What Small Things Did You Do Today to Save Money?

[Iggy aka IG]

An idea taken from a very popular thread on a different forum I follow.  Not talking about anything big -- just the little things that add up.

I'll start:  I brought my breakfast, lunch, snacks and coffee from home to the office rather than go out.

[Blonde Granny]

I make my own iced tea during the summer and bring a large insulated bottle filled with ice and tea to work will usually last a good part of the day.

[megaptera]

I like this thread, and hope it gets a lot of participation.

I called the garbage collection company to eliminate services we haven't been using since we moved. Should save us a few bucks each month. 

[chiver78]

I made two decent-sized recipes on Monday to have for meals during the week. 8 servings of the squash pie and a 5qt dutch oven of soup. even if I don't work my way through all of it (roommate won't touch either), I'm still saving myself easily $10/meal at dinner by not going out from the office. 

[dee27]

Dropped cable TV

Cancelled the newspaper

DH applied for the veteran's discount on his cellphone

cook most of our meals at home

[Gardening Grandma]

Went through my freezer and did some meal planning to use up things that are 3 months (or older)
I need to go through the pantry and do the same.

[TheOtherMe]

No longer work, so brown bagging doesn't work.  I did do that whenever I worked.  

I'm on city trash that is added to my water bill so I can't change that.  I do pay the minimum bill every two months.  By mistake this month I received my bill and a neighbors bill.  They have 3 kids.  Their water bill was 3 times mine.  

[Deleted]

I took back something I bought on impulse at Michael's the other day. It was less than $5, but it still wasn't something I needed.

I also didn't buy new glasses. There was a slight change in prescription. But new glasses always run me between $400 - $600. I have a strong prescription so I have to have the expensive lenses so I don't look like I'm wearing coke bottles. Cheap frames won't hold the lenses even after I splurge for the high index ones. I also have to have progressives.

I'll probably buy them this summer when I better know how much will be left in the flex account. Our year runs from Oct. 1 - Sept. 30.

[megaptera]

We dropped cable TV also when we moved to the new place. But only because it isn't available here. (We can't get satellite, either.) But we have a couple of streaming services, which are still way cheaper than cable. Unfortunately, our internet is extremely slow/flaky, so trying to watch television is quite an adventure. 

I'm also going to try to do better at meal planning. I love to cook, but the planning is the problem. I should probably get back into the Dinner thread for some ideas.

[hopetoberich]

Went to costco and bought a couple things on sale. We are baking and cooking more instead of buying ready made. My savings added up to $35.

[simser]

Jan 3, 2018 20:55:19 GMT -5 @bamafan1954 said:

I took back something I bought on impulse at Michael's the other day. It was less than $5, but it still wasn't something I needed.

I also didn't buy new glasses. There was a slight change in prescription. But new glasses always run me between $400 - $600. I have a strong prescription so I have to have the expensive lenses so I don't look like I'm wearing coke bottles. Cheap frames won't hold the lenses even after I splurge for the high index ones. I also have to have progressives.

I'll probably buy them this summer when I better know how much will be left in the flex account. Our year runs from Oct. 1 - Sept. 30.

If you don't need lined bifocals or trifocals (which my mother needs) have you tried zenni.com? I've been very pleased with them. They can do thinner glasses and everything else for much cheaper. Like photo chrome+ thinner glasses for under 100 (haven't priced out bifocals)

[Apple]

I've seen that other thread... it's massive, so I haven't read it...

I also brought all my food (and coffee) for work tonight.  Although, I always have to, since leaving the site isn't an option...

I took a coworker up on his "please take some of these buns home" (he had purchased a ton for a big party he had).  So, I will be headed home with a package of French rolls and hamburger buns.

I went to the grocery store on my way home from work to get milk.  I only bought milk! (With a coupon, so $2/gallon).

[Iggy aka IG]

So glad to see folks posting here!

Similar to Gardening Grandma , I need to go through the freezer to use up a few items.  My monthly grocery trip isn't until the 15th, and it's almost time to get creative. 

@bamafan1954 , I have the same situation with my glasses as far as trying as hard as possible to avoid a Coke bottle situation.  And, I learned the hard way even with the special lenses, mine are too thick to go frame-less.    I do have progressives, and absolutely love them.

Apple, yes, that thread is HUGE!  I'm behind about 20 pages, LOL.

Small things I did last night:
Made my own taco seasoning blend.  I've been doing this for several years, as this avoids the fillers found in the ready-made envelopes.  Linda's Taco Seasoning

Made a pork roast in the Crock Pot which will give us about 6 servings.

Made hot tea to start using up the aging stockpile before buying any new flavors.

[Sharon]

I am sitting here at 8am eating carrot sticks, brought from home, instead of the cookies out of the vending machine that I really want.

[hopetoberich]

I plan on baking today. Using things from the fridge and not spending a dime.

[Deleted]

We went to Cracker Barrel for lunch today, and I had water with my meal,  I usually do that but not because I don't love diet coke.  I just can't see spending $2 - $3 for a drink.

Then I checked out the clearance area and didn't buy two cute small frames that were 70% off so $3 each.  They were framing what looked like a crocheted heart and a doily.  I had them in my hand and put them back down.

I think I'm realizing that it is the small stuff, almost always really on sale, that is making me fritter $$$ away.  

[TheOtherMe]

My cell phone is now paid off so I cancelled the insurance for it.  Did not want to be stuck buying a new phone while it was under contract.

It's definitely the small stuff that gets me as it adds up.

I also get water when I go out to eat.

[Apple]

I slept until my alarm went off, so that left me no time to hit the fabric store for the "sale" before getting ready for work...

I do need to buy some white fabric for a class I'm taking, but waiting a few days always leads to getting a 50% off coupon.  I'll get the fabric for that with the coupon, and then be good about leaving without a bunch of other stuff.

Tonight I'm stretching my chicken into the fourth and final meal (made extra breaded chicken "nuggets" with panko crumbs), and will make myself a hamburger if I get hungry later (using the free buns I got yesterday!)

[3catslady]

I don't have a washer or dryer so I go to the laundromat.  They charge $2.50 for a load but it is a big load and $1.25 to dry.  I don't have enough for a full load but I will by Sunday.  I had off work today and I was going to go but because it is -7 out, I'm staying home.  I saved $3.75 today but I'll spend it on Sunday.

[Blonde Granny]

Years ago I was an active member of The Motley Fool. One of the forums is named Living Below Your Means.

one suggestion was after squishing all the toothpaste out of the tube, cut the top off, and you will likely find a weeks worth of toothpaste left.  The applies to anything that comes in a tube.

another thing is that I have a drying rack for clean clothes and never completely dry clothes in the dryer. 10 minutes top in dryer and I hang the clothes on the rack to finish drying.

[Iggy aka IG]

Last night I went and got the $6+ cash back from not receiving a downloaded e-coupon price at the grocery store last week.  I then bought fresh produce with the $6.  For a long time now (actually, never) I haven't bought into the way of thinking that eating healthy is expensive.

We keep our house 66-67 according to various thermostats.  It really doesn't bother me unless it's really cold like this week has been (it was 11 outside when I woke up yesterday).  All I do at that point is put on a hoodie, house booties like these, and light blanket while watching TV.

Happy weekend, everyone!

[megaptera]

When we moved from the Midwest to the PNW, DH stored his old, "fixer-upper" car in a commercial storage shed (where we used to live), thinking he'd eventually bring it up here. Well, he never did, and I'm embarrassed to say we've been paying to store that thing for over a decade now.  Last night, he turned over ownership of the car (and storage shed) to his brother. So, I am now minus a monthly bill. Score! 

[TheOtherMe]

I usually keep my house at 65.  During this cold spell, I've turned it up to 68.  I think I can turn it back down to 65 tomorrow afternoon.  

[countrygirl2]

DD and I weren't really hungry enough to stop and eat so

just got a couple of snacks today. Saved a bunch of money

and calories. We did have a very nice dinner tonight though.

[mroped]

Jan 3, 2018 20:04:06 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Went through my freezer and did some meal planning to use up things that are 3 months (or older)
I need to go through the pantry and do the same.

We have steaks and roast and a few other things in the freezer marked “venison stake 2015” or similar. I guess we’d have to shift to “carnivorous” mode?! 😀

[Apple]

Disclaimer: the spending was going to happen anyway, so the saving was a bonus...

I woke up early to get to the fabric store before I had to go to work.  I needed some orange thread for a quilt I'm making, as well as some white tone-on-tone fabric for a class I'm taking later this month. There were also a few button packages I've been eyeing.  I had a 50% off coupon for each.

I get the fabric I want, and as the lady unrolls it, she notices that it has several small stains on it.  She offers to damage it out (which is 75% off).  So, I take it!  I have to cut it up anyway, and there is just enough that I should be able to get all the 40 10" squares I need, and then I can cut around the stains, using the good pieces for other quilting projects.

The thread should match my dinosaur quilt perfectly

And... I had a gift card with the $14 to cover it all! (Have $1.43 left on the card)

Next stop was Grocery Outlet (my other favorite store, right next door to the fabric store).  I wanted to get some spicy pickled asparagus (so good, someday I need to can my own), lemonade, and maybe something to take to work to snack on.  I found some packages of cheese, chocolate, and banana chips for $0.35 each, and then found some packages of pepperoni pieces 4/$1, so grabbed for for DS.  I'm counting the snacks as a "saved money" since I wanted something anyway, and the pepperoni as a "well, I spent it on something I didn't need, but DS will like it and I spend much less than full price".  I would have bought them for me, but not sure how spicy they are.

I avoided going to the larger grocery store, where they had some stuff I kind of wanted on sale, but the parking lot looked full (which means the store would be crazy).  I passed, saving all the money I would have spent there!

[mamasita99]

Since I've been tucked away at home for the past 3 days due to the storm, and the power outages and surge blew out something in my new fridge, I've had no choice but to get creative with our food.    Freezer food went on our porch, fridge food went in the garage. I feel very much like Laura Ingels (sp?) Wilder in Little House on the Prairie. I still threw out a bunch of food, though. The stuff we have been able to save, we are cooking up. So I can honestly say I am saving on food- no way am I going to buy anything until we've gotten rid of the "outside" food!  Fridge repair should be here on Tuesday, I can go shopping after that. 

[zibazinski]

I did not take DS and his girlfriend to breakfast then go to the farmers market

[dogmom]

Thank you for this thread.    Some good ideas here.

A few things I started doing.  I like iced tea for my treat at lunch, (I bring my lunch to work, usually leftovers) instead of buying pre made, I got packages (dry) of the brand that I like, and fill a water bottle.  The cost, about .25 per day vs, $1.00+ per day.

I use vinegar and add water as a general purpose cleaner.

DH reads the newspaper daily.  Instead of paying a monthly subscription rate (about $30/month, delivered) annual rate delivered is $85.00 for the year.

[Happy prose]

I did a big coupon shop at the grocery store this morning. 6 inserts in today's paper.