A lot of people here in the USA are having a rough time during this time of economic slow down. Just wondering what everyone was doing to make ends meet?
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Cutting Corners
- Thread starter The Duke Of Marshall
- Start date
Hi Todd,
When I started homeschooling, I had to find an at home part time job that I could do and still have the energy to care for my children, so for some time now I have been doing freelance writing. Even if you are not an excellent writer, you can still make money. I would recommend applying online at Constant Comment or Textbroker. I enjoy writing press releases and news stories, but most of the time I have to write about health or business topics that I am not interested in, but God has provided for my family through freelance writing and I have been really grateful for the opportunity to put family first.
Blessings,
Love
When I started homeschooling, I had to find an at home part time job that I could do and still have the energy to care for my children, so for some time now I have been doing freelance writing. Even if you are not an excellent writer, you can still make money. I would recommend applying online at Constant Comment or Textbroker. I enjoy writing press releases and news stories, but most of the time I have to write about health or business topics that I am not interested in, but God has provided for my family through freelance writing and I have been really grateful for the opportunity to put family first.
Blessings,
Love
That's great that you can take on some extra income opportunities and still have time to homeschool and have time for the family. Has your grocery shopping or dining out or anything like that changed as well? or are you able to still maintain the same level that you did before the economic slowdown?
laceylee
New Member
For James and myself, we have tried to cut down on all costs during this tough year. We try to only go out to eat once a week, we rent movies to watch instead of paying $45.00 to go to the cinema and yes, we do shop at thrift stores. (Found a really nice pair of Old Navy slacks for $2.99 
) Even though we both agree Christmas has become too commercialized (has been for years), we still have the gift giving at work so this year I am going to give the gift of my baking. I am really good at baking cookies, pies, bread, etc so that is one way I am cutting corners this year. Oh, James and I did put a cap on the amount of money we will spend on each other this year also. Thank goodness the price of coal isn't so much this year for his stocking! LOL :lol:
) Even though we both agree Christmas has become too commercialized (has been for years), we still have the gift giving at work so this year I am going to give the gift of my baking. I am really good at baking cookies, pies, bread, etc so that is one way I am cutting corners this year. Oh, James and I did put a cap on the amount of money we will spend on each other this year also. Thank goodness the price of coal isn't so much this year for his stocking! LOL :lol:
A
Anonymous
Guest
We have the opportunity to grow a garden, which provided a wonderful source of vegetables throught the summer and fall. We canned the surplus and that will help through the winter. My husband and boys also hunt, which is a great source of cheap and healthful meat.
I love garage sales and thrift stores, you can get almost anything you need if you look on a regular basis, and if you're close to an affluent area you can find extremely nice, upscale items for very little.
I'm trying to become more diligent about going into town only once or twice a week to save gas, but I'm a gad-about and also a bit disorganized. I'm sure I could save a good bit on gas if I disciplined myself in this area.
I love garage sales and thrift stores, you can get almost anything you need if you look on a regular basis, and if you're close to an affluent area you can find extremely nice, upscale items for very little.
I'm trying to become more diligent about going into town only once or twice a week to save gas, but I'm a gad-about and also a bit disorganized. I'm sure I could save a good bit on gas if I disciplined myself in this area.
laceylee said:
You know, I have actually found some really good deals at some bargain places like thrift shops, flea markets, and yard sales. If you look around and know what you're looking for you can even find some brand new items for cut rate prices. Some stuff you have to watch out for, but for the most part you can find some really good deals. Plus, my family lineage is like the "caucasian" version of Sandford and Son.
Now see, I would be perfectly happy getting a gift of a cake or cookies or something. That way I could eat it up and it wouldn't be something that would be in my way all year if I didn't like it.
deut30 said:
I would love to grow a garden again. I'm a very picky eater so there wouldn't be much variety, but I sure could grow a lot of whatever I did plant. I need to learn to can as well. I can freeze like a pro, but never did learn to can.
Since we live in an apartment, growing a garden and hunting are not exactly options for us. But I have chosen to plan in advance so that I always have what I need in the house. This eliminates extra trips to the grocery store which eliminates the possibility of extra buying. I try to make sure I have a good solid stock of supplies on hand so that I don't go to the store for a $2.00 item and spend $20 while I am there. Also it is always less expensive to eat in or bake sweets rather than eat out or purchase bakery stuff.
SweetLissa
SweetLissa
During the summer I hang our clothes on the line outside, so I'm not running the dryer. This helps keep the house cooler as well as save on energy bills. If you are worried about bras and panties being exposed to the neighbors use a three string clothes line using the middle string to hold those items. You can shield the view of them by hanging towels and sheets on the outside lines. For the winter months, my husband hung up a pole that I can let some of our clothes dry instead of always having to use the dryer. I shop at a stores called ALDI and Save-A-Lot where you save on the prices, because you bag your own groceries. Canned goods are very cheap at these places.
Michelle
Michelle
lutherangirl said:
We've got one of those up the road here, but around this town there's a lot of hippies that shop there so I wasn't sure what kind of store that was. I might have to check it out now though.
Where I live people go to ALDI, because they have big families and you can get a lot of food cheap. I will give you a quick lesson before you go. If your store is like ours the carts are connected to each other.You have to put a quarter in to get a cart, but then you get your quarter back once you put the cart back. It is a chain lock mechaninisim. If you don't have your own bags they will charge you for a bag, so you can grab empty boxes off the shelves to use later to put your food in. I bring my own cloth bags this also helps with recycling. They ring up the groceries really fast and put them in the cart. You have to go over to the counter and bag them before you go out the door. It is quite an experience the first time you go; but when you see how much money you saved, you'll be back. I'll be curious to know if you go what you think. If it doesn't work out, sorry.
Michelle
DukeOfMarshall said:
Time is definitely one thing that makes a difference. If I were married, I probably wouldn't have time to write articles and homeschool, but I know God will provide when and if the time comes.
For us, our grocery shopping and dining out has not changed...and not much of our activities have either. Years ago, when we had a lot of money and lived in a really nice house, I still limited many things for my children (like how many Christmas gifts they received,etc.) because after hearing my grandfather talk about all of the changes and hardships that he and other children endured during the great depression, I wanted my children's lives to stay frugally the same no matter what our financial circumstances. I could never have foreseen at that time that I would be a single mom with these guys, but now I am glad I made that decision then. We still do things now that we did then ...like a once a week pancake supper (because it is so cheap)...we have bean soup once a week also, and back then I was living in a city that had a Smith's grocery store..in the back there was a bin of banged up or unlabled cans that had prices marked on the top in permanent marker (usually 25 cents) and we would stock the pantry with those as well.
I do make my own laundry soap and all purpose cleaner...I didn't do that before. I have come to realize that being frugal and being a good steward of the resources that God has provided should not be dependent on how much money you have. It is the right thing to do. If you have more than you need, then you have an opportunity to give.
The truth is that if you have clothes to wear, enough food to keep you from starving and a Bible to read then you have more than many many people in the world....when I tell this to my teenagers though they look like they don't believe me. lol
Love said:
This is a fact!! Having recently returned from a few few foreign countries, I recall that in one area after handing out some stuffed animals and toys to some little girls and boys, the person who introduced me to this ministry told me quietly "just realize that many of these families will take these stuffed animals back to their homes and sell them so they can place food on their table". This meant, of course, that these children were only going to experience the luxury of a toy for a few days. The realization of it all was quite emotionally overwhelming!
I know you think I am too tenderhearted but that last post had me positively sobbing in my heart. It just makes you think...
SweetLissa
SweetLissa
A
Anonymous
Guest
-Get a free email account and sign up for email updates and offers from every brand in your pantry and closet. They will send you coupons galore. Only print the ones you plan to use.
-Go to your supermarket's website before heading to the store and print coupons out and check dates of double your coupon shopping (usually coupons up to a $1 are automatically doubled)
-Avoid shipping charges, ship to the store and go pick it up on your way home from another errand..save gas
-Group your errands by location, save on gas. Me and my sister do our errands collectively.. we call each other every week to let the other know what we need done, and whoever is going to the post office, takes the other's postal needs.. banks, cleaners.. so on and so forth.. you get the idea.. one person does everyone's chores in that location.. and the other does errands in a different location.. we save time and money.
-UTAH residents.. save on your property taxes, if you have at least one room INSIDE your home that is still under construction, you get a tax break.
-To all planning a wedding.. save every single receipt, down to the stamps you put on your invitations.. the federal government gives you a very, very, very tiny tax break.. but it's something.
-Children's clothing.. the children's place has a 14 day price adjustment policy, buy something full price and if it goes on sale with in 14 days, bring your receipt and you'll get the discount. Go to the store for in store purchases, call customer service for online orders.. they won't flip flop. They also have a satisfaction guarantee policy, kids are hard on their clothes.. you bought a pair of pants and 6 months later the knees are worn.. they will give you merchandise credit for the current sale price for those pants. Their online clearance.. almost always has clothes at $2 to $4 range. Get on their mailing list.. don't want to wait.. call customer service and POLITELY ask for coupons and they will send you some or give you a webcode. Can't find something in the store, ask the cashier for a free ground shipping coupon, for the inconvenience of shopping online.
-E-BAY.. I paid $.50 plus $7 shipping for my winter coat two years ago.. got tired of it and sold it on E-bay for $12.25 plus $8 shipping (I'm still trying to figure that one out myself). I attempt to sell everything first before giving it to someone or charity. I have two girls and their favorite words are "mom buy me...."
-Going green pays.. change to energy saving light bulbs in your house.. 1 bulb will save you approx. $200/year.. keep all of your green receipts.. and uncle Sam will give you a break.
-Whenever in any major store.. walmart, target, the children's place even taco bell and so on.. ask if they are running surveys, fill one out, and you'll get a code for a discount on your next order.
-Grocery shopping.. save your bags.. bring them back the next time to bag your groceries with and most stores will give you $.02 per bag that you reuse and it's a very green thing to do.
-Feeling charitable?... don't just drop your old clothes off in one of those drop boxes.. actually take your clothes to salvation army or charitable location and get a receipt.. TAX break again.
-Printer ink, re-fillable cartridges are about 70% cheaper, are green and last longer (but make sure your printer will recognize the cartridge). But if you must keep buying cartridges, if you have a Staples near you, bring your empty cartridges to customer service desk and they will give you a $3 coupon per cartridge for your next cartridge purchase, I usually bring mine to customer service and then go pick out my purchase, so I can save on the current purchase.
-It's actually cheaper to upload your pictures online than to print in your own printer. Upload at home and print them at walmart or whoever is having a sale.. usually I pay about $.07 per 4X6 (I think that's the size).
-Pack lunches, at $5 - $7 per day for lunch, it gets expensive quick, most offices have refrigerators and microwaves. If not invest in a LEAD FREE cooler pack or heat retaining lunch thermos.
-Don't be loyal to one gas station, look on mapquest, it has a place to look up gas prices nearby.
-When shopping online, first google "promotional codes for (enter store name here)" and test them out. Some work and some don't, keep trying one will eventually work.
-Call your local supermarket, ask when their produce delivery is, most will give you the day, so you can plan to shop on those days, freshest produce.. I know this one is not about savings, but it's nice to be able to shop fresh!
Vanessa
(Currently being courted by James and Laceylee)
-Go to your supermarket's website before heading to the store and print coupons out and check dates of double your coupon shopping (usually coupons up to a $1 are automatically doubled)
-Avoid shipping charges, ship to the store and go pick it up on your way home from another errand..save gas
-Group your errands by location, save on gas. Me and my sister do our errands collectively.. we call each other every week to let the other know what we need done, and whoever is going to the post office, takes the other's postal needs.. banks, cleaners.. so on and so forth.. you get the idea.. one person does everyone's chores in that location.. and the other does errands in a different location.. we save time and money.
-UTAH residents.. save on your property taxes, if you have at least one room INSIDE your home that is still under construction, you get a tax break.
-To all planning a wedding.. save every single receipt, down to the stamps you put on your invitations.. the federal government gives you a very, very, very tiny tax break.. but it's something.
-Children's clothing.. the children's place has a 14 day price adjustment policy, buy something full price and if it goes on sale with in 14 days, bring your receipt and you'll get the discount. Go to the store for in store purchases, call customer service for online orders.. they won't flip flop. They also have a satisfaction guarantee policy, kids are hard on their clothes.. you bought a pair of pants and 6 months later the knees are worn.. they will give you merchandise credit for the current sale price for those pants. Their online clearance.. almost always has clothes at $2 to $4 range. Get on their mailing list.. don't want to wait.. call customer service and POLITELY ask for coupons and they will send you some or give you a webcode. Can't find something in the store, ask the cashier for a free ground shipping coupon, for the inconvenience of shopping online.
-E-BAY.. I paid $.50 plus $7 shipping for my winter coat two years ago.. got tired of it and sold it on E-bay for $12.25 plus $8 shipping (I'm still trying to figure that one out myself). I attempt to sell everything first before giving it to someone or charity. I have two girls and their favorite words are "mom buy me...."
-Going green pays.. change to energy saving light bulbs in your house.. 1 bulb will save you approx. $200/year.. keep all of your green receipts.. and uncle Sam will give you a break.
-Whenever in any major store.. walmart, target, the children's place even taco bell and so on.. ask if they are running surveys, fill one out, and you'll get a code for a discount on your next order.
-Grocery shopping.. save your bags.. bring them back the next time to bag your groceries with and most stores will give you $.02 per bag that you reuse and it's a very green thing to do.
-Feeling charitable?... don't just drop your old clothes off in one of those drop boxes.. actually take your clothes to salvation army or charitable location and get a receipt.. TAX break again.
-Printer ink, re-fillable cartridges are about 70% cheaper, are green and last longer (but make sure your printer will recognize the cartridge). But if you must keep buying cartridges, if you have a Staples near you, bring your empty cartridges to customer service desk and they will give you a $3 coupon per cartridge for your next cartridge purchase, I usually bring mine to customer service and then go pick out my purchase, so I can save on the current purchase.
-It's actually cheaper to upload your pictures online than to print in your own printer. Upload at home and print them at walmart or whoever is having a sale.. usually I pay about $.07 per 4X6 (I think that's the size).
-Pack lunches, at $5 - $7 per day for lunch, it gets expensive quick, most offices have refrigerators and microwaves. If not invest in a LEAD FREE cooler pack or heat retaining lunch thermos.
-Don't be loyal to one gas station, look on mapquest, it has a place to look up gas prices nearby.
-When shopping online, first google "promotional codes for (enter store name here)" and test them out. Some work and some don't, keep trying one will eventually work.
-Call your local supermarket, ask when their produce delivery is, most will give you the day, so you can plan to shop on those days, freshest produce.. I know this one is not about savings, but it's nice to be able to shop fresh!
Vanessa
(Currently being courted by James and Laceylee)