Stupid Spenders Survival Guide

It has always been the economy. Can you ever remember a time when money was not an issue? The television evangelist Reverend Creflo Dollar tells us there is a big difference between being poor and being "po". "Po" is eating Hamburger Helper without the hamburger, but do not become a victim of economic circumstance. The trick for stupid spenders is to become smarter spenders who still spend. Here are a few tips on how to maintain some sanity by saving money without too much sacrifice. By cutting costs upfront you can still maintain your quality of life through hard economic times.

FOOD

Try sugar substitutes. Packets with names like "Equal" or "Alike" appear to come the closet to the real thing and cost around $2.50 a box. These sugar substitutes have 100 packets or more to a box which last an entire month and can be used in coffee or cereal - not for baking and not for pets, however. If you are currently buying regular sugar in bulk, you are probably not paying attention to portion-size. Substitute sugar packets help get a handle on useage. The box is cheap and does not take up much space in the cupboard. It does not need another container to hold it and can be used with no mess. If you like to bake buy pre-mixed packages that already contain the ingredients you will need like sugar. Corn bread, Jiffy pie and cake mixes plus all purpose Krusteaz usually need only water added to the baking mix.

Try canned meats like imported canned hams. These are sold at discount and drug stores like Walgreens online and not found in grocery stores. Do not confuse 2 lb Dak Danish canned hams with products like Spam, they are not the same. These canned hams have a long shelf life. Once you learn how to open the aluminum containers with the key and remove the fat, you will find inside real meat that can be cubed into salads and pea soup, fried with eggs for breakfast and tastes great. These usually run about $2.50 on sale. They make great ham and cheese sandwiches and baked casseroles. Also found at discount stores are the little cans of Hereford Roast Beef. Just like the real thing and comes with gravy in the can. I have seen these on sale three for $5.

Forget about tiny buckets of Asian noodles and think outside the box. Frozen sausage is inexpensive and tastes better than hamburger mixed into meals. A tiny package of 10 links are only one dollar and the plastic-covered 2- lb chubs are usually under $2.50 on sale. Try rice in place of pasta noodles. Parmesan Cheese packets as well as diced onion and diced red pepper packets can be salvaged from home pizza deliveries. Use canned or fresh diced tomato in place of overpriced sauces in the jar. Any time you do go to a fast food place ask for their dipping sauces like Sweet and Sour, Barbeque and Honey Mustard (hopefully free or 10 cents a piece). These make a great saute for cheap meats and give potato salad and pasta punch.

CLOTHING

The most important items you will wear are your coat and shoes. In wintertime they are really the only items people will see outside. How they make you feel makes all the difference in the world and if they are not warm enough or waterproof enough you will suffer. Function over fashion is the way to go. Did you know that many online catalog stores offer deferred billing with an in-house credit card? They tie up your available credit for about three days and then it drops off until the charge goes through two to three months later. In the meantime, you can enjoy wearing the clothing. Once authorized, the credit card companies usually honor the deferred bill at the later date. Sometimes you can combine specials like buy two get one free and 30 percent off. Many come with a free gift with purchase or free shipping - ask for these goodies up front if you do not see them in the catalog or go online for the discount codes.

Did you know that discount drug stores like Rite-Aid sell shoes and clothes? Drug stores have grown their inventory now. You can find more than just flip-flops and tee shirts. I found a pair of suede and fleece boots similar to the Uggs brand for $10 in a variety of colors. Long-sleeve sweatshirts were going for under $5. These are great places to find underwear, socks, hats and gloves too. Check the labels for "real leather" and watch for mislabeled sizing, a common occurrence unfortunately among discount chains. Do not forget those "single-check rebates" and other incentives and coupons for saving more.

HOME HEATING

Now may be the time to look into home heating programs offered by your local utility company. Most companies can direct you to which of their programs may be right for you regardless of your income. For example, a budget payment plan based on your prior useage, a discount for seniors and disabled program, grants for low income/large family (they keep raising the eligibility range), or energy conservation program where you can get help in financing insulation projects and replace worn out water heaters and furnaces. Make your home more valuable while saving money on energy bills too. A fireplace insert may be a smarter purchase than a tank of oil, so long as you are ready to find and chop the wood yourself. Even simple room-size carpets, insulated draperies and cuddly blankets will make your home warmer. Fleece throws work better than slipcovers and cost around $8-$10 a throw in a variety of styles.

FINAL THOUGHT FOR STUPID SPENDERS

One of my cardinal rules is not to spend money on anything which disappears into thin air, for example, cable TV, expensive gasoline, cigarettes, newspapers and lottery tickets. If you can cut back on these habits, you will be amazed at the money you can save. Also, when you give extra savings to charity, you always get back double or more. Try it!