I need HELP!!! Or, really, just money saving tips About This Page:

[Shawnam1868]

So, yeah, I am notorious for not being a saver. At all. In fact, my husband and I have always kept our money separate, but that's because if we had joint accounts, it would be a race to see who could spend more faster. I'm ready to curb my spendy ways and start saving like a big girl. Seriously, I'm afraid I've already passed my shopping issues on to my oldest dd. She has something like 50 pairs of sneakers. Granted, I've bought most of them for her, but she seems to think we're an unlimited ATM. My ds is the exact opposite and it drives me insane when I have like $1 in my wallet and he has $50 in his piggy bank. So, please, share some money saving tips with me. Aside from the obvious, which is don't leave the house. Shoe stores are my weakness and I have like 25 pairs of heels that I never wear.

[toddjodybrent]

I turn saving into a game, similar to, say, hunting for a great pair of shoes, or a great pair of shoes on sale. . .

So, when it's time to buy groceries, the coupons come out and the object of the game is for me to keep more money each time, rather than give it to the grocery store.

Or, how can I still get what we need for less? It's working for our family without major pain.

There's little savings that add up big, like we eat at home, we pack food in a cooler for day trips and busy evenings, we take our lunch to school/work. We do free activities throughout our community and wait for movies to hit DVD/video rather than see them in the theater. We get haircuts with coupons and use loyalty punch cards to earn free haircuts. Our cell phone service has a discount based on our jobs. There are even ways to pay less for gas!

And, 10% of our take home pay goes into the savings account each time we get paid. It adds up fast!

Good luck!

[rescuesk]

I set up a direct deposit savings account with ING. A set amount of my paycheck goes directly into the account every week, and I don't even notice it missing. It's just another deduction. I just recently increased the deduction by a little bit, and I didn't notice the difference, so I am ready to increase it again.

As for not leaving the house, you aren't far from the truth. Stay away from the tempting places (mine are scrapbooking stores) and you'll be less tempted to spend. If you must go out, make a list. I went to WalMart tonight, for example, and my list was: new sheets, 3 cards, clock radio, gift card. That was all I went in for, and all I came out with. They had some really cute curtains and throws, but... : ! They weren't on the list!

I love the idea of making savings a game, and you can take it one step further....you can put the money you save into a savings account. Make it a Disney fund...it will add up quick when there's a goal!

[Sweetpeama]

First occupy the kids else where for 2 to 3 hours. Second sit down with your dh and do a written budget every month before it begins. A few rules you have to agree, if you get 35 to spend he gets 35 to spend. This amount that you agree on is your blow money. See if you can pay for your four walls: mortgage, utilities, food, insurance, and taxes along with any minimium payments out of one income. Pretend the other one does not exist. Than if you can take the other persons income and first save between 1k and 1 month of expenses if you were in crisis mode. Next use that extra money to pay off everything but your house. The reason is if you owed 25k at 10% interest and you have 30k in savings earning 2% interest you haven't gained any ground on your net worth (what you one minus what you owe). Once you are ready to start saving use automatic direct deposit from your employment. Tammy

[Roxie2006]

My question is "Do you really need this pair of shoes?" OR "Do you want a $25 Disney gift card?". I budget everything. If there is something I want or need, if it is not on clearence or on sale I will not purchase!!!! I round off everything in my check book to the next dollar. My DH and I have a cash allowance every week for our spending money. There is so many ways to save, that saving can become very addictive!!! I have my 5yo DGD saving her money in her Disney Saving Jar. Try to be creative!!!

[Caldercup]

If we decide to buy something, we sit on the idea for two solid days. (Short of an emergency purchase like a new hot water heater! )

If, after 48 hours, the idea of that purchase is still valid and pressing, we make the purchase.

What usually happens is that I start thinking of all the other things I could buy -- that we NEED -- with that money, or I calculate how many groceries I could purchase with that money, or how much that money would pad our "safety fund." I almost always go with the idea that it's better to keep the money than have the thing.

[JoanneS]

When you need to go shopping, take all the credit cards out of your wallet. Don't bring your checkbook, just take as much cash as you need. If I decide I'm spending $100 on groceries, that's all that's in my wallet. It makes me pay attention to the prices of items instead of just throwing stuff into the cart. If this makes you feel like you're being punished, do this: tell yourself, that if you can get everything you need for under your determined dollar amount, you can buy yourself a small treat with what is left over. For me, it's usually a York peppermint patty.

Another tip, stay away from online shopping sites and ebay. They are killers for those of us who tend to be impulse buyers.

[nurse_mom]

Dh has a terrible spending habit at times. Recently due to our upcoming Disney trip, I have money auto deducted from my pay check for our disney trip. Plus the kids are now having fund raisers with gift cards. So I'm pre buying for Disney and Christmas. That way when the Holiday comes around, I have X amount of $$$ and that is all I'm spending.

[Carousel96]

You've gotten some good advice. I just try to avoid the places that tempt me. I stay at church and read during DD's choir practice, instead of going to Target for something to do.
And I'm buying more groceries at the grocery store. The prices may be a bit higher than Target and Walmart, but there isn't all that other stuff to tempt me. It's easy to spend $10 or $15 at Target before I get past the Dollar Spot!

And I've found I spend less if I take my own bags, because I try to make sure everything fits in what I brought. Taking lots of plastic ones at the checkout defeats the purpose.

DH and I have adopted the "think on it" method for big purchases -- anything over $100 or so. Maybe we should try it for other things too.

Originally Posted by JoanneS

Another tip, stay away from online shopping sites and ebay. They are killers for those of us who tend to be impulse buyers.

In my case, online shopping is better because I order what I want and don't get distracted by all the other displays and the aisles I walk through to get there. I guess you have to find what works for you.

But mostly, I came here to post that this thread title makes me chuckle. Because it's shortened in the main menu to fit the space available, it just says "I need HELP!!! Or, really, just money" and that makes me smile.

[ilovedisney0_0]

Pay yourself 10% of your income FIRST, as soon as you get your check. I just gone done taking a Debtor Information Class, and this was the first piece of advice they gave, and the one that kept being stressed. You are supposed to have 3 - 6 months of your salary in an emergency fund, just in case. So I am treating it like a bill and taking out the money first thing. It's amazing how fast it is adding up!

[Pumpkinfrost]

If you're trying to save for a Disney trip, my best tip is to purchase the Disney Gift Cards when you're at Kroger or Walgreens or Target doing your weekly shopping. I buy a Disney GC each weekly trip to the grocery store, and that really adds up...sometimes $25 a week, other times I might be fortunate at do a $50 GC. That way, you can't spend the money except on your vacation.

[zhemi]

COUPONS!!! I use tons of coupons and not just for groceries (where i save on average $100 each shopping trip). I've used Famous Footwear coupons from the paper in combination with store reward card points. I bought two pairs of shoes for my kids that totaled over $80 before savings. After using a $25 reward card and a 20% off coupon from the paper AND a BOGO offer, my total came to around $30.

We use coupons for everything - and as a rule, if we don't have a coupon, we don't buy it. My kids know this and they have also become coupon scavengers. Their friends are now getting into it! My DD boyfriend dropped a stack of Frightworld (local halloween event) coupons on my desk the other day and asked me 'Aren't you proud of me?'

Sign up for ANY rewards card that will help save money. I have a Regal Cinema card that adds up your points every time you go to the movies and then gives you free tickets, popcorn, pop, candy. Our local grocery store rewards card gives you .10 off of each gallon of gas for each $100 you spend on groceries. Well, as long as I'm spending that much on groceries anyway, I might as well save on the gas to get there!

We also put all spare change and money we get from bottle returns into the Disney Fund. I am the only person who knows where this jar of money is in my house. My DH has a tendency to 'borrow' from it if he knows where it is.

I, too, buy a $25 Disney GC when I grocery shop. This really adds up and it's a great way to save for Disney since they can't be used for anything else EXCEPT Disney. So there's no temptation to 'borrow'.

And lastly, I take all $5 bills and put them into the Disney Fund. DH knows not to spend any $5 bill and saves them up to hand over for me. I actually feel guilty if I think about spending one! But then again, I will break a $10 just so I can get a $5 to put away. I know, I'm crazy like that!

[goofysdtr]

I do the same thing, Zhemi! My family laughs at me and my $5 habit. I always remind them that I don't just hoard them for myself--THEY benefit from my little habit, too!

[zhemi]

that's right! it's not hoarding... ok, maybe it is, but it benefits all of us on the trip. (ok, maybe it benefits me too - i use a couple of them for specialty drinks )

[Pumpkinfrost]

That is a great idea to not spend five dollar bills and sock them away into the Disney Fund! I am going to do that too!