This topic is ALWAYS brought up, but now we're in need of good ideas.

How do YOU save money/cut expenses?

We've dropped to the bare minimum, in our opinion. as far as we can go.

Yes, we still have internet/phone/cable, and are willing to cut to bare minimum TV. We need the phone/cell phone (Tracfone). We cut the newspaper deliv. Cut XM Radio. The only bills we have are heat/elec and mortgage.

What are some ideas to save on expenses? Or better yet, how do you get some extra income?

I did newspaper delivery for 5+ yrs. We're done with that. I'm 9-5 M-F. DW is willing to work, at nights or weekends, but obviously doesnt WANT to... Will if needed. (Doesnt want me to get P/T job again, or newspapers...)

We use coupons already. Buy minimal foods. Dont go out to eat. No entertainment budget already, to cut.

Don't spend frivolously (sp). Dont go out for coffee daily, or anything like that... Gas, and thats it. Minimize the miles we drive. I think we've thought a lot about this, but looking for help with ideas!

Jason

We have cut back dramatically in the last few years the amount of eating out we do. I keep bottles of water and a case of energy bars in car so I never have to stop for food or drink. (I work drving around the county so was often tempted to stop somewhere when hungry).
I only buy clothes at 50% off or better. When we need something I scour the boards and internet for deals and the best price.
I have started selling on ebay for extra money and I give myself challenges. I see how many days I can go without spending any money on anything.
I do PineCone research for $5 a survey. Of course I use coupons when possible, do rebates, get freebies, etc.
When I am working I drive around so I know which of the "rich" neighborhoods have senior developments where people put things out. I got a practically brand new blender this way and it was cleaner than the kitchens of some people I know.
When I go to a store I check all the clearance prices.
I am constantly looking for a second job.
Since we do not go out or rent many movies we consider our internet and DirectTV to be our replacements. We do splurge on those.
I have learned a lot from this board and from one other savings board. It really helps.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

We were able to save a remarkable amount by switching to a cash budget. It really tracks your spending and eliminates the "where'd my money go" scenario.

As far as part time jobs go, you would be shocked at how much money waiting tables or bartending brings in. You really don't need much experience (if any)since most registers do all the work. I am a trainer for a bar and I would kill to get employees with a good work ethic and a personality. I rarely go home with less than $50 in tips, plus I get a great base wage. Pizza delivery is another great (no-brainer) way to make some cash.

If the hospitality industry isn't your thing, there are lots of opportunities out there. My mom told me that people pay good money to help senior citizens in nursing homes/retirement centers get to appointments or simply just get out for awhile. It is sort of like being a baby sitter. Many of these folks don't have family that can spend the time in the day. I would imagine it to be incredibly rewarding. I would think you couldcheck with the facilities to see if there are regulations/bonding requirements.

Try not buying anything but what you really need like food. When I wanted to bring in extra money I cleared out the house sold on ebay, had garage sales, & then took up demos on the weekend they pay great & our very flexible I make around $16 an hr & now I took a wahm job taking orders, I usually work late nights the line I work now I make around $8 an hr not bad for not having to leave my house & work in my pjs & its very flexible also. I have the option of doing other lines that pay more but they involve sales & I am too scared to do that yet. I also bought a cheaper car when I was really broke that saved money on gas it was a taurus & hardly took any gas at all. So I have tons of way to save & make some extra money. Oh ya I also only give away stuff I get free.

And for ET its all free I keep using my coke points for free months on blockbuster & we go walking & biking & to the parks & museums when its nice out. My kids wear alot I buy at garage sales or get on clearance for free oh ya & I do all the testdrives for gc's usually they are $50 not bad for 5mins work ya know.

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mom of 3 greats girls

To make some extra money, recycle aluminum. My husband and I used to drive around the night before bulk day and pick up all the aluminum that people were getting rid of. Did you know that the hood of a gas grill is usually aluminum. To check if something is aluminum, put a magnet to the metal if it doesn't stick, it's aluminum.

I could never cancel the newspaper that ia delivered. My husband would have a fit. That's his morning reading material. However, I found a way to save 50% off the weekly rate. I went to newspapers.com. I checked to see if my local paper was there, and it was at 50% off what I was paying. So I called the delivery dept at the newspaper and told them I could get the newspaper 50% off at newspaper.com. He matched the price. For me, this was a great deal especially if you're a family who must read the newspaper every day.

HTH

Judi

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"Try to see the glass half-full."

choices817, I hadn't heard of newspapers.com but I went there and all I could do was look up our paper. Then if you click on the link it takes you to the website of the paper. I didn't see where you could get discounted rates. Am I blind?

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

We live bare minimum as well. Were getting ready to build our first house after this starter house! I don't buy it unless there is a coupon/rebate for it and then figure up a recipe for it. (Recipes.com )ingriedient search has been wonderful!
I do a lot of mysteryshopping for our date night (Volition®)
I babysit 2 girls ages 8 and 9 for extra income
I sell on ebay things I find at goodwill and garage sales and that I get from rebates
I stuff Saturday papers at the warehouse (don't actually deliver them) , but those people love not having to come in on a saturday.

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

It sounds like you already doing a great job. I would cut down to basic tv and keep your internet..Maybe you & coworker can switch on & off driving to work to save more on gas.. For entertainment I would check out movies from the libary.

When I was on a budget. The only checks I would write were for bills , gas, haircuts, & food. At the begining of payday. I put cash in jars for entertainment, etrxa food, & dining out...What was left over in checking I put into savings or a extra payment on a credit card.

Since your DW doesn't want you to get a part time job.. Could your DW babysit to bring in extra money? If your really good at yard work.. You could start up a small yard service business something you & your wife could do together......People pay really good money for this service..I know in my area they pay in between $125.00 -$200.00 a month .. My dh mows our yard but is not good at trimming the bushes..I pay a guy $35.00 everytime I need the bushes trim

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Angels may not come when you call them, but they'll always be there when you need them.

On my local newspapers web site there is a colum on the left side of the page you can click to take to to different sections of the paper. There is a place there to subscribe. I clicked on it to read their specials.

I'm going to have to do some pencil pushing but I think what my paper is offering is more than what I now pay.

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Barb


My GOD Bless our Country and our Troops, and rid the World of terroists.

I stand corrected. The site is discountnewspapers.com.

Judi

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"Try to see the glass half-full."

thanks! I thought I was blind!

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

awesome! At renewal time I can save 66%!!!!

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Wow! Great ideas. Not just your normal stuff. Another thing we did is get rid of our land line. For those of you who worry about emergency calls, your house telephone will still be capable of 911 calling. Also, where I live, both the disconnected phone and cell phones are GPS tracked from the 911 center, so you don't have to worry about giving that information in an emergency.

I agree that mystery shopping can bring in extra cash...not a lot, but every little bit helps. Also, there are also many places on the Internet that pay you to write for them.

I do babysitting at home.... offering babysitting to parents and friends during school hours..... Hubby and the kids are gone and it allows Moms to drop off their child for a few hours so they can shop....one lady schedules two hours a week so she can go and have coffee with a friend. It allows me to make some nice money ( around $100 a week) during the time I would be home anyway....it really doesn't inpact my family since hubby is at work and kids at school....also take a boy when school is delayed or cancelled...so not only does my son have someone to play with, I'm making some money.....

To save money I also:
-Leftover night....madatory that everyone pick something in the frig that is a leftover and have it for dinner one night..... found without this...food was being wasted......

-I get bottled water in the gallon jug for 39 cents and fill up a container in frig plus in water bottles we've collected over the years and keep them cold.... I see no reason to pay $5+ for a bunch of water bottles when I get the same amount of water for 39 cents!

-Never buy canned soda....doesn't last once you open so either you finish it or loose it

-Make my own snack bags.... instead of buying single serving stuff, I buy big bags and put them in little baggies for snacks on the road....

-Buy at yardsales etc and re-sell.....especially Kids books.... ( bought $50 in books for me and the kids last summer....we read most...and resold them all for close to double what I paid)

- EBay lots.....

-Use the Library for movie, books

- If you want to treat yourself and go out to eat...do so for lunch...often cheaper.... for example we Love chinesse... I sometimes get 2 "lunches" from the Chinese place.... for $10 I have enoguh for 4 people to eat and some leftovers...compated to the "dinner" meals @ $7 or $8 a piece for almost the same amount of food......

-Buy when its on SALE and you have a coupon! We had Skippy peanut butter on sale 10 for $10.... went and got 10.... found 50 cents off 1 coupons inside...cut out all 10, got 10 more...( free after coupon was doubled.....repeated.....reapeated...repeated...re peated..... ended up at the end of the week with 60 jars of peanut butter for $10.... of course some went to the foodbank but still had lots of peanut butter for cookies and sandwiches....)

-Cleaning out house brings in some good money at yardsales...When I see something I "want" and really don't need, I take what I would have paid for the item and put it away in a jar....we sometimes pay for our entire vacation on this!

the cash budget works the best for me. it is a lot harder to spend than using cc.

eggs tofu and soybeans are great for meals! healthier too. eggplant slices make great base for individual pizzas, cheap too!

send SO to office with homemade lunch.

lots of great stuff already said.

Have you ever thought about participating in market research.....no Im not asking you to offer up some body fluids!!! We have a local marketing firm in town, all you have to do is call them up and give your name, spouse name and age.....then they will call you when you fit into the marketing research age/sex range......its usually about $75 and no more than about an hour to an hour and a half. We did this when I first became a SAHM. You probably can look in the phone book or on the internet for a firm in your town. Good Luck

Sexy, you don't have to wait until renewal time. Just call your subscription dept and tell them you saw this quote and that you are going to cancel the paper and go with the price at discountnewspapers.com. Chances are they'll match the price right then. That's what I did.

HTH

Judi

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"Try to see the glass half-full."

I read this thread last night and didn't think I could add anything to the great ideas already here, but overnight a few things popped into my head:

The majority of household cleaners can be made at home with common (and cheap!) kitchen ingredients, such as vinegar and baking soda. A side benefit is that you and your family will limit your exposure to toxic chemicals as well. I have been doing this for about a year now, and I'm so glad I never have to buy those expensive cleaners again. Check out these web sites for ideas and recipes (the environmentalist's motto - reduce, reuse and recycle - is the same as the economist's).

EcoCycle

Clean and Green

Also check out budget101 for all kinds of money saving ideas.

From your library, check out "The Tightwad Gazette" - a former newsletter compiled into several volumes of money-saving tips.

Turn off your dishwasher when it gets to the heat cycle and let the dishes air dry. Better yet, don't use the dishwasher. It saves electricity, if not water.

Find out when your electric company charges higher rates and try not to do any cooking, cleaning, etc. during that time.

Unplug appliances when you're not using them, particularly if you don't use them every day. I leave lamps, TVs and computers plugged in, but everything else I unplug when I'm finished with it.

Get a gas rewards credit card and earn points when you buy gas (it's such a thrill to order those "free" $25 gift cards - almost makes paying $2.50 a gallon worth it. ).

Do mypoints and (slowly) earn points for gift cards for free. It's faster if you do buy something, maybe buy gift cards from Target and Walmart through their website and use them for your regular shopping. In the meantime, you'll be earning points for which you can purchase other gift cards.

Make a price book. I did this last summer. For groceries and household items, I went around to all the stores in the area, including ethnic food stores and warehouses, and made a book of the price of most things that I buy on a regular basis. It opened my eyes to what was a good price and what was not. And now I know where to buy what I need, or what price to compare against. I haven't kept it up, but just starting it was worth it.

Almost anything can be made from scratch, but not everything is worth it. Decide what you have time to make from scratch and what you need to buy from the store. Also, you'll need to factor in the time spent making any given item, and figure out if it's worth it to you. For example, I've started making my own salad dressing (or just using olive oil and vinegar) which is relatively cheap and simple, so I don't have to buy store-bought. But I did decide that making mayonnaise (as one example) was not worth it, because homemade mayonnaise spoils so quickly. As it is, I don't get through a store-bought jar before it spoils, so it would be senseless to make it at home.

These are all things dh and I started to do when we were on a super-tight budget, and for the most part, continue to do them. Hope the ideas help!

Great ideas folks! TYVM!

Jason

I actually have a better rate right now for first time subscriber but next time it will go to $118 a year and on the site it's $70!

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

If you can do this . . .

Keep only the basics in your refrigerator. Shop for your supper every afternoon (or as often as possible). I found that if I go to the store every day I don't end up wasting food. It really cut down on the grocery bills . . . It is very convenient for me, but probably won't work for everyone. We walk to the local store so we don't waste money on gas

hang out laundry to dry. either outside or inside if the weather is lousy. saves alot on the eletric bill.

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«·´¨*·.¸¸. Jo ¸¸.·*¨`·»
«·´`·.(¸.·´(¸.·* *·.¸)`·.¸).·´`·»


Please leave feedback for me here.
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I used to like to hang out a few things to dry during warmer months but sadly, it's against our HOA (an most that I know of around here)

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

One of you could sign up for pinecone research. it is an on-line survey company that sends surveys and pays $5.00 each time. Usually pretty short surveys and very easy to navigate.

My kids do kidzeyes on-line. This is a survey company for kids. They reward points (a lot each time!) and send out $10.00 checks when you have 1000 points. When my kids have enough for a check, they can "cash out". When the ten dollars comes, 1/2 must go into the bank to save, but they get to spend the other 1/2. This gives them spending money without it coming from my pocket.

I agree with the posts about using energy during the cheap times. This cuts way down on our bill.

I also do the obvious things like running errands all together and try to make one big circle back home to not waste gas.

We check out reading material and videos from the local library.

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Think about helping out with cancer...
Join the Relay for Life

Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater. We saved about $40 a month doing this.

Lots of good ideas already given, too.

If you have water in a cup that didn't get all drank (sp??), water a plant with it.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

If you have space in your basement or laundry room, buy a cheap-o wooden rack and dry as many clothes as possible that way. I find if I put them in the dryer for 5min. or so, and hang them up, they won't be wrinkly or stiff when they dry. I live in an apartment, so can't hang clothes on my balcony - hang 'em in my bathroom instead

I hang my clothes directly from the washer on plastic hangers and put them in respective owner's closets. I dry dark color teeshirts for 10 minutes first to remove lint. We live in a desert... not sure if this would work in a wet climate. I fully dry jeans, towels, undies, socks, etc. on the economy setting in the drier.

Costco has packages of the flourescent light bulbs and occasionally they offer coupons for them so I was able to pick up one for each light/lamp in the house for around $1 each. Our electric bill has gone down significantly since we've been using them and they are supposed to last for 8 years? Wow. Never been a huge fan of flourescent lighting but these seem way different from the tube lighting in office buildings -- don't do the pulsing thing.

For me, shopping less is better. One day a week. I build menus around the weekly grocery store sales and coupons.

We also love Chinese takeout and so do order entrees only and then make our own rice.

I think that some of these things have been covered already but skimmed quickly and will add again just in case someone did not mention.

Smurf I hang stuff up in my Garage......Our HOA would flip aflying monkey if they knew I did that!! Can you believe how much money we pay this little tyrants to tell us what to do with our property!!! (i know a necessary evil, but still evil)

No way I could hang stuff in my garage. We have our garage open a lot and the HOA president lives right across the street with a birds eye view Plus, we have 2 cars and motorcycle so it pretty much smells like a garage...not the smell I want for my clothes LOL The only other space in the garage is my office and it's stuffed with inventory. I appreciate the suggestion though

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

I love this thread! Saving money on bills has allowed me to be a stay at home Mom for seven years now. If I spent freely we would have never survived.

I shop for groceries every two weeks, using the fresh ingredients first and saving things like spaghetti and frozen garlic bread for the end of the cycle. I have it down to $150 for two weeks for 4 people, this is with eating really really healthy good food, lots of fresh veggies, etc.

If I have to make additional trips it is rare, it has to be really worth it. The extra trips back are what add up. I never ever stop at the gas station for a snack or drinks, always pack them.

I also shop at Costco once a month for staples. I buy my furniture there too. Cell phone was free after rebate there.

I unplug everything after I use it.

I use Vonage phone service to save, I love it. Only $24.99 a month, plus free months every time you refer a friend!

I buy glass cleaner at the dollar tree, it is the best stuff. Wash the tile floors with just white vinegar or generic bleach and water, nothing fancy.

I clip coupons, buy all my clothes on sale, Target clearance for Christmas and birthday gift closet, make my own Pottery Barn look alike curtains, sew my own hobo style purses.

I sell on Ebay, I babysit for my sons teacher through the week.

I get my hair cut only every few months. I do my own pedicures.

We might go out to dinner once every two months.

A big one...

I never ever use CREDIT CARDS! I pay cash for everything. We own both our cars.

It hasn't been easy watching friends with designer purses go on exotic vacations, but I don't owe anyone for my belongings and I don't have to work outside the home.

Do the papers from this site (discountnewspapers.com) include coupons on Sunday???

snoopy24 how did you find your job at home taking orders? I can't even think where to look for a job like that. Do you have to be fast at the keyboard?

Thanks for this link. I am calling Monday and I will going from $14 a month for Thur and Sun papers to $22 for Thur through Sun papers for 13 weeks. My math abilities are lacking but I think I will be saving close to half of what i am now paying.

You guys have some great ideas! Here are a couple I didn't see mentioned.


Stay home! It seems like the more you go out, the more money you spend. Like a stop at a deli for a drink, the extra gas money, etc.

Buy some frozen stir fry dinners for those nights when you don't feel like cooking and would usually go out for pizza or something. They might cost more than making them from scratch, but they are still cheaper than take out.

If you drive a gas hog, get a car cheaper on gas! DH has a GMC Denali and it uses a ton of gas, so we bought a cheap, $900 Saturn for him to go back and forth to work with. It costs us $50 more in insurance a month, but we save at least $30 a week in gas and then the wear on the truck. Yes we now have 3 cars, but if they are paid for, it's actaully cheaper. (we would never sell the truck)

Keep what you do have organized! I have gone and spent money because I couldn't find something, such as printer ink last week.

Sign up for freebies on the freebie board! It makes the mail a lot more fun and you get to try products you might not get to usually.

Great thread with lots of different ideas!

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

Flipper I know what you mean by organized!!!! My next door neighbor has tons of duplicate stuff cause she can't ever find it!

Jason, while I know this is not ideal in your mind, perhaps the two of you could work lunch shifts in a reataurant on Sat and Sun for some time to earn whatever money you need.

In a good restaurant you could easily make 100.00 a lunch shift. More for a dinner shift.

Good luck.

iT SEEMS i AM IN THE SAME BOAT AS YOU ARE TRIED CUTTING BACK ON EVERYTHING BUT STILL NO EXTRA MONEY. i LOST MY JOB BACK IN jUNE DUE TO SURGERY i HAD ON MY KNEE. i HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A JOB EVEN THOUGH i LOOK ON THE ESC BOARD AND GO AND APPLY EVERY WHERE BUT I GUESS WHEN THEY SEE THE WAY YOU WALK AND THE REASON YOU LEFT YOU LAST JOB THAT HAS A BIG ALERT SIGN. i HAVE A 2 YEAR DEGREE THAT I GUESS IS GO FOR NOTHING. WHEN I LOST MY JOB I TRIED TO KEEP THE INSURANCE BUT IT WAS $393 A MONTH THAT WAS JUST ABOUT MORE THAN WHAT I WAS DRAWING FOR DISABILITY. WE JUST TOOK OUR LIFE SAVINGS OF $20,000 TO PUT TOWARD OUR NEW HOME 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE SURGERY. I THOUGHT THE SURGERY WOULD GO WELL AND I WOULD BE BACK AT WORK IN 6 WEEKS. I MADE MONEY THAN NY HUSBAND DID. WE HAS SCRAPE METAL WE TOOK AND GORT MONEY FOR. HE STOPPED EATING OUT FOR LUNCH NOW HE TAKES A SANDWICH. I KEEP EVERYTHING CUT OFF DURING THE DAY TO SAVE ON POWER. WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE $1028 A MONTH COMING IN BY THE TIME YOU PAY THE HOUSE PAYMENT, POWER BILL, GAS FOR HIM TO DRIVE TO WORK, CAR INSURANCE, PHONE WHAT'S LEFT NOTHING. I HAVEN'T BOUGHT ANYTHING NEW IN THE PAST YEAR. I HAVE ASTHMA AMD HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE BUT CAN'T AFFORD THE MEDS WITH NO INSURANCE SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY IDEAS FOR ME ALSO THIS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Thought of a few more things...

Buy a nice pair of clippers (I got mine with Extra Care Bucks at CVS) and learn to do the boys' hair. Easy with the attachments that come with them.

I use Cheap Prepaid International Calling Cards and Discount Long Distance Phone Service - OneSuite for long distance -- 2.5 cents/minute and cheap for international calls as well. I no longer carry long distance on my land line phone.

I use a credit card for all of my purchases (ie grocery, gas). Since I have family that lives far away that we like to visit periodically, I use Capital One's card that earns frequent flier miles... 1 mile per dollar spent. We pay off our cards each month. Even though I know that paying with cash is recommended, I have no problem with spending beyond our means since we made the choice for me to be at home and for our having to spend within a budget if we are going to make this work! Saving money *IS* my job!!!

Any time that we have extra money at the end of the month or tax refund or???, we apply it toward our highest interest debt (ie home mortgage - apply to PRINCIPAL, automobile, student loans). Being debt-free really needs to fit into the equation.

I know that when people cut back the first thing to go is the entertainment budget. Get creative! Drive to the mountains and go hiking, drive to the lake and throw rocks in the water (a favorite still with my boys who are 9 and 11), picnics at the park, ice cream cones at Sonic for 99 cents, riding bikes together (always used bikes at yard sales if you don't already have), build a fort, work on the yard as a family, etc.

Have fun! Cutting back doesn't mean that life has to become boring.

join a freecycle group in your area on yahoo..You can post for things you're looking for and the cost- FREE!!

Goat registerer...(you will have to explain that one to us all someday soon LOL)

I know that the talk show host Montel has some kind of prescription drug coverage program. While sadly I don't know about all the details I have heard ppl talk about it. I think if you go to his show website (just google Montel) he has a link there. Good Luck, if I hear of anything else I'll let you know.

I would highly suggest a trip over to this website Real Debt Help - Get out of debt with Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Plan., and listen to some of the archive radio shows he has listed there.

A friend I had not seen in a long time was sharing with me about their finances, a 1st and 2nd mortgage, DH has 2 jobs and she has one. They have some CC debt but not huge, however when I inquired further, and she told me their car payments and insurance, then I asked what she made at her job. I made mention that she was working to pay Ford Motor credit and no more, when I made that analogy she was floored. What she brought home did not even cover the full coverage insurance they paid on the cars.

You mention you have a mortgage and are trying to cut expenses, and looking at taking a second job. There is some crisis going on that you are not sharing so we can give you better advice than pack lunches (which is great advice but there is better still to come). Still yet do you have kids? Kids make a big impact on a budget. So what is driving you to cut expenses to the bare miniumn?

I listen to a woman on the Dave Ramsey show tell how their income was 150K a year and they had 10K in debt couldn't make ends meet and she wanted her DH to sell his vintage corvette. They had kids in private schools, drove very expensive cars and some other things. It was not a crisis situation, they had lifestyle issues.

I paid our way out of $30K of debt, so I can say been there done that, got the t-shirt. So I have some wisdom on cutting expenses to get out of debt, and my DH makes $40K a year.

Here are some question to ask yourself...... ( I am going on the assumption you do not have kids here)

What are driving? Can you sell it can get a car with no payments ( this also lowers your insurance) Shop around for better insurance also.
Is your mortgage eating you alive? I know the housing market is not hot everywhere, but if you are trying to get out of debt, and have equity in your home, selling might be an option and downsize for a while if you are in crisis situation. It is better to sell your house than loose it.

Cable TV and house phone could be done away with......we have no home phone, but cell phone plans that give us 10 people to call all the time for free and free nights and weekends. Trac phones for most people over time cost you more than a regular cell phone plan. My friends have regional plans, that are $50 a month and unlimited calling. Figure out what you spend over time on a trac phone. Do you rent a cable box, or modem or the remote control for your cable tv or internet? If so buy a modem, find a rebate deal somewhere they are about $50 and turn in the cable box and remote.

Are you under-employed? Many people are under-employed and do not realize it. (For example my cousin, 4 yr degree in Accounting, works for a tax company, makes $12 an hr with no bennies. She is underemployed) Sometimes a career change is in order and is as simple as making a resume. There are people who actually help you gain employment and do evaluations to help you find and obtain a better job. Do you have a hobby that you can turn into a little extra money? Web design? computer repair? Furniture restoration?

If your wife does not want to work and does not want you to get a part/time job then ebay (as suggested is an excellent way to make some extra $) I would also suggest if you have access to several thift stores and used books, Booksweep.com. There are also web site were you can bid on military surplus and resell it. Go to storage unit auctions and buy used stuff and resell it. Salvation Army's usually have auctions. If you are maybe a mechanic or have some knowledge of cars, you might be able to purchase a used car at an auction for a couple of hundred $$ and resell at a profit after a quick detail job.


If you are couponing effeciently, then you should not be spending a lot on food and should be able to eat well. I spend $300 a month on a family of 5 to 6 ( my mother lives with us part of the year). I stock pile, and have to buy very little over time once we reach a max on certain items. We do not eat out much as I can cook better than most eat out places and finally after sending back too much food it is just easier to fire up the grill and toss a salad. Also rebating.....takes a bit of time to get the swing of it, but it is an excellent way to generation some $.

I hope you can take some of these ideas and they help you achieve the goals you are are trying to meet in the situation you are in, and please go to daveramsey.com and listen to some of the radio show archives, they are good, funny and you are not alone out there trying to figure out how to make it all work. Be diligent and keep going forward, don't beat yourself up if you make a mistake and don't look back.

Dawn
Proverbs 22:7

Great post Dawn.

Can you share what you use for cell phone please?! I'd like to investigate that one a bit...


I think that I am learning some great tips on this thread -- hopefully, the OP and others are as well.

Thanks to those who are sharing!

Just checking to see how things are going??? Were you able to find some good moneysaving ideas??

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

I started the Dave Ramsey financial peace 3 weeks ago and already paid off a credit card and on my way to paying off a 2nd.. I'm excited

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

Ha! 3 mths later... Im back at the newspaper, but not delivery. Im in the warehouse, doling out to the delivery guys.

I work 20 hrs/week $10/hr. It helps, because my other job is also paid every 2 weeks, and the paper pays on the 'off weeks', so I get a check every week

We got a $100/mth deal on internet/phone/cable. Tracfone is minimal. Obviously cut XM radio and Newspaper

Not saving as much as we want, but we're ok.

Just came back from our 2 day trip to Storyland, NH. GREAT trip. Girls LOVED it.

Jason

Why not purchase a shower curtain rod (or move the existing rod) directly over the tub or shower, then hang clothes from it?

I have been doing that for years in my area but you can only do it 2 or 3 times a year.