A lot of great ideas. I can relate to the poster about the CC bills getting out of hand. My husband's hours were cut way back (he's in the construction industry) and we were shocked and didn't know what to do. He was making what our mortgage cost every month. We had a new baby and things got really scarey... really quick. We had nothing so, we used the cards.
We then got thrifty.
#1 our health insurance... We were splitting the cost with his employer (small co.) They paid 700!! per month and so did we
It was so much.. we just couldn't do it anymore. So, I contacted DHR and found out we qualified for our kids to be covered... he had qualified the entire time but, never thought to check.
So, Rusty's boss started putting that money into an HSA (health savings account) at our local bank. Each month that money accumulates and, if we ever need it for ANYTHING medically related; dental, vision, meds, band-aids at Rit-Aid.. whatever, we can use that card. Hubby and I went with a super high deductible plan that is under 200 bucks per month and now we're all covered. If we don't use it, it can accumulate and we can roll it over to a retirement plan .. tax free!
#2 cable/internet/tv ... come on, we love these things and I wasn't ready to give them all up but, we did compromise and are paying a lot less. Satellite TV is only 30 bucks a month instead of $100 with Comcast and all the channels. DH does take the trash into work and toss in their dumpster to save us the $30 per month to make up for the tv. Internet is staying!
#3 mortgage... ugh... we bought a HUD foreclosure when times were booming. It needed a LOT of work. We dove in and did everything ourselves. I wish I had before and after pics. Our friends were shocked every time they came over. Over the course of 4 years we completely overhauled that house. When hubby's hours got cut back, and we could no longer use the cards, we couldn't keep up with the mortgage plus bills and food, etc. so I contacted the mortgage company and asked about the housing plan to reduce mortgage payments. After several months, we qualified because we suffered a loss in our income so now our mortgage is almost half and we're paying 2% for the next 5 years to go up a half percent each year after that until it reaches the current market. That right there set me off. I was ready to make changes everywhere and to seek help wherever it was available. We just cut our expenses by nearly 70% in just a couple of months!
Im still trying to do the coupon thing... is much harder than it looks. And, I don't have room for a bushel of toothpaste containers but, I'm buying meats that are on sale. We buy store brand canned goods, etc. All of my kids clothing and mine come from consignments, yard sales etc. I shop in the expensive developments
They always have great stuff that is really cheap. It's like having a yard sale is just a way to get rid of things where my yard sales are to make money. I have been known to buy things to sell at my yard sale
I bought several pairs of expensive boots earlier this month at
TSC. They were on clearance for $19 per pair and I sold them for nearly 60 bucks each!! on
ebay. Getting thrifty has been the best lesson of my life and I believe it has saved my family from continually flushing money down the toilet not to mention teaching my kids a great lesson.
Here's a couple pics of my freebees
I don't LOVE these but, they WILL be at my yard sale
We pulled down an old barn and I reused the wood to make signs and sell them here in BYC
my husband got these free at a job. They were black and covered in filth and the guy was tossing them. I cleaned them up, patched some spots, stained and urethaned
here's the whole lot right after a bath
This one's in my baby nursery... actually found it on the side of the road in a garbage pile!
The shine of the quarter sawn oak caught my eye.. who would throw this out because a drawer was broken? and a fitting needed to be reglued? That person is probably paying way to much for their auto insurance
... speaking of which, we left our small town broker and went with Geico... save a boat load.
ETA: sorry about the book. I got all excited when someone said thrifty
