writerwomen

Fabric at thrift, rummage and cut up clothes. By no fast prep items and cok more then one meal at a time. Buy generics when possible, check out the dollar store for like items. Don't assume one store always has the best price they change from time to time. We buy milk, juice, bananas at Kwik Trip gas station, rice in bulk from Sam's club, Potatoes from a farmer, and so on. Start a pot garden much easier to handle then a large one and grow your herbs etc.

writerwomen

Have to add this. I was asked to head up a fund raiser dinner which I've done before so knew it was a big undertaking. When asked if I'd foot the bill and get reemburced I said no. The school staff member who was asking for the fundraiser had to go for the supplies. Their words were- I'm shocked that you can get so much for so little- we buy the high grades of meat etc and just eat less. Needless to say I was going from simer to a hard boil inside knowing there was a serious disconect with reality there. When you tink you've cut all the corners you can look again and you'll find more- name brands and name stores are not usually going to give you the best price- great to support them but not when it's killing your budget

plainpat

Several ppl on the thread mentioned getting rid of their land line phone.How does that work when you need a ph line to have computer service.Do you just get another service ? Is it cheaper?

incoming2me

We haven't had a land line since 2006.
Our internet is through U-Verse (an AT&T product) and requires no phone line, it comes in via cable.

It's much cheaper than having a phone that we never used and internet. ;)

bebe

recycle fabric, eat at home more often, garage sales flea markets
wear used clothing and shoes it is surprising how well u can dress out of a thrift store there is a store here that starts at $1.75 on thursday and on Wed the clothes are 25 cents worth the hunt :thumbup:

TanyaL

Getting rid of your landline depends on where you live. We live 25 miles from the nearest city/town limits. There is no cable. We use our cell phone for long distance. Almost all calls are long distance, but we have to have the landline to get any internet as it is much cheaper than having a satellite for the internet. Our biggest expense by far is for prescription medicine and that is with medicare and a supplemental insurance policy with prescription coverage. Next expense is the total of health insurance premiums, auto, house insurance and life insurance premiums.

redkimba

I have Verizon Fios - they put in a separate line for theirs.

overdew

Watch out for netflix. The price is going up.

mommaB

I have a bicycle, used from craig's list, that is great for trips to the library or milk&bread trips to the grocery..and no gym membership!!! When I needed new washer and dryer, I spent a few extra bucks and used the son's company discount program and got the HE front loads, I dropped my water bill about $40 for 3 months and my gas bill as well. Almost all light bulbs are cfl and dropped the electric bill too!! I've never been a clothing buyer. I hate to spend money on clothes and make them last forever. I will admit that while my AC is turned up to 80 in the daytime, it is 75 at night :oops: I can't sleep otherwise!

Janice Thompson

I come from a family of 13. Father was a laborer and money tight. My mother could squeeze a nickle until the buffalo snorted. We had nutrious meals from scratch. No vegetables were discarded, bones, broth were kept until then end of the week and then the refrigerator was cleaned out. Wonderful vegetable soup. Even Spagetti was thrown in the pot. Mother shopped the bargins. Coupons weren't available. Outgrown clothing was either traded or fabric cut out for quilts. We did have a vegetable garden. Grandfather had fruit trees and we canned bushels of fruit.