stablemom

These. I also do a lot of things already mentioned and have picked up a few more tips here to do..Great thread

lots2do

Haven't read through all replies so forgive me if anyone has mentioned this. I use www.overdrive.com in app form for my mini IPad to borrow free books. You need a current library card. I love doing this.

KalamaQuilts

well done you!
I never listen to the siren song of Sale..
You don't save any money by buying (fabric) on sale unless you put what you saved in saving account on the way home.

otherwise all you've done is spend money.

gramma nancy

We pay no interest except mortgages. Cars are bought for cash, all other purchases are made with a debit card so it's paid immediately and we never see a bill, so can never have a late payment charge or interest. Interest is just money thrown away; it gains you nothing. I'm willing to pay it for a mortgage (with the biggest down payment we would scrape together) for the privilege of living in the perfect house.

BellaBoo

I save money on things I don't care about like what toilet paper, detergent, soap, shampoo, cleaning products, stuff that has no real value other then to be used up. I buy what is on sale and does the job. I see a lot of moms buying expensive stain removers and extras for laundry when it would be cheaper to buy a new package of socks. My time is worth a lot to me and if it means spending more to save time I will. I clipped coupons and skimped when I was a young mom and I have no intention of doing that again and made sure I wouldn't have to when I got to this time of my life unless something drastic happens to change that.

Rose_P

I do a lot of the things that have already been mentioned, but there's one more that may not be well known. This is primarily in areas that use a lot of air conditioning. Recently some power companies are offering lower rates during off-peak hours. That means that if you run the major appliances after the sun goes down you might save some money. Even if they're not giving a better rate then, it's not a bad idea because if things like laundry equipment and dishwashers are not running when the AC is going full blast there is less demand on the power resource for the community, and there may be fewer problems with brown-outs and outages.

tessagin

I don't use the dishwasher any more. DH and I take leftovers for lunch. The other day, I had a couple pieces of mesquite grille turkey cold cuts about 5-7 shaved slices, about 4 ozs. of angel hair pasta, 6-7 slices zucchini and some pasta sauce. Heated it all up and that was lunch. Had slice of toast with garlic butter and some parmesan cheese. Was great. One ice cream cone was dessert. We try to make do with what we've got. We throw clothes we no longer wear into a specially marked hamper (recycled clothes). All those have been washed and are ready to go for scraps. When I get around to them I fold then only cut off what I need. I do have some hanging in the closet "in the sewing room" Anything in the sewing room is not to be worn! Really not a whole lot in there but works for me. I do circle what will need to be cut out if a stain or dye run would not come out in the wash. I only use coupons if I use the product. Why buy a product just because you have a coupon, especially if you are allergic to the product. I think disposable diapers are a huge waste of money. The initial cost of cloth diapers may seem like a lot but when you think about cost over a period of as many as 3 years for disposable that is pricey. I offered to buy my nephew and his wife a couple packages of clothe diapers and the liners and rubber/vinyl pants. Too much laundry. She doesn't work and rashes. If the infant is taken care of and changed on a regular basis. you can save a lot of money.

BellaBoo

Washing in very hot water, double rinses are the hidden cost for cloth diapers. Cloth diapers are time consuming and a big everyday chore. There use to not be a choice of not having the drudge work of cloth diapers. I keep my infant grandson during the day and no way would I want to deal with cloth diapers. I'd be washing bedding every day.

Rose Marie

My auto insurance went down a lot when I installed that Snap Shot that records how you drive for 6 months.
I pay by the month so it went from over 50 dollars to 33.

RugosaB

2 things -

I love flower gardening, using organic means. I feed the soil, mostly chopped up leaves in the fall, and let the soil feed the plants.
It just about kills me, but I actually BUY fertilizer for my potted plants in the summer

Also, though it was not exactly planned this way, I was stay at home mom, and it paid of financially. All 3 kids got college style educations (one was in the Navy, in the nuclear propulsion dept) with us only paying for 1 year each
The oldest gave our daughter his $ because he got scholarships, and our Navy boy gave his to her too, because of the education he got.
When they were little, Ohio had a program that we bought college credits at the current price. They did away with the program, I guess because it was losing $, but our credits were still worth whatever a credit cost when used
I can not even guess the $ we saved by raising kids with the idea that they had to do the most, themselves.

I just read the post about disposable diapers. When I was pregnant with out 3rd, Pampers was changing their diapers, and some store around here wanted to get rid of what they had. I literally bought them all, had them piled up in our enclosed front porch. I knew I was pregnant with our 3rd, something those who drove by the house and could see the diaper boxes did not, so knew they would get used.