What do you do to cut costs in your household?

[JoeyP]

In spite of a small pay raise, we are taking matters into our own hands to give us a little more available cash every month.

We don't have cable, so it is OTA and Netflix/hulu for viewing.

For phone, we're dropping the landline for ~$35/mo and switching to NetTalk for $30/year.

We switched insurance companies and save about $1180 a year (3 vehicles, boat, 1 property).

With the phone and insurance changes, we'll save around 390 + 1180 = 1570/yr or $130/month. Not a ton, but it feels a little like a raise. That cash will be squirreled away toward other things we need to save up for (carpeting, paint, truck repair) so we don't have to hit the credit card, and can get them sooner.

What are you doing, if anything, to cut costs?

 

[MontyAC]

Got rid of the boat. :biggrin:

 

[blackdogdeek]

i buy a huge pack of chicken breasts on sunday and grill them all so that i have quick, cheap meals throughout the week. you can do something similar with other big batch type meals like chili or jambalaya.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

I kill members of my family on occasion.

 

[MontyAC]

I kill members of my family on occasion.

Don't forget to collect the insurance money.

 

[bignateyk]

I kill members of my family on occasion.

You kill two birds with one stone that way. Less mouths to feed + extra food. Just get a good chest freezer.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Make moar money. My savings skills suck.

 

[ichy]

I just refi'd my mortgage. 3.5%

 

[nickbits]

added some fans to reduce a/c need
always shut things off (wife is bad for that)
maximize use of FSA
coupons

 

[bignateyk]

I just refi'd my mortgage. 3.5%

I'm hoping rates are still low next summer. I'm at 4.5% now, but I'll have an extra 40K to put down by next summer. Combine that with a refinance down to 3.5% and I'd knock like $700/month off my mortgage payment.

 

[dank69]

internet porn instead of dvd

 

[Platypus]

I don't.

 

[waggy]

well what we did was:

a) cut cable (see you did that). while it was a cost reason the benefit is good. TV is bad for you. the kids spend the time playing.

b) don't go out to eat much. We go out maybe 2-3 times a month. Why spend $50 on food for 4 of us when that is a few days worth of food? sure i can't make it as good but its not bad.

C) make sure you shut off lights etc. instead of the AC on we open windows and use fans. though i admit this year we had the AC on a lot. it was a very hot summer.
in winter we have a wood burning stove. we get that going and it keeps the basement and 1st floor warm (the kids play area is in the basement. we also have a 2nd living room down there). At night we use lots of blankets.

watch where you spend money. write it down. i was amazed at how much we blew on silly stuff that we didn't need.

 

[z1ggy]

Got a pellet stove to save on oil.

Run the washer on cold only.

Ride my motorcycle whenever possible to save on gas.

Stay single so I don't spend money on a g/f.

 

[Sonikku]

Start smoking, then quit.

 

[NetWareHead]

Bought a VW Jetta TDI for better mileage
Started a garden to grow my own veggies.
Learned how to can so abundant summer produce can be utilized during winter & spring months.
Cook nearly all my own meals
Only pay for basic cable
Cheap internet plan, no need for high speeds
Company supplied cell phone
researching coal as fuel of choice instead of burning oil
recently, i had a root canal. opted for a gold crown instead of porcelain for a molar. Gold is more expensive but the crown has a longer lifespan and wont cause problems with opposing molar, In long run will be less expensive

 

[bignateyk]

Bought a VW Jetta TDI for better mileage
Started a garden to grow my own veggies.
Learned how to can so abundant summer produce can be utilized during winter & spring months.
Cook nearly all my own meals
Only pay for basic cable
Cheap internet plan, no need for high speeds
Company supplied cell phone
researching coal as fuel of choice instead of burning oil
recently, i had a root canal. opted for a gold crown instead of porcelain for a molar. Gold is more expensive but the crown has a longer lifespan and wont cause problems with opposing molar, In long run will be less expensive

The words buying a car and cutting costs should never be in the same train of though.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Air conditioning is definitely not one of the things I cut out. My comfort is worth a lot to me, so I can spend the extra $40 a month to have it on all the time during the summer.

 

[bignateyk]

Air conditioning is definitely not one of the things I cut out. My comfort is worth a lot to me, so I can spend the extra $40 a month to have it on all the time.

Plus AC will reduce humidity in the house, which will lead to longer life of the structure and healthier living conditions (no mold, etc...)

 

[NetWareHead]

The words buying a car and cutting costs should never be in the same train of though.

Its a necessary evil and I'd rather drive a higher MPG capable vehicle. Diesels statistically last for longer time than gasoline engines

 

[vi edit]

Lots of little stuff adds up. Couple six packs of beer a month is $15-$20. A bottle of wine $7. A couple extra trips into town or needless driving is $4-$10. Going out for lunch instead of brining your own is $10 instead of $2.

When you do go out, use coupons. Buy your clothes from discount merchants and/or look at the closeout racks. Boycott Hallmark and make your own cards for a couple cents worth of paper and some creativity instead of throwing $3-$5 down the drain each time.

Just all kinds of things you can do if you want to pinch some extra pennies.

 

[moonbogg]

I buy gtx 670's instead of 680's.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Thermostat with timer so I don't forget to turn it off during the day. Drive the same car long after paying it off. Generally not wanting very much in the way of stuff.

 

[Svnla]

First thing you have to do if you want to save money is to make a budget with everything on it.

Then go down the list and separate them into two categories of a) can live without (cable tv, eating out, ect.) and b) those you can't (housing, food, etc.).

Then think about what you could cut in each item.

For example: I cut phone land line, only have cell phone for $30/month, and DSL for $25/month. I also increase my health care deductible to $5K (I do have that amount in the bank and I am very healthy), cut back on eating out and buy less clothes and dvd. Driving my paid with cash vehicle instead of getting another one even I am financially able to.

I also use my cash back reward credit cards for almost everything and pay them off to earn cash back plus extense warranty. I also max out at my reward checking accounts (3 to 4% interest).

Saving money = spend less and wisely, maximize income and saving, minimize expenses and taxes/fees.

Here is a quick snap shot of my budget:

Rent
Water
Electricity
Broadband
Cell
Home Maint/Impr/Secu

HealthAutoRentalLife/Annu

Breakfast
LunchDinerEatOut

Childcare
ClothesMagazines/BooksMovies/DVD/Games
Laundry & haircut
Sportings/Music/Misc.
Vac/hotel/airfare/rental

Gasoline
Maint./Repair/PartsCarwash/clean
Storage
Mailbox/USPSCC/

Misc.Automated WD/SavingsHealthclub

 

[vi edit]

Oh forgot about renting books for free from the libary instead of buying them. Don't know how much my wife has spent this year on books...but it's a lot. Some of them you'll have to wait a bit to get, but most should be available that you want.