40 Ways to Slash Spending…NOW!2

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40 Ways to Slash Spending…NOW!, online bills, homemade cleaning supplies

Environment Friendly:

-Drive slower.  This might drive some of you crazy.  However, it really does make a big difference.  My husband and I tried this out and we watched our miles per gallon continue to climb.  It became a game for us.  We went 10 miles an hour less and got quite a bit more miles per gallon from that. 

-This is advice my dad gave me years ago.  Plan out your day; that way if you are running errands you are doing them in an order that makes sense in regards to time and gas.  Try and go out once instead of multiple times a day. 

-Pay bills online.  Please if you are not doing this; start doing it.  It is so easy.  Our bank (credit union) has "bill pay" for free!  We enter in the amount and the due date and they send out the check.  This way you save on envelopes and stamps…and you save trees.   If you don’t want to do that there is an option that most companies have to pay online and also get the bills sent to your email or you can view it when you log in.  This creates less paper around your house (which I am a fan of).

-Homemade cleaning products.  I will be doing a post on my favorites that I use everyday around the house next month.  Check back for that, but for now Pinterest is crawling with ideas.

Shopping (Fun, but can be a hard category to have self control):

-Stock up on discounted gift cards.  We have been doing this for quite awhile.  It can save you anywhere from 10-25%.  We have done this throughout the renovation of our home.  We get discounted gift cards to Lowe's or Home Depot.  We also look for coupons online or in the mail and stack the gift cards with the coupons.  LOVE IT!  We usually use Cardpool, but CardCash is another good option.

-Check out retailmenot.com before you buy ANYTHING online.  They have a lot of different coupon codes.  So check out that website before you buy anything!

-Don’t worry about what the neighbors have that you do not have! 

-Start shopping garage sales, Craigslist, KSL (Utah), Goodwill, DI (Utah), or other thrift stores.  You never know what fun treasures those places have.  Be careful not to get addicted!

-Be sure to check out daily deal sites.  Word of caution…these sites can be addicting.  A couple years ago I was ordering off of these sites EVERY DAY.  It was so fun.  It was like Christmas in the mailbox every day.  I had to do a major detox.  However, they can be wonderful when you NEED something.  You can sign up to be on their mailers (if you have self control) and keep looking for the items you are in need of.  I think this is a great way to shop for party supplies!  My current obsessions are GrouponJaneGroopdealzPickYour Plum, and Living Social.

-Shop for items when they are the cheapest.  I have a download that you can print and keep around for reference of the best times for certain items.  I started with my own one of these that I got from the magazine All You (I kind of like that magazine *winks).  I have added to it and adjusted some things.  I hope it helps!  Be patient and wait if you can for items. Printable

-Buy clothes out of season!  It will save you tons!

-This is a big one.  STOP IMPULSE BUYING!!!!  It is hard.  I know from personal experience!  Ask yourself if you really need it.  I like the quote “Collect memories…not stuff”.  Be thankful for what you have and know that you don’t need more to be happy!

-If you have kids shop at Kid to Kid (they have a lot of great clothes, toys, and kid “needs”.  Oh and also Halloween costumes).  You can also do clothes swapping with friends.  This saves you so much since the “littles” grow so fast!

-Consider making homemade gifts or even homemade costumes for Halloween.  I am not a sewer.  So I never imagined myself making a costume for my sweet girl.  After looking and looking for deals and hating the prices and the options I thought, “What is something I could make?”  I ended up making a ghost costume out of tulle and got so many compliments and it was SO cheap!  So get on Pinterest and look for different things you can make. 

-Have you heard of Secondipity?  If you are shopping for electronics then stop by there first.  We bought a DVD player there and love it.  The price was awesome! 

-Rewards programs.  I know it can get overwhelming with the millions of cards that you would have if you signed up for everything.  Many stores can look you up by your phone number (this is what my husband does).  Another great option is the free app Key Ring.  I just started using it.  You can save your cards on there so you don’t have to carry them all with you.  It shows you all the programs that are available around you.  It also shows the special offers around you.  There is a place for all the flyers in your area and also a place you can put all your shopping lists.  It is a great free app to try. 

-Hukkster is no longer a website.  I am in search for something where you can save items you are wanting and be notified by email once they go on sale.  This is what Hukkster did.  I am so sad it is no longer around.  




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