Amy always took time to figure the cost of things - do you?

**homesteadmamma** · 06-08-2005, 05:32 PM

Most things Amy took time to figure the costs of I wouldn't. However I have figured the cost almost to the penny of what baking bread at home costs.

I was just thinking the other day I'd like to figure out the costs of the following made from scratch:

~lasagna
~cookies
~chili

~homemade laundry soap

~hand soap

This gardening season, I marked down the costs of all my seeds. I'm going to figure out how much I saved in gardening (if it grows).

Do you take the time or have you taken the time to figure out costs of things you do to be frugal, such as the above?

**thrifty gal** · 06-08-2005, 06:55 PM

I do not. But, this is something I have been meaning to do. I have wanted to add this as a section to my frugal notebook.

**Telephus44** · 06-08-2005, 08:11 PM

For the most part, no. Maybe I'm not close enough to the edge where I have to worry about spending a penny and half versus 3 pennies on some cooking ingredient, but most of the calculations to me seem more as an illustration to re-inforce the point.

The one I calculation that I will do is how much dinner costs every night - DH and I are trying to be adamant about not eating out, so I always try and figure out what dinner cost us versus, say, Subway.

**homesteadmamma** · 06-08-2005, 08:38 PM

Its interesting you mentioned eating out. Everytime we eat out, I think of how much in groceries I could have bought for that amount.

**Mamaw** · 06-08-2005, 09:54 PM

I dont figure it out to the penny like Amy does. I do try to compare the costs of items bought v.s. items that are homemade and then figure in the time savings. For example, I can get the oil changed in my car for 17.00 in a local station. If my husband does it himself it costs us 10.00 for the oil and another 5 for the filter. He works 60+ hours a week so it is not worth the time involved for a savings of 2.00. But we do most everything else ourselves to save dollars.

**Mamaw** · 06-08-2005, 09:56 PM

Hint. For liquid hand soap I use slightly diluted shampoo that I get for free or for a few pennies when I buy it on sale with double coupons. It works great! I also make homemade windex or use the windshield wiper fluid from cars. Much cheaper than windex

**daddys3chicks** · 06-09-2005, 07:51 AM

No. But sometimes when I make what I think is an expensive from scratch dinner I break it down per person and amamazed at how cheap it is.

**Mom23boys** · 06-09-2005, 08:24 AM

No I really haven't sat down and figured it out. I am sure it has to be cheaper doing it homemade than an already prepared dinner, etc.

Or I hope it is anyway.

**britbunny** · 06-09-2005, 08:41 AM

i agree with mamaw...there are quite a few things that i do try to work out the costs of - to determine whether it is cheaper for me to make them or buy them.

i do take a number of different factors into account , such as time and effort, desire to do the thing, environmental impact, skill required etc. i have generally found that there's more to economising than just the financial aspect.

**Kimberlina** · 06-09-2005, 11:22 AM

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I won't sit around trying to figure out how much money I will save washing plastic bags, for instance. I can usually figure things out, roughly, w/o actually doing the math. I know that I can make pizza for a lot less than I can buy it, even though cheese is a bit pricey. I don't figure it out to the penny, but I know I can make more than one pizza with $3 worth of cheese, some dough, and >20 of sauce.

**QuilterMom** · 06-09-2005, 12:52 PM

I used to a couple of years ago, but not every little thing.

**Jayne** · 06-09-2005, 01:23 PM

on some things I do....like making an article of clothing...I will see if I can buy it cheaper new or used first....I have also compared making homemade dog food as opposed to store bought, and with three dogs it is cheaper to buy it, I know its healther to make it at home, maybe when we have just one dog

**kaykwilts** · 06-10-2005, 05:09 PM

No as detailed and precise as Amy but mostly I do.

**Prairiemom** · 06-12-2005, 05:27 PM

I used to do this all the time especially with meal costs. I had a list of staples (flour, sugar, baking powder, cheese etc.) broke down by amounts and price. I would like to get back into this.

The other day I figured the cost of TP by the roll. (Just curious if Sam's was the better deal) Found out I pay .66 per roll at Sam's and can get the Target store brand for .56 per roll. That's a .09 difference and I buy a 24 roll package so that's a $2.16 savings. Not much, but it's an easy and painless way to save a couple of dollars.

**dndylfe** · 07-09-2005, 03:45 PM

I don't usually do an actual estimate of savings, but I try to always have a good idea. Here's one that I need help on. I found a homemade laundry soap recipe that I'm using (it works pretty well) and figured out that each 2 cup batch costs about 70 cents to make. You use 1-2 tablespoons of soap per batch of laundry, so it lasts approximately 14 washes (I think). But I haven't used dry soap in years, so I don't know what to compare it to!!! How much per ounce is dry soap, and how long does it last?

I think that I make myself all confused with all of the math and that's why I don't figure out exactly that often. Plus, I always forget that I'm measuring and stop counting how many times I've used something. It's really basic problems, but geeesh, I'm just not a numbers person it seems.