What are your cutbacks for the best way to save money monthly?

[Anonymous]

Interested to hear how others reign in their savings

[Anonymous]

No cable or land line phone.

Rarely eat out (including bringing lunch to work, making coffee at home, etc)

Unsubscribe from all store emails so you're not tempted to buy stuff you don't need because there is a sale

Above all, do not overspend on your house. Seriously. There might not be anything you can do about it now but if you can, but a (much) cheaper house than the mortgage company tells you you can afford.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No cable or land line phone.

Rarely eat out (including bringing lunch to work, making coffee at home, etc)

Unsubscribe from all store emails so you're not tempted to buy stuff you don't need because there is a sale

Above all, do not overspend on your house. Seriously. There might not be anything you can do about it now but if you can, but a (much) cheaper house than the mortgage company tells you you can afford.

We do all this. Especially the last part -- we bought a tiny but cozy 1000 sq ft house in a great school district in N Arl. Our mortgage is very easy to handle, even if we dropped to one salary.

I also cut the kids' and my hair (used to cut DH's but it's too time-consuming). I have longish hair and googled how to cut it and watched some videos, and voila! You'd never guess from looking at me (mid-career professional). I have a feeling people might sneer at this, but it saves me bank.

In the baby years, I cloth diapered and made/froze my own baby food. Thank goodness we are out of that stage.

[Anonymous]

Spend less than you make. The end.

Asking this vague, open-ended question doesn't make sense.

[Anonymous]

No online shopping, trying to avoid Target, take lunch to work, preventative maintenance on the cars to avoid big bills, use coupons or store apps to save on grocery bills

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spend less than you make. The end.

Asking this vague, open-ended question doesn't make sense.

Agree Op.

You need to give some context, family size, how much you need to reign in, do you have debt, car payments, curreent HHI, etc.

How can dcumers offer you realistic advice without you giving a little more info.

[Anonymous]

I cut back on party and bullshit.

[Anonymous]

No Cox Cable - use a roku box with Amazon Prime and Sling channels.

Cook dinner 6 days/week.

Buy most toiletries, purses, boots, jewelry from Avon - $1.00 deodorants, $4 face wash, $2.50 body wash, $1.70 shampoo/conditioner, $25 purses, $10 necklaces, $25-$30 boots (mostly on demo sale for reps).

Never shop walmart, target, Costco etc. Just buy what I need on amazon. And dollar store for some things.

[Anonymous]

No hookers, no blow.

[Anonymous]

Avon products are crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Avon products are crap.

I LOVE several of their products. You obviously haven't tried many. Like this morning, I had to use store bought Olay body wash. It's awful!!!! It's runny and burns. I was really missing my Skin So Soft cream body wash. Very much. (Pink one).

Since I've been using Anew Vitale Day Lotion (oil free), I haven't had a single zit the stuff is god send.

And I've never found a pore scrub like Avons invigorating one. It completely changes how your skin feels to the touch.

And their Super Extend liquid liner stays on my super oily lids alllllll day and washes off with just soap.

There's so many great products.

I cannot wait to try the concentrated retinol coming out in a month on my forehead.

[Anonymous]

Shop in bulk at Costco. I can get a month's worth of meat, frozen foods, pasta, rice, jars and canned food, beer/wine plus Frontline for the dogs, paper products, cleaning products (including detergent), toothpaste/mouthwash/dental floss, cold medicine, and back when I was buying them diapers - for around $400. And you can save on gas too plus get deals on big expenditures like tires, matresses, etc.

I then supplement with a weekly trip to the regular grocery store for fresh produce, dairy, bakery and snack items. How much I spend each week depends on how we're doing with the budget. If we are spending less elsewhere then we can afford more splurges.

Take advantage of no or very low cost entertainment (parks /playgrounds/nature centers/bike rides/budget matinees). Plan your trips out to save gas money.

[Anonymous]

Library books, including for the Kindle

Try to use coupons. This includes for rental cars, photo processing, etc.

Buy meat when it has dollar off coupons on it when it is close to the sell by date. I got a whole chicken last week that was $4.66 with 2 $2 coupons on it because the sell by date was the next day. So it was .66 total. I roasted it and then the next day made chicken soup with it. (We have soup multiple times per week.)

Go to stores like Aldi for much of our grocery items. Buy things that are cheaper. We might have pineapples one week if they are a cheap fruit and bananas the next. Recently I saw pineapples for .50 each over Xmas. I bought 8 of them and used 3, two different times, when we had to being something to family gatherings for the holidays. This week bananas were .29/lb so I bought 3 bunches. If we love pineapples but I saw them for $3.99, I just wouldn't buy them then.

Do not buy organic.

I buy thrift store items so I have what I need most of the time. For example, I would never go buying ski pants or snow boots at Dick's or Sports Authority. I might buy them though at a thrift store in May.

We make coffee at home. Yes, we do splurge on expensive coffee but still make it at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Avon products are crap.

I LOVE several of their products. You obviously haven't tried many. Like this morning, I had to use store bought Olay body wash. It's awful!!!! It's runny and burns. I was really missing my Skin So Soft cream body wash. Very much. (Pink one).

Since I've been using Anew Vitale Day Lotion (oil free), I haven't had a single zit the stuff is god send.

And I've never found a pore scrub like Avons invigorating one. It completely changes how your skin feels to the touch.

And their Super Extend liquid liner stays on my super oily lids alllllll day and washes off with just soap.

There's so many great products.

I cannot wait to try the concentrated retinol coming out in a month on my forehead.

Let me guess, you sell Avon???

[Anonymous]

Try and cutback on unnecessary purchases. For me, I used to spend a ton at Sephora, Ulta, etc. I love trying new makeup and beauty products but I just have to say no or only purchase when items are on sale.