jarenie

I have been on a tight budget as of the death of my husband. 5 years of illness that wiped out just about everything we had. He was not insurable due to health. But I found this great web site www.tiphero.com and they have great ideas on how to live on less. I only pay 12 cents for soap for a load of laundry and fabric softner is 4 cents per load. They had a list of home product that you can make yourself for less. Cloths all come out clean and bright.
You can have them email you weekly tips. I could not do without them.

jeaninmaine

We bought a house in the country 2 years ago, it had two Monitor oil heaters and two big oil tanks, we bought a woodstove and disconnected the oil heaters. It cost us 700.00 to heat our house last winter. We also haven't plugged in the TV since we moved here. There's only about 8 shows I really like all week and dh likes something else entirely, so we both watch the programs we like on our computers (you have to wait til 24 hours after they're shown on TV but so what). We use headphones so we can watch different things and not disturb the other person. I switched all our lightbulbs to 23 watt daylight bulbs(the screw-in coiled flourescent ones) dh has trouble in the winter with depression and the daylight bulbs even help with that, plus they make my fabric colors look right. The amount of light is equal to a 100 watt regular bulb.

Dragonomine

Like most everyone, we've been cutting corners as well. I've been going to those discount grocery stores and only getting what I need for a weeks worth of meals and 90% of what I get is the generic brand. Usually the generic is cheaper even if you have a coupon for name brand. Furnace is set at 68 during the day and 65 at night. I never use the washer/dryer until I get a full load. If I've only worn my clothes for a few hours and they're still clean I save them to wear again. I reuse my bath towels twice. (it's not like they're dirty!) I don't turn on lights until it gets dark. I'll try to do my errands all in one day but with 2 kids... well... I run them around a lot. I do my best. It's hard though. My dog's shots are a year late, my tires are bald and I can't do anything about it because I don't have to money. It's a blessing that taxes are coming up.

Halo

To save on quilting supplies, everyone I know brings me their clothing they are getting rid of. Most all is usable for quilts. I also hit the yard sales for blankets to use as batting & sheets for backing. Sheets also make fantastic background fabric for quilt blocks. I just make sure they are like new or slightly used condition. I also pick up, like new, bedspreads at yard sales (the ones that has batting on the backs of them) & use them for backing. Don't have to worry about extra batting that & they make wonderful quilt backing. We have always been on the low income level & when my kids were home, I made all their clothing out of clothing other people gave me. My girls were 12 before they got their first store bought dress's & they would rather have ones that I made for them. I have always made everything from scratch & toss very little out. I even save postage stamps & mod podge then on small boxes for treasure boxes. I even covered an old lamp shade with them & it turned out awesome. It takes a long time to get enough stamps, so I ask everyone I know to save these for me also.

mrs. fitz

Save your change. Throw it in a jar and when there's a good amount wrap it yourself, have the bank change it for bills, put them aside for something special. Coins add up quickly. I have an envelope marked "coin money" which we sometimes raid for a restaurant visit It's like going out to dinner and nobody pays. It would also be a good way to get some cash for quilt supplies, fabric, etc. You're not taking it from anyplace else and even if you're not on a strict budget it's nice to get a bonus.

QultingaddictUK

The one thing that is noticeably missing in this post is our expertise in using a sewing machine! I can't remember the last time I bought curtains, bedding and so many other household items, beside the cost of Christmas and other presents.

I have found my friends and family are awe struck that I have taken the time to make a hand made gift. Easy for us quilters but not for some. I haven't bought a shop bought gift in years!

miriam

LOL well DUH!!!

patski

we have cut back, no more eating out, no more magazines and I quilt with what I have. I also make a huge pot of soup with all veggies and we make 1 meal a day of that. I think things are going to get much worse, the cost of health insurance is going up50 to100 per cent in the next year. We no longer have insurance, self employed and the cost went up to 1500.00 per month!! We had to choose, mortgage or insurance!

GrandmaNewt

We saved more than 50% on our car insurance by switching to AARP's insurance. Recently we realized that we don't really watch tv all that much, so had the cable company switch us to their economy plan. Funny thing is that they dont even tell you about that plan, a friend of our accidently found it hidden in a pdf on their website.

Even tho the kids have grown and gone and its just me and hubby at home, we still shop for food in bulk at sam's club. I tend to stock up on their meat when its marked down and repackage it into smaller portions and freeze. Pet food, laundry soap, toilet paper, cleaning supplies etc etc are all cheaper when bought in bulk sizes.

We are good about eating leftovers instead of letting them go to waste. We sometimes eat them for lunch, and sometimes they get remade into a different meal for another dinner.

A huge savings for us recently was switching over to the "time of use" program at the power company. I realize that this plan would not work well for everyone, but it has cut our yearly power bill average by about half.

TanyaL

Quote We saved more than 50% on our car insurance by switching to AARP's insurance. Quote

If you are eligible you might price USAA insurance. We save more than $400 a year over the cost of the best price that AARP could quote for us on the same coverage.