Frugal ideas you want to work on!

**Shell** · 09-02-2005, 12:38 AM

There's been a few frugal things I've been trying or thinking of working on but still need a little work. Here are some of my frugal ideas that I'm going to try:

~Stop buying books. Read the ones I already have and then head over to the library.

~Bring all my lunches to work. I've been bringing a lot of lunches but really should aim at bringing all of my lunches. Something healthy, low fat & CHEAP!

~Making a healthful soup out of leftovers. What a sin to throw away good food!

~Make do or do without. Be happy with the clothes I already have!

~Less expensive gifts.

What are some things your working on or need to work on?

**bamamomto4** · 09-02-2005, 12:48 AM

My biggest thing right now is leftovers.We eat leftovers,but I still throw out to much

Do better with the grocery budget.

Eating out

**baxjul** · 09-02-2005, 06:37 AM

I want to learn to stick with the menu plan. We made one up for this week but varied from it two days.

Make fewer trips to town.

Start making my own bread again.

**Mamaw** · 09-02-2005, 07:15 AM

Re-evaluate what I consider a necessity. Is it really just a want?

Spend less on gifts, less expensive

Buy less at Christmas. We dont need piles of stuff

Research sugar free recipes to be able to bake from scratch

Rotate and use all the items in my pantry. Stockpiling does no good if it never gets used

**lizard22** · 09-02-2005, 08:16 AM

-- bring coffee and lunch to work each day

-- make a menu plan

-- better use of leftovers

-- use items within pantry(menu planning should help)

-- bake more from scratch

-- plan errands better so that I only have to make one trip over to the next town. This will allow me to use less gas and less time.

**babetteq** · 09-02-2005, 09:12 AM

Start menu planning more so that I have a streamlined grocery/cooking plan.

Quit smoking. Well, I did, but keep quitting (really, that's the most frugal thing)

pump up the air in my bike tires.

babs

**graci42** · 09-02-2005, 09:40 AM

Keep trying, babs...You'll get it eventually. It's been almost 2 yrs since I managed it!

What I plan to do:

Conserve gas: No unneccessary trips! Walk more!
Stop impulse shopping (hard to do when I work at the Big K)
Menu plan and stick to it.
Conserve water and electric: Cut TV and PC time. Only wash full loads, back to back drier, Hang laundry when possible.

Lots more, too much to type!
Graci

**homesteadmamma** · 09-02-2005, 09:43 AM

Great thread Shell.

~stick to a menu plan

~remember to take my grocery list with me when shopping

~walk more instead of using the van

~keep better track of spending, especially when it comes to groceries

**alabamagirl** · 09-02-2005, 09:56 AM

Bring my lunch to work more. We have done better this week!

Continue to eat breakfast at home. (Finally conquered driving through McDonalds for b'fast)

Say NO to DS wanting money. We give him plenty each month for his living expenses at college. This is a tough one for me!

Use the vehicles less.

**Lucky Star** · 09-02-2005, 12:25 PM

~ shop more sales to build stockpile
~ work on my price book to keep track of these sales and recognize good deals
~ learn to and start making more things from scratch

**peanut** · 09-02-2005, 01:22 PM

I want to work on not nickel and diming us to death. Soooo...

~ get by with just one day a week shopping. If I don't have it, I'll just have to make do and wait till the next week!

~ Process any and all bulk sale purchased food I can find! Winter is coming, and higher prices.

~ Thursday, Friday and Saturday are "No Drive Days". The car stays parked.

~ Check the price of a bus pass vs. taking the car to stitching groups. Take the bus if cheaper. This could make Tuesday and Wednesday "No Drive Days" too.

**pip** · 09-02-2005, 01:38 PM

Start my menu planning again and cut down on trips to the grocery stoe. Eat the food we have in the house, and we have alot of food ing the house! Stop eating out so much.
I guess we've gotten lazy in the eating department.

**sunshine** · 09-02-2005, 01:51 PM

I need to use what I have-- I have tons of fabric and yarn stockpiles, but I always want to buy the newest ones. I need to use my supply before I buy any more.

I need to see about putting the woodstove back in the house. We'll need a new chimney, but I'm thinking it will still be cheaper than trying to heat with all propane again this year.

**ScrapMama** · 09-02-2005, 02:58 PM

I want to cook more meals at home, less eating out.

Buying less at Christmas and enjoying those items more.

Less impulse shopping, actually have gotten way better at this.

**thrifty gal** · 09-02-2005, 05:04 PM

Great thread!

Things I need to work on:

*sticking to a menu
*sticking to my grocery list
*definitely staying home more (this won't be hard at all)
*keep a/c off unless things get unbearable
*keep lights off until we absolutely need them
*no long distance phone calls
*hang laundry more
*keep house organized and tidy (when the house is a mess, we are so less frugal)
*cut eating out to 1x per week (I like that one time a week break, sorry

)

That's all I can think of right now! I have a tons of things that I need to get back to. We have become way too wasteful, and not careful around here. Gotta stop!