What small things did you do TODAY to save money?

[midweststache]

- Meal planned and organized to shop sales and coupons at area grocery stores. Batching errands so we're not re-covering tracks this weekend.
- Sucked it up and did a big stock-up on non-food items at Target. I'm already seeing price increases on medicine, personal care, and cleaning supplies, as well as low stock, so now we should be set on household and personal items until the fall. I don't use my Target card much anymore - we got it when we were buying a lot of baby stuff for the kiddos - but I used it to get 5% off the total purchase; I also checked MyCircle for the first time all year, and had a few coupons for things we planned to buy.

I'll be traveling for work later this week, so we've meal planned to not use our "out" day until I'm traveling - I'll be reimbursed for expenses for work - so DH and the KIDDOS can order pizza and eat off it while I'm gone.

[dandarc]

Some cookies wife had ordered from amazon finally showed up - took 2 weeks, and when it arrived chocolate had melted off the individual cookies into a giant blob and there were ants both on and in the package. Requested refund and got it, so that's $13 that we didn't have yesterday.

[mm1970]

Really wanted a soda after donating blood, but didn't really have time to go between that and work meeting.  Plus, no easy place to stop.  Went to office and made myself a free mocha, with hot cocoa mix, creamer, and decaf instant coffee.

[crocheted_stache]

Paired a work-subsidized side salad with half a lunch worth of leftovers that were on the long end of still okay.

Biked to work, as ever.

[41_swish]

I good most of meals at home now, since becoming a mustache, and I think that was the biggest difference for me. I eat healthier and have lost a little weight and I am saving way more money. Dining out and food delivery was my true vice before taking saving seriously.

[Dicey]

Today I'm doing a 3-hour volunteer gig in the community. There will be free lunch from my choice of food trucks. Yes, I will work (mostly talk) for food! It will be a fun event. Being fed is just a bonus.

I also placed my first ever Amazon Fresh order late last night for delivery today. I needed something specific that I hadn't found elsewhere, so I scoured the sale items to make up an order. I accidently ordered something with caffeine in it. It was out of stock, so they subbed the non-caffeine version, yippee! Everything else was exactly as I ordered, at prices I was willing to pay.

[Freedomin5]

I gave away several pieces of furniture for free so that I don’t have to pay for their removal. It’s about $20-40 saved per piece of furniture.

[Loretta]

I bought a little sodapop and donuts and such for my hotel stay.  Spent 65 dollars at Walmart on yarn and stuff that will make me happy.  Also used a 20% off code for the holiday on some health purchases. 

[crocheted_stache]

I gave away several pieces of furniture for free so that I don’t have to pay for their removal. It’s about $20-40 saved per piece of furniture.

This, to me, remains among the all-time best deals that Craigslist/etc. has to offer.  You snap a photo and make a post, and somebody else hauls your old stuff away. Bonus if it keeps something out of the landfill and helps a young person just starting out or someone new to the area.

[Freedomin5]

I borrowed a moving dolly from a friend so that we can move broken furniture to the dump in our compound, which saves us the removal fee if we were to hire someone to take it away for us.

I also walked home from church today and bought a sushi roll at the convenience store instead of eating at a restaurant. Lunch was $10 instead of $40.

[crocheted_stache]

Often, if I have a full lunch, I'll have a light dinner. Today, I had a pretty good portion of leftovers for lunch. As I was packing up to leave the office a little late, I found the very last bits of a cheese and crackers tray that was left in the break room. This is the kind of night where my meal was probably going to be cheese sandwiches, anyway, so I polished off the tray. I supplemented it with a few snacks at home.

[midweststache]

We had two moderately shelf-stable options on the menu for dinner last night (one for last night, one for tonight). Kiddos asked to do leftovers instead. Who am I to argue with mitigating food waste?

[Dicey]

I had to drive about an hour each way to participate in a medical study twice this week (including today.) There's no set lunch time, just random breaks during the day. I brought my water bottle and an assortment of snacks, so no money was spent eating out. I hosted a meeting this week and we ate leftovers for dinner the next day.

[Freedomin5]

I had to drive about an hour each way to participate in a medical study twice this week (including today.) There's no set lunch time, just random breaks during the day. I brought my water bottle and an assortment of snacks, so no money was spent eating out. I hosted a meeting this week and we ate leftovers for dinner the next day.

If they’re going to make you stay the day, they should at least comp you lunch. I mean, the hospital/university can’t be that poor.

[midweststache]

- Woke up super early and hit the grocery right when they opened. Between coupons, shopping sales and keeping to my list, I made it out at ~$130 for a family of four. Solo shopping helped, though I will say the KIDDOS are pretty fantastic about keeping to the list!
- Forgot something at the grocery store (ofc). Walked to another grocery store (closer, but I can't get everything there...) with kiddo, and used the dregs of a GC (and $0.15) to pay for it.
- Walked to KIDDO2's ball game, rather than drive.
- Ordered ~90 days worth of food for the Couch Cuddler. We had a 25% off coupon, which saved us ~$30. DH picked this up on his way home from KIDDO1's ball game.

[Dicey]

I had to drive about an hour each way to participate in a medical study twice this week (including today.) There's no set lunch time, just random breaks during the day. I brought my water bottle and an assortment of snacks, so no money was spent eating out. I hosted a meeting this week and we ate leftovers for dinner the next day.

If they’re going to make you stay the day, they should at least comp you lunch. I mean, the hospital/university can’t be that poor.

There is other compensation. Bringing snacks gives me the most time flexibility. For example, we were able to get a chunk of Friday's work done on Tuesday, shaving an hour off the return commute. They do offer rides via Uber, but I don't drive much these days and I don't mind making the trip to keep my heavy traffic driving skills sharp.

Interestingly, another forumite is in the same study at a different medical center in SoCal. They report payment at the time of each visit. Some studies give gift cards, some send checks. I'd much rather have a check.

[crocheted_stache]

Last night I cranked out a double batch of homemade bread to take to three barbecue/potluck events today. I did most of what I did after 9pm. I'd like to say it was to beat the heat, but it was mostly because I'm a procrastinator and a night owl.

I think we'll be able to make all three events by bike and transit, no car.

[Dicey]

Last night I cranked out a double batch of homemade bread to take to three barbecue/potluck events today. I did most of what I did after 9pm. I'd like to say it was to beat the heat, but it was mostly because I'm a procrastinator and a night owl.

I think we'll be able to make all three events by bike and transit, no car.

Ha! That was another benefit of the medical study. While it was broiling in the East Bay on Friday, It was a delightfully sunny 72 degree day in China Basin.

Yesterday afternoon, I did a three hour cover shift at the Thrift Shop, which was blissfully air conditioned. We didn't turn on the A/C at home, because, hey, it was only a 2.5 day heat wave.

I noticed the shop was out of certain sizes of "Size" donuts. Instead of ordering more, I grabbed the ones we had too many of, took them home and used my p-touch to convert them to the sizes we're short on. No money spent.

I have a Grocery Outlet $5 off $25 coupon that expires tomorrow, so I'll probably swing by there and grab some perishables.

Now that it's cool again, I plan to do some batch cooking in preparation for our next road trip.

[mm1970]

Gonna drop the hubs off at the airport for  his trip back east (personal trip), so as not to pay for airport parking.  He has to be at the airport WAY early for SB due to my schedule (like a full hour), but he can work there.

[crocheted_stache]

Gonna drop the hubs off at the airport for  his trip back east (personal trip), so as not to pay for airport parking.  He has to be at the airport WAY early for SB due to my schedule (like a full hour), but he can work there.

My parents have done this occasionally for getting to the airport for a multi-day trip:
1. They drive to the airport at oh-dark-thirty, park in airport parking, and catch their plane.
2. My brother or I get up whenever we like later that day, and get to the airport any other way. I usually choose transit when it's my turn. We pay the $15 fee is to bail the car out and take it home (theirs or ours; we're local).
3. Upon return, we pick them up as necessary and they pay us back for the parking.

It's not $0, but it's one day worth of paid parking instead of weeks.