Easy Way To Save $ Per Month

[cillybean83]

I've been trying to find ways to save money, and I think I found a good one!

Our cable bill is $66 a month, which is ridiculous! We don't even get premium channels! Anyway, I signed up for netflix and hulu plus, both which stream directly to my tv and for a grand total of $18 per month. I canceled everything but basic cable, which is $17.99 a month, so that's a total of $36, a $30 savings per month!

[KEG123]

We don't have tv at all right now, but have considered netflix. Hope you enjoy it!

[Cat Herder]

I love my netflix. I stream through the WII. $8.99 month. Love that I can watch entire series of shows without commercial interruption or waiting until next season for the resolution of cliffhanger endings....

I calculated, this year, that by not using my dishwasher for anything other than a drying rack, my power bill went down by a whopping $40 a month.

$480.00 is a month of groceries for the DCK's....

[Michael]

We have a previous article on money saving tips that you may find helpful: https://www.daycare.com/story/money_saving_tips/

Also, some earlier threads on money saving tips. https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...ey+saving+tips

[Zoe]

We got rid of our cable entirely over a year ago and as a TV fanatic, I was hesitant at first, but we were really struggling financially and needed to do some drastic things. I haven't missed it at all!!! All the shows I watch regularly I can watch on Hulu or the channel's website the day after (at a time when the kiddos aren't bugging me and I can pause whenever). With all the silly reality tv around now taking up all the airtime, I just don't miss cable!

And Netflix is a godsend! My kids are able to watch quality preschool cable shows on instant, I can get my movie fix...I don't see our family getting cable back for a long time! Who needs it with all the great and cheap technology available! Saves us so much money! Glad others have discovered this as well!

[cillybean83]

my only hesitation with cutting cable entirely is my husbands obsession with sports :\

[dEHmom]

Originally Posted by cillybean83

my only hesitation with cutting cable entirely is my husbands obsession with sports :\

and this is a hesitation why?

soooo happy my hubby doesn't like sports lol. especially curling! gawd what a horrible waste of tv. might as well watch **** :S with all the screaming they do. decided to edit that because maybe inappropriate for some.

i made hubby install clothes line outside, in summer hang all the comforters saved tons on energy.

[Zoe]

Haha! Yes, that would pose a problem. We're not sports fans in this house, so we didn't have that issue. Sports and live events (like Christmas parades) are difficult to find live streams to. Believe me, I tried this past Thanksgiving! But really, at 17.99 a month like you said, it's still a LOT cheaper than extended cable!

[Greenshadow]

I havent used a dishwashing machine in over two years. Ours broke and we completely gutted our kitchen and got a brand spankin' new one and I barely used it. LOL. We dont have cable at all but do have Netflix streaming through our PS3 for $9.99/mo. We watch shows like Survivor and whatever the day after on their own website. Cheaper than paying full price for it all.

[cillybean83]

my hubby is obsessed with every sport there is, in winter it's football, summer it's baseball, and in between those are hockey and basketball and he watches all the pro games plus college football and college basketball, then when sports are on he PLAYS sport games on the PS3....kill me now lol

I save money by food shopping at Aldis and getting the few things aldis doesnt carry at super walmart I spend 500-550 a month on food for my family of 5 and 2 daycare kids. I buy all my supplies for the houseand daycare at the dollar store and super walmart I spend around 100 a month. I got rid of all the credit cards, we pay our insurance every 6 months and I just got our insurance dropped a big amount by saying we where gonna go with someone else. I get price adjustments on items I buy if the time limit isnt up. Wash all my stuff in cold water so we dont use alot of natural gas I keep the temp 68 in the Winter and 75 in the summer to save on gas and electric etc Im all about saving some money lol.

[Blackcat31]

We cut our cable too and use Netflix and live streaming through ABC.com and CBS.com I can watch complete episodes of Survivor and all the other shows I love. My kids use their i-pods for watching things anyways so I haven't figured out why we were paying for cable no one watched? LOL!

The biggest saver for us though was cutting our garbage service. We paid $32.00 per month. Now we recycle everything and they pick up recycleables for free and the rest my DH goes to the landfill for like $8 every 3 months.

We also buy in bulk at Sam's Club and Costco and use our foodsaver all the time.

[legomom922]

I buy coupons off of ebay! Also, gift cards. We remodled our bathroom and saved about $200 by buying Home Depot & Lowes coupons and gift cards on there. I never paid full retail value for the card!

[cillybean83]

I canceled my home phone and switched to only having a cell, that saved me $20 per month, and I'm going to use my dishwasher as a drying rack, hopefully that will save quite a bit on electric and water

[melskids]

my biggest one right now is to not buy anything daycare related. i can get in SOME trouble buying toys and art supplies. some girls buy tons of shoes and clothes and makeup. not me. you can find me in any isle of a toysrus. i have discount school supply on speed dial.

some parents gave me gift cards for Christmas. you'd think i'd buy something for myself. nope. got a bunch of cool stuff for the DC though. even though i'm walking around with stained tshirts and holes in my underwear.

i wonder if there's a support group for people like me

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by melskids

my biggest one right now is to not buy anything daycare related. i can get in SOME trouble buying toys and art supplies. some girls buy tons of shoes and clothes and makeup. not me. you can find me in any isle of a toysrus. i have discount school supply on speed dial.

some parents gave me gift cards for Christmas. you'd think i'd buy something for myself. nope. got a bunch of cool stuff for the DC though. even though i'm walking around with stained tshirts and holes in my underwear.

i wonder if there's a support group for people like me

Ha Ha! That is funny because my DH won't let me near anything Little Tikes. He says "it's just not normal!" (that I am so into Little Tike toys) I can't help it...I love them..... and Melissa and Doug stuff! Now I've discoverd a new brand of super cute eco toys that are just plain awesome...Sprig toys check them out! (I'm not helping am I? sorry.)http://www.sprigtoys.com/ They are soooo neat!

Maybe we should start a support group! My DH would MAKE me join!!

[melskids]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

Ha Ha! That is funny because my DH won't let me near anything Little Tikes. He says "it's just not normal!" (that I am so into Little Tike toys) I can't help it...I love them..... and Melissa and Doug stuff! Now I've discoverd a new brand of super cute eco toys that are just plain awesome...Sprig toys check them out! (I'm not helping am I? sorry.)http://www.sprigtoys.com/ They are soooo neat!

Maybe we should start a support group! My DH would MAKE me join!!

OMG ! LOVE IT! thanks alot so much for THAT resolution...lol
J/K !!!!!!!

[dEHmom]

Originally Posted by legomom922

I buy coupons off of ebay! Also, gift cards. We remodled our bathroom and saved about $200 by buying Home Depot & Lowes coupons and gift cards on there. I never paid full retail value for the card!

You save money by "buying" coupons? LOL oh my legomom, that was hilarious to read!
I understand what you mean, but it just sounds so funny.
I think most people clip coupons :P Or print them offline.

How do you know how much is actually on the gift cards though? Couldn't they screw you on it?

[momma2girls]

Originally Posted by cillybean83

my only hesitation with cutting cable entirely is my husbands obsession with sports :\

Mine as well. My husband could ne ver go without his tv

[laundrymom]

Originally Posted by Iowa daycare

Mine as well. My husband could ne ver go without his tv

I would go nuts without my sports. Lol

[AmandasFCC]

Originally Posted by Baybee0585

and this is a hesitation why?

soooo happy my hubby doesn't like sports lol. especially curling! gawd what a horrible waste of tv. might as well watch **** :S with all the screaming they do. decided to edit that because maybe inappropriate for some.

i made hubby install clothes line outside, in summer hang all the comforters saved tons on energy.

Funny, my hubby doesn't care much about sports, except curling .... I don't get it! He gets so into it, so excited .... I just don't understand!

[Annette]

I stopped using disposable cups even though I got them at the dollar store 60 for $1, and only run my clothes in the dryer for about 10 minutes and then hang on hangers or clothes rack. Never let my dishwasher run the dry cycle, open the door and let them dry

[tenderhearts]

I would be interested in this netflix and hulu, how does it work?
Who do you have your internet through? We pay comcast for all 3, cable, internet and phone, and we thought about cutting cable or our landline but just for the internet is was almost as much, so I'm curious to know what others use and if it's high speed internet.

[ninosqueridos]

Originally Posted by tenderhearts

I would be interested in this netflix and hulu, how does it work?
Who do you have your internet through? We pay comcast for all 3, cable, internet and phone, and we thought about cutting cable or our landline but just for the internet is was almost as much, so I'm curious to know what others use and if it's high speed internet.

We have our internet and phone through comcast. All you need is an internet connection and something to stream your movies on (like a bluray player or ps3 or wii). Our bluray has the netflix app on it, so we sign up for netflix for 9 bucks a month, go on netflix website and choose the movies we want to stream, and they instantly show up on our bluray so we could watch them on TV. Netflix has been a godsend for our kids (and for us when they go to bed). They have entire seasons of blue's clues, shaun the sheep, and thousands of kids movies (wiggles, barney, etc) all available to play whenever we want. We couldn't live without it.

We recently tried Hulu Plus, which works the same way as netflix except it offers TV programming as well as movies....but we thought the selection of shows you could actually stream to your TV was horrible (the only kids TV show you could stream was Gumby ). If they get their act together and offer the same TV programming you could watch on hulu online on your computer, then it would be worth it. HTH.

I have Att&t for internet. They were running a special for $19.99 for a year. Then after the year is up, I will switch back to comcast and get their special again. I have been doing this switch back and forth for 3 years now. And i never pay anymore than $20 a month.

[SimpleMom]

we are just about to sign up for netflix. we don;t have any cable/basic tv, but watch lots of movies. how is the netflix and what is hulu?

[Zoe]

Netflix is great. You can get dvds by mail as well as get them sent straight to your tv if you have a game system like Wii, playstation 3, etc. You can't get new releases usually sent straight to your tv, but it's a pretty good selection.

Hulu is a website (hulu.com) that you can watch the latest tv shows on your computer. For example, Grey's Anatomy is on Thursday nights. If you want to watch the most recent episode, you just go onto hulu.com and can watch it starting the day after it airs (friday). This is available for free, but if you get a subscription, you can get more shows and watch previous seasons. It's worth checking out if you don't have cable!

[legomom922]

Originally Posted by Baybee0585

You save money by "buying" coupons? LOL oh my legomom, that was hilarious to read!
I understand what you mean, but it just sounds so funny.
I think most people clip coupons :P Or print them offline.

How do you know how much is actually on the gift cards though? Couldn't they screw you on it?

They will sell say a $100 gift card for $80. Stuff like that. Then with teh coupons, I will buy like 10 cat food coupons that are worth $1.00 off a bag, for 1.50, so for 1.50, I save $10! Or you can just buy like a huge lot of coupons. DIRT cheap!!!!!! Ck it out! go on ebay,and search coupons!

I "liked" this site on FB and I see adds for all sorts of things. Momswhosave.com

[SilverSabre25]

haha, it's a bit facetious but here's a way to save $$ each month: don't lose food in the back of your freezer! I cleaned out the freezer tonight and found 2 steaks (for a total of $21!!!) back there. I think those are going on the menu for later this week...

On a more serious note--planning meals in such a way that you make sure to use things up, or freeze them if you're not going to use them (like if you need fresh cilantro, either plan a couple meals that will use it up, or freeze it then REMEMBER that it's there and use it later). Or if you open a container of chicken broth, make sure to use all of it or freeze it before it spoils.

it takes time to plan meals in an "organized" fashion like that, but saves a lot of $$ in the long run.

Also doing stuff like going to Pick Your Own produce places during the spring/summer and getting strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, tomatoes, etc then freezing them for the rest of the year. This can save you bundles of money!

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

haha, it's a bit facetious but here's a way to save $$ each month: don't lose food in the back of your freezer! I cleaned out the freezer tonight and found 2 steaks (for a total of $21!!!) back there. I think those are going on the menu for later this week...

On a more serious note--planning meals in such a way that you make sure to use things up, or freeze them if you're not going to use them (like if you need fresh cilantro, either plan a couple meals that will use it up, or freeze it then REMEMBER that it's there and use it later). Or if you open a container of chicken broth, make sure to use all of it or freeze it before it spoils.

it takes time to plan meals in an "organized" fashion like that, but saves a lot of $$ in the long run.

Also doing stuff like going to Pick Your Own produce places during the spring/summer and getting strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, tomatoes, etc then freezing them for the rest of the year. This can save you bundles of money!

I too will try and plan a menu before going shopping. That does save a lot of money. When I first started doing that I was amazed at what little I actually had to buy.

I have also bought hamburger on sale in 4 pound amounts and browned it all and then made spaghetti and beef stroganoff I had meals for the next two days and I froze the rest for a later dates.

Thinking of doing once a month (OAMC) cooking.

[marniewon]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

haha, it's a bit facetious but here's a way to save $$ each month: don't lose food in the back of your freezer! I cleaned out the freezer tonight and found 2 steaks (for a total of $21!!!) back there. I think those are going on the menu for later this week...

On a more serious note--planning meals in such a way that you make sure to use things up, or freeze them if you're not going to use them (like if you need fresh cilantro, either plan a couple meals that will use it up, or freeze it then REMEMBER that it's there and use it later). Or if you open a container of chicken broth, make sure to use all of it or freeze it before it spoils.

it takes time to plan meals in an "organized" fashion like that, but saves a lot of $$ in the long run.

Also doing stuff like going to Pick Your Own produce places during the spring/summer and getting strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, tomatoes, etc then freezing them for the rest of the year. This can save you bundles of money!

Excellent advice! I always end up throwing out "science experiments"!! I know I need to plan better. My problem is, every time I think I have things planned perfectly, my family will be more hungry and eat my "leftovers" for dinner! Or, I'll make just enough for dinner and lunch the next day, and no one will eat it and it sits in the fridge until I have to throw it out. I have a dh and 2 male teens living here. The 16yo is killing me with the food bill!

Some friends and I are doing a grocery challenge for this month - trying to spend only $287 for the month in food. (The idea being that the average family of 4 who qualify for food stamps, that is the amount that they would get. We're trying to see if it's even possible to live on that amount). Well, we have 13 days left in the month and I'm already at $274. But, since I don't separate the family food from the dc food, I'm going to add my food program reimbursement to the total spendable for the month, so I really have $63 left to spend for the month.

[Abigail]

What kind of container do you use to freeze items? At first I was using freezer bags, but they're expensive and we used them way too fast. Now, I've got these snap lids that are color-coated (not a big fan,but it was a Christmas gift to us) and they are freezer safe.

[SilverSabre25]

Originally Posted by Abigail

What kind of container do you use to freeze items? At first I was using freezer bags, but they're expensive and we used them way too fast. Now, I've got these snap lids that are color-coated (not a big fan,but it was a Christmas gift to us) and they are freezer safe.

I haven't found a solution I am totally happy with--right now it's mostly the Take n Toss type Gladware containers. They're a bit expensive, but reusable. I will use freezer bags for some things (meat--wrapped well and then in a bag). Blueberries get picked and frozen in the same reusable plastic buckets that I get at the picking place. Applesauce, strawberries, peaches, leftovers, etc mostly get frozen in the gladware stuff. It's freezer quality, I feel like it's okay enough. I'm pretty sure the ones I have now are labeled BPA-free, so I can feel better about it.

[legomom922]

Originally Posted by Abigail

What kind of container do you use to freeze items? At first I was using freezer bags, but they're expensive and we used them way too fast. Now, I've got these snap lids that are color-coated (not a big fan,but it was a Christmas gift to us) and they are freezer safe.

You can get bags in the Dollar Store. I re-use & clean mine!

[legomom922]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

haha, it's a bit facetious but here's a way to save $$ each month: don't lose food in the back of your freezer! I cleaned out the freezer tonight and found 2 steaks (for a total of $21!!!) back there. I think those are going on the menu for later this week...

On a more serious note--planning meals in such a way that you make sure to use things up, or freeze them if you're not going to use them (like if you need fresh cilantro, either plan a couple meals that will use it up, or freeze it then REMEMBER that it's there and use it later). Or if you open a container of chicken broth, make sure to use all of it or freeze it before it spoils.

it takes time to plan meals in an "organized" fashion like that, but saves a lot of $$ in the long run.

Also doing stuff like going to Pick Your Own produce places during the spring/summer and getting strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, tomatoes, etc then freezing them for the rest of the year. This can save you bundles of money!

How do you freeze fruit & veggies I tried to freeze a banana once...It may have been fine for a banana milkshake, but it wasnt good for anything else!

[SilverSabre25]

Originally Posted by legomom922

How do you freeze fruit & veggies I tried to freeze a banana once...It may have been fine for a banana milkshake, but it wasnt good for anything else!

Bananas aren't usually the best for freezing unless you mash them first and use them for banana bread or something.

Blueberries-can freeze as is and then toss into pancakes, muffins, smoothies, whatever. Frozen blueberries is one of my DD's favorite snacks. Strawberries can be cut up, mashed first into sauce, or made into freezer jam (which after tasting homemade freezer jam you'll never want to go back to store-bought stuff!!!). Again, smoothies, yogurt parfaits, pancakes, muffins, sauce for pancakes/waffles/french toast, whatever you want to use them for. Cherries need to be pitted first, then can be frozen as is or chopped up first or made into jam or whatever.

Peaches need a bit of prep--they need to be blanched in boiling water and have the skin removed, then sliced and frozen. Apples need to be cooked down into applesauce or cooked apple chunks. Tomatoes need to be cooked as well, I think (I haven't done tomatoes), but don't have to be actually canned if you're going to freeze them.

Other veggies can be frozen too--zuchinni is best shredded first, then frozen in useful portions (use a muffin tin and make sure you know how much you put in each, then when they're frozen pop them out of the tin and put them in a freezer bag). Peppers--cut 'em into strips and freeze them on a cookie sheet then put into a freezer safe container. Squashes--cook and freeze in chunks or mash and freeze in muffin tins.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. You can freeze just about any fruit/veggie, though. Fresh herbs, too. Anything you're curious about, just Google "Freezing [veggie/fruit]" and you should get results telling you how. A lot of it does take some prep before you can freeze, but it's WAY worth it in the cost savings the rest of the year. Plus, when you can buy the veggies at the peak of their freshness (and support a local farm/orchard while you're at it!) and freeze them, then they taste WAY better and you save TONS of money.

[marniewon]

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25

Bananas aren't usually the best for freezing unless you mash them first and use them for banana bread or something.

Blueberries-can freeze as is and then toss into pancakes, muffins, smoothies, whatever. Frozen blueberries is one of my DD's favorite snacks. Strawberries can be cut up, mashed first into sauce, or made into freezer jam (which after tasting homemade freezer jam you'll never want to go back to store-bought stuff!!!). Again, smoothies, yogurt parfaits, pancakes, muffins, sauce for pancakes/waffles/french toast, whatever you want to use them for. Cherries need to be pitted first, then can be frozen as is or chopped up first or made into jam or whatever.

Peaches need a bit of prep--they need to be blanched in boiling water and have the skin removed, then sliced and frozen. Apples need to be cooked down into applesauce or cooked apple chunks. Tomatoes need to be cooked as well, I think (I haven't done tomatoes), but don't have to be actually canned if you're going to freeze them.

Other veggies can be frozen too--zuchinni is best shredded first, then frozen in useful portions (use a muffin tin and make sure you know how much you put in each, then when they're frozen pop them out of the tin and put them in a freezer bag). Peppers--cut 'em into strips and freeze them on a cookie sheet then put into a freezer safe container. Squashes--cook and freeze in chunks or mash and freeze in muffin tins.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. You can freeze just about any fruit/veggie, though. Fresh herbs, too. Anything you're curious about, just Google "Freezing [veggie/fruit]" and you should get results telling you how. A lot of it does take some prep before you can freeze, but it's WAY worth it in the cost savings the rest of the year. Plus, when you can buy the veggies at the peak of their freshness (and support a local farm/orchard while you're at it!) and freeze them, then they taste WAY better and you save TONS of money.

There's nothing better than "fresh" (frozen) corn on the cob in the middle of winter!!! YUM! And I agree about the jams. I've made freezer jam before and absolutely loved it! I was going to make it last year, but couldn't find a recipe for one that didn't use so much sugar (apparently the sugar helps 'set' it?).

[SilverSabre25]

Originally Posted by marniewon

There's nothing better than "fresh" (frozen) corn on the cob in the middle of winter!!! YUM! And I agree about the jams. I've made freezer jam before and absolutely loved it! I was going to make it last year, but couldn't find a recipe for one that didn't use so much sugar (apparently the sugar helps 'set' it?).

Oh yeah, fresh corn! MMMmmm, forgot about that. That's another one that doesn't need much prep in order to freeze.

Yeah, jams need a lot of sugar to set properly. But, if you're using good fruit and using REAL sugar, at least you know that it's not full of chemicals and other crap like normal jam (which has just as much, if not more, sugar)