Save Your Money - Save Your Life!!

I recently discovered something about myself: stress makes me sick. Now, I know what you're thinking ... duh. But you have to understand that I don't get sick very often, but when I do it's in conjunction with something else; holidays, events, etc. Turns out, it's the stress of those events and often the cost of them as well that is making me sick. Why? Because I worry.

Well, my husband and I have decided to try something new in '08 to reduce my worry, stress and subsequent illnesses. We are going to slowly change the way we live and thereby save more money and allow ourselves more time for R&R.

You'll find here several ideas that we've used in the past, and several that we plan to try.

1. Lower the cost of your energy bill.
This may seem daunting, but it's easy once you get into a routine. Also, knowing you'll have to make sacrifices helps. First, don't use your heat or your AC if you don't have to. My husband and I both work during the day. If no one is home, there is no need to run either the heat or the AC to make the house comfortable. In the summer, I simply open the windows when I get home and let the heat that has gathered dissapate and the breeze cool us down. In the winter, I block off the rooms that don't need to be heated and only leave the heat on for short periods of time. We use a space heater in our room at night. Also, listen to your mother and wear socks in the house - it helps keep you warmer.

Wash full loads of laundry, not small ones, unless it's absolutely necessary. Hang heavy clothing that soaks up moisture, rather than throwing it in the dryer. Sweaters, jeans and towels all take much longer to dry than socks and t-shirts. Hang these things and set the rest on a "less dry" cycle. You'll run the machine for much less time and it won't have to put out as much energy to dry those thinner items.

Run your dishwasher only for extremely hard to clean items. If you can wash something by hand, do. Don't run the dishwasher for anything other than a full load.

2. Food and Grocery costs.
I have a fairly small home but I found a way to make room for a chest freezer someone was giving away and a second pantry (all in my basement). I stock up on inexpensive items like bread and rolls and keep them in the extra freezer. My pantries are stocked with canned beans, tuna, sauces and pastas ... cheap groceries that go a long way and can be used a million different ways. I spend my grocery money on fresh produce and dairy products. Also, many dollar stores sell food items - cereals, snacks, sodas, cookies, stuffings, canned and jarred goods, breads, even cold or frozen items. Shop here if you are able.

Leftovers can be made over into just about anything. If you eat out and bring home a doggie bag, but don't feel like the same meal twice, remake it. I recently turned teryiaki chicken and sticky rice into chicken and rice soup that will keep for days in the fridge and weeks in the freezer. Be sure to clean out your fridge once or twice a week and use what you can.

Back to the dollar store: You can buy paper products, cleaning supplies and shampoo and body wash for a fraction of the cost in the grocery stores. And a hint about fancy shampoo - it is just soap. What you shampoo your hair with means nothing - it's the conditioner you use that effects the look and feel of it. So buy a large bottle of shampoo for a dollar and put the savings into the conditioner you love. No need to double the cost. Also generic brands are often the same quality as store brands. You are paying for bright colorful packaging.

Don't shop at eye level at any retail store. Food and pharmacies are paid good money to showcase certain items in certain places. The end of an aisle and eye-level on shelves are areas of prime real estate for marketers. Top shelves are gourmet and more expensive. Hip level to you is eye level to your kids - where the $4 boxes of cereal are. Shop at the very bottom of the shelves, most often bagged cereals lie here. The quality is much more improved than it used to be and you are saving dollars over cents.

3. Fun and Entertainment
This is especially difficult, but can be achieved just as well as other money-saving techniques. First of all, use your friends and family as much as possible. Is there a couple you and your spouse are close to? Institute movie nights and alternate. One couple hosts and cooks dinner, the other brings the rented movie and snacks. It's cheaper than going out to dinner and a movie. My husband and I have friends who are our age who we enjoy spending time with. We girls meet after work at my place and walk or do exercise videos together (no gym memberships for us!) then eat and watch movies with the boys.

Around Christmas and birthdays, ask for specific things to help you when you go out. Restaurant and movie gift cards are great gifts. Also, try Restaurants.com for coupons to great area food places in your neighborhood. Often times they consist of 1/2 off deals or buy-one-get-one. Ask for gift cards to any place you frequent and you won't have to spend a dime. Just be sure to stay within the limit of the card.

If this won't work for you, try ordering water when you eat out and only order off the appetizer, soup or salad menus. Set limits. It's better for your wallet and your waist. Have you ever gone to eat with a group and at the end of the night they decide to split the check evenly? This is NO GOOD! If you are asked to pay $50.00 when you only ate $25.00 in food, speak up and ask for a separate check! Also, eat out when lunch menus are available or when your favorite eatery offers specials, like 1/2 price burgers.

4. Recycle!
This is obvious, but I don't mean it as in bag your papers and your plastics. I mean take the things you use and use them again. This is simple and cost effective! Use your dryer sheets over and over again. Three solid uses is usually good. Keep jars that sauces, mayo, pickels, etc came in. You can keep leftovers in them, such as soup, gravy, pasta, and dips, instead of buying the expensive Tupperwares. Use the grocery bags you have for small trashcans, to keep items for donating in, or for wrapping breakable that are being stored. You can use a plastic bag the way newspaper is used: wrap it around your breakable and then pack it tight, filling the spaces with more bags.

There are so many things you can do to lower the cost of living in your life. This is only the beginning! Stay tuned for more tips and tricks to simplifying the life you love to live.