Living in a single income home, I do everything I can do to save money. Every bill and expense my family has I study it, and try and find out a way I can save. Check out how I saved as much as I could last month.
1. Hung up one load of laundry at day. To save money on my electric bill I have been hanging up at least one load of laundry on a clothes hanger everyday. It takes about 12 hours for most items to dry, but heavy sweatshirts and jeans may take a little bit longer.
2. Made my own fabric softener. When you hang up your laundry, you definitely need fabric softener to soften up your clothes. Since I never seem to find good deals on fabric softener at the store, I decided to make it myself. It's simple, easy, and way cheaper then purchasing it at the store. Follow this link to find my recipe for DIY fabric softener: DIY Fabric Softener Recipe.
3. Waited to buy a dryer. After only owning my dryer couple of years, it died. Very frustrating! Since it wasn't covered under warranty, I knew it was time buy a new one. However, I didn't rush to Home Depot or Lowe's and pick out the first one I saw. Every couple of days my husband or I check out the scratch and dent section of Home Depot and Lowe's. This is a great way to get a good deal on a high value item, if you don't mind a scratch or dent. However, be careful when buying something that has been refurbished, that typically breaks the warrantee.
4. Couponed. Couponing has become a way of life for me. If it's not on sale with a matching coupon, I don't buy it! I plan my meals around what's on sale, and try and stock up on items when I can. Check out my recent article, "10 Tips to Being a Great Couponer". 10 Tips to Benig a Great Couponer
5. Swapped kids clothes. Before buying new clothes for your kids, talk to your friends. Clothes are expensive, and kids grow out of sizes so quickly! My good friend and I always swap clothes before going to the store. There are definitely some outfits that I can't part with, but trading clothes is a great way to save money and recycle! This also works with maternity clothes!
6. Baked. Baking is a great way to ensure that your family is eating healthy, as well as saving money. You control what goes in your food, and what stays out! My new favorite food blog is My Whole Food Life, which can be found at, http://mywholefoodlife.com/. My kids love the quinoa chocolate chip cookies!
7. Contacted the cable company for discounts. A couple times a year I contact my utility companies, and make sure I'm getting the best deal available. This month I contacted my cable company. I talked to customer service, explained that I want to reduce my bill, but don't want to lose anything from my current package. I was then transferred to the retention center. I was told since I have been a long standing customer, the "retention specialist" was able to take $20 a month for my bill. I thanked the gentleman, and then asked if this courtesy could be retroactive (a good trick to remember!) The gentleman explained that he wasn't able to credit previous bills, but would give me a one time credit of $20. Woohoo! Just remember, it can't hurt to ask, and always remain extremely polite!
8. Wrote to companies for coupons. Writing to companies for coupons is a great way to get high value coupons for products. It only takes a couple of minutes, and can save you tons. Check out my list of companies that I have contacted for coupons, and what they sent me. Just remember, just because one person received a coupon in the mail, does not mean everyone will have the same experience. Companies to Contact for Coupons
9. Made my own air freshener. Air fresheners can be expensive, and often times don't smell as good as you expect them to. So I decided to make my own! Follow the link for an easy, inexpensive air freshener, where you control the smell and the strength. DIY Air Freshener
10. Utilized all of the resources at my library. As a stay-at-home mom, the library is a great resource! I probably go to our local library at least 3 times a week, for story time, crafts, music classes, kids yoga, etc. It's a great resource that my children love, and it's free. I also visit libraries in surrounding towns, if they have interesting classes my kids may be interested in. What's better then free class that my kids love, while promoting early literacy!
HAPPY SAVINGS! :)
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