Ways to save...
You could subtitle this post "Exactly how are we supposed to afford a race car anyway?", and you wouldn't be far off, but it's not just that. For a while now I've been looking at ways to cut what we spend. Some of the things I've implemented so far include using hankies instead of kleenex, cloth napkins instead of paper ones, reuseable menstrual products (you wouldn't belive how much money I've saved since discovering this particular product!), and, of course, I shop for myself and The Boy at this very exclusive boutique. I can't remember the last time I dropped $1.50 at Timmy's for tea. I make my own at work for $5.00 a month to the tea and coffee fund. Yes, I feel very virtuous, thank you!
It's interesting how House Man and I come at this from different angles. I see frugality and saving as a goal in itself--by spending less, I'm consuming less, and that in itself is a goal worth striving for. It's a good thing all on its own, and the financial benefit of having money set aside is just incidental. House Man does not see saving or living simply as a goal in it's own right. For him, if he's going to save, it needs to be for a reason. Anyway, I think that the race car might be just the incentive for him to start saving!
I'm looking for some good book or website suggestions to help with the quest to save more money. Anybody got some good places to go for ideas?
13 comments:
Well of course in the UK, Martin Lewis is the money saving guru - http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ He's never let me down yet ;) How come when you google 'money saving' - all the websites are in the UK?? Don't answer that LOL! I agree, it's all about using less, only buying things that are necessary and good value, and it's all about the planet, not just your pocket. Oh, and not giving money to the banks and other sharks :) but you do get to a point where you just don't seem to be able to cut down any more... until I saw the Moon cup, that is... *ponders*
Oh man, those cups are a godsend, aren't they? I started using it to cut down on watse, but not having to drop $5 (or however much pads cost these days) evey month is certainly a bonus. Same goes for hankies, no waste, no extra expense!
Now if they only had reusable cotton swabs....
Doesn't save money, at least not around here, but you could use cloth grocery bags. In Saskatchewan, they charge a 5 cent/bag recycling fee... you wouldn't believe how many people use cloth bags.
Well, Mr. Happy and I are on a tight budget, so we save by:
- hanging our clothes out on the line.
- turning on the washing machine late at night (power is cheaper at night and having a husband who works late comes in handy)
- using our toaster oven instead of the big oven
- enjoying a 3 channel universe
- turning off the heat as early as possible in May and turning it back on as late as possible in November.
- I bike to work
I have no money-saving tips or info on where to find some...frankly I really suck at saving money. I have found though that when I decide to have a junk food break I have quite a bit extra money kicking around.
I use the Diva Cup, and while I am sure we're saving because of it, the best benefit for me has been the extreme reduction in cramping.
We are terrible at saving money - however, we don't have kids yet. We tend to save $ by eating leftovers for lunch, making our own coffee, eating vegetarian meals most days of the week (that way we can spend more buying organic produce)...
Our best financial move would be for me to finish school though...
maybe you could just give me the info for YOUR book and it's ISBN number so that i can make sure my library has it? you're clearly doing a great job of being responsible - something i wish i was better at!
Well, I try, but to be honest, I tend to crash and burn when I hit a book store! And really, I'm not as consistent as I should be about packing lunch. We definitely have some work to do it we want to have another baby and run a race car!
Well, your House Man could start shaving his head so he wouldn't need to go to the barber. I get my hair cut at the beauty school here in Clayton Park called the "Hair Design Centre". Thanks so much for the tip about the railway. My kids will LOVE that.
I've just surfed in from Leslie's blog after reading a comment from you. (on June 9th)
Could you please tell me the pattern for skinny scarf?
I have lost the version I had. (But as it was written on the back of a losing scratch 'n win lottery ticket, I am not surprised that it has disappeared.)
I bought yarn yesterday at a yard sale and promised the lady from whom I got it, that I would knit her a skinny scarf. Only to get home and not find the pattern!
And I cannot find the e-mail address of the lady who told me about her skinny scarf pattern ... the one that is written on the scratch 'n win ticket.
Thank you,
Janey, also from Nova Scotia (but blogless)
Janey, the pattern that Lesley bought has three scarves, with two widths for each scarf, one is skinnier than the other. It's not really a skinny scarf, just the least wide of the two versions. Anyway, I'm not sure which scarf you're after. Did you try googling "skinny scarf" to see what patterns you come up with? You get ones of free patterns, I'm sure one would probably do!
It seems like most of my penny pinching ideas have already been mentioned, but there are lots of finance blogs out there with ideas. Try frugalforlife.blogspot.com and budgetingbabe.blogspot.com
I know this is an older post, but I just found your blog and am also a knitter and a reader on a tight budget. In addition to finding top quality barely used sweaters at thrift stores to unravel and recycle (for yarn-google "recycling sweaters" for a free tutorial) I have relied heavily on Amy Daczyn's books (I hope I have the spelling correct) called "The tightwad gazette" there are several volumes-they are for moderate to blackbelt frugalites. I also rely on stealth saving-I have a savings account in a remote bank that I deposit money every month from my "regular" bank account into via automatic deposit (I can't get to that remote account with a debit card or checks so it really has to be an emergency) if you don't see the money (the auto deposit part) you learn to live without. Good luck!
Heather in WV
Post a Comment