My hubby says that I'm...

**mommy4ever** · 03-10-2009, 01:00 PM

*the Queen of CHEAP!*

ROFLMAO.

And know what? I'm darn proud of it!

It was said with affection and respect, not as a derogatory comment.

Why?

Heating bill? $40/mo, even when it was -40 outside, it peaked at $45. Our house is warm, we use a fireplace that we fuel with free wood. The only power runs the fan. The average gas bill for our areas is around $300+.

I know we have been talking refinancing our mortgage, he wasn't surprised by the debt, but what he was surprised was that our mortgage is well below the average, even with the consumer debt rolled in.

About 40% of what his co-workers have and then they have consumer debt too.

What surprises him is we have money in the bank. That our grocery bill for 6+4 is less than 1/2 of what his co-workers pay for 3 or 4...lol. And we eat better too.

His co-workers are in shock that we only eat out once a month, and maybe order in once a month.

THey are shocked that the pizza he brings is home made. That meatloaf is actually yummy.

They don't realize that baking doesn't need to be expensive. THeir wives say it's cheaper to buy ready made

. Think some one doesn't want to bake.

They say fruit is too expensive to buy...ROFL. I spend $20/week for apples, oranges bananas and another seasonal fruit for the week. If I use superbucks, it's usually only about $12. And if it's the first Tuesday of the month and I'm doing a BIG trip, there is further discounts

They bring frozen dinners every day. Dh brings yummy aromatic leftovers.

I'm thinking I need to start a newsletter for our area and charge for it..lol.

Make our grocery money..lol.

**PrairieGirl** · 03-10-2009, 01:19 PM

that is hilarious!!

My hubby calls me the "Ration Nazi" (no offense intended - I'm Polish and it doesnt bug me). Anywho, the reason he gave me that nickname is because now that I put us on a cash budget, I joke around that everything in the house has to be rationed like milk (his weakness), apples, oranges, gummies, bread, meat, cheese, etc. Of couse, I'm not that bad but I do remind him that certain things will have to last until next pay day (gummies for instance) otherwise I'm not buying them again until then

He does put up a "fight"

sometimes but its more for fun than anything else

I also make him yummy lunches (mostly sandwiches because he works out in the field; no microwave) but I do bake goodies for him and he's told me a few times his coworker has looked longingly at DH's packed lunch while eating a boring bologne sandwhich of his own (granted, I love bologne and to me, there is nothing boring about it...but than again, I'm wierd like that

)

I was telling my dad one day (after I brought over some banana bread for him [I always have to bake extras for my dad]) the sorts of lunches DH gets, and my dad upon hearing this, looked at my mum and was like "How come you dont make me lunches like that?!?"

hahaha, my mum's response "Cuz we've been married for too long!"

Even my younger sister is asking for me to bake her goodies for her school lunches

on looking like the superb wife that you are!!!!

**MomToTwoBoys** · 03-10-2009, 01:20 PM

That's so thoughtful of him!

Yeah our heating bill is at max $85/mo, even when it's -40C outside too. We've been discussing the pros and cons of redoing all the outer walls and the insulation...they're just abnormally cold! He always shakes his head at me when I wash the Ziploc bags and save all of the takeout condiments/napkins. I told him I wanted a permanent clothes line and he was like 'eh, no difference to me'. I also told him I wanted to finish drywalling the other half of the basement to put up an indoor clothes line and I think he blew a brain cell or two.

It makes my mom all sorts of proud because her other two kids are pretty flighty with their cash. When I told her we used our $3,500 tax return to pay off debt, I swear I could hear her cry a little.

I made homemade brownies last night and DH was like 'god these things are so good and I don't normally like brownies'.

We used the $40 a few weeks back from returning bottles for lunch and he was all sorts of happy about that.

I think it's the little things that our husbands notice that makes them wonder what they'd ever do without us.

**TigerGirl1226** · 03-10-2009, 01:27 PM

Yeah, sending DH to work with yummy leftovers always makes his co-workers jealous.

**mommy4ever** · 03-10-2009, 01:36 PM

And it's even funnier when they go, " wow, you guys must spend a mint on groceries! Being 4 kids and all."

Dh goes, "yeah, about $600 a month."

And they go:

"A MONTH!!!!! We spend $400-500 a week!!! and eat out 3 or 4 times"

And they wonder why they are in over draft and short on cash. That's over double our mortgage payment!

I'll take the extra work of stretching our dollar to living high on the hog and forever further and further in debt!

**Cricketlegs** · 03-10-2009, 03:04 PM

My dh says he loves every frugal inch of me but to PLEEAASSSEEE not water down the hand soap......look when it stops wanting to pump out when it get down to the bottom I am adding water!

The End

I have spoken

deal with it!

**Cricketlegs** · 03-10-2009, 03:06 PM

My grocery budget is $150 groceries
$150 stockpile--food only
$50 to catch ad specials.

So $350 and I have a ROOM full of food. I could make my 4 months worth go a year right now if the deep freezer was filled.

**mommy4ever** · 03-10-2009, 03:11 PM

Cricketlegs, cut the hand soap in half! water it down and add a little salt, it'll thicken up and no one knows the difference..lol. That's what I do.

**Cricketlegs** · 03-10-2009, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by mommy4ever

Cricketlegs, cut the hand soap in half! water it down and add a little salt, it'll thicken up and no one knows the difference..lol. That's what I do.

Oh but what if he catches me and his head explodes.....???

**PrairieGirl** · 03-10-2009, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by mommy4ever

Cricketlegs, cut the hand soap in half! water it down and add a little salt, it'll thicken up and no one knows the difference..lol. That's what I do.

What a great idea!! Hope you dont mind if I steal it?
After all, even soap has to be rationed

**Debbie-cat** · 03-10-2009, 03:51 PM

I want to steal the idea too!

Thanks!

QM · 03-10-2009, 03:59 PM

It's good reading these ideas because there is always room for my "frugal improvement". I think I'm frugal until I read things like this!

**mommy4ever** · 03-10-2009, 04:04 PM

Just a note, start with cutting is 3/4 soap 1/4 water, add some salt mix well and hide it a day or so. It needs time to "set". I think that different kinds of water will affect how it turns out. So start with 1/4. And next time 1/3 and next time 1/2. Just like home made detergent, what type of water may affect. I have hard water, and do about 50-50. But it depends on how your water is treated too.

**ArmyOfFive4God** · 03-10-2009, 04:06 PM

Well one of our hubbies is lying. I think it might be yours, LOLOL!!!

**HappyMama** · 03-10-2009, 04:09 PM

My Dh's co workers say the same....lol

You are doing great.

For what some of the friends in my life and Dh's co workers spend on food I would have warehouses full.

Now after all the sales ads, bulk shopping and cooking we eat mostly organic grains, grass fed no hormones, beans , rice ,milk , fruit and vegetables. We have fresh baked bread, cookies cakes , pies ( when we do have dessert). We make our own soups, sauces, breads, yogurt , cheeses, calzones, pizzas, lunch meat, granola and I could go on for pennies now with organic ingredients. It does take work shopping, cooking, going to different stores, going to a bulk store and co op , stocking up but is worth it to me. It has taken work on both our parts my DH commutes a long way brings both lunch and dinner. I can do all this on 300. 00 to 350.00 a month and that is with stocking up, organic and mostly grass fed for a family of 4 .

His co workers also get jealous and sometimes I send in lots of burritos, subs,homemade pasta and meatballs, or baked goods for him to share. They love it and are shocked how we can do it. We started on the journey to eliminate some foods for allergy's and health and have saved tons of money along the way.

We also make our own soaps, shampoo and hand cream , hand soaps, laundry soap and enjoy experimenting with different bases and scents. It lets me have fun and also have control of the ingredients we use.

Keep up the great work it can be so rewarding financially and health wise.