I have always told people I am cheap, if they ask. I am not embarrassed to admit it, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that is a bad statement. Cheap means that you are so stingy with your money that you won't even get your kids a present for Christmas or you skip meals to save money. I am not like that, no. I just believe a dollar is worth more than other people do. Here are a few things I do to save money:
1. I buy off brand foods. I could save some money clipping coupons, doubling, etc. But after I took the "Extreme Couponing" class, I realized that I do not have hours and hours in my day to sit around and search and print coupons to save a few bucks. Not only does it cost a lot in ink, it takes my time. The off brand is just as good, and at the stores I shop at, I save more than I ever could couponing. Also, watching what I buy. We don't need a lot of snacks. All they do is make you gain weight. A think of ice cream or a cake here and there is good, but 6 packs of Oreos, 4 boxes of Little Debbies, and a 24 pack of Cokes, no thank you!
2. I yardsale. But I realize that is not an option for some. (Although if you do, plan your route, go in order, and walk when possible. It will save you a ton of gas.) Thrift stores, consignments, and Craigslist are all good ideas too. I have expensive taste most times, so I HAVE to shop used.
3. When I am making a purchase, any purchase, a toy, an electronic, furniture, etc. I look online first! Amazon is amazing, and they sale everything! If you are willing to use Pay Pal and do bidding, EBay is good too. And sometimes stores have better deals online, even after shipping. And sometimes you can get free shipping.
4. When we are going anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE, I always look online first for a special or coupon. This is the one exception for in couponing, because even though I spent the money on the ink to print it out, I usually get $10.00-on average, depending on the activity, versus 50 cents you get off cheese or a pack of Gold Fish.
5. As far as using credit goes, I don't-UNLESS I have the money for the item I am about to purchase. As long as I have $200.00 in my bank account, I will buy a $200.00 Blu Ray player-for example. The only reason I use credit is to build my credit to get a house later on. This saves money because 1. I am not buying everything on credit just because I "want it." Therefore, the interest does not build up. and 2. We pay it off faster than needed, which keeps the interest down and still builds my credit.
6. Of course there are expenses that you have to pay for, but you can keep costs down. Saving energy. Being conservative with gas. Water. Buying off clearance or sales. Shopping around for car insurance. (We use State Farm because they are the cheapest we could find, but they have strict stipulations. We actually got accepted by accident.)
We do other small things. Try not to eat out too much. Do cheaper things for fun. That sort of thing, but at the same time, we can't be so cheap that we never take her anywhere or take her to a nice dinner. Middle ground is a good thing. I believe I have found mine, but it is a hard thing to find. It just depends on what is right for the family.
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