Author Topic: What small things did you do TODAY to save money? (Read 8356921 times)

CNM · « **Reply #50 on:** November 20, 2013, 11:47:22 AM »

Yesterday, which rolls over to day: went to the grocery store and bought $15 worth of fruit and veg, which should last me an my family for the remainder of the week!

Made dinner last night with the groceries purchased and some freezer items (bacon and eggs over greens)

Made breakfast this morning with groceries and freezer items- kale smoothie with a splash of juice and frozen fruit.

Made lunch for today- spinach and bacon salad with 1/2 a leftover avocado.

Instead of meeting a friend for lunch today, agreed to go for coffee/tea instead.

Have dinner thawing in the fridge!

C. K. · « **Reply #51 on:** November 20, 2013, 12:54:36 PM »

Forgot to take lunch but still didn't buy any when I have so much food at home.
I certainly won't forget tomorrow.

Samsam · « **Reply #52 on:** November 20, 2013, 12:56:38 PM »

Took as many leftovers as I could from the potluck we had at work today. You would not believe how many people won't eat leftovers!

Exflyboy · « **Reply #53 on:** November 20, 2013, 01:06:50 PM »

Stole my coworkers lunch again... I like the potluck idea..:)

Frank

aglassman · « **Reply #54 on:** November 20, 2013, 01:53:56 PM »

Convinced my wife to buy a baby high chair used off Amazon.com. Saved us about $20 dollars, I wanted to get the $40 one of Craigslist. Same brand, just a year or two older. It was a no-go. I gave up after 15 minutes of debate. I've got my work cut out for me getting her on board, especially when it comes to baby stuff!

Theadyn · « **Reply #55 on:** November 20, 2013, 02:02:21 PM »

-Staying home today.
-Portioning up homemade chicken noodle soup for the freezer for quick lunches and dinners. This made from leftover chicken from freezer, carrots that were on sale, noodles that were on sale, celery that was on sale and chopped in the freezer, onions bought on sale and chopped in the freezer. This pot will give me about 8 meals.
-Had leftover lentils for lunch
-Cooked 2 packs of on sale bacon, is packaged for the freezer. This allows me to make a breakfast burrito in 4 minutes in the morning. Made with powdered egg whites I bought in bulk and reconstituted, cheaper than fresh, and less wasteful that real, as I only eat the egg whites. Saved drippings for flavorings. I buy tortillas on sale and freeze, take out when needed.
-Hand washed dishes instead of using dishwasher.
-Will be measuring and cutting bubble wrap I garnered from work yesterday for free to add as extra insulation to my windows while still allowing light/heat in.
-No shower, just sponge bath. It's hair in a ponytail kinda day. :)

ArcticaMT6 · « **Reply #56 on:** November 20, 2013, 04:35:55 PM »

Not today, but I would highly recommend for people to buy a whole chicken. Cover it with some spices, toss it in the crockpot for 8 hours on low and you have a good meal. My wife and I usually split one of the breasts that night with veggies, and then I get as much meat as I can from the bird. Usually have some big pieces, and a ton of small pieces that are picked off the bones. Big pieces are for normal chicken meals, small pieces are for dips/soups. After that, add about 6-8 cups of water back into the crockpot with the skin/innards/bones, and cook on low for 10 hours and you now have chicken broth (after straining). Big money saver, especially if you only normally buy boneless skinless chicken breasts.

footenote · « **Reply #57 on:** November 20, 2013, 05:01:54 PM »

Quote from: ArcticaMT6 on November 20, 2013, 04:35:55 PM

Not today, but I would highly recommend for people to buy a whole chicken. Cover it with some spices, toss it in the crockpot for 8 hours on low and you have a good meal. My wife and I usually split one of the breasts that night with veggies, and then I get as much meat as I can from the bird. Usually have some big pieces, and a ton of small pieces that are picked off the bones. Big pieces are for normal chicken meals, small pieces are for dips/soups. After that, add about 6-8 cups of water back into the crockpot with the skin/innards/bones, and cook on low for 10 hours and you now have chicken broth (after straining). Big money saver, especially if you only normally buy boneless skinless chicken breasts.

+1 for the crockpot, and you can cook a small-to-medium whole chicken in a pressure cooker, too:
http://www.food.com/recipe/pressure-cooker-whole-chicken-369106

Some methods call for browning pre-cook; others advise pressure cooking chicken and then browning under the broiler.

pka222 · « **Reply #58 on:** November 20, 2013, 06:41:26 PM »

Frank- you steal my lunch again- I'm gona take your mouse !

Dicey · « **Reply #59 on:** November 20, 2013, 10:56:26 PM »

I made dinner tonight using up yellow squash, plus orange and red peppers from the .99 Only Store (.50 each). I sauteed mushrooms and onions (Costco), heaped it all on a bed of quinoa and topped it with feta and diced beets (more Costco). I was just using up the bits & pieces that were in the fridge, not realizing I was also creating an answer to this question. Alas, I had hoped to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow, but my family scarfed it all up. Good problem, no?

I did go to Target today to use their spend $50, save $10 coupon, which I scrounged from a neighbor. Bought some nice sale-priced holiday teas and chocolate for Christmas gifts.

On the way home, I dropped off some tattered library discard books at the recycling center. A guy was about to throw away a nice shower chair. I asked him why he was tossing it into a dumpster and he said hospice didn't want it. I told him about freecycle and offered to post it for him. I left the recycle center with all of his no-longer-needed sickroom stuff, which I will post on freecycle in the morning. I hope getting these supplies gratis will make someone's day.

nikki · « **Reply #60 on:** November 20, 2013, 11:40:46 PM »

This morning I ate two fried eggs on top of rice left from last night. I also had about 3/4 a cup of coffee that was left from the pot I made two days ago. I make one full pot of coffee when I'm out and keep it in the fridge until it's gone. Coffee snobs will probably hate this method.

gooki · « **Reply #61 on:** November 21, 2013, 01:35:44 AM »

I cycled to the hardware store on my lunch break. Saves driving there on the weekend.

sunshine · « **Reply #62 on:** November 21, 2013, 05:07:12 AM »

Cooked for the next 3 days.~ Hit the dollar store after dropping mom at her appt.~ Much of my list could be had there for $1~sent in the bullet rebates

NinetyFour · « **Reply #63 on:** November 21, 2013, 07:06:30 AM »

I am out of town for work, and yesterday, I did not spend any $$ on food, which means I will get to keep my whole per diem!!

ArcticaMT6 · « **Reply #64 on:** November 21, 2013, 08:49:48 AM »

Quote from: footenote on November 20, 2013, 05:01:54 PM

Quote from: ArcticaMT6 on November 20, 2013, 04:35:55 PM
Not today, but I would highly recommend for people to buy a whole chicken. Cover it with some spices, toss it in the crockpot for 8 hours on low and you have a good meal. My wife and I usually split one of the breasts that night with veggies, and then I get as much meat as I can from the bird. Usually have some big pieces, and a ton of small pieces that are picked off the bones. Big pieces are for normal chicken meals, small pieces are for dips/soups. After that, add about 6-8 cups of water back into the crockpot with the skin/innards/bones, and cook on low for 10 hours and you now have chicken broth (after straining). Big money saver, especially if you only normally buy boneless skinless chicken breasts.
+1 for the crockpot, and you can cook a small-to-medium whole chicken in a pressure cooker, too:
http://www.food.com/recipe/pressure-cooker-whole-chicken-369106

Some methods call for browning pre-cook; others advise pressure cooking chicken and then browning under the broiler.

Most people don't have pressure cookers, but they do have crockpots. I've never bothered to really brown it at all, and once it's cooked in the crockpot, it typically falls apart super easily, so I'd be hesitant to try and take it out to brown without it going everywhere.

Usually, stores will have regular chickens on sale for under $1/lb. If you don't make broth, it ends up being only marginally cheaper than buying just the meat, but the broth is a major savings. I usually cook a whole chicken once a month or so, and supplement with chicken breasts in between. We typically get a weeks worth of meat for meals out of one chicken.

It also helps to reduce the cost of buying organic/free range if that's important to you (we buy organic/free range meats and most vegetables). $2.99/lb usually for whole chickens, and $6.49+/lb for just the breasts.

Along the same lines, another thing that we do:

Save all the scraps and cutoffs from vegetables. Put them in a gallon plastic freezer bag and put it in the freezer. When it's full, use it to make soup or vegetable broth. I save the stems from broccoli and the extra bits of onions (never seem to use a whole onion in one/two meals) for soups like this.

CNM · « **Reply #65 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:07:41 AM »

Sent some no longer loved clothes to liketwice, and got $11 for them!

My parents brought over dinner, which was a pleasant surprise, so my planned dinner will be eaten tonight instead.

Made my lunch for work today, as well as son's breakfast and lunch.

Organized a carpool for work on Friday and another carpool for an event I'm going to on Saturday.

stevesteve · « **Reply #66 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:08:50 AM »

I found my sweatshirt zipper had broken. I found a paperclip on the floor. I have a perfectly working sweatshirt again.

Samsam · « **Reply #67 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:16:42 AM »

Eating leftovers (honestly, going to eat the potluck leftovers for the next 5 days)
Working from home
Sold a pair of shoes on ebay that I do not wear anymore

I also have recently started buying huge chunks of meat from costco and cutting them into steak portions myself. $5 for a big ribeye steak? awesome

Michread · « **Reply #68 on:** November 21, 2013, 12:18:33 PM »

Reduced our life insurance today; we'll save $100/mo. We should have done this several years ago now that our dc are older. We'll need to remember to reduce the life insurance policy again in a year or two.

Ironfist · « **Reply #69 on:** November 21, 2013, 02:05:08 PM »

Went out to lunch on the company's dime. :D

JessieImproved · « **Reply #70 on:** November 21, 2013, 03:07:29 PM »

It's usually warm in my office (basically where all the heat in the house travels), but since the heat wasn't running, it was actually pretty chilly. Instead of cranking up the heat, I put on a sweater and put a blanket over my legs.

turboseize · « **Reply #71 on:** November 21, 2013, 03:44:35 PM »

Well, actually did not do much, but received a lot: some month ago we bought a new bed (the old bed had been bought by my wife - used - nearly 10 years ago, even before we got to kow each other and it was to small for both of us.) Wife wanted to throw the old one into the trash. I disagreed. Bed went into the basement instead and I took 3 pictures and wrote a classified on the German equivalent of craigslist.

Today, a girl showed up and paid 50€ for the old disassembled bed. 50€ for 5 minutes of work - I wouldn't mind if everything was so easy.
Best of all: dear wife acknowledged for the first time that my annoying obsession with saving money might not be completely useless. :-)

fmzip · « **Reply #72 on:** November 21, 2013, 06:35:51 PM »

Looked at my Comcast Bill. Saw that I was renting a cable modem from them for $7 a month. Quick Google search, determined I could buy a replacement for $49 and eliminate the perpetual $7 a month sucking sound ;)

Next, looked at my Directv bill (can't kick the habit). After minimizing our content last week (reduced bill by $16 a month) decided to call them and inquire about a discount. They offered a $10 discount for autopay and another $5 discount for paperless billing.

Very profitable day! :)

cats · « **Reply #73 on:** November 21, 2013, 07:43:46 PM »

Decided it was time to put up an indoor clothesline. Estimated savings is about $60/yr (assuming the cost of dryer time in our complex laundry room stays stable!)

freeedom · « **Reply #74 on:** November 21, 2013, 08:50:15 PM »

I host some websites for customers + my websites on a VPS. I'm in the process of moving from a host that costs $25 a month to a host that costs $5. That's $240 a year...

I also just ordered my Republic Wireless phone... taking my bill down from Net10's $45 a month down to $10 a month - which is another $420 a year. Now I just need to sell my old phone, and buy a used Ipod Nano for Gym + Car music instead of using my phones SD Card.

mm31 · « **Reply #75 on:** November 21, 2013, 09:52:09 PM »

Made 2 batches of bread.

Made chicken stock from carcass.

Made red beans.

swick · « **Reply #76 on:** November 21, 2013, 11:34:36 PM »

I like reading about all the little things people are doing!
- Turned the scraps of yesterdays spaghetti sauce into chili.
- Wore three sweaters while working form home to save on heat.
- got together for a weekly board game night instead of going out to socialize.
- started a batch of plantain oil to make some salve for Christmas presents

nikki · « **Reply #77 on:** November 22, 2013, 01:25:41 AM »

Today I sent documents via regular mail rather than registered mail. It should take around the same amount of time, and I trust the Korean postal service to get them there with regular mail. I probably only saved a couple bucks doing so, but still!

I'm also eating the rest of the bulgogi-marinated pork I prepared last night. I decided to make the carrots and mushrooms a bigger percentage of the meal than the pork, saving a negligible amount of money (I bought the super cheap chopped up mystery bits of pork that cost around $2.50 for 300g). I'll use up the small amount of cooked rice that was left over as well, again saving a VERY negligible amount of money.

Still haven't turned on the ondol (floor heating). Sweatpants, hoodies, fuzzy socks, and blankets ahoy!

turboseize · « **Reply #78 on:** November 22, 2013, 01:59:48 AM »

@ mom to five:

Depending on what you pay for electricity, you might consider changing the bulbs to energy-saving light bulbs or even LED.
I'm down to 792kWh annualy (average in Germany is 1798 kWh for a single person household*), even though my espresso machine works overtime.
At nearly 25 ct per kWh (0.34 USD), that amounts to 309€ (416 USD) I got back from my electricity company.

Money saving goals for today:

I have listed todays drive home (600km) on some ride-sharing platforms. Unfortunately, no calls yet (quite unusual, as normally I have at least one, often up to 3 people travelling in my car.) Each ride-sharer would subsidize my cost by 35€.

If I don't find someone until departure, I'll drive slower to save gas.

*In case you are confused as to why I state a single-person houshold while being married: I got university admission in a town 600km from where my wife works. Not an optimal situation, but as the army pays my rent for the next three years, it could be worse. Of course, we're looking for a job for my wife here in Berlin. That would save us a lot of time and the taxpayer a lot of money.
Until then, I'm going to work on improving my wife's electricity consumption also. Still some gains to be had there.

aglassman · « **Reply #79 on:** November 22, 2013, 09:07:17 AM »

The coffee shop by my work was selling 30$ worth of gift cards for $25. This will give me a 17% discount on baked good I get there (1/2 priced after noon), and $1 refills on my travel mug! The baristas there love me because I throw a few extra cents in the tip jar due to my savings, on the other hand the owner probably hates me.

momo · « **Reply #80 on:** November 22, 2013, 10:20:28 AM »

Cleaning out storage and posted items locally to sell. Yesterday successfully sold one piece of furniture for $100 and two hockey jerseys for $160 profit even considering most items were over five years old and very well maintained. :) Need to keep on clearing out things and donating clothes too before year end.

I've been walking to work from the train station savings $4 per day. Packing lunch for over a decade and eating leftovers everyday at work so steady savings $8 per day.

Completely avoiding "happy hours" like the plague which is a daily activity here at work, savings $16 per not so happy hour visit. Thank goodness!

Stopped drinking coffee cold and switched to drinking hot water instead. Savings $2.00 per cup twice a day. Eating work provided instant oatmeal daily, savings $4.00 per breakfast.

Lastly, laying out clothes, packing lunch/backpack the night before, and leaving home earlier in the morning all help avoid rushing or getting stuck in traffic. Currently drive 12 minutes to the train station in the mornings (but plan on moving at months end within walking distance to the train station). As a result I generally do not speed when driving and do not have to worry about tickets b/c I am at the speed limit or just slightly over 65 mph. The peace of mind savings are priceless. :D

PilotsWife · « **Reply #81 on:** November 22, 2013, 12:44:57 PM »

We are planning an international trip for early next year & put a strict budget on it. This will save us probably around 2k from when we used to just wing it & spend way too much on everything.

Before getting into MMM, I had a bit of a luxury hotel addiction. By using airbnb & sticking to cheaper hotels, I just cut $400 from our trip expenditures which brings us below budget. Yay!

Also, I am cooking solely from the cupboards/pantry since we did a crap job this month of budgeting our grocery money. Now, we'll actually be able to still have a great Thanksgiving dinner and not go over budget, while using up some staples we've had in the cupboards for way too long.

Samsam · « **Reply #82 on:** November 22, 2013, 12:46:42 PM »

Conference at work today...took the leftover sandwiches....I think I'm becoming a food klepto....

avonlea · « **Reply #83 on:** November 22, 2013, 12:52:34 PM »

Quote from: spedleysam on November 22, 2013, 12:46:42 PM

Conference at work today...took the leftover sandwiches....I think I'm becoming a food klepto....

LOL. Carpe diem!

Ironfist · « **Reply #84 on:** November 22, 2013, 12:55:08 PM »

Quote from: avonlea on November 22, 2013, 12:52:34 PM

Quote from: spedleysam on November 22, 2013, 12:46:42 PM
Conference at work today...took the leftover sandwiches....I think I'm becoming a food klepto....

LOL. Carpe diem!

No, carpe sandwich!

swick · « **Reply #85 on:** November 22, 2013, 01:00:13 PM »

Today I am making Ginger Beef and chow mien. At the local Chinese food place we would be paying 40.00+ for two servings. making at home it will cost us about 15.00 for at least 4 servings, probably 5

footenote · « **Reply #86 on:** November 22, 2013, 01:21:35 PM »

Quote from: spedleysam on November 22, 2013, 12:46:42 PM

Conference at work today...took the leftover sandwiches....I think I'm becoming a food klepto....

Better that they should be eaten than thrown away. (The latter being the fate of far too much corporate conference foods...)

aglassman · « **Reply #87 on:** November 22, 2013, 01:56:13 PM »

Quote from: swick on November 22, 2013, 01:00:13 PM

At the local Chinese food place we would be paying 40.00+ for two servings.

Wow, that's the most expensive Chinese food I've ever heard of! Around here you can split one order of Broccoli Beef that costs $8.50 between two people!

Bruised_Pepper · « **Reply #88 on:** November 22, 2013, 02:06:35 PM »

Sold my car and cancelled my car insurance, natch.

lifejoy · « **Reply #89 on:** November 22, 2013, 02:24:00 PM »

Cut up my visa and cancelled it.

:)

swick · « **Reply #90 on:** November 22, 2013, 02:49:45 PM »

Quote from: aglassman on November 22, 2013, 01:56:13 PM

Quote from: swick on November 22, 2013, 01:00:13 PM
At the local Chinese food place we would be paying 40.00+ for two servings.

Wow, that's the most expensive Chinese food I've ever heard of! Around here you can split one order of Broccoli Beef that costs $8.50 between two people!

The joy of living in Northern BC. If it was decent, it might not even be so bad for a once in a while blue moon treat - but it's not very good. Ginger beef with no sides and really only enough food for one person is 16.95. So two orders plus a starch or noodle to share, we would be looking at over 40.00.

But it makes cooking at home an easy and tasty win :)

reginna · « **Reply #91 on:** November 22, 2013, 03:41:10 PM »

Quote from: Bruised_Pepper on November 22, 2013, 02:06:35 PM

Sold my car and cancelled my car insurance, natch.

Baddass!

Mrs.FamilyFinances · « **Reply #92 on:** November 24, 2013, 01:24:40 PM »

I cut my son and my husband's hair.

Debbie M · « **Reply #93 on:** November 24, 2013, 01:51:22 PM »

Quote from: Michread on November 21, 2013, 12:18:33 PM

Reduced our life insurance today; we'll save $100/mo. We should have done this several years ago now that our dc are older. We'll need to remember to reduce the life insurance policy again in a year or two.

Do you have some sort of electronic (or other calendar) you can add this task to?

Today I:
* brought my own containers to the coop, which earned me 30 cents--also, I don't have to throw away bags and I brought the containers I actually use, so I didn't lose anything having to move things over
* stocked up on things that were on sale
* remembered to check my list of what's good at each store before I left, so I remembered to get another thing that's best there that I will probably run out of before I return
* yummy leftovers all day
* no heat--in the summer, we keep it as warm as he can stand it; in the winter it's my turn to have to be tough. I get the easy end of it since we live somewhere warm, but it's been in the 30's and 40's lately, so it's down to 63 in the house. I've learned that the scientific 7-minute workout actually warms me up. Not to mention my hat and scarf. (He's still in shorts and a t-shirt.)
* reading books from my boyfriend's bookshelves (he has every single Georgette Heyer Regency romance)

impaire · « **Reply #94 on:** November 24, 2013, 02:17:16 PM »

Today, beyond the usual (eating leftovers, etc.) I invested in myself: after months without exercising, did a 7-minute workout with the free android app.

7 minutes may not be badass, but that's about one hundred billion times plus seven minutes more than I did yesterday!

swick · « **Reply #95 on:** November 24, 2013, 02:48:30 PM »

I have a loaf of french bread and a pan of Rosemary Parmesan focaccia rising. Savings over store bought 3.00 for the french and 12.00 for the focaccia (not that I would spend that much, but that's what it sells for in the store)

otherwise, it has been a clean and organize the pantry kinda day, which will save time looking for things and money buying things we already have and need to use.

NinetyFour · « **Reply #96 on:** November 24, 2013, 02:54:01 PM »

Biked to the ice rink to play hockey--instead of driving--in a light snow. So fun!!!

C. K. · « **Reply #97 on:** November 24, 2013, 03:21:57 PM »

Bowed out of a restaurant invite. Met with them later at my home. We ate my banana muffins.

boy_bye · « **Reply #98 on:** November 24, 2013, 03:24:40 PM »

After a grueling work week I felt a strong urge to buy some fancy makeup. Which I need like a(nother) hole in my head.

But I resisted. And I did some yoga and gave myself an avocado oil hair treatment and trimmed my bangs and played with some of the fancy makeup I already have. $0.

ShortInSeattle · « **Reply #99 on:** November 24, 2013, 04:45:37 PM »

We have a few thousand bucks left in our vacation budget and planned to use it to take a trip over Thanksgiving week. Decided to staycation instead.

News:

Author Topic: What small things did you do TODAY to save money? (Read 8356921 times)

stevesteve

avonlea