Proverbs talks about the wife buying a field and turning it into a vineyard to make extra money. She stays up late to make things to sale at market.
Being frugal is a personal life changing journey, and something I personally am trying to get better at. I’ve heard “think like you’re grandma” and in today’s society that is 100% true. Times are tough, and it’s even tougher for young adults to get on their own. This means that you almost have to be frugal just to survive without living at home…trust me I know! I’m constantly looking at ways to save money, and Pinterest has been my number one source of finding ways to not only save money but also to find things I can do at home to make money.
We have two young kids and it’s cheaper for me to stay at home with them and try to save money than it is to put them in day care and work. My husband and I also agreed when we moved out of my parent’s house, that I would be the one to raise our kids. In today’s world you can’t trust someone else to do that for you, especially if you want to raise them to be right in God’s eyes. Plus, the horror stories of daycares….SCAREY!!!
I thought I would put a list together of ways I save money around the house. This list is from a bunch of different sites (which I list the main ones at the bottom) that help you save money. It also has my own little ways that I’ve discovered on my own.
FOOD!!!!
1- Use Cash- I didn’t believe this until I did it. It’s like learning the value of money all over again when you have twenty dollars and have to get the most food with it. Is that pack of strawberries really worth three dollars?
2- Coupons? - This is a love hate relationship. I love the money I do save with coupons but they can tempt you to buy things you don’t need. Dillon’s (Kroger) has an app that lets you put digital coupons that work when you scan your card. I will go through it every month and mark the things that I know we buy, that way I don’t have paper and am tempted to buy things I don’t need. I only use coupons I get from them, or sometimes I’ll get things from the newspaper. The trick is to watch the sales and use the coupon at the same time. For example, All is on sale for $1.99 and I have a dollar off from the store app, and a dollar off from a newspaper coupon. BAM!! Free detergent. Just takes time and patients. Lozo.com is a great place to get coupons.
3- Price Match- I know a few people that do this faithfully. I don’t go to Wal-mart much and I try to stay clear of Target ( I love that place a little too much). On that note, you can use an Aldi’s ad and get better produce for a cheaper price. If you have the time, go for it!! Be sure to read the coupon/ad match policy though.
4- Go to the discount store! I love Aldi’s. I can get so much more for so much less. The produce does go bad fast, so you have to eat it quickly (not a problem with a two year old). Canned goods are almost always cheaper here. If you want to stock up on things, this is a good place to go (for dry goods that is).
5- Rain check Please! You can get these on some items when they are on sale but out. Not all stores do this and you can’t get it on all products, but it can’t hurt to ask!
6- Bulk Stores – We used this for a while but I found I ended up spending more than I wanted. This is great if you can do a $/oz type of comparison. This is also good if you need a lot of something, like the fact I go through five pounds of flour in two to three weeks. This works great if you can split the membership with someone, or go with someone who already has one.
7- SALE!!!SALE!!!SALE!!! Look for them, but be careful. Sometimes Dillon’s will say things are ‘on sale’ but in reality you’re paying more than normal price. It’s smart to know how much things cost, which leads me to…
8- Make a spread sheet- I used to think this was totally crazy, who has time for that right? I’ve recently learned it’s not. It’s even better if you can get the list on your phone, so when you’re in the store and wondering if it’s a better deal else where you can look. This has to be updated about one a year or so. Makes since though when you’re paying for your own food!
9- Store brand!!!- I love Kroger brand, and usually there isn’t a taste difference. I do know a family though who refused to buy store brand (she even complained about the ketchup…seriously!). Some things aren’t good but for the most part store brand food is just as good. I get my daughter Kroger brand apple juice and it has fewer ingredients than name brand, which means less of the crap! Just takes a minute to look at your options and can save you a ton.
10- Make a menu! This will pay off I promise! I do this every two week, and the food we didn’t make for whatever reason I just keep on the menu for the next two weeks. It takes a few days to draw one up but it works.
11- Less store trips – When you have a menu, you make less trips which means you spend less. Every time you go to the store to buy something, you will buy more than you want. It’s a fact so let’s face it. I go once and if we need something here or there I give my husband the exact amount of money he will need (otherwise he thinks it’s free game to spend the WHOLE amount I give him).
12- Busy! Go to the store when it’s busy. I hate it because I don’t like all the people, but it works. When I know it’ll be busy I just want to get in and get out. You spend less money because you don’t want to look around.
13- Go alone – Since you’re going when it’s busy go alone. When I take my kids and husband we always get extra. My daughter will want something (which is easy to say no) but my husband is just as bad. I hear a lot of “babe it’s on sale, that’s a great deal so let’s buy five”. WHAT? That’s a true story! Avoid it all by going alone, plus it means alone time for those stay at home moms. Although it’s mildly depressing when ‘alone time/mom time’ is spent grocery shopping.
14- Full stomach – I tried this out, and it worked. Just go right after you eat so you don’t want to buy because you’re hungry. It’s amazing how the stomach can control the cart and hands.
15- Time Limit - I hear that you can set a time limit and it will help you. I’m guessing because you don’t have time to stop and look? I feel like I’m always on a time limit so I’ve never actually set a timer and did this.
16- All Water- Ditch the pop and crap. If you must have something stick with Kool-Aid. To make that even better, did you know you don’t have to use the amount of sugar it says on the back of the pack. In our house, I don’t buy pop. If you want pop it comes out of your own spending money.
17- Garden – I’m lucky to have a talented husband who can garden. If you can try it (good way to lose weight if you’re wanting to do that). We start most things from seed but even if you get a starter plant, you save that much in produce. You don’t always have to do big food plants either; herbs are easy and can be grown in a small area. Also Five gallon buckets, or a crafty little “live wall”.
18- In season- buy foods that are in season. If it’s not, you’re going to pay more money. Sometimes you can even go to a local market and get in season foods cheaper than at the store.
19- Meatless Monday- My husband had a fit at this!!! I did it once and he was unhappy so we no longer do ‘meatless meals’. For some people it works great, and all the more power to you. It’s easy to use beans or other types of food.
20- Hunting/fishing – Fishing is a very cheap thing to do, if you have a good fishing hole close. My husband loves to fish and we have a little lake that’s close; he can usually get two or more fish which equals a meal. It takes practice but if it’s something you’re willing to try I say go for it, plus it gets you out doors. Hunting on the other hand….I don’t know. If my husband can get two deer, we have no need to buy burger. Burger here is $20 for 90/10 meat, and it cost around $400 to send my husband deer hunting for a week in November. It might pay off. We cut that cost even more but butchering out own deer. My husband looked online to learn the cuts and how. I love it because we use bacon ends and bits to give it fat (deer is very lean) AMAZING!! This is an expensive hobby if you are starting out, but if it’s something you want to get into I would suggest finding someone to teach you. You can’t just go in a field and decide you’re going to shoot a deer. I often help in butchering animals and if you have any questions I would be glad to answer them!
21- BYOL – Bring your own lunch!! Everyone knows it saves money, so just do it!!
22- Left Overs- While you’re packing your new lunch bag, don’t forget to get the leftovers!!! I use leftovers to make other meals too. When we make fajitas, I make enough meat for breakfast burritos and nachos the next day. It’s also bad to waste, so if you’re family isn’t eating all the leftover don’t make as much. I noticed one day that we were throwing away tones of food because it wasn’t being eaten. I started making just enough for us to eat and maybe some the next day. It’s cheaper for me to make lunch than make extra dinner and not eat it (because I still end up cooking lunch).
23- Homemade Snacks – You can make your own snacks but be careful about the cost. I was going to do pop tarts, till I realized it was cheaper to buy them. If you have everything on hand go for it! Homemade gold fish are super simple and cheap to make. If you have everything you need and it’s cheap than go have at it.
24- Cook from scratch – I thought this was bogus till I started doing it (hence the five pounds of flour being gone so fast). I make pancakes from scratch about four times in two weeks, if not more. Some things aren’t cheaper, but most are.
25- Freeze Food- If you have a container of leftovers that are going bad freeze it and when you need a meal you have one. Sometimes I freeze fruit right before it goes bad to cook with later in a pie or other desert. Almost anything can freeze, and if you aren’t sure look it up.
26- Fresh vs Frozen – Usually it is cheaper to buy veggies frozen than fresh, but it depends on the time of year. If you want to save even more, buy when things are on sale and freeze them for later use all year round. For example if broccoli is on sale, buy it and freeze it for later use. Once you get started, you’ll be able to make your own freezer bag veggies. Those aren’t expensive, and on sale are a dollar each, but why not even less by doing it yourself.
27- Junk food – I once read that buying a bag of chips is just as much as a pack of strawberries and goes just as quickly. That is true in my house so I stick to the fruits. If I buy chips it’s for a meal or special reason; same with all junk food. I try to stay away because it’s just filled with crap and expensive for what you get. Save your Money!
28- For the Love of Coffee – Skip the coffee run. It’s easy to make your own coffee and with the help of Pinterest you can make your favorite Starbucks drinks at home. If you want to save even more, make your own creamer. I thought the syrup part would be expensive, but it’s not for as long as it lasts. Just a thought!
29- Stuck In The Middle – I haven’t really noticed if this is true but I hear that the middle of the grocery isle has all the expensive stuff. I always go straight for the store brand and could probably shop with a blind fold and know where stuff is. This comes in handy though if you’re looking for a different option or just looking.
30- Double Recipes – I’ve read that it’s cheaper to double a recipe and freeze the other half. Once again I don’t know if this is completely true and would depend on what you’re cooking.
31- CHICKEN!!!- if you’re going to buy meat, by chicken. It tends to be cheaper than burger and pork. I get the bag chicken (my husband hates it but doesn’t complain about taste) and cook that. I can make a bag of chicken last two or three meals. You don’t have to use the amount of meat on a recipe either.
32- EAT LESS!!!! – Yes I said it, eat less. My husband ate four pieces of bread this morning. I’m just sitting watching him thinking, “do you really need that much bread?”. If you look at the serving sizes, you’d be amazed at how much America over eats. I found I actually eat LESS in a day if I snack every two hours than if I eat a huge meal and pretty much gorge myself. As humans we don’t need that much, and as Americans we tend to overdo things.
33- Crock-pot cooking – This is amazing to me and I love it. I can have dinner ready and I get to play with my children rather than prepare a meal. It saves energy in summer and saves time always. Usually with a crock-pot meal I have plenty that I can put in freezer bags and freeze for a later date.
34- Organize your fridge – If you know what you have, what needs to be eaten when, and what is leftovers, you’ll save by not wasting. I have yet to do this but I plan to! If things are going to go bad fast put them in front for the family to see. I’ve even seen people do this bin thing? I don’t know about all that, but if it floats your boat!
35- Don’t eat out!!! If we eat out it’s with a parent who is probably going to pay for the dinner or we use a coupon. If we eat fast food, I always have a buy one get one something. I also don’t buy kids meals. My two year old won’t eat all that, so why not opt for a dollar sandwich and dollar fry. She will live without the toy or the pop.
HOME
36- Flush less – I know it seems gross but it will save you money in the long run. I grew up spending summers at my grandma’s house in south east Texas and you flushed number 2 and kept number 1. After two or three pees were in the toilet, it could be flushed.
37- Bottle in the toilet – I’ve read that a bottle of sand or something heavy in the back of the toilet bowl will reduce the water used. It can save you around $100 a year. We rent our house and I’m not willing to try this in case something bad happens.
38- DIY cleaning products – You can make your own and it’s much cheaper. For my tub I use a 1-1 dish soap and vinegar…works amazing. It’s better for the environment and cheaper.
39- A/C – Turning the A/C temp up does make a huge difference. We keep our A/C at 77 and it feels fine in here. If I get hot I simply put shorts on or sit to take a break. I don’t run the a/c if it’s under 80 degrees. I know not everyone can do this due to not being home, but if you can you should. I also open the house up in the mornings when it’s cooler. I’m up around seven and if it’s 60 some degrees outside I can open the doors cool it off which will mean the a/c won’t kick on until much later in the day. Every hour counts.
40- Heater- Turn the heater down. If you get cold, put more clothes on. In the winter I turn a space heater on in the main living area where my children are during the day. It keeps this area warm, and the heater doesn’t run all day. It’s cheaper to run the little space heater off and on all day than the big heater. An hour or so before bed I’ll make sure the big heater kicks on so the bedrooms get warm. NEVER leave the space heater on when gone or asleep.
41- Insulate- Make sure you’re house is well insulated. My mother-in-law doesn’t have an insulated house and it costs her big time.
42- Shut windows – If something is running be sure to shut all the windows and doors. I’m currently trying to teach my two year old that this isn’t a barn and if she goes outside to shut the door.
43- Blinds – Along this line is to keep blinds and curtains shut to save energy. I don’t know for sure because if I have blackout curtains to save the cool/heat than I have to turn a light on. I love sun light so I have mine open half way during the day. If you don’t have to turn a light on, don’t.
44- Energy efficient- Make sure all your appliances and bulbs are energy effiecientwill save on energy. It is expensive at first but will save you in the long run. I love the new washers that save on energy and water!!
45- Turn the Lights off- Yea, I can literally hear my mom telling me that from when I was a kid. What do you know…I’m telling my kids now! It’s a simple task to do but many times people walk out of a room and keep the light on.
46- Open the indoor doors – I keep the doors in my house open so the air circulates. Of course some doors I have to shut to keep my daughter out of my stuff, but for the most part everything is open.
47- Unplug – I’m sure by now everyone is aware that if it isn’t being used unplug it. I’m bad at this one and wonder if it’s worth the time. Instead I use less plug ins. Our bedroom as three outlets but I only use one. I have my alarm clock and a power strip that I can unplug if I’m going to. Not using the outlets is a better option for me.
48- No dish washer – We wash all our dishes by hand. It gives me something to do (not that I need more), but sometimes my daughter ‘helps’ and its great bonding time. The dishwasher uses more water and electric than washing by hand.
49- No Dry Cleaning – It’s simple, don’t buy clothes that have a dry clean only tag.
50- Cold H2O- Wash all your clothes in cold water. The only things I wash in hot water are my sheets and my towels once a month. It saves on the gas bill!!
51- Wear twice – if you have small children this is hard because someone is ALWAYS wiping sticky on you or spitting up. It’s never ending! Most of the time though you can wear clothes more than once before you have to wash them. To really save, spot wash!
52- Two wardrobes – For a stay at home mom this makes since. I have clothes I wear at home, clothes that can be stained and ruined. I also have clothes I wear in public (I hate looking like a slob) and when I get home I immediately change. It will save you money because you won’t need to buy nice clothes as often.
53- Hang dry – I thought this was crazy at first, till I tried it. I dry my clothes for twenty minutes (which dries the clothes 80-90%) and hang dry them over night. To save even more, don’t dry at all or only dry ten minutes. I saved around thirty dollars in a month by doing this, imagine if I didn’t dry or did ten minutes. I do dry my towels because I usually do a load last minute. I also dry my sheets and jeans once a month so they get tightness back in them.
54- Thrift shop – I know you won’t always find things, and it takes a lot of time. If you keep looking you can find good clothes. You could also do a clothes swap with friends that wear the same size.
55- SEW!! – This is my new favorite thing. Learn to sew!!!! Fabric is cheap, and you can make all kinds of clothes. You can also learn to alter clothes you find that might be a little too big, or mend holes.
56- DIY Laundry soap – I don’t know how well this works but from what I read, it’s cheap and makes a lot. Up to you to try but you save!
57- DIY fabric softeners – I don’t know if this works but i plan to try. You drip white rags in fabric softener and then put the rags in the drier (after they’ve air dried). It will help to get rid of the static and soften clothes. One rag can last twenty or more loads. It replace those little sheets in the drier.
58- Speaking of those little sheets, cut them in half and use them twice.
59- Paper towel-less- Get rid of the paper towels. Either get over them or go buy a bunch of white rags that can be reused and washed. We don’t use them much any ways, but it will save around 20 dollars a month.
60- Declutter the home – If you don’t have a bunch of clutter, you won’t have to look for things because you lost it. It always happens that when you can’t find something, you go buy one and then boom you find it right after that. Everything in its place and a place for everything.
61- Shop in your own home – If you are looking for something to work for a project or whatever, look around the house. A lot of times I can find something that will work rather than go buy something new.
62- Reuse- I hear that you can reuse foil and things like that. I wouldn’t go that far but worth a try. I do reuse the plastic containers we get lunch meat in, or spaghetti sauce jars.
63- Oops counter?? I read that you can go to an oops counter at hardware store and buy discount paint. This would be great if you happen to find a color you want for inside your house but I would use this for outside crafts that you need paint.
64- Natural bug deterrent - I go to this great website that gives a bunch of natural ways to get rid of bugs. A lot of the items I have around the house. You can also find a bunch of ways to keep bugs off you that are natural and cheaper. Deet is bad for you, my doctor even said he doesn’t suggest I use it on the kids.
Entertainment
65- Get outside – It’s free to go to the park, or take a walk. If you get bored, get outside.
66- Opt for an early movie or discount place – The matinee movies are much cheaper but it’s even cheaper to go to a discount theatre. I don’t know if every city has this, but we have a theatre that plays movies for $2.50. Seriously!!! It’s great if you want to take the kids out to do something cheap. If you’re brave you could even sneak in snacks, why yes I do need this huge diaper bag!!! Not right, but I can get a $1 box of candy while you want me to pay 5 for the same thing…please!
67- Call ahead – Call local museums and places to see if they have discount days or free days. The problem is that you will have to deal with a bunch of people. I rather my kids have fun, I can put up with the other people for them.
68- Get rid of cable – I think this is a HUGE movement and I’m happy about it. When we had cable it was close to $150 a month. That didn’t even include the movie channels!! It only took two months to figure out we could do without. It’s easy to go online and stream whatever shows you want to watch FOR FREE!! Simply go to the network website (fox.com abc.com ect…). You could also do Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. It’s even cheaper if you split the cost with someone else.
69- Library – It’s easy to get free book and dvds to watch. During the summer, many libraries even have programs for the kids to enjoy. It’s something cheap to get them out of the house and teach them the love of books.
70- Craigslist – If you must buy, look online. Many times people will sale a big amount for cheap. If you want to go to store try Book-A-Holic and places like that. A few times year they even have a bag deal were you pay so much for a bag and put as many books in it as you can get.
71-- All That Data? – You can look at your bill or online to see how much you actually use. If you can cut back and pay less, do so. Do you really need unlimited data and minutes? To make things even cheaper, start a family plan. Just remember if the other people can’t pay the bill and it’s in your name, you’re still responsible for that bill. Make sure it’s with people you can trust.
72- Frugal friends – Hang out with people who are also frugal. I have a friend who is very frugal and it has inspired me to do the same. You can even start a challenge or help give each other tips.
73- Magazines – Get rid of those subscriptions if you don’t have to have it. If you really wanted to be cheap, go to a big store and read them while drinking a cup of coffee. I know Barns and Noble has them to be looked at. Read the few articles you want and put the it back. You’re literally paying for ads most of the time. If you HAVE to have it, try an electronic version! Usually it’s cheaper.
Car
74- Walk/ bike if you can. I don’t live in a city that is friendly to that so we don’t. More and more people are starting to, which is forcing our city to make changes. But I’m not risking it with these crazy drivers!
75- Tires- Make sure you have enough air in your tires. Most repair shops will check and fill the air for you FOR FREE. This will help the car save on gas and it will make your tires last longer.
76- Maintenance – Maintain your car with oil changes ext. If you don’t have the money to pay for someone to do it, you could also learn how from a You Tube video. If you know someone who works on cars, try to make a bargain. My husband is a mechanic and he often works on friends cars in exchange for dinner.
77- Make fewer trips or do all your trips in one day. It sounds exhausting but it will save you from running all week to different places.
78- Change your route- Find the shortest and most fuel efficient route. Also try to plan your trip so you don’t back track. If something is out of the way, try to find somewhere else that has the same product you are looking for. Saves on gas!
79- Public transit – I don’t know much about this due to our city having a HORRIBLE public transportation system. I know in big cities it’s amazing.
80- Insurance – Look around to see if you can find something cheaper. While you’re looking, see what kind of discount you can get if you put everything on one policy such as car/house.
Gifts/Parties
81- DIY decorations – You can find almost any theme of DIY decorations. Get creative! For my son’s birthday, I’m going to use toilet paper rolls and the half paper towel rolls to make a shot gun shell garland. I’m reusing and it’ll be cheap décor.
82- Opt out of Christmas gift exchanges – it sucks but if you don’t have the money, don’t stress yourself just to be in it.
83- Holiday fund- When I was working, I had $50 of every paycheck put back and once a year the boss cut a check. It sucks at first because you notice the money gone. Pretty soon, you don’t notice and at thanksgiving you have a bunch of money.
84- Gift cards – If that doesn’t work for you, buy a gift card a paycheck or a month that you can be used at Christmas time or for birthdays.
85- Christmas all year- Instead of gift cards, I buy little things all year round. Never know when you’ll find the perfect gift.
86- Black Friday? – I hate this shopping day, but you can go and save ALL you want.
87- Potluck – When we have a party or host people it’s always bring a dish. This saves you from buying all the food, which can be costly. With our friends we even do bring your own meat and we will cook it for you. We usually will make two sides then rather than just one.
88 Make your Own Cards- My daughter loves to color, so I usually have her color cards to give away. You can get creative and do all kinds of cool things. I don’t do that because cards just end up in the trash anyways and I don’t have time.
Baby
89- WIPES!!!!!! I make my own wipes. It’s the best thing EVER and you save a TON of money. I mean a TON of money. Use half a roll of paper towels, two cups of water, tablespoon of baby oil, tablespoon of baby shampoo and mix it together. I only use 1 ¾ cups of the mix on my paper towels. It takes trial and error to get the perfect mix for you. My friend even uses coconut oil. I love them way better than store wipes.
90- Diapers – I refuse to do cloth diapers, but you can save a lot of money on them. Now days, it’s even more simple than using pins and what not. Our city even has a swap to help save money when you need to go up a size.
91- Clothes – I buy clothes used, if at all. Usually I ask for all clothes on birthdays. Of course they get a few toys but they need clothes more than toys and I will take advantage of it while they are young and don’t know better. Buying clothes used saves a ton. Even better, keep them necked during summer months. Saves on clothes wear and tear and laundry.
92- Baby food – It’s worth making your own baby food. You don’t have to worry about what’s in them and it is way cheaper. It takes time but well worth it for your checkbook and your baby.
93- Potty train – I’m currently trying the no clothes go pee in the potty thing…NOT WORKING!! But the sooner you can get your kids going the sooner you don’t have to buy diapers.
94- Home remedies – Before calling a doctor, try a home remedy. I should say, be sure to consult your doctor first. I just go for it and judge my kids reactions. I also make my kids tough things out. I’m not going to waste time or money on a doctor who can’t do anything for me anyways.
95- Toys- I buy cheap toys and then expensive ones for birthday/Christmas. Children just break toys, so why spend so much money on them. Usually I get little dollar toys, or buy them used. Craigslist is a great place to find discount toys, especially the big things.
96- Swap – Start a kid swap. It’s a great place to exchange clothes and toys. It saves money and you get to spend time with other parents. Who doesn’t love a little adult time (when you talk to barely talking humans all day =) )
97- Babysit Swap – This doesn’t work for everyone, but we do it. I’ll watch your kids if you watch mine. It works if you have friends with kids around the same age.
98- Zoo? The zoo is expensive here. It would cost $30-$40 for our family to go. Usually when we go I use a buy one get one ticket. That way my husband or I are free. I read one lady who said she takes her kids to Bass Pro or Cabalas to look at the animals instead. This is a great idea. In fact my daughter loves it, but my husband is an avid hunter/fisher. Going in there will NOT be cheaper I promise.
Personal Care
99- Fitness at home – Did you know you can ditch that gym membership and work out from You Tube. Just look up whatever kind of workout you want to do and go along with the video. Even buying a work out system like P90X will save you money in the long run. Half the people who own memberships stop working out soon after buying it anyways. They are useful though if you have kids into sports and such.
100- Haircuts- a lot of times going to a hair school means cheap haircut. They even do colors and such. A discount or free haircut is a good haircut. If you want, you can even buy a hair cut kit and try it at home. The best way to cut girls hair is to lie on your stomach on a table. Lean your head off the edge with your hair hanging straight to the ground. If you tilt it won’t cut right. Have someone cut straight across, it will trim your hair and give you beautiful layers.
101- Stop the habits. Stop smoking, drinking or other nasty habits. I admit I have them to, but we are working on stopping. So far so good!! If you smoke, try the new ‘vaping’ thing. It works at helping you cut down and can help you quit
102- No shampoo? – I’ve heard of this new no poo thing. I’m not brave enough to do it, but I do use less. You really don’t need a huge amount to get the job done.
103- Shower less – You don’t need to shower every day, unless you get dirty or sweaty. I stay at home with kids all day; there is no point in showering every day. It’s a waste of water.
104-Use less in general. You don’t need a whole line of toothpaste. You don’t need a huge blob of face wash. A little bit really does go a long way. Good ways to watch your amounts are using a small pump bottle that will help give you a consistent small amount.
105- I give my kids a bath in the same water, but they are two and nine months. They don’t yet realize what’s going on. Some may say it’s gross but most of the time they aren’t so dirty they can’t share the tub water. To make it even better, I’ll give my dog a bath once a week when they are done with their bath. Saves on water!
Make money at home
106- Etsy- If you can sew, try to make things and sale. It only cost twenty cents and the website gets like 3.5% of the money you make. I’m sewing a bunch of things and starting my own store on there. I’m doing an all things camo store. I even made this cute baby faux vest camo onsie!!! CUTE! You can put almost anything on this website, why not try to sale something you’re good at.
107- Ebates- I don’t use this site much but if you buy online it will give you discounts and points or what not. I don’t use this because it makes me want to shop simply because I get a good deal.
108- Swagbucks- You won’t get rich doing this but if you do it all year, you’ll have enough around Christmas time to get a gift card. Every bit helps. I’m saving my points for just that, Christmas gifts.
109 Sale things – Sale the things you don’t need. You’re going to declutter so you’ll have plenty of crap to sale right?
110- Booth sale- if you are making things and don’t want to sale online you could rent a booth somewhere. We have a thrifty shop down the road that rents out booths, same with at the flea market. This would be great if you buy, restore and resale and if you can share it with someone else.
111- Here is a website that has other good at home work places. I didn’t care for most of them and got denied on the jobs. In my opinion, it was for working people who needed extra cash.
112- Mysurvey.com is a great place to make a little extra cash. You just answer questions and such and earn points. The points can then be redeemed for gift cards or money to your Paypal account.
Random ways!!
113- Change – Save your change! When you see if on the ground, pick it up. We set a goal on a big coffee jug. After a while we cash it in.
114- $5 rule – This was hard when we first started but now we don’t notice the difference. Save every $5 you ge, I promise it adds up quick.
115- Year Challenge – I’ve seen multiple money challenges. Save so much the first week and on and on and on. I don’t care for these but it would be a great way to save.
116- Pay off debt – Every month I pay extra money on our one credit card and our student loans. The sooner you pay it off the better! We pay close to $400 a month in student loans! The sooner that’s gone, the sooner I get a new car.
117- Envelope system – Use cash and put money in envelope. If you put more money than a bill is, save it. When you need extra money, you won’t have to pay so much on your bill.
118- Amazon – I have found that I can get a lot of things cheaper on Amazon. They will sometimes price match if you e-mail them, but not all the time. When I go to buy big things, I always look at the price. If you’re a prime member you can get free two day shipping. A great example is the 10lb bag of candle wax I got off Amazon for $20 and the craft store wanted $10 for 2lbs.
119- Credit Cards – they are bad news. If you don’t have money for it, don’t buy I, unless it’s an emergency. If you have to have an emergency card, place it in a big then another big and put it in water. Put it all in the freezer so you have to work to use it.
120- Don't spend money if you don't have to!!!
I hope you enjoyed my list, and I would love to know what you think about it. If you have something that isn't on this list, please leave a comment because I am personally always looking for new ways!
Even with all this God says not to worry, that he will care for us. I leave you with this...
Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.