How have you cut your costs this year?

[Baby Makes 4]

Dh and I are saving up to have a new baby. We are currently about 10 years away from being debt-free and want to work really hard to be debt-free in 5 years instead.

We are committed to me being a SAHM since we Homeschool and want one more child. We have to rent and the rental market is pretty tight here which can be a problem for us.

So far this year we have:

* Cut our cable back from digital cable to no cable (Savings = $60 a month)
* Gone to a cheaper phone plan (Savings = $25 a month)
* Switched to cloth diapers (Will break even in July then will be saving $50 a month)
* Committed to buying used items and eating out only on special occasions (Potential savings = $100 a month)

So we have fairly easily trimmed nearly $2500 from our spending this year. What have you done? What else do you think I could do?

[quirkylayne]

Joined the library.
Eat out only once a week (some place inexpensive or use a coupon).
Consolidated our debt to lower interest rates.

[MissLotus]

Not sure if you have credit card debt, but if so, call and ask for a lower interest rate. I say this because I had a bit of sucess at this the other day...they lowered it by 1.5%...not much but it'll save a few bucks!

[Baby Makes 4]

Originally Posted by quirkylayne

Joined the library.
Eat out only once a week (some place inexpensive or use a coupon).
Consolidated our debt to lower interest rates.

We are library fanatics! We sign out 20-30 books every week. We're doing the "No Eating Out Challenge" right now and we will be consolidating a few debts in March once we find out how much we owe in taxes.

I think we're on the right track but i keep hoping there is something I have overlooked that will save us a bunch of money.

[mamasaurus]

*Got rid of the housekeeper and got a Roomba instead!
*We own our own corporation with a health insurance plan, so I shopped around for cheaper health insurance.
*Pantry challenge - I am actively trying to empty the pantry and not buy so much "new" food.
*Stop going to certain stores - even the thrift store - there is stuff in there I would buy just because it was cheap. No more shopping.

[frogguruami]

Family Cloth (ok, it is only me but I used the most TP each month anyways) - saved $10 a month

Diva Cup - saved $5 a month

No-Poo, etc. - saved $30 a month

Xld gym membership - saved $47 a month

Vegetarian Menu - saved $75 a month (maybe more)

Started a garden - won't save me anything this year but will in the future (will save $50 a month)

Cut out my fax line - saved $10 a month

Piggy-backed our HS website on to one of my business websites - saved $5 a month

Swore off Whole Foods - saved $75 a month

[PugMom4Now]

We've cut out "fancy" dinners except for special occasions. Save about $150 per month.

DH lowered our cable today -- it's still a ridiculous price for cable, but it'll save us about $15 per month.

I have the introductory DSL rate of $12.99 for one year. Broke even from dial up, but it's so much nicer!

I lowered our phone bill from $39 to $20 with just keeping basic services since we rarely use it and can use our cell phones for long distance calls.

I'm still trying for more!

[Baby Makes 4]

Oh, I also got a great deal on a freezer full of organic meat. It will probably save us $75 a month on meat throughout the year if I portion it out a few times a week.

[kathirynne]

Did some of these last year, but...

We moved to a cheaper apartment (in a nicer neighborhood - go figure ). We went from 3 small bedrooms to 2 large ones, and heat is included in the rent (this might not make a difference to everyone, but in Montana, it's important!)

We got rid of Internet entirely (we live only a few blocks from the college library/computer lab) and eliminated television. (It helps reduce the "I want thats" when my children aren't bombarded with advertising...)

This year (read: 1 January 2007) I have started paying very careful attention to our spending, especially grocery spending. (Gotta love the no-spend and pantry challenges!) I am Compacting, and finding that I really can borrow, barter/swap or do without things that I would have previously just purchased (or wished I could afford to purchase. )

[Belleweather]

Bought meat wholesale from the farmer -- saved $50 a month and have a ton of organic meat. Mmmm, nummy.

Requoted car insurance -- switched companies and lowered deductible on my lovely little lemon of a Saturn and went to full coverage on our van. Saves $50 per month.

Dropped the health club membership, started excersising at the gym at the university. Saves $69 per month

Got better internet (I know, this is counterintuitive) -- higher speeds, with a teaser rate that includes our phone line and long distance: Saves $40 per month on the internet and the phone, $20 per month on long distance, and $25 a month that we don't have to pay blockbuster to rent movies since we're busy online.