One of my favorite blogs did a blog post about cutting down on waste. It inspired me to talk about the top 5 ways we save money in our home. I hope this encourages you to share your tips!
As I have now been home for 8 months( wow, has it been 8 months ?) I have had the opportunity to reconnect with home life and really take the time to take a look at our budget.
Top 5 Ways We Save Money
1) Green Cleaning:
About a year ago I purchased a mega bottle of Simple Green cleaner for my home. I am still working on it. I think the bottle cost me $8? I use a vinegar and water mixture for sterilizing toys. I also have a few Seventh Gen, Sun & Earth and Caldrea products from sales and coupons.
We have put a serious dent in our paper towel buying by using rags made of my husband’s old undershirts. Cut em’ up, bleach em’ out and use em’. This was one of our New Year’s resolutions and we really don’t miss them. I do keep a roll in the house for puppy accidents or guests ( even though I always offer up a clean rag for them. )
2) Cooking
We cook every night. If we don’t, we don’t eat. Easy as that. I can not remember the last time we ordered out. It’s difficult cooking for a vegetarian, a meat eater and a baby eating solids but somehow I get it done. Cooking in not only saves loads it’s much healthier in the long run.
I make a menu every two weeks ( conincides with paychecks) and plan what we are going to make. I use leftovers and try not to be wasteful.
If you do opt to eat out try Restaurant.com for discounted giftcards.
3)redbox:
Top movies for $1 a night- enough said. Enter code BREAKROOM or DVDONME for free rentals. ( FYI- They only work once per card.) Sign up for their weekly newsletter to recieve more free codes.
4) Cloth Diapers:
As you know we cloth diaper. It doesn’t take up as much time as one would think. I do a load every 2-3 days. I was using regular, non-green ( gasp!) laundry detergent but I recently switched to a natural homemade blend. ( Just call me Mrs. Duggar) a great recipe recommended by a fellow mom.
The investment in cloth diapers was a bit hairy but we do save by not having to purchase as many disposeables. I keep one pack of disposables in the house just incase we run out of cloths and its laundry day.
One way to save on creating your diaper stash is buying diapers secondhand. I would say that we have apromixatley 40% secondhand cloths. Check your local Craigslist or DiaperSwappers.
5) Making Gifts:
I always say my husband is the luckiest SOB I have ever met because he has not had to purchase a gift for anyone in the last 7 years. For Christmas last year we gave out hand stamped muslin cedar bags and small glass herb jars filled with organic French herbs. They were a hit and were very inexpensive to assemble.The year before we took Mason jars and planted paperwhite bulbs with river rocks. Everyone loved that gift. T Kids birthdays I make T-Shirts with cupcakes or bibs from ROBAY STUDIO.
BONUS) Water, water everywhere…. DRINK IT.
We have saved hundreds by elimnating juice and soda from our house! We drink water all the time. Over the summer we did splurge on some lemonade here and there but for the most part water is number one. No calories and best of all its virtually FREE. We installed a PUR water filter on our tap. Opt for the one that takes out 99% of pharmaceuticals.
6) Coupons ( We call them ‘Coups’ to make them sound a little more fun 
My mother did coupons when I was a wee little one and I always dreaded Sunday because she used to make me cut them. ( Can’t wait til Bay is old enough!) I recently have rediscovered the power of these magical pieces of paper. You cut them out and it saves you DOLLAR BILLS. Really they do.
The kicker is you have to get coups for what you actually use. I just put ink in our printer and have started printing them online. It’s important to call your stores and see if they accept them. Most do.
Last week I did a test to see how much using printed coups could really save me. Here’s the loot:
Cost for this shopping trip: $7.08
(2) Healthy Choice Meals priced at $2.50 used two $2 off coups=.50$ each
Nature Source Bathroom Cleaner priced at 2.99 used one Target $1 off coup + a manufacturers coup for $1 off. =$.99
Up & Up Target brand disenfecting wipes priced at 1.99 used a Target $1 off coup =$.99
* Note I usually don’t buy these but the world has gotten even germier. I keep them in the car and use after the library and grocery shopping.
Whole Wheat Pasta Priced at 1.19 used one$1 off coup=$1.38 for two!
Chef Michael’s Dog Food Products, used a few buy one get one coups plus a few free coups.
* I usually buy Trader Joes canned but these were a great deal!
Silk Soy Milk priced at $2 used a $.50 coup=$1.50
As you can see I saved a lot of $$$. I am so excited to do grocery shopping this week with our printed coups!
Now I ask you , what are your tips? How does your family or household save cash?
Be sure to check it out.
Operation Handmade Holiday has begun! As I prepare for the holidays this year I am taking the pledge to make more gifts than ever before.Yes you can go to a store and BUY things, but isn’t it better to make them ? More personalized and of course cheaper!
I have also been messing around on my sewing machine, which isn’t a good idea as I have so much to do! Bay needed a wearable sleep blanket as he was chilly in the evenings. Instead of paying 30$ I decided to try and make it. How hard could it be ? I swore a LOT:
But its done and he likes it. He really likes it. Can’t you tell ?
Beautiful Fountain in the Atrium
Cherub Statue in the main Garden
Fountain Sculpture
Buddha’s Hand
Top: Meyer Lemon Tree Bottom: Lime Tree
I have been bitching about our lack of funds but I have to say I have become ridiculously resourceful. It’s a better life this living simply and we are better for it. I do miss getting a pedi and buying shoes but hey, I get to be with Bay all day and that is payment enough. And Hey- I can say I MADE shoes?! Who else can do that. Elves…
