Pants is in Costa Rica this week. I know, how does he get to go to Costa Rica when I can't eat a cheeseburger? We got real about money just 2 weeks before he was leaving and he already had a plane ticket. Anyway, he's gone all week and I have too much to say not to blog. There's too much going on.
It seems like every time I try to get going on our money I get kicked in the teeth. My DirecTV bill is going up in March and Pants and I will ahve to talk about dropping our plan down. Quite a bit. Or switching to another carrier altogether. I don't know how that conversation will go.
We discussed the phones already and we will not be getting iPhones and data plans. We will be getting replacement phones (hopefully the free ones) and going with our own company for the discount. When my discount kicks in (as opposed to Pants's discount), we'll be saving about half over what we're paying today for the same plan.
I figured out last week that picking up the ad in the grocery store is already too late. If I plan my menus with the weekly ad and match my coupons with store sales and stuff I need before I go, I can save much more. I saved $40 last week off my grocery bill! Granted, Cub had some pretty awesome sales last week on meat which contributed greatly to my savings. But dang - it was over 20% of my bill. I also finally used my Cub/Holiday gas coupon and saved $2.30 off my gas bill.
I'm watching this afternoon's Oprah and some lady saved over $150/month on her electric bill by unplugging things she wasn't using. I once blogged about the "shutoff" switch that Ed Begley had on his show, but this is the low-tech way to do it, I guess. I don't spend $150 per month on electricity, so I don't think my savings will be quite as deep. But I'm game to try it.
6 comments:
This week our grocery store had the raised-by-Amish no-antibiotics chicken we like on sale at $1/lb (cut-up fryers) and the same with some pork roasts. So I got four chicken and two roasts = protein is covered for several weeks! :)
I totally agree with you on planning the menus & doing coupons. I'd fallen off the menu-planning and coupon-using wagon for a while, but now that I'm trying to be more organized with Flylady, it's helping me do that, too. So, yay for coupons & meal planning. Also, crockpots.
Now _I_ just have to work on remembering to USE stuff in the freezer. I'm trying to take a look in the (small) chest freezer in the basement before menu planning and use at least one or two things from it since it's currently rather stocked up.
Also, I love when you blog like crazy!
Yay, blogging like crazy. I love it!
I have my game systems on a power strip and make sure the kids flip the strip off when they're done using it, it doesn't save me $150 per month, but the bill has gone down a bit despite adding a new system to the mix. Apparently they use just about as much power just being plugged in as they do when they're in use. Who knew?
I buy generic foods (or make my own) except the Pepsi that Cheesehead MUST have. It doesn't taste different and it usually costs less that if brand names have coupons anyway. Of course there are better sales going on over there so I could see saving considerable amounts of money with some smart shopping.
I'm SO proud, I've started using the stuff in our freezer and it's finally getting emptied out. That in itself saves us on our grocery bill.
The coupon thing makes me crazy. I don't mind cutting them- but I am forever forgetting to bring/use them. I do try to plan with the store flyers though- and that does seem to help. But I will never be like that lady on Oprah (or that I've seen here on the web) that can spend $12 and get hundreds of dollars worth of groceries. I love a deal, but I don't love having to go to multiple stores or having to go to a store on a certain day, etc.
Yea for coupons!
I'm tellin' ya girl, you gotta join the service. No power bill here, which has actually made me consume more, I'm sure. Of course, it doesn't help that they have the heat up so freeking high we still have to run the air-con to keep it around 26 degrees C.
And, I haven't had McDonald's since, um, let me think...October or there abouts. They have them here, but not near our place so there you go.
Of course, grocery shopping is totally different as well now....
Just read this about the new stimulus bill and thought of u. - diplowhat.
Existing homeowners could get a tax credit of up to $1,500 by making their homes more energy-efficient in 2009 or 2010. Numerous projects would qualify, such as installing energy-efficient windows, doors, roofs, furnaces, water heaters and air conditioners, or adding insulation. Homeowners can get back 30 percent of their expenses, up to $1,500.
AKJ, I have a $1 coupon portfolio that I got from the Dollar Spot at Target and seems to be the perfect size for throwing in a purse.. I got an extra if you want it.
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