~Cutting Corners~

A reader emailed me asking ways to cut corners. So, here is a list of a few things that I do that I thought of quickly. If you all have anything that you do, please email me or leave a comment. I love hearing from you all!

Simple ways to cut corners:
Save gas!
*Don't drive all around town everyday.
*Schedule all of your errands the same day so that you are not wasting gas.

Only shop sale items.
*Wait until something goes on sale and then try to have a coupon for it.

Stock up when food staples go on sale.
*If the meat you like goes on sale at it's "rock bottom price", be sure to buy enough to last you until it goes on sale again.

Set a weekly budget and stick to it!

Pay CASH for things.
*If you pay cash, then you can't go over budget!

Brown bag it
*Always take your lunch to work with you or eat at home (if you stay-at-home)

Eat leftovers
*I know, not so glamorous....however, you can usually make great lunches out of leftovers!

Electric bills
*Turn the air up! Be sure to turn the thermostat up when you leave during the day. It really does save money.
*Unplug it! If you are not using an appliance, unplug it. I have tested this theory and it saves big on the electric bill.
*Buy Energy Star appliances (yes they are more expensive, but will pay for themselves)

Buy a year ahead
*I always buy my daughters clothing 1 year in advance when it goes on the end of season clearance.

Shop garage sales
*I love garage sales, but am very picky at what I will purchase. I don't normally do pre-owned shoes. Also, the clothing has to look new or still have tags on it. I'm not interested in anything that looks like it came from a garage sale! You would be shocked to see some of the brand new clothes that I have found over the years. So many things still had the tags on them!

Have a garage sale
*I think I've mentioned this before. It does take a little work, but I've never made less than $200 in one day. Totally worth the effort. Be sure to mark everything wih a price. Nothing is more annoying than to have to ask the price on every single item! Be prepared, few people actually pay the sticker price (I rarely do). Just know that it is a starting price :)

Trade with friends
*If you have an event coming up (costume party for kids), get together with your other mommy friends and swap the costumes. That way you are not out the money and the kids get to wear something new and fun.

Check your receipts!
*This is a big one. Just last week, my grocery bill was $15 more than it should have been. I realized it once I got home. Easy fix, went back to the store with my receipt and the items in question and got my money back.

Water bills
*Turn off the water when brushing
*Turn off the water when washing your face
*Only water 5 minutes per unit (if you have a sprinkler system)
*Wait until your dishwasher is full to wash
*Do large loads of laundry, instead of a bunch of little ones

Pay extra on the mortgage
*We pay a little extra on our home each month toward the principal. This is beneficial if you are planning to stay in a home forever or sell it in a few years.

Hope this helps! Thanks for the question, Jenn :)