Saving money tips?
10-23-2013, 11:11 AM
#51
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: New Hampshire & Maine
Posts: 3,300
Give up your cable or satellite TV. Netflix and Hulu Plus are internet TV apps (for lack of a better word) that run through your high speed internet connection (ours is through the phone company). We pay $7.99 for each service. Granted, you can't get all the programs at the time they are aired, but Hulu does broadcast episodes the following day. Some of the shows on Hulu: Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Glee, Dancing with the Stars...plus you can watch episodes you missed. No more having to tape or TiVo. By dumping DISH network, we are saving over $75 per month. You will not get your local stations (unless you have an antenna and digital converter box), but we use a radio for the news. With Netflix (mostly movies and some TV shows) and Hulu, you need to buy a box. We have a Roku that cost us $49 at Walmart. Still cheaper than satellite TV! Cable is even more expensive where we live.
Carpool to school if you can. Even if you have to drive a short distance to meet the carpool, you are cutting back on gas consumption and wear and tear on your car. For routine car repairs take the car to the local vo-tech school that has an automotive program. Most repairs are done for free (they are slow, but the jobs are 100% guaranteed and the teacher is a mechanic) or the cost of parts. Do it yourself oil changes (under $20) not too hard to do.
With the holidays coming, buy a "family" gift instead of individual gifts for each member of the family (movie tickets, restaurant certificates, etc.). Or, if you have a large family (DH is one of 7 kids...all married with kids), have everyone pick a name from a hat and buy only for that one person. (If need be you can pick more than one name so everyone gets a gift.) Cuts down on the money spent at the holidays. Don't "over" decorate. Keep it simple to save $$ and time.
Instead of going out for the evening, have a game night. Scrabble, Monopoly, Clue, Life, Uno, card games. Invite other couples over for the fun. Make it a BYO (bring your own...) or potluck. People will be very understanding and very happy that you are going to school. You'd be surprised at how much people will help.
Last, but not least...pack your lunch. Even school/hospital cafeterias can get expensive when you are eating there every day. Buy a good thermal mug (travel mug) and make your own coffee or tea each morning. Bake your own muffins, etc. before bed and they will be ready to eat in the morning.
Take frequent breaks from studying! Get up and move around...get the blood flowing to other parts of your body than your brain!
Congratulations on going back to school! Yay!!!! Best of luck!
Anita
Carpool to school if you can. Even if you have to drive a short distance to meet the carpool, you are cutting back on gas consumption and wear and tear on your car. For routine car repairs take the car to the local vo-tech school that has an automotive program. Most repairs are done for free (they are slow, but the jobs are 100% guaranteed and the teacher is a mechanic) or the cost of parts. Do it yourself oil changes (under $20) not too hard to do.
With the holidays coming, buy a "family" gift instead of individual gifts for each member of the family (movie tickets, restaurant certificates, etc.). Or, if you have a large family (DH is one of 7 kids...all married with kids), have everyone pick a name from a hat and buy only for that one person. (If need be you can pick more than one name so everyone gets a gift.) Cuts down on the money spent at the holidays. Don't "over" decorate. Keep it simple to save $$ and time.
Instead of going out for the evening, have a game night. Scrabble, Monopoly, Clue, Life, Uno, card games. Invite other couples over for the fun. Make it a BYO (bring your own...) or potluck. People will be very understanding and very happy that you are going to school. You'd be surprised at how much people will help.
Last, but not least...pack your lunch. Even school/hospital cafeterias can get expensive when you are eating there every day. Buy a good thermal mug (travel mug) and make your own coffee or tea each morning. Bake your own muffins, etc. before bed and they will be ready to eat in the morning.
Take frequent breaks from studying! Get up and move around...get the blood flowing to other parts of your body than your brain!
Congratulations on going back to school! Yay!!!! Best of luck!
Anita
10-23-2013, 11:23 AM
#52
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: New Hampshire & Maine
Posts: 3,300
One other thing I just thought of...you maybe able to rent some of your textbooks. This is a much, much cheaper option. Your college bookstore should know about the rental program. Also try to buy the ones you can't rent, used. Ask if students from previous classes sell back their texts. Amazon and ALibris also sell textbooks, usually much cheaper than the college bookstore. (I have a DD in school now, so I am very up to date with textbooks!)
Also...when you will need to buy a stethoscope, buy a good one (a Littman cardiac model is excellent). Yes, you will pay a lot for it (over $100) but it will be the only one you will ever have to buy. Do not buy the cheap ones from the bookstore or the drug store. They do not stand up to hard use and the sound quality is mediocre at best. As a nursing professional you will need a good scope. (I was an EMT/MA in my "old life" and my scope was the best purchase I ever made. Still have my Littman almost 30 years later!) Maybe this could be a Christmas gift from family???
Okay...enough from me.
Also...when you will need to buy a stethoscope, buy a good one (a Littman cardiac model is excellent). Yes, you will pay a lot for it (over $100) but it will be the only one you will ever have to buy. Do not buy the cheap ones from the bookstore or the drug store. They do not stand up to hard use and the sound quality is mediocre at best. As a nursing professional you will need a good scope. (I was an EMT/MA in my "old life" and my scope was the best purchase I ever made. Still have my Littman almost 30 years later!) Maybe this could be a Christmas gift from family???
Okay...enough from me.
10-23-2013, 01:46 PM
#54
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
10-23-2013, 05:43 PM
#56
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3,712
Congratulations, My son is currently in an accelerated program. Very tough fast paced. Dig in and set your mind to it ! As far as cutting back on spending , it can be done , not knowing your life style it is hard for me to say. I do see they young girls at work waste sooooo much money ( I am a nurse as well , an old woman working with 20-30 year olds lol) I see them buying soda and energy drinks and special coffees , and ordering out food estimating on the low side I see several spend 10-12 bucks a day just while at work add that up over a month ! They laugh when I pull out my generic soda or bottle of tea brought from home and go to make coffee that I also bring from home . If you just buckle down and see what you can really do without you can save . Crock pot cooking will be your friend and stop you from buying pre-packaged foods and ordering out which also will blow the budget . Unplug things such as phone chargers . There are tons of thrifty and frugal living blogs that have lots of ideas, I never buy cleaners, I use good old vinegar and water, a gallon of vinegar is a couple of bucks on sale and lasts a long time because you dilute it , the smell dissipates quickly, I have even made my own laundry soap for pennies a load . Check out pinterest as well for thrifty or frugal living ideas . If you get into thrifty/frugal living it becomes a game and can be fun !
Last edited by raedar63; 10-23-2013 at 05:46 PM.
10-23-2013, 06:39 PM
#59
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Missouri
Posts: 350
So many great tips! Thanks!! When I went through LPN school at age 19, I was very frugal out of necessity, didn't even have a car at the time. Things are a lot different at age 46 but I know I can make it through the program and part of the way to do that is to save money wherever I can so that I don't have to work so much that I can't keep up with schoolwork. I am beyond excited to start this next chapter of my life!
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