What Small Things Did You Do Today to Save Money?

[Deleted]

We bought a lot of stuff in the last few months, trying to make DH's life better.  Even before he became bedridden, he knew he was unable to get in/out of the barber's chair to get his haircut any longer.  So he made me buy a haircutting kit at Walmart.  It wasn't a skill I was in a hurry to acquire so it sat unopened until I finally put it out of sight.  After he died, I wanted to return it, but I couldn't find it.  I also had an unopened bag of disposable bed pads to return.  I wanted to wait and do one return, since WM limits the number of returns that you can do without a receipt.

I found it today so returned both.  I now have a $30 gift card to spend on my next grocery trip.  

[Iggy aka IG]

@bamafan1954

[countrygirl2]

I can't say I've saved but since I'm a kind of prepper I stock things. I got a 25 pound bag of sugar, large containers of pepper, Lawreys season salt, 6 bags of salts for the softener. Regular large box of salt, used to buy 20 pound bag but don't see it, so put a box back periodically. A gallon of olive oil, a 2 pack of lemon juice, its good for a year, I use a lot when canning.  And a large jar of fish fry seasoning, $6, a small package is $3. Told hubs if I throw most away its still worth it.

I got a trade in sofa from our local furniture store for $200 for the basement. Was going to get new up here but this one is not that worn and its to big to get down the stairs so saved about $1200, the new one I wanted was around $1400. I will need to steam clean it and if washable wash the sleeve covers and bottom cushions, will see.  But I'm happy with it, son can use it while here and I will too.

I have been getting to hot the last couple of days so turned the thermostat to 73 and put on a Cuddle Duds top under my shirt. Hubs and DD will be more comfortable.

I am trying to get DD to take only 2 baths a day. Our water bill is bumping $100 a month used to be $45. And with all the clothes she is putting in the laundry, our light bill is crazy.

We have a 2 yard dumpster $75 a month, generally filled! But 2 tenants also use it so I can expense on our LLC 2/3's of it, makes it cheaper for all of us and a great way to dispose of trash.  Also we can burn here so hubs burns big items the tenants need to dispose of.

[catsareme]

Black Friday:  Bought gift cards at Safeway, their Black Friday deal was10x the reward points on most gift cards. Two Christmas presents done (the gift recipients had asked for gift cards).  No crowd in the store and very few cars on the road. We live in a small town.   


Went on-line and purchased gifts for two others on my list. Free shipping to my house and a rebate from cashback shopping site (Mr. Rebates).

[catsareme]

Have resisted the siren call of the post-holiday sales (in stores and on-line).  There are things that I WANT but nothing I really need.  

Staying home, eating leftovers, watching old movies on DVD and rereading books (our bookshelves are full).

[countrygirl2]

 I bought DIL a ton of wired ribbons for her craft stuff, have a box loaded to mail, some are the big wide ones. They were 70% off then another 20, so a very good deal.  Also grandson some 1st grade reading books and some math books for kindergarten.  Today I found her 4 strings of icicle lights 50% off not enough.  Stuff at the places up there are wiped out quick when its on sale, the military people clean the sale stuff out.

I found labels for presents and lots of really pretty bows, so I'm all set for birthdays and Xmas, need to check the tape supply, then I'm good. I also got a gold tree skirt, next year the tree will be trimmed in all gold ornaments.  I have blue, lavender, red, and gold now for my white tree.  I like changing it annually.

[vetswife]

Avoiding shopping today except for a few groceries; don't really need anything else.  My goal is to not bring more junk into my house as I've been decluttering a lot.  My gifts were consumables, wearables and things I had asked for, so I definitely don't need more stuff.

[jerseygirl]

Went to Acme and spent $43 but had digital coupons on Ibotta. Get $2 back for AdvilPM but I also had a $4 coupon so saved $6 on it. Then went to Goodwill with a suitcase packed with clothes from my sister, 6 paperbacks I had read and not good enough to ever read again. Got a receipt and will take off as a donation on taxes

[Apple]

One of our stores is having a "Grand Reopening" with at $20 off $75 purchase coupon.  I've used two of them so far and debating on using a third.  It's a grocery store/department store, so easy to buy things you need without having to manufacture a lot of spending.  I did purchase two Cerave face products I'd never normally buy, but have wanted to try for a while.  They came with another $5 off coupon if I purchased two items.  I got some disposable swiffer pads as well, so I can put off making my own reusable pads just a little longer.  I stocked up on a lot of things that we use, but don't go bad for a long time (so restocking some stuff in the pantry).  It still wasn't easy to come up with $75 in needs though, so I'm surprised I did it twice! (though, the first trip involved some shopping for my parents as well)

One of the things I bought was a tub so I can finally put some of my cast iron purchases through a lye bath.  I have tubs, but I'm worried they aren't the "right plastic", or they have a small crack (that is no big deal with dry items, but not when I need them to not leak).  It was on sale as well, and helped me get to the $75 spend requirement.

[ners]

Ate leftovers for lunch.

[lund]

Bought a deeply discounted cooked Christmas ham, cut it up and made some into cold cuts, some into a tomato-bell peppers-caraway-garlic-peppers casserole, and some in a mustard sauce casserole. Froze most of it.

[apple 2]

I don't buy coffee at Starbucks.

[Deleted]

I saw on Slick Deals that 6 crock pot liners were about $2.50 with Amazon Prime. Then I chose slower shipping for $1 Kindle credit.

Win/win.

[Blonde Granny]

I remembered it was chicken pot pie day at Cracker Barrel yesterday & thought about doing that rather than my free VA lunch of meat loaf etc. Finally common sense took over and instead of spending $10 at Cracker Barrel I came home and had ready made chili with a croissant.

Good thing too, the guy I work with on Wednesday fell in the mens room and ended up in the ER. He is widowed, lives about 45 mi. from the VA, lives alone and like me has no family here. I think I'll stop by this morning and see if he's been moved into a regular room and how he is doing.

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2020 8:30:36 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I remembered it was chicken pot pie day at Cracker Barrel yesterday & thought about doing that rather than my free VA lunch of meat loaf etc. Finally common sense took over and instead of spending $10 at Cracker Barrel I came home and had ready made chili with a croissant.

Good thing too, the guy I work with on Wednesday fell in the mens room and ended up in the ER. He is widowed, lives about 45 mi. from the VA, lives alone and like me has no family here. I think I'll stop by this morning and see if he's been moved into a regular room and how he is doing.

That's very thoughtful of you.  

[catsareme]

Stock up find.  The weekly Safeway flyer had a Just4U coupon on Bumblebee tuna.  When we got to the store we found they  also had an in-store special on the same product coupled with a week long 5% discount on national brands.  Final price:  .71/can.  We picked up the limit - 10 cans.  

[Deleted]

Jan 9, 2020 8:30:36 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I remembered it was chicken pot pie day at Cracker Barrel yesterday & thought about doing that rather than my free VA lunch of meat loaf etc. Finally common sense took over and instead of spending $10 at Cracker Barrel I came home and had ready made chili with a croissant.

Good thing too, the guy I work with on Wednesday fell in the mens room and ended up in the ER. He is widowed, lives about 45 mi. from the VA, lives alone and like me has no family here. I think I'll stop by this morning and see if he's been moved into a regular room and how he is doing.

I'm going to Ruby Tuesday's tomorrow for their $5 salad bar.  I count it as "saving" money if I only spend half as much. 

I also watch the Cracker Barrel specials, too. 

[Apple]

Store did another $20 off $75 purchase again this week.  They had petite sirloin for $2.77/lb, pork loin BOGO free, and pork shoulder for $1.49/lb.  I bought a bunch of meat to stock up my freezer (we were all out of both petite sirloin and all pork other than sausage).  Got some other things as well.

I'll probably be able to use one more coupon and stock up on some house hold stuff and some canned goods for the pantry.  I really love being able to combine good coupons with really good sales, without having to do any digging for coupons.

[countrygirl2]

I almost bought a $235 cordless pruning shear, then decided the $40 manual one will likely be ok.  It's racheted and suppose to be for people with limited strength so going to try it.  I lost the one I had but it wasn't a very good one anyway.

I got gas today and DD and I ate at subway, but I didn't spend anything extra.

[vetswife]

Plan to stay home today and not spend anything.  Spent $109 at the oral surgeon's for a consult yesterday.

[wvugurl26]

DH installed both air filters in my car. I paid $40 for genuine filters shipped to my house. Dealer wanted $200 to install them. Took 30 seconds to install each one.

[Blonde Granny]

I stayed home from last Thursday until today. As long as I can leave the car in the garage, there is no spending on my part.

Church today means lunch afterwards, but that is budgeted for each month, so is my donation to the church.

[Artemis Windsong]

I did my church donate but other than that, I spent nothing.

[Deleted]

I didn't buy a new phone.

[Deleted]

Zaxby's sent me a free meal coupon for my birthday.  Abby, the cocker spaniel, made me pay a puppy tax, though. 

[Iggy aka IG]

As mentioned in the 2020 Controlled/No Spend thread, this year I'm reverting back to squeaky clean spending.  No new clothes or shoes, going to reduce some of the donations my agency makes, and a few other things.  I printed out my 2019 year end spending and picked through it to look for ways to save.  So far:

$10/mo + tax.  Removed an unused line (my tablet) from the Verizon account

$19/mo + billing fees.  Going to rewrite my business liability insurance when it comes up for renewal

DH and I discussed putting up window coverings since it's been so cold and the boiler seems to be running too much therefore going through propane quicker.  FWIW, last night I closed several basement curtains.

Considering my body had basically head to toe testing last year, my doc office co-pays and invoices should be much less. 

And hopefully I won't need a new tire this year. 

The overall goal is to save $384 a month on personal and business expenses. 

[vetswife]

Stayed within my budget for DGDs birthday gift-I have difficulty on gifts!  Plus I am using a card that I already have to send it with-I bought a multipack of birthday cards not too long ago and they are nice.

[Deleted]

I still didn't buy a new phone.

[countrygirl2]

I did order a pair of gray jeans from C & B last night. But today I stayed home and spent nothing. (I could have lived without them but I don't have gray).

Tomorrow to the doc and if DD doesn't go, a light lunch and to work on the rent house, if she does

lunch and home. So shouldn't be spending much again.

[Iggy aka IG]

Paid off our boiler today, two months early before the zero interest offer was to go away.