Making any changes to save money?

[Velociraptor]

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[Sparks]

Hanging my clothes up. ( The McMansions) behind me are not allowed to have cloth:yiipchickes lines!
Large veggie garden, chickens, when I go into town, do all my errands that day. Started giving plasma @ the local center. 2 times a week pays me $60. Kinda creepy though. I work in a hospital and see the need so that makes me feel better. I make most meals from scratch. Eat out less...it`s better @ home anyway. My dh and I say ...that`s a $20 plate of food if we were out. Pick up a garbage bag of throw away veggies @ the local large grocery store weeky for my chickens. How cool is that?

 

[gamebirdsonly]

I would love to save more money but because of wife going crazy with credit cards all extra income goes to pay the credit card companys

 

[seismic wonder2]

I'm getting solar power.

but it'l cost $22,000 installed....hmmm
The salesman says it's free electricity...........hmmmmm
I fail to see the free part?!?!

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Well it sounds like everyone is trying to cut back in some way or another......here's what we do......................
!) I am a stay at home mom because with the prices we could not afford to fill up 2 gas tanks anyways
2) I make a monthly menu or get the one from the hillbillyhousewife.com website
3) I only go to town about 3 to 4 times a month, if that much
4) I make our own laundry detergent
5) I make our own fabric softner
6) I buy the day old bread at the bread store for about 20 cents a loaf and freeze it, sometimes I make our own bread
7) I have hubby to pick up little things we need when he gets off work to save gas
8) keep all unnessary lights cut off until needed
9) unplug all unused appliance or electronics
10) bought a front load washer last year to save water
11) use only cold water
12) 5 min. shower limit
13) hang up clothes worn that are not dirty (Sunday clothes)
14) shop at a local thrift store (got my chick coop sign for 0.10 cents)
15) combine errands
16) ask neighbors if they need anything since I'll be going to town
17) started raising chickens
18) cut heat down and coolness up
19) using clothes line all the time (washing when I can hang clothes out)
20) raising garden and canning everything I can get my hands on
21) buying marked down meat at the grocery store and canning it

I can go on but I guess I'll stop for now. Wish I could get solar power. Can't afford it

 

[Cheep Mama]

Great ideas everyone!!! A simple thing that we are doing is cutting back on buying pop. Water is free and a lot healthier!!! Also, instead of running the electricity for my treadmill, I walk our property. I know it's not much, but every bit helps.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

We stopped getting cable back in August. I used it for background noise, anyway. We don't miss it because we have the Internet.

I cook in large quantities and freeze the leftovers (esp. soups like chili).

I joined Costco (like Sam's Club) and buy gas there as well as foods in bulk quantities. I also use a gas prices web site to track local prices and locate the cheapest station in the area.

I buy things online that are cheap and have free shipping. A lot of times, things purchased online are less expensive than in the stores.

I knit!

And finally... (for grins' sake!)
If you have a hubby, try showering WITH him sometime. It saves water and does wonders for one's relationship.

 

[thechickenchick]

Quote:
My hubby is always telling us to be more careful to save money. I am always leaving lights on. Our son is always leaving the TV on or standing in front of the fridge with door open! Now I will tell hubby that I read on BYC that he can help too by taking a shower with me! I think he will like that idea! Thanks Chicken Lady!

 

[Henrietta23]

A lot of things others have already mentioned, especially cooking from scratch rather than buying prepackaged stuff. Making my own bread.
Adding more laying hens to our little flock. Recycling as much building material as we could to make our coop.
I took a job closer to home this year when my former grant position ended.
I'm going to add, grocery shopping trips less frequently. I'd like to get it down to twice a month.
Bigger veggie garden this year.
Homemade Christmas gifts for all adults.
Cut cable back to basic.
Pay as you go cell phones instead of the expensive plan we used to have.
Make do with what we have instead of getting caught up in that new and improved mentality so many people I know seem to be in (although I'm seeing more of them come around to more practical ways of thinking)
Local day trips instead of long vacations.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I love these threads. We should do one every month!
*For yrs. I have hung my clothes to dry because I love lined dried clothes.
*I have planted more garden than usual. I will be canning and freezing even more than usual. We have also planted more things I can feed the chickens. Pumpkin, squash, zucc., cukes. I am hoping to be able to store the pump, squash, zuc and cukes (that always seem to grow huge over night for them) for late fall feeding. I spent 25 cent for almost 100 seeds of each of the pumpkin/squash/zuc/cuke and I think every seed has germinated! Greens will be planted in the fall and I can dig up big hunks and feed them thru the winter.
* I planted several acres of sunflower seeds for the birds and chickens over winter.
* I have started a worm bin. For fishing bait. The fish in both ponds are large enough to make nice meals now.
* Don't wait to plant fruit trees, berry bushes. It takes several yrs for them o produce and NOW is the time to plant them for future crops. I planted most of my orchard/vineyard 10yrs ago and have added new var, every yr. Now everything is producing enough for small armies! LOL
* trips to town for me are almost down to once a month. Dh picks up to and from work and we have started buying monthly bulk items.
* I never use the ac when dh is gone. I open windows/doors and use the fans to pull the cool air from the basement. In winter I keep the wood stove 'jumping' sometimes it 80* upstairs and I have to open windows..
* We changed our homeowners/car/farm insurance to another company and for the same coverage we are paying less.. It might be time for you to check out another company. BESURE TO ask about the same coverage..
* I don't buy deli meats anymore. I purchase whole turkey breasts, chickens, hams and cook and slice myself. I put them in small packages and place in the freezer. I got a whole turkey breast for 11$--it was less than two pkgs of deli turkey and I got 11 pkgs from on breast! Dh has to have sandwiches to take to work. He has no way of heating/ cooking items. I also send salads --from our gardens, add cheese, eggs, and turkey and he has a well balanced meal.