5 Ways We Saved in 2007
Because Crystal wants to know.....
1) Automatic transfers - Every week, a certain amount of JunkMale's paycheck gets automatically transferred to our savings account and retirement account. This is so easy to do, you don't have to think about it, and it comes out before you ever see it. Our working budget every month starts out after that money leaves, so we never even miss it.
2) Bringing lunch to work - I don't think JunkMale has ever eaten out for lunch at work. That's nearly unheard of, really, but it saves so much money.
3) Cooking from scratch - Not only is it healthier, it's also much cheaper and tastier than packaged foods. That's not to say that we never ate packaged food in 2007, but the overwhelming percentage of our food was homemade.
4) Not having cable TV - We hardly miss it, and it would cost us about $50 to $100 a month. No thank you!
5) Buying used (or old) instead of new - A scratch 'n dent appliance costs just over half what a new one costs, does the same job, and carries the same warranty. Thrift stores and amazon.com's marketplace are also good places to get great deals on used merchandise. A new computer game is about $50. If you wait two or three years, then buy it, you'll pay $15 or less. The longer it's on the market, the less you'll have to pay. Don't insist on the newest gadgets, and your budget will thank you. :)
Categories:
frugality
We just started automatic transfers about a month ago. Nifty thing! Ron so rarely eats lunch out that I can't remember when he ever did. I cook everything from scratch, too. I just like it better. We don't have cable, either. We don't have a TV. ;-)
That last one, though, we don't do as much anymore. We have started saving up and buying really good new stuff for some things that could maybe be passed down in the family later or that needs to be reliable, etc. But, I love those thrift stores and garage sales....
:-D
I just bought a pair of jeans at a consignment shop last weekend for $10.00. Very nice, Jones of NY, seemed brand new, fit great, comfortable & actually long enough for me. Problem is, it does take more time to find what you can wear as there aren't all the choices as in the stores. I feel I really lucked out on these.
We do have cable, but last summer we went to the $50.00 a year instead of $75.00 a year. We also have the internet attached so the bill is more. But it is a magnet for our daughter & son-in-law & grand puppy, so it is worth it!