Making any changes to save money?

[Cheep Mama]

Due to the state of the economy, I was wondering what other people were doing to cut back on their spending. I hang laundry on the line every chance I get and try to only wash on days that I can hang them. I also use cold water to wash whenever possible. We heat our house with corn and wood pellets instead of propane. My daughter takes her lunch to school most everyday, so I've started reusing her sandwhich and snack baggies. For clothing, we mostly shop at consignment stores or garage sales. But most of all, we are just trying to drive less. We live way out in the country, so we can't walk to stores but are making less trips to town. Does anyone else have any tips?

 

[AussieSharon]

I live 20 minutes from the nearest grocery store. The decent grocery is 35 minutes away. Other than growing our own veggies I am driving a lot less. I make a grocery list, buy all I can in bulk and only go into town once a week or less. I've also started making my own bread.

We moved to 11 acres last Summer with the plans of being more self sufficient. Even though it will take a few years to get results we are planting 12 apple trees, 2 peach, 2 pear and 2 cherry trees.

 

[nccountrygirl]

I am hanging out my wash. We also drive less. We are starting to change out our light bulbs to the energy saving halogen bulbs. We are taking shorter showers and have turned the water heater down. I have a programmable thermostat that I keep set at 68 in the winter and 78 in the summer.

 

[jnjross]

I've gone back to hanging clothes, but I don't know what more to do, we started using money options 5yrs ago, we thought it was bad then,

we been no a/c when it's under 90, fans, gardening, eating alot of bean instead of meat, we've even unpluged everything that has a clock or standby mode like the coffee pot and radio. crazy if it gets any worse we gonna be cooking outside on a campfire

 

[s6bee]

Less driving if possible, growing a much bigger garden and making my trips to the Farmers market instead of grocery store. Living in a much darker home to reduce turning on lights. Got more chickens

for more eggs.

 

[Cheep Mama]

jnjross, I've also started unplugging some things. I'll have to wait to see if it makes a difference on the electric bill. I also shop when possible at a discounted grocery store. It's quite far from our house, so I only go there once or twice a month and stock up when I take our daughter to the orthodontist. (it's on the way)

 

[nccountrygirl]

Oh I forgot to add we are growing a garden plus raising chickens for eggs. We also shop at the discounted grocery stores when possible.

 

[yellowdragon]

Hangind clothes to dry, seting up a watering system( guter catches water puts in to barrel, then it is gravity fed), we live 30 minutes away from town so we make only one trip a week. use energy saving TV, washer, frig, etc...put energy saving bulbs through out house and in chicken coop. ( during the winter I cooked on the wood stove). I could keep going... We are loww income so we do all we can....... If anyone can make more suggestions, tell me

 

[yellowdragon]

I'm doing a garden and selling eggs too

 

[suenrob]

Funny you should ask! That's how I got into chickens!!! Dh decided we should get chickens so we would have fresh eggs to eat, and if things really get bad, we could eat the chickens (I can't eat my chickens )

Also, (because of this site), I now have two bators!!! So I sell chicks and eggs to help pay for feed.

Working on a garden

trying to plan several errands on the same day to use less fuel.

Oh, and we got two calves to raise for food, but I can't eat them either

so I sure hope the economy improves!!

Edited to add a few things I forgot about:

Cancelled the Direct TV and went back to the "rabbit ears" ( this also makes for less wasted time in front of the tv, and now it's turned off a lot)

Dropped high speed internet for a slower version (hardly even notice the difference)

Set the thermostat on the air conditioning 2 degree warmer (i would turn it off, but we live in FL. and it's hotter than heck!)

switching to the new light bulbs one at a time because they are kinda pricey

That's about all I can do for now.....