Give Me Five Monday – 5 Tips to Save Money
June 2nd, 2008 . by Joyce
The prompt this week at Give Me Five Monday is “Give me five tips and tricks to save money or cut corners to stretch your budget.”
Five Tips to Save Money (List 1):
- Make a master list of tried and true meals you know your family enjoys. Of course, change the list whenever you desire, to avoid boredom. Keep the staple items on hand for making these meals, and purchase any fresh items you’ll need for preparing them the week you plan to make them. In this way, you won’t be running to the grocery store every day, and won’t be tempted to buy other things while you’re there!
- Eat most of your meals at home. If time allows, you can also bake your own breads, cookies and desserts. Restaurant meals are EXPENSIVE, though they are a lovely, once-in-a-while treat.
- Don’t go window shopping. You are putting yourself in temptation’s way. Only go shopping when you need some specific item. Make a list, and try to stick with it.
- On a similar note, try to opt out of receiving catalogs. If that’s not possible, simply recycle them. But, whatever you do, DON’T look at them, unless you’re prepared to want something, and eventually to purchase it.
- MAINTAIN your clothes, your furniture, your home, your vehicles, your appliances, etc. They will last longer, and save you the cost of replacing them too often.
Five Tips to Save Money (List 2):
- Take advantage of FREE entertainment in your community. Go to the park. Hike and bike local trails. Enjoy hobbies with friends.
- Before purchasing books, first check them out from the library. Only purchase those of high interest, which you will refer to or reread.
- Before purchasing a big ticket item, do your research. Avoid expensive impulse buying.
- Better yet, purchase reliable USED items. We found one of our vehicles on Craig’s List, as well as a “new-to-us” oven to replace our oven which would have cost too much to repair.
- If you use a credit card, purchase only what you can repay immediately. It is so easy to overspend when using a credit card. If you use one, it’s nice if it offers a rebate of some sort.
Wow, these are all such great ideas! I’m so pleased with the topic this week, it really gives us a chance to share useful information! I love your suggestions about window shopping and catalogs in regard to putting yourself in temptation’s way, great point! I think a lot of people really just need to utilize some self control in the spending department. I stopped buying from the catalogs but I do enjoy seeing new things. Sometimes I can get ideas about how to reuse something I already have in a new way or
BeccA’s Buzz’s last blog post..Give Me Five Monday Meme #25
It cut me off! LOL I was going to say, or sometimes looking through catalogs or sales ads gives me ideas for things I can make much cheaper! Maybe I’ll consider a GM5 topic about reusing items for other purposes to make them more useful…
Great post!!!
BeccA’s Buzz’s last blog post..Give Me Five Monday Meme #25
Excellent advice. There is so much one can do if they just take the time to evaluate a better way to approach saving dollars. Have a great day.
Comedy Plus’s last blog post..The gynecologist
I enjoyed both of your Money Saving Tips lists for Give Me 5 Monday … and have followed these guidelines all of my life. Methinks it’s how I was able to retire at 56 ;–)
I expected to find your Ten on Tuesday list (after finding your comment on mine earlier). I was amazed (upon reading everyone elses ToT posts today) at how many changes that didn’t occur to me when I wrote mine. Of course it was LATE (after 10pm on Monday night when I should have been in bed) and I was exhausted … but knew I wouldn’t have time to write it in the morning before my Photoshop class so I stayed with it until I could post it. Hope you’ve had a good day.
As for the ‘flower’ quiz … I know I’ve done this one several times … once was a Daisy … but came up other flowers at different times. I think there’s a link in my sidebar that takes you to Quizzes and Blogthings I’ve done if it matters. I’m playing catch-up on HoTs and ToTs at the moment … and hope to catch up on the last couple of weeks of OSI posts and last week’s T-13s tomorrow.
Hugs and blessings,
storyteller’s last blog post..Heads or Tails #9 and Ten on Tuesday #8
Thank you all so much for your comments!
I’ve enjoyed reading all of your tips as well, and left comments at your blogs.
Storyteller, you are obviously much better with frugality in practice than I am. Congratulations!