Being frugal has been a big part of my single mother’s life. Raising two children on my own while surviving on student loans and rental income from the other side of our duplex has been one of my greatest accomplishments of the last few years. Many of the other mothers in the neighborhood often as me “How do you do it!?” My first response to this question is always to chuckle first. I find it amusing that they see me as this beacon or wonder woman who magically comes up with the money to pay for all our basic needs and bills when all it takes is a little thought and creativity. Let me share a few tips on what I’ve come up with that truly works:
1. Get a large jar (we call ours our Penny Jar) and start putting every penny, nickel, dime, quarter or other coin you can find. We find coins all over the place including our car, my pocket book(s), in pencil holders around the house, in jean pockets, and even on the ground! We did this last year and saved up over $100 to use towards a trip to our local ski area!
2. Set up an online account with reputable companies like IngDirect.com and have at least $10 or smaller, a week taken out of your bank account automatically. You won’t even miss it but by the end of the year you’ll be glad when you see the balance.
3. Clip coupons both from online and your Sunday News flyers. I save approximately $30- $60 a week on groceries and I don’t even spend more than an hour each week on doing the clipping. Coupons are abundant these days due to the recession. Take full advantage of any you come across and you’ll have extra money to spend on other essentials.
4. Get a good cookbook like the Better Homes Cook Book and start learning how to make restaurant style meals. We save hundreds a week by eating at home and my food almost always tastes better than the restaurants! I’ll be featuring my new cookbook on my website below soon so check it often!
5. Tithe some of your earnings when you can. God does send it back to you three times fold like He promises in the Bible. I can’t count the times He’s sent it all back to me and then some!
6. Insulate all your windows and doors to save on heat. Since I’ve done this I’ve noticed my heating bill decreased by 20%.
You can also do a lot of your own home repairs and save a bundle on contractor’s fees. I saved over $4,000 dollars last year alone by putting up my own stockade fencing and flooring. Home Depot gives free classes every week or you can ask one of their employees to show you how to do a task when you go in to buy the products you need.
7. Sell all of your old stuff that’s in reasonable shape, even your old books. Amazon will help you sell your books and pay for most, if not all, of the shipping! Craig’s List is also a great place online that you can sell your stuff locally. I sold a canoe we used once for the same price we bought it for!
8. Keep your car after you’ve made the last payment on it. We save $300 a month and only have to pay for repairs when we need them. The trick to this is to refrain from buying new until you absolutely have to. We’ve been car shopping 3 or four times this year and I always decide to stick with the car we have now. I just love having no car payments!
9. Do things with your families that are FREE!!!! Taking your kids sliding down park hills in the winter is so much fun and great winter exercise, most of all it doesn’t cost a cent! Rent FREE movies on Comcast. Some of the classics are worth seeing again and again. Make something crafty with the kids, ride a bike, take a walk through your state parks, go for a jog around your local high school’s track, plant your own garden this year or just start reading a good book.
10. Last but not least, trade savings tips with your friends or family. You might find some new and exciting money saving tip just by talking about it with other people. For example, I recently began trading magazines with some of my friends and have saved a bundle in subscription costs!
If you look at this recession as a blessing, than you might notice the good things that might come out of it. Spending less time on stuff and more time with your friends and family can be just what you all needed. I no longer feel I have to have every new gadget that comes into the market or take fancy trips with my family to be happy. As a matter of fact, I’ve been so content just doing simple, fun things with them I barely give them much thought anymore.
