What is the number one (or two) thing you do to save money?

[Anonymous]

21:13 Good for you and your family. I admire your lifestyle and you are already very, very wealthy.

[Anonymous]

So many good ideas here. What I learned does NOT save me money - buying chicken with skin and bones (unless using for a specific recipe that need bone-in chicken). By the time I'm done skinning and deboning - I have very little chicken left. I do better seeking out sales on skinless, boneless breasts and just using less. Plus, I find the process a little revolting (yes I like to be in denial where my meat comes from).

[Anonymous]

Big stuff is what matters:
- let go the nanny once we realized we could handle daycare and school/aftercare for our 3 kids.
- our 2 cars are barely used (husband uses metro and i work at home) but we need both because of sports committments on weekends (see 3 kids above). So we have 10 year old and 13 year old cars. Depreciation alone on a new car costs $3000 per year so we are ahead as long as our maintenance costs are below that (which they are now running average of $1000-$1500 per year). Added bonus - we dropped collision and our insurance is ridiculously low.
- Get 3 bids on any major (over $500) work or purchase you make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Removed myself from the email lists for a whole bunch of stores. That the constant "SALE" emails from Loft, Macys, Childrens Place, Gymboree etc. were motivating me to spend more, even with the 20% off etc. When I stopped the emails, my spending dropped, too.

You know, this is interesting. I was just thinking that this might be the case with me. Might try this out!

I also think this is true of TV commercials and why i think having TIVO/DVR saves money (and enhances your life).

[Anonymous]

"our 2 cars are barely used (husband uses metro and i work at home) but we need both because of sports committments on weekends (see 3 kids above)"

Yet another reason to stop at one kid. I didn't sign up to be a limo driver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find the "bean" post depressing, for me at least. Maybe it's the "foodie" in me, but it just sucks the joy out eating when you plan your meals a month in advance. It's like there's no room left for spontaneity (unless once a week is considered that). Next thing your sex life will be a preplanned activity as well ... and in that case, I'd rather eat beans.
I am impressed with the menu though ...

Um, don't all married parents have to plan sex? We'd have sex once or twice a month if we didn't plan it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the "bean" post depressing, for me at least. Maybe it's the "foodie" in me, but it just sucks the joy out eating when you plan your meals a month in advance. It's like there's no room left for spontaneity (unless once a week is considered that). Next thing your sex life will be a preplanned activity as well ... and in that case, I'd rather eat beans.
I am impressed with the menu though ...

Um, don't all married parents have to plan sex? We'd have sex once or twice a month if we didn't plan it.

DW "Sorry, no sex tonight, beans are making me gassy."
DH "How about tomorrow"
DW "Sorry, but beans tomorrow night too"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find the "bean" post depressing, for me at least. Maybe it's the "foodie" in me, but it just sucks the joy out eating when you plan your meals a month in advance. It's like there's no room left for spontaneity (unless once a week is considered that). Next thing your sex life will be a preplanned activity as well ... and in that case, I'd rather eat beans.
I am impressed with the menu though ...

Um, don't all married parents have to plan sex? We'd have sex once or twice a month if we didn't plan it.

DW "Sorry, no sex tonight, beans are making me gassy."
DH "How about tomorrow"
DW "Sorry, but beans tomorrow night too"

HAHAH! I love you.

[Anonymous]

We have flip phones and no cable. A cheapie phone plan for two phones and high speed internet at home costs us about $60 a month. Of course I am jonesing for an iPhone and will probably cave soon.
One old fuel efficient car, no car payments and the insurance bill is low as well. We are able to switch off for drop off and pickup because we live and work in the city and can each retrieve the car no matter where it is. Bus ride home takes 30 minutes tops. of course I'm jonesing for a 4 wheel station wagon and will probably cave soon.
Do not look behind the curtain! Yes that is our great big sailboat, a relic of earlier days of freedom. But it's ALMOST paid off...

[Anonymous]

You financed a sailboat but have only one car and you economize on phones (?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"our 2 cars are barely used (husband uses metro and i work at home) but we need both because of sports committments on weekends (see 3 kids above)"

Yet another reason to stop at one kid. I didn't sign up to be a limo driver.

loser.

feeling insecure abt only having 1?

[Anonymous]

This is the Bean Lady. It's not depressing and is a lot of fun actually. I mean, I used to cook expensive gourmet time consuming meals before I had children, but now we're in a financial bind (a tight one) and I love that it has drastically reduced our grocery bill. It makes me feel good about the choices we're making to live within our means. And we choose to do that and still buy top of the line organic food. I think we could afford more if we bought cheaper stuff, but I also really that my meat is pasture raised and my produce is fresh and lovely (totally not to judge, everyone makes decisions best for them). But really, it's also SUPER easy and takes a huge burden off of us. We really could never be spontaneous except on the weekends anyway. We shop once a week and buy exactly the food we will need and eat - no money to buy stuff that will go to waste. If there is something awesome or on sale, sometimes we WILL adjust. These are guidelines, not LAWS. Things can totally change. Plus, I have really had fun exploring all the fun things we can do with our pots of beans. Mark Bittman is my hero now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the Bean Lady. It's not depressing and is a lot of fun actually. I mean, I used to cook expensive gourmet time consuming meals before I had children, but now we're in a financial bind (a tight one) and I love that it has drastically reduced our grocery bill. It makes me feel good about the choices we're making to live within our means. And we choose to do that and still buy top of the line organic food. I think we could afford more if we bought cheaper stuff, but I also really that my meat is pasture raised and my produce is fresh and lovely (totally not to judge, everyone makes decisions best for them). But really, it's also SUPER easy and takes a huge burden off of us. We really could never be spontaneous except on the weekends anyway. We shop once a week and buy exactly the food we will need and eat - no money to buy stuff that will go to waste. If there is something awesome or on sale, sometimes we WILL adjust. These are guidelines, not LAWS. Things can totally change. Plus, I have really had fun exploring all the fun things we can do with our pots of beans. Mark Bittman is my hero now.

Please take a writing course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the Bean Lady. It's not depressing and is a lot of fun actually. I mean, I used to cook expensive gourmet time consuming meals before I had children, but now we're in a financial bind (a tight one) and I love that it has drastically reduced our grocery bill. It makes me feel good about the choices we're making to live within our means. And we choose to do that and still buy top of the line organic food. I think we could afford more if we bought cheaper stuff, but I also really that my meat is pasture raised and my produce is fresh and lovely (totally not to judge, everyone makes decisions best for them). But really, it's also SUPER easy and takes a huge burden off of us. We really could never be spontaneous except on the weekends anyway. We shop once a week and buy exactly the food we will need and eat - no money to buy stuff that will go to waste. If there is something awesome or on sale, sometimes we WILL adjust. These are guidelines, not LAWS. Things can totally change. Plus, I have really had fun exploring all the fun things we can do with our pots of beans. Mark Bittman is my hero now.

Please take a writing course.

I thought she expressed herself just fine. Seems like your comprehension skills are the problem here.

[Anonymous]

I recently moved here and I notice that people in the DC area place a high status symbol on food/groceries. Organic, Local Farm-raised, Whole Foods, etc. I'm not judging it, but it isn't anything I've heard before moving here.