5/14/2009

Saving Money Challenge: How I've Saved Money So Far


So I wanted to get one of these Saving Money Challenge updates up every week but last week was, well, crazy! But anyway, here are some of the ways I've saved money so far this month:

~We dropped our local Internet provider (too many issues) and we bundled our phone and Internet. This saves us $15 a month and I went from paying by the minute to unlimited local/long distance. Our Internet is now 3 times faster AND we earned $100 in Visa Gift Cards! Talk about a sweet deal! Thanks AT&T!

~I purchased plants for a salsa garden, strawberries and cherry tomatoes. This will save me some $$ on my grocery budget this summer. Not to mention, some FREE fun for Nathan and me!

~Instead of driving to a Cubs game, we took the train. Otherwise, we would have paid gas (during rush hours!) and $30 in parking. We even drove the extra 5 miles to go from $6 parking to $1.25. And, we didn't buy anything that wasn't included in our ticket at the game!

~We turned the above into my Mother's Day present, too!

~I've tried to run my appliances during off hours.

~I've been trying out some store brands that I purchased prior. I also switched from Dreft for the kids to a Free & Clear detergent that I got on-the-cheap. (I can never get Dreft at a good price!)

~I went through all my magazines, clearing out a huge stack. This freed up more space and I now have my coupons ready to go!

~I organized the kids' closets. I took some closet storage units I purchased to make a great time-saver. (I'll share later!)

~I went through and found all of the packages of diapers that don't fit Kaydi now. I plan on trading with a friend for size 4s instead. (I love the trading system!)

~I didn't go out during the week, saving on gas $$. We had a neighbor friend over for conversation and playtime.

~I've been living off our stockpile for meals. It doesn't seem like I'm even making a dent! :) I either used any leftovers or froze them for future meals.

~I cleaned out my fridge. I lost two items to expiration dates (ugh!) but I found 3 blocks of cheese that were hidden, making great snacks!!

~We had purchased a desk for our Master Bedroom for my new "office" space. We finally got around to putting it together, helping me get a little more organized.

~I also washed up some containers I had previously purchased and organized my baking and storage container cabinets. Great time savers! While I was doing this, I found some recipe books that I forgot I had printed. I went through them and found some great new recipes to try with the ingredients I have on hand!

These are just a few of the ways. I've been doing lots more but my mind is blank! I'll add them as "updates" as I think of them.

I hope you are all finding ways to save pennies here and there!

UPDATES
~I can't believe I forgot to list this one since I just did a posting on it! I made my own baby food rather than buying name brands.

~I've restricted myself to trying not to buy anything over $1 (as much as possible!)and I haven't bought anything online. When I do, I hope to use gift cards I earned through SwagBucks or other deals.

~I've been trying to follow the logic of "The Happy Minimum" that was posted on The Simple Dollar awhile back HERE. I loved that article!

4 comments:

  1. wow way to go! Thank you for all the ideas

    ReplyDelete
  2. Did you say salsa garden? I've got to get me one of those! That sounds delish, and DH makes a great salsa.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow! Great job bundling your phone and internet and getting those $ 100. in Visa Gift Cards.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey, about the Dreft and the Free & Clear... Have you tried making your own? Here's a recipe for some detergent that's just as gentle as Dreft. I still use it for my family's laundry, after using it on my baby and finding it to work very well....

    1 grated bar of Ivory soap
    1 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
    1 c. Borax
    Use 2-3 tablespoons per wash load

    ReplyDelete

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