

Sign up for all free sample offers you can find. Again, this gets you on the mailing lists. Plus, all those trial sizes make for excellent travel sizes when you go on vacation or an overnight business trip, or if you want to have some in your purse for emergencies.

Everything in your bathroom should be free. You heard me - FREE. That goes for shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bath soap, cleaners, etc. I always buy 2 Sunday papers for the coupons, and go through the ads. Often, with sales and coupons, you can get these items for free - when you can, buy multiples and stock up. I currently have 6 bottles of Dawn dishsoap, a dozen deodorants, 8 toothbrushes, 16 tubes of toothpaste, 2 bottles of shampoo, a box of hair color, and 3 bottles of bath soap that were all either free after coupons, free after rebate, or I actually ended up making a profit on. I also have 4 bottles of Motrin that I bought last week, that after coupons and rebates ended up at 25 cents a bottle (normally retails for about $3.50)

Take advantage of mail in rebates. Mail them in as soon as you get home to keep from forgetting.

Find a way that helps you keep your coupons organized. Some people use a 3 ring binder with baseball card sheets in them so that they can see the coupons. I have an old wipes box filled with envelopes. Each envelope has a brand name on it, for example: Dawn, Pampers, Bounty, Huggies, etc. They are alphabetized. Every Sunday, I cut out the coupons from the paper, sort them, and pull out any expired coupons.

Consider buying coupons from a website, or joining a coupon train to get a variety of coupons or multiples on items that you know you will buy.

Shop ahead for any big purchases. Recently, we bought a window air conditioner. We searched all the major stores - Walmart, Target, Sears, Home Depot, and actually found it to be cheapest at Best Buy. We ended up saving money and getting a more powerful air condition than the original model we were looking at.

[Fuzzball]

We keep a monthly expense spreadsheet. I use Exel and anytime anything is purchased I write it on the spreadsheet. It's a great way to see where your money goes.

[Rin]

We keep a monthly expense spreadsheet. I use Exel and anytime anything is purchased I write it on the spreadsheet. It's a great way to see where your money goes.

We have the same. My Dh has our entire budget mapped out on an Excel spreadsheet for the next 9 months, not counting raises, bonuses and unexpected expenses. He ALWAYS knows how much we have in our account and knows how much money can be spent on what each week. It's pretty rigid but it keeps our heads well above water, and we have barely any debt.

I also wanted to add that I only ever buy clothing for myself and my son when we absolutely need it and I almost never buy anything full price, its either gotta be on sale, clearance or from a second hand clothing shop.

Other than that, you ladies have some really great advice!

[Charleen84]

Everything in your bathroom should be free. You heard me - FREE. That goes for shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bath soap, cleaners, etc. I always buy 2 Sunday papers for the coupons, and go through the ads. Often, with sales and coupons, you can get these items for free - when you can, buy multiples and stock up. I currently have 6 bottles of Dawn dishsoap, a dozen deodorants, 8 toothbrushes, 16 tubes of toothpaste, 2 bottles of shampoo, a box of hair color, and 3 bottles of bath soap that were all either free after coupons, free after rebate, or I actually ended up making a profit on. I also have 4 bottles of Motrin that I bought last week, that after coupons and rebates ended up at 25 cents a bottle (normally retails for about $3.50)

I just recently did this. I bought 4 Sunday papers and ended up getting 6 tubes of toothpaste for 50 cents, 4 bottles of shampoo for free, 3 deodorants for 10 cents and 4 bottles of body wash for free.

[taraes1982]

Okay ladies....I know you probably haven't, but don't forget EBAY. I started selling some of my nicer things on ebay because you make A LOT more there. Honestly, when people come to a yard sale, they are only gonna pay a couple bucks for something, even if it's brand new. On ebay, you have a much larger customer base and have a better chance of finding those people that will pay a little more for your stuff. Ebay is also a great place to get good deals! I recently bought a used copy of "The Baby Book" that retails new for $25 for only 5.99 on ebay. (That was shipping and EVERYTHING!) I also got a brand new pair of adidas tennis shoes for like $25. Now, not everything will sell wonderfully on ebay, but some of your nicer things are definitely worth listing! I'm currently selling some stuff to save for a new couch. At this rate, I'll probably have enough saved in just a couple months, using ONLY money I've made on ebay. Its worth a look, at least!

[MrsB]

Okay ladies....I know you probably haven't, but don't forget EBAY. I started selling some of my nicer things on ebay because you make A LOT more there. Honestly, when people come to a yard sale, they are only gonna pay a couple bucks for something, even if it's brand new. On ebay, you have a much larger customer base and have a better chance of finding those people that will pay a little more for your stuff. Ebay is also a great place to get good deals! I recently bought a used copy of "The Baby Book" that retails new for $25 for only 5.99 on ebay. (That was shipping and EVERYTHING!) I also got a brand new pair of adidas tennis shoes for like $25. Now, not everything will sell wonderfully on ebay, but some of your nicer things are definitely worth listing! I'm currently selling some stuff to save for a new couch. At this rate, I'll probably have enough saved in just a couple months, using ONLY money I've made on ebay. Its worth a look, at least!

Craigslist is good for the big stuff too... and no fees!!

[Anne]

i love my sunday paper.. gotta have it every week!! :lol:

[sundrip]

I use babycheapskate.com to keep up with diaper sales. They post every week about where to find the cheapest diapers (name brand and store brand) and formula every week. They also post a variety of sale and good deal alerts about all things young child. And, the site sponsors some coupon trains and that sort of thing. I haven't seen a lot on WalMart or Target diapers come up a being on sale so you will want to know how much they generally run so you can compare them to the sale price of the diapers that are on sale.

[riotgirl]

I too shop at Sams Club and Aldi and occasionally Wal-Mart for my groceries. I usually go to Wal-Mart when I have coupons to use and for things I can't buy at Aldi and Sams. That saves us money. Also I check out the clearance racks and sale racks for my daughters clothes. I even buy for a season ahead if I can find the right size. Also garage sales, and thrift stores, cosignment shops. I have found great things there. Even craigslist has some good items. Its possible to save a lot this way.

[LuTruPeMo]

Shopping at places like Aldi or Save-A-Lot for your staples will save you a TON of money. We go to one or the other once a month and stock up on canned foods, and some other things. Baking stuff (flour, sugar, baking soda, etc) are super cheap there, almost half of what they cost at Walmart or other grocery stores. But they don't offer everything we need (and Dh feels weird shopping at SAL but not at Aldi, it's cleaner is his reasoning :eyeroll: ) so we only go once a month.

Planning menus ahead of time helps us avoid extra trips to the store or unplanned meals out. I try to do 10 day calendars and the first half are where I schedule the fresher foods that need to be eaten right away. The second half are the foods that are mostly shelf stable stuff like beans, frozen meats, etc. It works pretty well. Also I can look at it the night before and see if I need to do any prep ahead of time (like tonight I need to soak some beans, thanks for the reminder ;) ).

[Mommy.♥.Isaac]

Try to stick with sales and coupons when going to the stores; also leave your money at home and only take the dollars your planning on spending so you cant over-spend! I do this all the time!

[Eve75]

We keep a monthly expense spreadsheet. I use Exel and anytime anything is purchased I write it on the spreadsheet. It's a great way to see where your money goes.

OMG I just started doing this and Im kind of freaked out on what I spend money on!!! eeesh!!! A$1000 in a month.. that includes EVERYTHING even my manicures... I dont know if thats a lot or not? half is in cash half is on the credit card.


OH and I have a tip put 20 bucks everyday in an envelop and hide it in your drawer or something and at the end of the month stick it back in your account. I dont know if it defeats the purpose but its fun!

and keep a change jar.

[callingsoft]

While we are sharing money saving tips. My husband and I found this great site called The Grocery Game. www.thegrocerygame.com This website uses the concept of combining coupons with sales and stockpiling items to save money. This past week we spent 91 dollars and bought 200 dollars worth of groceries!!! We love it!!! It is very cost effective and FUN. We love to watch the bill drop from 200 to 91. Feel free to reply with questions.

[KC's wifey]

Awesome advice ladies! Keep 'em coming!

My input...

Use the cash/envelope system!
After paying bills, we budget out how much we want to spend in groceries, splurges, gas, etc. We have separate envelopes with those titles written on them. Every payday we put our allotted money into the envelopes. Once its gone, its gone. No more til next payday. (except gas. But it still helps with budget!) It really helps in setting limits and keeping track of how much we spend on what.

Also we have a savings account that is not linked to our checking account and cannot be accessed online. Meaning we actually have to get in the car and drive to the bank to withdraw money. This keeps us from being tempted to "nibble" at our savings too often.

[laura88]

OMG I just started doing this and Im kind of freaked out on what I spend money on!!! eeesh!!! A$1000 in a month.. that includes EVERYTHING even my manicures... I dont know if thats a lot or not? half is in cash half is on the credit card.


OH and I have a tip put 20 bucks everyday in an envelop and hide it in your drawer or something and at the end of the month stick it back in your account. I dont know if it defeats the purpose but its fun!

and keep a change jar.
I use Money and do my budget for the year. I use last years bills. If anything changes I adjust. That way, if I see $10 in my checking account, I know that it's after every single bill for the year is paid. Then I know if something icreases our expenses where I can start trimming fat at. We just dropped our home phone and cable down to help. We are looking at more ways to save.I'm trying to talk DF into removing his Net plan on his phone for 2 months....but he just got it. I'd do mine, but I actually use it every day!

[BrandyL2007]

We are going to start using Angel Ministries for our food. You get a lot of food for $30 and then they have packages you can add for like $20 more but it is a lot of food for a lot less than the grocery store. Here is the website to find one locally for you. http://www.angelfoodministries.com/menu_0812en.asp

[Mrs.Monahan]

I love all of the ideas that have been posted so far...I only have one thing to add to the list...DH & I used to allow $100/2 weeks for each of us for "fun" money...We didn't use that money for gas or lunch or anything like that...just for items that we wanted but didn't need at all..Like video games, movies, CDs..stuff like that...It took some time to get used to..but it really helped us save...We always had extra money left over in the account after our bills and our "allowance" so we could add that to savings...

[riotgirl]

The Angel Food sounds like a good idea. I am going to check into that. Thanks for posting.

[amy_elise]

Angel food is great!!! I'm picking my order up next week! : )
Also in case no one else posted it yet, try Craigs List. Google it to find one in your area. We have gotten a free couch and love seat and washing machine. We also got a 40 something inch TV for $80! They also have free/cheap pets, stuff to fix up your house, house hold items, you name it!
Thrift stores are awesome for clothes, shoes, and stuff like that! I got my wedding dress and my husbands suit at one for $70 total!

[mami_minnie]

Wow! I wish I had been on this site years ago. I cringe when I think of all the money I could have saved. Thanks for all of the wonderful advice. Especially the newspaper clipping!

[hendhe3]

I double on the coupons from sundays papers also. My sister actually did it for a year and Walgreens actually had to pay her 10 cents after she got around 30 bucks worth of stuff! If I don't leave Giant Eagle with at least an 80% savings I feel like a failure. lol. Just clip and watch! It really really helps. I agree with the bathroom items also. They should ALWAYS be free. =)

[jjs08]

I just recently did this. I bought 4 Sunday papers and ended up getting 6 tubes of toothpaste for 50 cents, 4 bottles of shampoo for free, 3 deodorants for 10 cents and 4 bottles of body wash for free.

Do you have suggestions on coupon lists? I've never heard of them before don't get the Sunday paper with the coupons at home. I'd love to get bathroom stuff for free!!!

[jpsmommy]

My biggest money saver is the website: Babycheapskate.com (http://www.babycheapskate.com) she posts the best diaper and formula deals everyweek (so I don't have to hunt around) and posts all the specials she finds on baby items, clothes, shoes and gear. If you have never been to the site I highly recommend it!

[daynasrose]

My tip: Don't buy things I don't really need. It works wonders for me. :)

[farmmama]

We are going to start using Angel Ministries for our food. You get a lot of food for $30 and then they have packages you can add for like $20 more but it is a lot of food for a lot less than the grocery store. Here is the website to find one locally for you. http://www.angelfoodministries.com/menu_0812en.asp

I have used that before and its awesome! I never got bad food there.

[squirrelgurl07]

Freecycle, its been a blessing! I got most of Mera's clothes for free from there and was able to help out another mom by giving her some of Tristan's old clothes. :)

[firstbabybump]

Do you have suggestions on coupon lists? I've never heard of them before don't get the Sunday paper with the coupons at home. I'd love to get bathroom stuff for free!!!


If you live in one of the southern states, DEFINITELY try southernsavers.com. She lists grocery deals weekly. If I'm trying hard (clipping coupons and following sales) I can easily save 50% at grocery stores.... sometimes saving much more. I still am bad about saving the extra money that I get, but my pantry and bathrooms stay stocked :laugh:

[kynliod]

Not really a shareable tip, but being married to someone in grocery pricing is a great way to save money! XD I just let him do all the shopping! He checks prices all over town for his job, so he knows where all the cheapest buys are. =)

I make my own all-purpose surface cleaner, and it saves a truckload. In a spraybottle put a couple of tablespoons of ammonia and a couple of tablespoons of rubbing alcohol, then fill the rest with water. Instant windex! Use tea-style hand towels for streak free/lint free shining of all your windex-friendly surfaces. I can't remember the last time I bought rubbing alcohol or ammonia, I seriously practically clean my house for free.

[cakegal]

Working at a grocery store helps too!:laugh: Yes,yes,I know that too is also not helpful. Does get me into trouble too. I've got marked down everything. Stuff I don't need too!

Anyway.....

I make menus for the week. Helps not only with the what the heck are we going to have for dinner syndrome but also saves on groceries because I get exactly what I need. Simple but really works.

[Palee]

This sounds counterintuitive, but do your grocery shopping online and pay the pick-up fee (it's $5 here). I always spend more than $5 picking up junk that is NOT on my shopping list, not to mention all of the time I waste in the store!! And it is quicker to compare cost per ounce/unit online, too, because you can SORT the list that way and know which one is the best deal!

[mattiehatter]

This sounds counterintuitive, but do your grocery shopping online and pay the pick-up fee (it's $5 here). I always spend more than $5 picking up junk that is NOT on my shopping list, not to mention all of the time I waste in the store!! And it is quicker to compare cost per ounce/unit online, too, because you can SORT the list that way and know which one is the best deal!

I've thought about doing this. I just wasn't sure if it was worth it.

[desertgirl]

Groceries- I clip coupons every Sunday and every time I go to the store I look through the coupons to see what I can use, like buy this brand instead of another because I have a coupon. I make my grocery list based on my coupons! ALSO I only shop at stores that will give you $1 minimum for all coupons, so if the coupon says $0.35 off a can of tomatoes the store will make it an even $1 off, its awesome because sometimes the food will come out free :shocker:. OH and go to your grocery stores website and see if they have coupons you can put on your shoppers card. My fave is $3 off a 12 pack of Charmin, I have to have Charmin TP and getting an $8 pack for 5 bucks is awesome, its even better when I have a clipped coupon for the same item, like I had clipped a $0.35 off a pack of Charmin TP but my grocery store rounds up to $1 off plus my online coupon for $3 so I got the whole pack for $4, thats 1/2 the actual price.

Online- Before I make any online purchase I google and google any coupon CODES, you can find 10% off your order, free shipping ect if you just look, then I'll price compare with amazon, ebay or random websites to make sure I get the best deal. AND I do this before I actually have the money to buy the item so I'm not tempted to enter my debit card number on the first site

Clothes and household- I love Kohls, they have name brands for CHEAP and you can find $10 coupons everywhere and they give you $10 Kohls cash for every $50 you spend, its like getting a gift card just to shop, that way I can buy baby stuff, some candles and decor and clothes, get the Kohls cash and go back and get $$ off that cute comforter set I saw :wink: and their household section always has great deals on seasonal items and decorative stuff so I love that. Ross, TJ Max, Marshalls, ect all have decent household aisles, the clothes are hit or miss but the kitchenware and decor is usually on point. And I always shop clearance and the sales rack at department stores

Gas- my grocery store has a gas rewards program, every $100 I spend on groceries gives me $0.10 off a gallon of gas at their fuel station. So the convenient store across the street has gas for $2.73/gal but we're paying $2.63/gal by using our rewards.

www.Coupons.com (http://www.Coupons.com) has printable coupons for all sorts of things

[legacy]

Great tips, Ladies! Every year I call all of our vendors (cable company, electric company, cell phone company, etc.) and ask if they have any better deals for me. They are usually able to reduce something, sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot. I have also heard of calling and asking for the customer retention department. I have never done this, though. It never hurts to ask!