Monday, June 30, 2008

Adjusting to rising costs. . .

I like to think that my house hold is smart.
I know that some people call me cheap, but I really don't think so. . .
We spend money when there is something we want.
We go out to eat when we want.

I am also realistic.
With rising costs (gas and food), I have to be a bit more smart so we can do the things we want.
Some smart things I am trying to do:

  • Car Pooling! MBB and I park a car closer to the highway and ride together two days a week.
  • "Buy a $330 prepaid card for $300!" I have enjoyed $60 in free groceries so far.
  • Rather than make a special weekend trip, I do the grocery run on my way home from work.
  • Craigslist! I've mentioned before the great deals we have found on craigslist.
  • Coupons! I am careful not to buy what we don't need just because I have a coupon.
  • Volume Discounts! With the amount of paint that we are going to buy over the next year, I was able to get a contractor's account with the local paint store - yep, saves us 20%!
  • Bulk Groceries (without a membership fee)! I have been swinging by GFS lately to stock up.
  • Gardening! OK, we spent about $60 in plants / seeds, but will get much more out of it!
  • Frugal Ideas! I have started reading blogs that have great ideas about ways to save.
  • Reward Deals! I just cashed in on my Visa rewards - they are sending me $100 in free cash.
  • Reward Programs! We got $400 in gift cards from Lowe's for letting them track our Kitchen and Bath purchases for a specific amount of time (when we were working on the new bath).
  • Frequent Flyer Miles! I planned a vacation pre-family and needed airline tickets. . .Cost: $7.50.

Anyone else have smart saving tips?

Namaste.

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