1. Pet supplies
We used to buy the large 35-lb plastic tubs of cat litter, the sandy kind. I like this type because unlike the clay pebbles, you can use it a lot longer (with scooping periodically). My cats are not excessively picky so they get a full change every two weeks, and two or three scoopings in between the full changes. I like the tubs because they are easy to use during full changes or to do a “top off” after a scooping. I usually get Tidy Cats if its on sale and I’m at Target, or store-brand at Publix. However, Fronzel noticed at Target one day that you can buy the Tidy Cats sandy kind of litter in large plastic 25-lb bags, for much cheaper! So he suggested we save a couple plastic tubs (3) and buy the bags instead! Now, instead of paying $11 – $13 for 35 lbs of litter ($0.31 to $0.37 per lb), we pay less than $5 for 25 lbs of litter ($0.19 per lb). All the credit for this idea is Fronzel’s.
Our dog Dexter eats a specialty brand of dry dog food. To tell the truth, I didn’t even choose it– its just what they were feeding him at the shelter he was at. But, I have since discovered that pricier dog foods that are made without cheap filler ingredients can actually win the budget contest, because you need to feed more cheap food to fill your dog up and provide him with the nutrition he needs. Also, for thrift and convenience, we buy the largest bag they sell when we buy his food and keep it in a huge tupperware-type container. Lastly, I am never afraid to give him leftovers in lieu of his meal when they are just getting too close to going over the edge. (We never feed him from the table, only in his bowl at his designated meal time, and only things that are healthy for a dog– generally meat, rice, and veggies other than onions.)
I order the flea and heartworm medications online to save money. Although, strangely enough, we had a huge Frontline failure in our house a couple months ago so now Dexter is on a different topical flea medication (Promeris– its working great) and the cats (inside only) are on the cheap, old-fashioned flea collars! I am well aware that once spring kicks into high gear the cats may have to go back on a topical monthly flea treatment but I was surprised that the collars worked when Frontline quit working.
2. Eat leftovers, pack lunches, drink free coffee
Seriously, I know people that don’t eat leftovers. Its a little insane, but whatever. I try to only eat out with coworkers about once a week, and pack my lunches the rest of the week. For those lunches, I reuse the small-size handled paper bags I often get shopping. I tend to buy large bags of snack foods, and then repackage them into smaller Ziplocs (i.e. I avoid the 100-calorie packs– a brilliant marketing ploy because they are wicked expensive). I re-use Ziplocs for things like pita bread, crackers, nuts– dry items that don’t grody up the bag. I am also an unrepentant Starbucks drinker, but I try to restrict myself to one grande skinny cinnamon dolce latte per week, and the other days I drink the free K-cup coffee at work, which isn’t terrible, but isn’t mmmmmmmStarbucks.
3. Studying at home
This go-round, I have been studying at home. This saves me tons of money because I usually study at coffee shops. Where I buy coffee because, hey, I’m taking up tablespace, and also give nice tips, and sometimes buy food when I get hungry. Coffee made at home and snacks from my own kitchen are cheaper and usually lighter on calories.
4. Household linens
I know some people are going to be appalled at my slovenly habits, but I use the same two towels every day for a week before washing them. This means I need to own fewer towels, and that I wash them less. Also, I use kitchen towels for most non-disgusting cleanup jobs, and wash and reuse them regularly, rather than buying insane quantities of paper towels that get thrown away every time I dry my hands. (I’ve been training Fronzel– with a spray bottle of water like I use on the cats– to use kitchen towels in place of paper towels, too.) I buy kitchen sponges for the dishes and wash them in the dishwasher every few days to keep them fresh, and pitch them about once a month for new ones.
5. Grocery shopping
I know I poo-pooed my shopping skills just the other day, but there are some grocery-shopping things I already do well. For starters, I almost always make a list, and I am usually pretty good about sticking to it. Certain things, like cereal, I will go down the aisle and see what’s on sale– and usually buy a type simply because it is on sale that day. When Lean Cuisines (o, how hate and love them!) are on sale, I stock up, and try to avoid them when they are regularly-priced. I buy larger quantities of meat and fish, and freeze portions that I won’t use right away. I buy “disposable” sport-bottles of water, but refill and reuse them for months and months at a time before I replace them. I make Fronzel buy cans, rather than 20-oz. bottles of Coke, because they are generally cheaper.
6. Clothing
I am not on either extreme end of the girl-clothes-shopping-spectrum: I buy clothing regularly, but I’m by no means a fashion hound. Lately I’ve been making efforts to buy higher-quality items, especially for work-wear, that will look professional and last longer. Any clothing I buy just for fun comes out of my own “fun money” and not the general budget, which is supposed to discourage my frivolous purchases that happen just because I’m feeling down and decide that buying something to make me feel pretty is the way to improve my mood. Also, if one is well-endowed? Buying pricey but well-fitted bras are possibly the best money I’ve ever spent on an article of clothing.
7. Vehicles
Fronzel has a truck and I have a car. Well, okay, its a “crossover SUV” but its the size of a sedan and gets sedan-range gas mileage. My car was purchased recently, but we shopped around hardcore. We are paying a ludicrously low 0.7% interest on a car we got for 3% below invoice (including options for even less), and we’re paying it off in a relatively short 3 years (2 to go)! All those things– extremely cheap loan, good deal on the car’s price, paying it off sooner, having a new car with very little in the way of maintenance and repairs required– are saving us money because my 2000 model year car that we traded in a year ago was leaning over the precipice of Major Repairs and we knew it (not to mention was still sporting a disappointingly hefty loan).
We meticulously follow the maintenance schedule. I know from previous used and abused car experiences that it matters in the long run. We plan on keeping my car for 10 years or more– considering we’re just about to finish up 1 year of ownership and we’re just getting to 11,000 miles now, I should think 10 years, barring unusual circumstances, is a very reasonable goal.
We pay the insurance upfront every 6 months. Our insurance company charges you an extra 20% on top of the premium to spread it out to a monthly payment. Major savings there. Right now we have a $500 deductible (required by my 0.7% loan) but once the loan is paid off, we’ll move to a $1,000 deductible. I’ve researched that particular change in the past and if you have the savings to cough up the $1,000 if you need to, the higher deductible almost always saves you a serious amount of money in the long run.
My car, being smaller, lighter, and newer than Fronzel’s truck, gets much better gas mileage. We go almost everywhere in my car– which saves us money at the pump, and will make Fronzel’s 2000 model year truck last alot longer than if we were putting serious miles on it. The poor thing only gets taken out a couple times a week when Fronzel is home for lunch or errands while I’m at work. Also, we’ve made a deal that, barring highly unusual circumstances, we aren’t replacing his until mine is paid off, and we’re saving upfront for it– hopefully to buy in cash when we’re ready.
Also, and this might seem trivial, but we are going to put cosmetic work into both vehicles. The truck has a crack in the windshield, and we’re planning to replace it in a few months. About once a year I’d like to get both vehicles professionally cleaned, inside and out. (We do wash them at home now and again, but not lately, given the drout!) I think having a well-maintained, clean vehicle in good condition will make it easier for us to avoid the temptation to turn in an “old” vehicle for a brand-spanking-new vehicle– at least, for a longer amount of time. I think the minimal expense of those cleanings will pay off in keeping our vehicles for a much longer time.
8. Insurance
We both have good PPO health insurance, a vision insurance plan, and dental insurance. I am already “in the black” on both the health insurance and vision insurance, as I use my benefits there regularly. I need to find some courage and take advantage of my dental insurance.
9. Retirement savings
We both contribute significantly to our employer-provided 401(k) plans, at a level around 15% EACH (including employer matches). This is more important than most people realize, to put this kind of money aside while you are young and can easily afford it– that money is going to sit around, doing your work for you, gathering interest– so that if you ever stumble into dire financial straits and need to stop contributing, you’ll have gotten ahead while you could. I tell anyone who will listen to take the hit now and just get used to it. Its well worth it in the long run.
10. Netflix
Okay. It is $17 a month I could technically cut out of the budget. But you know what? That is cheaper than ONE trip to our local movie theater ($20 these days for two adults). It is also (generally) cheaper than one DVD from the rack at Target, and one of us *whistles tunelessly* used to have a very, very bad habit of slinging a small handful of DVDs in the basket whenever we were there. That kinda thing adds up and we have the groaning shelves of DVDs to prove it. And, considering my life management skills, its loads and loads cheaper than hitting a rental store (how quaint!) and then paying weeks of late fees. I guarantee we make out better throwing $200ish *gulp* Netflix’s way than we would if we cancelled our subscription.
