Help me acheive a goal, please!

**Cecilia** · 09-30-2004, 07:27 AM

I'm new here and very happy to have found you all! My goal right now is to cut 300 dollars of expences per month before march 2005 when our third baby is due. This is what our budget looks like today:
Our total income monthly is now about 3100 Us dollars. I have to count everything in to dollars since we don't live in the US. 320 dollars goes directly in to different savings accounts (holidays, kids, retirement). Then we have the bills... here we put 1400 dollars in to an accout to pay all bills and the house morgage. We have no debts beside the house morgage. What now is left is what we can use for food, clothes, gas, dh:s train card and whatever we need, this is about 1400 dollars/month. I cook from scratch and bake about half of all the bread we eat. Food prices here are high, we pay about 120 dollars per week for our groceries. Keeping a price-book seems impossible, since the shops change their prices from one week to another. We usually shop where it is the lowest prices altogether.
For clothes we rarely buy any new, we shop consignment stores for the adults and second-hand stores for the kids if we can't get hand-me-downs.
As for the insurance, we went throug that last spring and saved 285 dollars on the car!
As for the energy part, we use an oil heater with an incorporated water heater. Heating costs about 2000 dollars per year. Electricity has gotten increadibly much more expensive around here the last years. Although we cut our electricity use by 2/5 we still pay almost the same

We use low-energy lightbulbs only, no appliances on stand-by, hang the laundry to dry etc. Our communications are as basic as possible. I know we have the lowest rates for the phone and doesn't pay more than 10 dollars for internet use at home. We have no cable-TV. We go for inexpensive family fun like taking books and films out of the library or going swimming (my work pays for a card that allows me to go swimming for free). Sometimes we take the odd day out at a museum and then have lunch in a restaurant.
Well this is all I can think of right now... and I still need to cut my 300 Us dollars monthly before march 2005... So anything you can think of is sooooo welcome!!

**SewCrafty** · 09-30-2004, 08:43 AM

Wow Ceclia, sounds to me like you are doing a great job already!

I don't have any ideas for you but I bet some of the other ladies do. I want to wish you the best of luck!

**homesteadmamma** · 09-30-2004, 08:59 AM

Can you tell us the country you live in and how many kids you have. That could make a difference in your grocery bill.

As to your heating bill:

~for every 2 degrees you drop your temps. you save 20% on your heating bill. We live in Canada where the temps get extremely cold during the winter months. We keep our heat at 66 during the day time (we just dress warmer) and down to 62 at night when everyone is tucked under blankets.
~we put in new windows and doors but we have a couple windows we didn't replace because of financies. On those windows we have plastic.
~our water heat (which is gas) is set at 120.

For electricity:

~if you can, use a crockpot as much as possible
~make sure all lights, radio, tv and such are off when not in use. Unplug as well when not in use.
~if you have a electric water heat, limit the time you have showers or how much you fill the bathtub. Electric water heaters take a lot of energy.

Groceries:

~purchase in bulk as much as possible (if the prices are better purchasing in bulk - sometimes they aren't.) Make sure you compare prices.
~go meatless meals a couple times a week.
~make homemade soups a couple times a week.

Just a few tips I can think of right now.

Good luck in cutting the $300. We found it amazing when we tracked every penny we spent for a couple of months and found out where our leaks were. You might want to try doing that as well just to see where your $$ are going.

**guest2** · 09-30-2004, 11:23 AM

Cecilia,
I am also curious to know where it is you live. There may be websites on cutting your expenses specifically geared for your country that will help you also.
I think CJ gave you some wonderful ideas. I would also add that eating seasonally (eat what is in season and the lowest price) helps cut food bills quite a bit. Do you have room for a small garden? How about a container garden? You can grow strawberries, a salad basket, tomatoes and herbs on a patio or balcony. My parents have several cherry tomato plants on their balcony at their condo.

**Katybird** · 09-30-2004, 12:29 PM

It sounds like you are doing a great job with your cost cutting. I can't think of anything right now but I bet some of the other ladies will be able to help you.

We are so glad that you have joined us!

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 09-30-2004, 08:25 PM

Can you use coupons where you live? If so, they can make a big difference in your grocery bill. Even if you don't find coupons for food items you normally use, you can find many for shampoo, soap, tissue, etc.

**Cecilia** · 10-01-2004, 09:03 AM

Hi everybody!!! Thanks so much for your answers. Well we live in Sweden, way up in the cold northern part of Europe... and we have two kids so far (5 yo and 2,5 yo). I'm expecting our third baby in march 2005

Sorry to say we almost have no coupons here, on rare occations we might have one in the newspaper but it is mostly for pre-packed ready made food, stuff I don't buy as I cook from scratch. Keep the good mails comming!!!!!

**homesteadmamma** · 10-01-2004, 10:04 AM

Sweden is pretty similar to Canada when it comes to weather I think. We get -40C and with windchill factors, it gets even colder and we get lots of snow too.

We have a weekly "frugal challenge" thread and there are always great tips posted each day. You might glean some information there which you had never thought of.

Here is the link to this week's thread, but if you go back you can find a weekly thread just like this for every week.

Frugal Challenge Sept.27-Oct.2