Frugal Mom Blog

Archive for the ‘Frugal Living Basics’ Category

We have a great stickied thread on our message board titled, “So How Are You Saving $ Today?” The thread is filled with ways the ladies have saved money each day by choosing to live frugally.  Here are some ways they have saved money… I hope you can glean from these great ideas!

1. Wash laundry in cold water
2. Use homemade detergent for washing clothes
3. Eat all of your meals at home
4. On warm days, hang laundry on the line outside to dry
5. Knit a blanket with leftover yarn instead of buying one
6. Cut dryer sheets in half
7. Eat leftovers for lunch
8. Borrow movies from the library instead of going to the movie theater
9. Turn in books to the used book store for store credit, & use the credit to get new-to-you books.
10. Shop at Dollar Tree
11. Save vegetable seeds to plant
12. Stay home & don’t go to Wal-mart!
13. Make homemade snacks
14. Use rags instead of paper towels
15. Cloth diapers instead of disposable
16. Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins
17. Clip coupons
18. Turn day old bread into breadcrumbs
19. Keep lights & tv off during the day
20. Don’t buy frivolous stuff – ask yourself if you really need it
21. Bring lunch to work instead of eating out
22. Use up leftovers – don’t let them go to waste
23. Make birthday cards
24. Watch the cash register and check receipts to keep from getting overcharged on items
25. Use a calculator as you shop to help you from going over your budget
26. Save gas by doing all of your errands in one day instead of little trips throughout the week
27. Make a grocery list before going to store, and stick to the list when shopping
28. Buy plastic washable bottles and fill with water instead of buying bottled  water
29. Make homemade pizza instead of ordering out
30. Use craft materials you have on hand to make gifts
31. In the summer, use ceiling fans instead of the AC
32. Buy paint from the “oops paint” section at Home Depot
33. Shop at Goodwill
34. Shop at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore for home improvement
35. Do once a month cooking
36. Used powdered milk for cooking
37. Make meal menus
38. Check paper for grocery specials in your area
39. Cook from your freezer using up odds and ends
40. Only run dishwasher when you have a full load
41. Reuse Ziploc storage baggies
42. Don’t pay full price for anything – buy on clearance
43. Unplug appliances when not in use
44. Bake your own bread
45. Make homemade soup instead of buying canned soup
46. Do your own oil change
47. Check Freecycle in your area for things you need
48. Shop around for prescriptions.  Walmart has deeply discounted prices on many medications.
49. Walk instead of drive, if possible
50. Take advantage of CVS’s ECBs (extra care bucks)
51. Shop at garage sales
52. Cook frugal meals
53. Use cell phones only
54. Can fruits & veggies from your garden
55. Barter
56. Put together a price book so you know the best places to buy items
57. Rent carpet cleaning machine and do it yourself
58. Use the crock pot on busy days so you won’t be tempted to pick up fast food
59. Research free things to do in your town
60. Cook fewer meat meals each week
61. Make sun tea
62. Eat before you go to the grocery store
63. Wear jeans more than once before washing
64. Use rechargeable batteries (there’s a higher upfront cost, but you only buy them once)
65. Use fluorescent light bulbs – they last longer, and use less energy

Let us know what ways you’ve found to save today!

For some, the family cell phone plan is the greatest invention ever. Instead of managing four or five individual lines — and paying full price for each — family cell phone plans allow families to pool together and share a bucket of minutes. This saves the time of managing each account, and because of the discount cellular carriers give for purchasing more minutes, it can be cheaper too. Well, that is, until you find out you have a teenager who loves to talk and text. That realization usually comes in the form of a huge cell phone bill, which usually catches parents off-guard. What are they supposed to do? Cut off the teen’s cell phone?

Many parents opt to pay a higher price for more minutes and unlimited text messaging, but that can get quite expensive. For families looking to cut costs, it’s probably not a cost-effective option. But what are the alternatives? They’re not right in front of you for the most part, but rather tucked away in the prepaid sector of the wireless industry. There are plenty of prepaid wireless plans which can help save your family money and keep your teen talking and texting.

Pay-as-you-go cellular

The most common form of prepaid wireless is pay-as-you-go. Users buy top-up cards, which they activate on the account. The corresponding number of dollars or minutes are added to the account, and users are limited to what’s available. In other words, there are no overages. Once the allotment is used up, that’s it until you top up again.

Parents can set a monthly budget for their teens, adding only that amount at the beginning of each month. Teens must then budget their minutes so they can use the phone all the month. They’ll learn this pretty quickly in most cases. Overeager teens will use all their minutes during the first week of the month, and then will be stuck without a cell phone for three weeks. This is something that parents can’t accomplish with most family plans.

Prepaid cellular not only teaches teens budgeting, but also moderation. Because there are set limits, teens must restrain themselves and not obey every impulse to send a text message or make a call. While some parents might not find this necessary (and for them there’s another alternative), others might welcome it with open arms. It can have far-reaching effects, like teaching them how to save (for a car, maybe?), but also short-term ones — like allowing them to come back on the family plan without setting off massive overages.

Unlimited prepaid

For parents who don’t want to impose such restrictive limits on their teens, there is an alternative. A number of prepaid companies offer unlimited plans, which allow teens to talk and text to their heart’s content, all for one flat monthly rate. While this won’t promote restraint, it will prevent your blood pressure from rising by seeing yet another monthly cell bill.

Boost Mobile introduced one such plan earlier this year. It costs $50 per month, and provides unlimited voice, messaging, and Web surfing. The cost includes taxes and fees, so it really is $50. The advantage this holds over other unlimited services is that Boost runs on Nextel’s network, which is nationwide. Other prepaid unlimited carriers include MetroPCS and Cricket. They can be superior to Boost in that they offer multiple tiers of service, most of which are below $50. However, they are not nationwide services, so they are not available in all areas.

Either of these options can help your family cut your monthly cell costs. As always, comparison shopping is the best here. Figure out exactly how much your teen is costing you per month by determining how much you, or you and your spouse, would spend on your cell phone monthly without your teen. Then subtract that from your normal monthly bill. You can then shop around to see what prepaid plans can help you reduce costs.

Joe Pawlikowski is the editor of Prepaid Reviews, a site which provides information and news on prepaid wireless services.

We have a great stickied thread on our message board titled, “So How Are You Saving $ Today?” The thread is filled with ways the ladies have saved money each day by choosing to live frugally.  Here are some ways they have saved money… I hope you can glean from these great ideas!

1. Wash laundry in cold water
2. Use homemade detergent for washing clothes
3. Eat all of your meals at home
4. On warm days, hang laundry on the line outside to dry
5. Knit a blanket with leftover yarn instead of buying one
6. Cut dryer sheets in half
7. Eat leftovers for lunch
8. Borrow movies from the library instead of going to the movie theater
9. Turn in books to the used book store for store credit, & use the credit to get new-to-you books.
10. Shop at Dollar Tree
11. Take steps to lower your heating bill in the winter
12. Save vegetable seeds to plant
13. Stay home & don’t go to Wal-mart!
14. Make homemade snacks
15. Use rags instead of paper towels
16. Cloth diapers instead of disposable
17. Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins
18. Clip coupons
19. Turn day old bread into breadcrumbs
20. Avoid wasting money on clothes by buying clothes that are right for your body
21. Keep lights & tv off during the day
22. Don’t buy frivolous stuff – ask yourself if you really need it
23. Bring lunch to work instead of eating out
24. Use up leftovers – don’t let them go to waste
25. Make birthday cards
26. Watch the cash register and check receipts to keep from getting overcharged on items
27. Use a calculator as you shop to help you from going over your budget
28. Save gas by doing all of your errands in one day instead of little trips throughout the week
29. Make a grocery list before going to store, and stick to the list when shopping
30. Look into lowering your insurance premium by raising your deductible
31. Buy plastic washable bottles and fill with water instead of buying bottled  water
32. Make homemade pizza instead of ordering out
33. Use craft materials you have on hand to make gifts
34. In the summer, use ceiling fans instead of the AC
35. Buy paint from the “oops paint” section at Home Depot
36. Shop at Goodwill
37. Shop at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore for home improvement
38. Do once a month cooking
39. Used powdered milk for cooking
40. Buy a whole chicken and cut it up, rather than buying parts
41. Make meal menus
42. Check paper for grocery specials in your area
43. Pay bills on time and avoid late fees
44. Cook from your freezer using up odds and ends
45. Only run dishwasher when you have a full load
46. Create a budget for your family
47. Reuse Ziploc storage baggies
48. Call your cable company and see if they are running any specials that will lower your bill
49. Don’t pay full price for anything – buy on clearance
50. Unplug appliances when not in use
51. Bake your own bread
52. Make homemade soup instead of buying canned soup
53. Do your own oil change for your car
54. Pay your bills online and save on postage
55. Check Freecycle in your area for things you need
56. Shop around for prescriptions.  Walmart has deeply discounted prices on many medications.
57. Walk instead of drive, if possible
58. Take advantage of CVS’s ECBs (extra care bucks)
59. Shop at garage sales
60. Cook frugal meals
61. Use cell phones only
62. Can fruits & veggies from your garden
63. Barter
64. Put together a price book so you know the best places to buy items
65. Rent carpet cleaning machine and do it yourself
66. Make window treatments using fabric remnants
67. Use the crock pot on busy days so you won’t be tempted to pick up fast food
68. Research free things to do in your town
69. Cook fewer meat meals each week
70. Make sun tea
71. Eat before you go to the grocery store
72. Wear jeans more than once before washing
73. Use rechargeable batteries (there’s a higher upfront cost, but you only buy them once)
74. Use fluorescent light bulbs – they last longer, and use less energy
75. Drink water instead of soda
76. Do what UPS does – plan your driving routes to avoid left hand turns.  UPS studies show that avoiding left hand turns saves time, conserves fuel, reduces emissions, and reduces potential for accidents
77. Buy durable items and take care of them
78. Reset the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees
79. If your hot water heater is hot to the touch, insulate it to save energy
80. Only use credit cards when you can pay the entire balance before your credit card’s grace period is over
81. Turn off water when shaving or brushing teeth
82. Buy for next year during after holiday sales
83. Instead of going out with friends, stay in and play cards or board games
84. Cook from scratch instead of buying convenience food
85. During winter, dress warmly for bed and lower your thermostat at night
86. After using oven, open oven door to heat room
87. When your dishwasher gets to the drying cycle, turn it off and open the door to help heat the room
88. Stockpile when you come across great deals
89. When grocery shopping, always compare the item’s cost per unit
90. Get rid of clutter by selling on eBay or Craig’s list
91. Put a time limit on showers
92. Insulate, weatherstrip, or caulk your home
93. Don’t buy expensive boxed cereal
94. Have a Trash to Treasure swap with friends – bring unwanted household items to trade with friends
95. Repair your own appliances with the help of RepairClinic.com
96. Some food (especially meat) is less expensive when bought in bulk
97. Find the best gas prices in your area
98. When grocery shopping, leave children at home
99. Carpool for work, for school and kids’ activities, and run errands with friends
100. Instead of buying books, read books online for free,  or borrow from the library
101. Make your own non-stick cooking spray by adding your favorite oil to a spray bottle

**Quick note… we have another fun giveaway later this week!

Today we’ll use the Family Monthly Budget to build your budget.

In Part I of How to Budget Your Money, you put together your spending log and have a good idea of your spending habits. Hopefully you’ve pinpointed areas of wasteful spending, or ways you can cut back on your spending.

Now we’ll put together your budget. We’re going to use the numbers you collected on your Spending Log to create your budget, and we’ll use a spreadsheet called the Family Monthly Budget to do it. Now please don’t get scared by the term spreadsheet – the hard part has been done for you. If you can type in numbers, you can use this spreadsheet!

Download the Family Monthly Budget Spreadsheet. (This spreadsheet you are downloading is from my personal files. It has been scanned and is free from any type of virus, spyware, etc.)

• In order to use the spreadsheet you will need Excel. If you do not have Excel, you have a couple of options. You can download Open Office which is completely free and offers a spreadsheet component, or you can use Google Documents which is also free.

The spreadsheet is very easy to use, and will give you an easy and accurate picture of your spending and income. It has 2 parts: your planned spending with income, and your actual spending with income.

Planned Spending & Income Instructions:

1. For each category, add your Planned Spending – what you plan on spending each month.
2. Add your Planned Monthly Income – the amount you normally bring home each month.
3. The spreadsheet automatically keeps track of your balance.
4. If the number in the Planned Balance Column is black, your income is higher than your spending. That is good.
5. If the number in the Planned Balance is red, your planned spending is higher than your planned income. You’ll need to lower your planned spending.

Actual Spending & Income Instructions:

1. Follow above instructions, but now enter in your actual spending for each category, and your actual income.
2. The Actual Balance automatically calculates and shows your final totals for the month!

Download Family Monthly Budget.

Additional Budgeting Resources:

• Mvelopes Personal - This system uses the envelope system, and is done online. They offer a free 30-day trial.
• My Budget Planner – This is very popular with Frugal Moms, and they even have systems for teens and children!

This is part I in the series How to Budget Your Money.

Do you know how much money you spend each month on little things like a soda at the convenience store, or a cup of coffee at Starbucks? When an emergency comes up, do you find yourself scrambling to cover the cost? Is your credit card debt increasing as you charge things because you don’t have the cash to pay for things you need (or want)? Are you living paycheck to paycheck and run out of money before pay day? Do you ever see something you want to buy, but you’re not sure if you have enough money to pay for it?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then your money is in control of you.

That’s the bad news. The good news is it doesn’t have to stay this way. Now is the time to get realistic about your money by putting together a budget. You may be thinking that a budget won’t help because lack of money is your problem. Lack of money may contribute, but a budget will make sure you are spending every dollar wisely. And it will force you to take an honest look at your finances, and make needed changes.

Step One in Creating a Budget

Spending Log: In order to create a budget, you must first find out where you are spending your money, and why you are spending your money. I recommend taking anywhere from a few days to a full month to gather this information. I can’t stress enough the importance of this step. It may seem like an easy one to skip, but the information you gather will be invaluable in creating your budget.

1. Download the Spending Log Form (or create your own) and print out several pages.
2. You may complete this spending log daily as you spend money for a month, or complete it using information you have at home. This includes bank statements, utility bills, spending receipts, or any other records which shows spending.
3. For every dollar you spend, write the date, the description, the category, and check whether it was a need or a want.
4. Consider these categories, and add any unique to your situation: housing, utilities, food, clothing, insurance, medical, entertainment, transportation, credit cards, loan payments.

The next part of the How to Budget Your Money series will use the information from your Spending Log Form and put it into a budget that will work for your family.

Are you in on this first step? Don’t be shy – I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

How to Budget Your Money Part II

Photo Credit: Jen_Jen