What Did You Accomplish This Week To Promote a Frugal Lifestyle?

[babyj]

I'm really glad I found you all. I'd love to hear what you've done today or this week to further your frugality.

Things I've done -

Canceled Cable TV ($40 monthly save / $480 annual)

Called the credit card company and asked for a lower rate. They lowered it 2 points to 12.24%, no bargin but improved.

Made my husbands lunch each day (he's happy to take lunch I just don't like making it ).

Read a Dave Ramsely book from the library and have a Mary Hunt book on request.

Have a super frugal day!!!

bj

[emilys_mom1]

1. lowered hot water heater from 125 to between 125 and 90
2. Called electric company to get new rate plans mailed to us to review options
3. vaccum fridge coils
4. turned off fridge in garage
5. adjusted(loosened) some light bulbs in bathrooms, and master bed room.
6 Trying to remember to unplug TV's when not in use. I'm planning on buying some power strips as suggested on here.
7. Had a budget of $100 for grocery, made a list and did pretty well only buy what is on the list. I spent $100.83 (I did it)
8. bought vinegar and baking soda to clean with instead of expensive cleaners
Only fill up gas tank at the cheapest place in town (it is buy the cheapest grocery store)
9. No more starbucks, make all my drinks at home.
10. I'm going to look on-line for cheaper pool parts and supplies (if not longs Drug store has them cheaper than Leslies Pool Supply.
11. I'm going to switch the water sprinklers to 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes (average water bill is 220 for 2 months)
12. Cooking as many meals as possible on the grill instead of the stove.
13. Hang drying all cloth diapers and all laundry except DH's work cloths.

[velochic]

I pack dd's lunch every day instead of paying the $3.75/day they charge for lunch at her school. : I use 100% reusable packages, including a wrap-n-mat for sandwich, cloth napkins and Sigg bottle for water.

I turned off the A/C although it really pains me because I hate, hate, hate humidity. It's only 82 degrees F. though, so no excuses.

Although I only had a small chunk of time after work before picking up dd at school, I came home for lunch. (That however is more because we eat fast food about once every 6 months and it gives me a belly ache, so it was more because of the yuck factor than conscious frugalness. )

I stretched a lb. of all-natural ground sirloin over two meals. Once for 2 adults and a child and the second time for 1 adult and a child.

I mailed in an offer for a free DVD.

That's about all. Not much, but I suppose every bit helps.

[*green*faery*]

hmmm.. I'm new at this, but I...

~only had coffee out 2x & brought my own cup
~packed lunch instead of eating on the go
~picked fruit from a neighbors tree (with permission) and made plum jam & nectarines in light syrup
~tried to make a big batch of banana bread to freeze (but it turned out horrible)
~bought a truck with a 0% intrest deal (on a cc I already had) instead of getting a traditional loan (my dh needed the truck to start landscaping again as a second job so I can sah)

[babyj]

Thanks for sharing! Good ideas. I struggle with staying motivated.

I need to buy some vineagar too.

I also rolled coins from the jar and deposited to checking $95.

I used to take DS to the library on really hot afternoons to save from running the AC at home. I think I may do this tomorrow as it's predicted 96 degrees.

I made sun tea. (not a huge savings but I'm trying to cultivate the mindset of doing stuff myself and enjoying it)

There's still room for improvement -

I could have taken showers at the gym - which includes towels/shampoo/soap. I may make myself tomorrow.....

I air dried some clothes but not all.

babyj

[EarthyMamaofDaisy]

1 Tried to do laundry on sunny days so I can line-dry.
2 Bought a Diva Cup - no more disposable femine products
3 Started using microfiber cleaning cloths instead of paper towel
4 Have been eating scrambled eggs instead of meat for my protein
5 Instead of going out for entertainment have been creating my own - trips to library, nature walk, knitting
6 Instead of buying drinks made a batch of chai tea, mixed with brown sugar and milk and am storing it in the fridge to drink chilled over ice.

[Sativarain1]

Daisy that chai tea sounds yummy! Was it hard to make it homemade? I always buy the Oregon Chai.

Anyway, this week
I made myself a skirt
bought peppermint essential oil to mix with water and sprinkle over baking soda to clean with (instead of the $$ earth friendly cleaners)
knitting a washcloth

[EarthyMamaofDaisy]

It was just yogi red roobois chai mixed with brown sugar and milk

so yummy! Tasted like what you would pay $3 at a coffee shop!

[wombat]

sent dh to the local library with dd to pick out videos instead of Blockbuster (we don't have cable) saved about $5

refused to let dh buy a 2nd vacuum cleaner (we live in a 3 level townhouse, it's hard carrying the vacuum up and down) saved about $250 and dh gets more exercise

stocked up on veggies at local ethnic supermarket (half the price of our local supermarket)

stretched a chicken stock and 5 chicken breast w rib pieces out over 3 dinners - chicken stirfry with peanut sauce, thai green chicken curry and chicken risotto with fresh fava beans - with heaps of leftovers for lunch and freezer so maybe got about 6 meals out of it.

buy the large container of Stoneybrook Farm plain yogurt rather than baby yogurt for the baby.

put plastic lined training pants on my 3 1/2 yo dd instead of a pull up diaper at night. she's potty trained but has been sleeping in a pull up. We'll see how this one goes. Yay I could save $30 a month by not buying pullups but we'll see how many accidents she has and how many sheets I have to wash.

[tessamami]

Lots and lots :)

1) made miso chicken soup, using what I had on hand, including the chicken stock I made the other day
2) dropped off some of DDs old clothes at the consignment shop
3) balanced my checkbook in Quicken (DH usually just wings this, but I got it done! YAY!)
4) spent time with DD at the park (avoided shopping when I just don't have a dime to spend)
5) made a grocery list
6) watched DVDs from the library
7) we don't have a TV, thus avoiding cable costs
8) not having a TV also means that we miss those awful commercials that make you want things
9) eating some oatmeal from the fridge (just hope it's not too old)
10) ate leftover muffins from yesterday (waste not, want not)
11) made a hot chocolate to go for DDs breakfast this morning
12) bought an inexpensive onesie for my dear niece's baby shower tomorrow from the consignment store (I'm also stopping to buy her some diapers)
13) shopped at home first: put out some carrots and dip for snacking, and found some leftover treats from the movie theatre yesterday
14) bought discount movie tickets through my work
15) bought candy for movie - from the drug store next door, ON SALE
16) gave DH a game plan for meals and snacks
17) DH actually made the meals and snacks requested (OK, so I can't take all the credit for this one)
18) Put leftover food budget $ on the fridge, so DH could see how little we had left, I think this helped with #17
19) Didn't buy a sponge, but used clean rags to clean dishes, so I wouldn't have to spend money before the new week (Saturday, when I start my weekly shopping)
20) Took lunch to work every day except 1, for the past 2 weeks.

Doing without stuff, and shopping at home - so MANY things, I'm really happy about my efforts this week.

[boongirl]

You all have inspired me to try better.

Here is what I did:

• picked 3 grocery bags of apples from our trees and made a HUGE batch of applesauce. I am going to freeze some and make apple sauce cake with some and eat the rest.
  
• I wanted to get my dad a cheap bday present. I found an awesome gardening/cookbook that I have but is out of print. I found a new copy on ebay ( hardback !!) for $7! With shipping, it was still only $15. For a huge, awesome, new hardback book. I was excited.
  
• I bought dry black beans instead of canned. This is dd's fave food.
  
• I am planning next year's garden to let us have foods we can use for many months: beans, squash, berries, potatoes, things we can pick and keep using for a while.
  
• I am now menu planning for next week. I plan to make dh's lunch 4 out of 5 days and do more baking.
  
• Since we have lots of our own fruit, there is no reason to by anything but unflavored yogurt.
  
• I am giving dd more water than milk because that girl will drink a half gallon a day if I let her.
  
• I am going to make some summer soup with our garden carrots and tomatos.
  
• I bought a baguette and plan to make my mil's recipe for croutons.
  
• When dd runs out of pullups, I am not buying any more for day.
  
• I Am going to go to the city offices and get maps for the trails and bus system here in our new town. I want to leave the car at home more often.
  
• I am going to clean the inside of my car myself. I am going to take it through the carwash for the outside as that is better for the environment, especially since we live in a watershed.
  
• We bundled our telecommunications together (cable, internet, phone), got dh's company to buy him a cell, and are getting me a onetime only cell for emergency calls to AAA or dh. Yearly savings: $2000

[snowbunny]

I love reading all these ideas. They inspire me.

Here's what we did:

1. Bought all our produce for directly from the farmer for $40 which included a box of peaches, a bag of plums, jalapenos, bush beans, cukes, and summer squash.
2. Shopped in the pantry for dry goods and staples instead of going to the store.
3. Had a picnic in the park with the family instead of our usual lunch out routine.
4. Made yogurt.
5. Packed my breakfast to eat at my desk instead of buying breakfast out.
6. Took the bus instead of driving.
7. Didn't buy anything except for the produce mentioned in #1.
8. Ordered some Paperbackswap books instead of buying them.

[OliveGirl]

Originally Posted by wombat

stretched a chicken stock and 5 chicken breast w rib pieces out over 3 dinners - chicken stirfry with peanut sauce, thai green chicken curry and chicken risotto with fresh fava beans - with heaps of leftovers for lunch and freezer so maybe got about 6 meals out of it.

These dishes sound wonderful!! Would you be willing to share the recipes? Thanks!

[wombat]

OliveGirl, I wasn't really following recipes. The peanut noodles dish I just put in another thread (Bottom of the PB jar) on this forum. I used 1 chicken breast w rib piece in the noodles, deboned and cut up.

The thai curry - I just buy a small container of that Thai Green Curry paste from ethnic market. It's real Thai curry paste and VERY HOT so I only use about 1 tsp of it (I freeze the rest). I used 4 chicken breasts with ribs attached. They're always cheaper to buy that way and the bones in the curry add to the flavor. I used 2 cans coconut milk (I actually found organic coconut milk for 0.99c a can at my local ethnic market). So sauted a chopped onion, some garlic, ginger, lemongrass, added the curry paste & coconut milk. Dumped the chicken in, simmered about 45 mins til chicken was cooked. I added some little round eggplants too but they made it a bit bitter. You don't have to add garlic, ginger and lemongrass - I do if I have them handy cause it 'freshens' the curry paste up if ykwim.

The risotto was inspired cause I found fresh fava beans at my ethnic market, I rarely see them, and they're really fun for kids to open up. I use Japanese style rice (grown in US) rather than expensive arborio. Japanese rice is rather sticky so makes a decent risotto. I'd made a chicken stock in my crockpot out of 2 roast chicken carcasses I kept in the freezer (left over from roast chickens from Costco). I used the stock from this to make the risotto. Any ole risotto recipe with do, just add the fava beans at some point during the cooking so they cook with the rice. Parmesan tip: I buy the 3lb bag of grated parmesan cheese at Costco and I repack it in freezer bags and freeze it. I wouldn't freeze really good Parmesan but for cooking with it's fine.

[Star]

I started using leftover water from my daughter's sippy cups to water the plants instead of using new tapwater.

I started knitting a friend's daughter a birthday gift instead of buying one.

I turned off the A/C. It's not going back on until next Summer. Maybe not even then. lol.

I finally cleaned out my vacuum's filters to help it run using less hydro.

I unplugged the DVD that we don't even use.

I've started running my fountain every other day instead of everyday.

[mamamilkers]

Well, ever since I went to the ER last weekend from hemmorhaging, I've been laid up at home. Nothing like being confined to home to keep you from spending money Maybe I'm on to something!

[swimswamswum]

Rented movies with a 2 for 1 coupon instead of going out.
Ate dinner in both nights of the weekend (we usually go out on the weekend).
Made a crockpot full of split pea soup- will have left overs and enough to "feed the freezer" for when we don't feel like cooking.
Stewed garden tomatoes for freezing.
DH used the food dehydrator to put away herbs and hot peppers from the garden.
Made coffee and tea all week instead of spending money on it.
Carpooled to work.
Walked short distances.
Paid my savings first.
Ate lunch at home or carried it to work all week.

[Imogen]

Erm, I quit my part-time job, does that count?

Sorry, I know that it's a serious thread, but there's nothing like quiting a job to encourage a frugal lifestyle

[hipmkmomma]

I ....

* joined a trial membership of Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover website.
*learned that due to time finally passing an accident fell off auto insurance which will save us a good chunk of $$.
*started a baby emergency fund - see Dave Ramsey's website for more details.
*made a list of things to possibly sell as well as other random ways to come up with some extra $$ to fund baby emergency fund & pay off debts.

[HydeParkB]

This wasn't the best week on record, but I:
- made dinner twice this week, from items in the pantry/freezer
- picked veggies at our u-pick-it subscription farm
- sold a couple books on half.com
- scavenged a binder for my classes
- saved scrap paper from the recycling bin at work, for use on my home computer
- made sure to lock the deep freeze, for a better seal
- used a coupon at Dairy Queen :
- carpooled with my in-laws to the farm
- posted and requested books on paperbackswap.com
- started tracking spending again, after a lax summer