Hello All.

**Preston** · 08-11-2007, 06:46 PM

Hello.

I'm obviously new here and don't know where to start but I've been trying to live as frugally as possible for some time now.

I'm looking for ways to cut our expenses, as my wife and I have had a really bad year. We both had to undergo career changes, and she was rushed to the ER back in March with a blood clot, unfortunately her benefits at her new job had not started yet so it was uninsured and so was a lot of the following bloodwork. For that visit I have been hit with about $8000 in unexpected expenses, plus another $2500 in car repairs that have happened since, plus the fact that we had to move for our new jobs.

As of June 1, we were $48,000 in credit card debt, and through budgeting and hard work it is downt o $43000 today, but we need some work.

It is just the two of us right now.

I was hoping to find some more ways and help with ideas of how to cut expenses. Here are some of the things we are doing:

1) My job is about a 45 minute drive away, and her job is at the halfway point, and 4 out of 5 days our start times are close enough that I can drop her off on the way, saving $$.

2) We get a $2 hot meal on our lunch break at work where we both fill up. We also have free cereal 24 hours a day at our jobs too, which we both take advantage of.

3) On our off days, we have cut our grocery bill down to $30 a week.

4) I carry near minimum coverage on our cars. Both are 9 year old cars, one with 172k miles on it, the other 93k miles on it. We're driving the one with more miles now and when it goes we are probably going down to one car.

5) We don't eat out. We cook everything from scratch.

6) We don't drive when we're not going to and from work. The grocery store is easily within biking/walking distance.

7) All credit card debt is currently at balance transfer rate. The highest interest I am paying right now is 7.9%. Not great but not bad either.

8) We pick up all overtime shifts we can.

9) I have a part time job that brings in about $200 a month and I only work about 10 hours a month at. The job is spirratic and I can't get full time hours at it.

10) We turn the A/C off in the car unless we absolutely need it

11) We turn he A/C off in our apt when we leave for work. We'd have it off all the time, but it's been over 100 degrees for the past few weeks.

12) Although we are in debt, we are not late paying any bills.

That's all I can think of.. Any comments/feedback would be appreciated!

- Preston

**sdrjeolsen** · 08-11-2007, 07:01 PM

Hey Preston, first

to you and your wife!

Second, sounds like you are making great progress already, bringing the debt down $5K since June 1. That is awesome! You have made a lot of really big changes that will save huge amounts of money. Do some searching and reading in back posts here and you'll find a ton of money saving ideas.

A few things come to mind, some of which you may find overboard, but here goes:

1. wash laundry in cold and use less detergent, hang clothes to dry. If they are stiff, tumble them on air fluff for about 15 min and they will get softer.

2. Use coupons and "cherry pick" the loss leaders (those items the store sells cheap to get you in the door).

3. turn the water heater down and the a/c up. Even a couple of degrees can make a big difference.

4. Same with lights, keep them off as much as possible, use candles a couple of nights a week.

5. Wash dishes by hand or only run the dishwasher when full.

6. Have a meatless meal once or twice a week.

7. Cancel services/extras that you don't use much, cable, Netflix, extras on the cell phone or regular phone, magazines, newspaper, etc.

8. Take military showers (get wet, turn water off, soap/shampoo up, turn water on to rinse), then do gray water recycling, use the tub water to water plants, do laundry, flush toilets, etc.

9. On hot days cook in the crockpot outside, it saves the a/c from running so much.

I'm sure there are many, many more, but I can't think of them right now. But like I said peruse the old posts, there are so many tips there it would take weeks to read them all.

**Marie78** · 08-11-2007, 09:11 PM

Hello Preston,

to you and your wife

. I think you are doing a great job at the moment to reduce your debt. I am considering part time evening work myself to lower my CC debts quicker.

My boyfriend and I live together in an apt. and do what we can to save money. We clip coupons and buy generic foods (bring our lunches to work from home). Although, it sounds like you eat pretty well for $2 a day at your jobs (that's probably cheaper for you than bringing lunch).

Apartment living doesn't usually offer much room for cut-backs. We only have to pay our own electric as heat is included at our place. We turn the ac off during the day and only turn it on in the bedroom at night, or in the main room if it's EXTREMELY hot that day. We fill the dishwasher to capacity before washing dishes, that means only 2-3 loads a week to save on electric. We try to hang out in the same room after dark, so that we only have one light on.

I do our laundry at my Mom's on the weekend, she lets me have full use of her washer and dryer and I also eat dinner with her

. Mom's are great! When I have to do laundry at the apt. complex I usually hang what I can and dry a couple of loads of clothes (especially towels, sheets, underwear & socks-these are things I find harder to air dry).

One important thing I keep reminding myself: Financial set backs are a part of life, it's the everday choices we make that help keep us on track. I had to charge $5,000 in dental work in the last 2 years. I don't ever splurge on big ticket items for myself, I remind myself quite often that I would never have had the money available to me to pay for this expense. Under the circumstances I did what I could and that's all we can do.

**FrugalMomof3** · 08-11-2007, 09:36 PM

Hi there and

I just want to say the ladies above must have been reading my mind, their answers are perfect.

**Jaded** · 08-11-2007, 11:35 PM

First, you probably aren't saving much money by turning off your a/c all day, because it takes so long and so much energy to re-cool the house. Instead, turn it up to 80 when you're gone.

Second, today's cars are built to have the a/c on, and the windows closed. They are more aerodynamic (use less gas) with the windows closed. Intead of turning your air off, try turning it down and keeping the windows closed. The drag on the car with the windows open is probably costing you gas mileage.

Unplug everything that "glows" when you're not using it. That can reduce your electric bill by up to 6%. Especially do this with the t.v., and if you have a large screen it's even more important. You wouldn't believe the energy it takes to keep that t.v. warm and ready to turn on instantly when you hit the switch.

Switch to Compact Flourescent Bulbs in the lights you use most often. I replaced only 4 of my bulbs, computer room, LR, hallway, and BR, and even though I have had to run my air a lot this month, my bill actually went DOWN $1! It would have gone down more, but I forgot to turn the air back up a few days.

Look for coupons for multiple items from the same brand. Right now, on some General Mills foods, they have a $4 off on 4 GM items, and it includes ALL the cereals. Just take it off the box. You don't have to buy the box of what it's on. It doesn't expire until next year. I wait until the items are BOGO, then buy four, and use the coupon. I just got four boxes of Cheerios for $1.99 by combining that coupon with two out of the machine at the store that saved $1.00 on two Cheerios. I also got 4 boxes of Nature Valley BOGO with that coupon and ended up paying $1.98 for all four.

It takes a little planning, but coupons can be your best friend!

Look in the front of your stores for clearance stuff. Dollar General usually has great markdowns. Winn Dixie marks down meat on Wednesdays, and it marks down bruise or overripe fruit and veggies too.

Dilute your shampoo with one part to 7 parts water. It washes well, and is better for your hair than the straight shampoo.

Use vinegar, baking soda, or peroxide to clean and scrub your surfaces. I clean my cooktop stove with baking soda, use peroxide full strength to remove stains. Vinegar is excellent for cleaning your coffee maker.

Learn to make homemade cleaning supplies. Equal parts of alcohol, clear ammonia, and water make a great window cleaner. Substitute sudsy ammonia for a great "Glass Plus" type cleaner for countertops, etc.

Mineral Oil is cheap, and it's the base for so many things, you wouldn't believe it, including a lot of furniture polishes. I use it to polish my wood furniture. If you want it to smell good, add a little lemon juice concentrate.

Small containers (I use custard cups) of white vinegar set around your house are great deodorizers.

I could go on and on, but I'm tired, and I have to get up in the morning. Just keep reading here, and you'll be fine.

**baxjul** · 08-11-2007, 11:43 PM

Hello and welcome! Great hints above! Watch the frugal living board for extra inspiration!

**Preston** · 08-12-2007, 06:13 AM

Originally Posted by Jaded

First, you probably aren't saving much money by turning off your a/c all day, because it takes so long and so much energy to re-cool the house. Instead, turn it up to 80 when you're gone.

Second, today's cars are built to have the a/c on, and the windows closed. They are more aerodynamic (use less gas) with the windows closed. Intead of turning your air off, try turning it down and keeping the windows closed. The drag on the car with the windows open is probably costing you gas mileage.
.

thanks for all the replies everyone, a lot of good ideas (although I think some of 'em are stretching it a bit far)

When we have the a/c on it is set at 80. So I doubt there is really much more we can do.

For our cars we turn the A/C off and drive with the windows only down a couple inches. We don't have the drag of having the windows rolled all the way down but still get enough circulation to keep it fairly comfortable. My car has 171k miles on it and it is a V6 and It's pulling 24mpg in mixed city/highwawy driving.

We don't have a dishwasher and do all dishes by hand and our laundry is quarter-operated so we don't have to worry about the electricity those appliances take. I do some laundry by hand when I have time and hang it over the rail on our balcony to dry. Laundry expenses are very small, we buy our detergent in bulk.

Thanks for your suggestions again, they are all appreciated!!

**Preston** · 08-12-2007, 06:17 AM

Oh yeah and I forgot one of my biggest ways of saving:

We don't have an internet subscription. Our neighbor has a wireless router set up and we get the signal so I use that to log on. One of the bonuses of living in an apartment.

**blossomup** · 08-12-2007, 09:39 AM

Nice sunny

morning here....had a tremendous thunder/lightning/rain storm with mention of a tornado last night.....it is 'rainy' season....but we desperatly need the rain. My yard is a jungle of growth this time of year; I am a avid gardener and my backyard is a wildlife habitat; love feeding anything that flies or wonders in....lol Have a great day everyone!! mj

**nuisance26** · 08-12-2007, 12:20 PM

~Welcome to FV, Preston! ~

**PrairieRose** · 08-12-2007, 01:14 PM

Hello Preston

to the village.

I just wanted to add that even though you buy your detergent in bulk one way to save a fair amount of money (although you have to factor in the 10 minutes it takes to make it) is to make your laundry detergent. I make one that is in the homemade forum here, a liquid one. You can search to find it if interested. I think you're doing great with all that you're doing. The not eating out is a big money saver. I fall down often on that point. Anyway, glad to have you here. Keep up the good work!