The Best advice....

[Sami_Carm]

Ok Ladies I new here and new to really trying to SAVE sooo whats the BEST advice u have ever gotten or can give?!?! I guess I need a good "jumping off" pointe!! LOL!!!

Thanks Ladies!!

[rebecca]

Line dry clothes. That has saved on my gas bill, since my I have a gas dryer.

Turn off the heat. Saved me $50 on my gas bill. Have had heat off since middle of April.

If you use coupons what I do is wait for that item to be on sale and go to the grocery store that double coupons and use it than. Almost a triple savings.

Consolidate my errands.

Don't buy any books or magazine. Go to the library to get them. If they don't have the book I want I have them get it from a library that does.

Cook by scratch. Very seldom if every go out to eat.

Make your own cleaning products.

Dilute my detergent.

Use only half of everything. Such as toothpaste, shampoo, etc.,.

Decide if it's a want or a need.

Have them automatically withdraw from my check so much money and put it in a credit union that I very seldom I go to. I keep this for my EF. What I don't see I don't touch.

Hope this helps you. Good luck in your frugality!

[PrairieRose]

One of the best money saving things I do is make my own laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. We have some recipes for these things here in frugality forum. Most of my cleaning supplies are made from vinegar, baking soda and alcohol. Very cheap, very effective and ecologically sound as well. I so still use bleach to clean my toilets though.

Don't go to the stores, don't buy into all the advertising about how you need this or that new fangled gadget. Buy 2nd hand.......there's lots more, read up, it's all over this site.

[Early Bird]

Eat at home! Cheaper, healthier, less time-consuming.

I can feed my family a roast chicken dinner for around $5. The same meal at a restaurant would be about $6 apiece .... plus drinks .... and tip! So, about $30 for the 4 of us.

If time is a factor, even a few frozen dinners kept for busy days are much cheaper than eating out.

[AirForceWife]

As a military spouse, I would say that a big thing for you is going to be to really learn your Commissary! This is a tremendous way to save big bucks on the food bill. They don't double or triple coupons, but the savings are still there. And you always save money with one stop shopping. Even items that you would never traditionally think of as a good deal in a civilian grocery store are better deals at the commissary. (I'm thinking of paper products, pet foods, that type of thing.) Each area is different, and store compitition is different in different areas of the country, but I have always saved money by sticking with the commissary!

**Welcome** and make yourself at home. Everyone here has wonderful ideas and plenty of support to go around!

[DorothyBeverly]

Welcome!
My best tips would definately have to include not having Cable TV..it is a total waste of money IMHO, regular programming has just as many good shows. We rent alot of movies from the Library. I try and make a menu every week and that helps out with my grocery bill. Not using heat or A/C unless absolutely neccessary.

[miss_thrifty]

-yard sales, flea markets
-dollar stores( love them)
-just make sure u figure out by the weight or size if its worth abigger size some wheres else.
-use a price book-price of item, brand , and size or unit price.
( I use TWG book) its worth buying

-reuse , and recycle_ plastic liners in cereal boxes, substitutes for wax paper
-if u have CC, double your payments if u can, pay off more quickly
-make a weeks worth list of meal plans( it akes it alot easier)
-buy xmas gifts up ahead or make them now so ull have it fone before Christmas
-

[Sami_Carm]

WOW!!! u Ladies are awesome!!! That was some great advice!!! Thank you ladies!!! I'm going to slowing start to work in some of the things!! Thanks again ladies!

[Lmullin]

Hi,
~Check this site daily.
~Don't expose yourself to mass media and advertising (ie, don't read ~magazines and catalogues if they tempt you)
~Dilute cleaners
~Make creative use of leftovers
~Christmas (and other gift) shop all year long and keep all items in an easy to get to place.
~Thrift stores
~Freecycle.org

[Nada.Leona]

3 words: BUY A FREEZER!!! I am the queen of Freezer Cooking. I put everything in the freezer. My (that's my boyfriend's nickname on the forum) laughs at me all the time about this, but he does it himself too, now! He asked me to make him a hot chocolate the other day and when I did, I made too much hot water. I said this to him and he laughed and said, "Oh, just freeze it, I'm sure you'll make something out of it later." He teases me that one of these days, I should freeze the car, so I can use it for parts.

Seriously, buy a freezer. Freeze leftovers; buy big packages of meats on sale and freeze them in individual portions. Applesauce, soups, stews, cheese, milk, breads, bread dough, muffins, cookies, vegetable puree (think pumpkin, zuchinni, etc.), prepared lentils, mashed potatoes, etc. can all be frozen and either eaten thawed or make into something else. Be creative.

Dry clothes on a dry rack (if you have no clothes line) or invest in a clothes line. They're the most fantastic way to keep costs down. Every time I dry my clothes on a dry rack, I save $1.25. If I do 3 loads of laundry a week, I save $180 a year!

Price books are fantastic! I love mine, I'm always working on it.

Vinegar, baking soda and bleach. These are the only things you'll ever need to clean your home.

Above all else, be creative. If you're not sure it'll work, try it anyway. Baking a batch of bread and wondering if bread dough will freeze? Pop half a loaf into the freezer and try it! Not sure if you how can salvage the last of those bananas? Mash 'em up and throw 'em into some muffin mix! Out of cat litter? Shred some newspaper!

Ahhh, there's so many ideas I could share!!!