[USER]

So I recently purchased my first house and I did not foresee some of the initial costs of owning a home vs renting. So money is a little tighter now.

I’m not in debt and am still able to pay all my bills but there is not as much wiggle room as I’m accustomed to.

I’m looking for any tips for keeping bills down and sticking to a tight budget while still enjoying life.

I have cut out most of my eating out and I usually grocery shop the discount shelves. Any ideas/tips on keeping costs down would be appreciated.

I do work a few hours at a second job and I could pick up a few more hours there, but that wouldn’t be ideal.

Any tips on saving on bills or frugal entertainment ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I don’t have any debt aside from my mortgage so that is definitely a good thing.

[Elisabeth]

Be patient. As time goes by, the finances will loosen up. It costs a lot out of pocket to buy a house. For now, just enjoy YOUR space, shop frugally and dine at home.

For entertainment, try public parks, museums, music recitals at local colleges and churches and free festivals that offer music.

Borrow books and DVDs from your public library.

[Gloria]

I live in China, but had to go three months without a paycheck. I also had to move this past summer, but once they got the refrigerator and washer installed, I knew I could stop eating out.

You just have your mortgage as debt, so that’s a good thing. Here are some tips: Don’t subscribe to a streaming service. I watch YouTube probably 99 percent of the time.

There’s lots of great content on here, plus stuff you’ll never see in the mainstream.

I watched Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story on YouTube and it rattled me for days. The movie, made by Todd Haynes, can’t be shown publicly, because he used the Carpenters music without permission.

But the movie, even though it looks like it was shot on one-ply toilet paper, highlights Karen’s struggles with her family dynamics (fucked up) and her eating disorder.

Same with music services. Use YouTube for most of your entertainment.

The library is a great resource for books. Try not to buy books unless you KNOW you’re going to read them again and again, or if they are rare books you just can’t find at the thrift stores. And thrift stores/consignment stores.

New clothes just don’t last as long. Try to go for a capsule wardrobe. And you can find really cool stuff at the thrifts. Don’t buy somethiing unless you know you will keep it for a long time. Surplus stores.

I wish we had these in China, but we don’t. It’s a great place to get good deals on expired or almost expired food. When shopping for groceries, check out the discounted fruits/veggies.

Same with meat–look for discounted meat, then take it home and freeze it right away. Keep stuff like canned goods, mac and cheese, etc.

around so you are less tempted to go out and eat. Go online to look for copycat recipes so if you want Cheddar’s monte cristo sandwich, you can make it at home.

They don’t have Cheddar’s here in China, but I made a monte cristo sandwich, and it turned out great. Hint: use pancake batter to fry the sandwich in.

Use public transportation as much as you can. If you live rural, this is hard. I understand. Avoid vending machines.

I used to work for a guy who had a vending concession. Instead, if you need/want snacks, buy large bags of whatever, and put them into baggies.

Bring your own water whenever you go, so you aren’t tempted to buy bottled water/soda if you are out running errands, or whatever and get thirsty.

Bottled water goes from 28 to 75 cents here, but you better believe that I freeze half-filled bottles at home, then right when I’m ready to leave, fill the rest.

That way, I have ice cold water (as opposed to slightly chilled or room temperture water) all day long. Learn to cut your own hair or go to a beauty college.

If a university has a dental program, go there for whatever work they can do that you need. Try getting a side hustle.

I LOVED driving Uber, because if I needed something that was $200-$300, I knew I could work a couple three weekends and I’d have it. If you don’t want to do Uber, try GrubHub or Door Dash, or Rover, if you like pets.

For those kinds of gigs, you work them when you want to, so you are not tied to a schedule like you would at retailing/serving at a restaurant. Put your money into a high yield savings account.

Twice a year, at birthday and Christmas (Haunukkah, Kwanzaa, whatever holiday you celebrate) TREAT YOURSELF! STart an IRA if you don’t already have one. Try to think of saving money/being frugal a game.

I lived on $10 a day for two and a half months until I got paid again.

Congrats on that house!

[Ancella]

Congratulations on purchasing your own home! What I have noticed, is that if you wait 10 years plus, you will find that your mortgage will be less than what an apartment costs to rent in the same area.

It will save money in the long run.

Have you applied for the tax break called the Homestead Exemption?

It varies by state. I live in Texas and here, it exempts 20% of the value of the home from property tax.

Also, if you have 20% equity you can drop the PMI payment.

[Lauren]

If you have not had much training on routine house maintenance, take advantage of the often free classes at the big box home stores.

Or check out YouTube channels for various repair hints.

There are lots of ways you can DIY to keep up your house.

[CC]

For myself, I tried to stop buying things that were not reusable. I purchased dryer balls instead of dryer sheets, cloth napkins, dish cloths to wash dishes instead of sponges.

[April]

Always get three quotes on everything. If you are a teacher, nurse, first respinder, military ask everywhere if they have a discount. Put low cost fans in most rooms/ use ceiling fans.

Moving air feels better and the electric of a cieling fans is much less than 1 degree on your thermostat.congrats on your hime!

[Elizabeth]

One thing that saves a lot of money that some folks don’t think of is not driving just anywhere that suits your fancy. If it is within a mile, walk or bike.

And wait till you have a list of things needed or places you need to go before you drive to town.

Also saves wear and tear on your vehicle!

[Vele]

Plant a garden. There’s nothing better than eating fresh vegetables from your hand made garden. If you don’t have a lot have time to manage a garden then plant right under the eaves of the roof where the water runs off.

I turned off my refrigerator and it had cut my power bill down tremendously , but I still use the ice chest freezer.

If you cook on a griddle, use a crock pot, or instead pot instead of your oven you can save a lot.

[Sherry]

If you’re still using cable, cut the cord and stream. That’s just the cost of internet and whatever you choose to watch Black Friday which is too late right now for this year has great sales on peacock Paramount Hulu Disney plus Disney plus now includes ESPN.

I don’t know that’s what saved me. A lot of money is when I quit paying for cable

[Kellie]

Congrats! The first thing I would do is establish an emergency fund ASAP. If that means picking up extra hours even a day or two a week, or grinding it out for a couple weeks and get that fund up quickly.

$1,000 is recommended, but anything you can set aside that is just for true emergencies will be useful.

That way, when — not if — you have an unexpected bill you will be able to cover it without having to use a credit card or tap your already strained budget.

After that, I have heard that You Need A Budget is a useful tool, but really any budgeting software or even a free template from google docs will work.

Get your spending plan on paper so you know what you are dealing with. Budget those meals out so you don’t overspend in that category.

I wish you well.

[Brenda]

Unplug unplug, little bucket of warm water to soak dishes. I work and sit down at my job during the week I wear 2 pairs of pants for a week. Go home and hang them so at the end of the week there are less clothes to wash.

When I see a sale I buy as much as I can.

I was running low on cash this past week so I didn’t go to the store because I already had plenty of meat.

I buy lots of stuff dollar tree like soap, toothpaste and yes, I have found a strong deodorant. I decided this yr to pay down debt so no more buying nothing.

I am planning to use everything I have accumulated for years like lotions. Blessings it can be done

[Vi]

Use your storage space. When there’s a great sale in toilet paper. Buy the limit. Clothes- yard sale. Prices are dirt cheap and quality often better than thrift shops.

Books- thrift shop half price days and yard sales.

Food- spend to get a vacuum sealer. What for sales on the special bags around hunting season in outdoor sports stores. Great price on chicken thighs, buy them out.

Then get a rain check because “they’re out”
Cook for 6 and freeze five servings. Do crock pot recipes in a bag with on sale items then freeze.

All ready to cook when you want that flavor.

(Yes, I own a deep freeze-essential in the long run)
If you have a drafty house, make plastic over the windows your friend. Kits are awesome and go on sale in spring. Have them ready for next winter.

I live a 20-40% off life and take pride in holding to a budget 95% of the time. Sometimes-just buy the ticket and see the band.

Sometimes- buy the single piece of cheesecake at the store. But only rarely.

[Cecilia]

Cook batches of food so you don’t use too much electricity or gas,
Save cold water in a bucket while waiting for hot water to flow.

Use the water to flush toilet

Program your thermostat when not home lower and tolerable temp when you’re home and wear clothes in layers if it’s too cold.

Wash clothes once a week, use warm or cold water depending on colors
Do errands on the way or on way home from work to save gas.

[Marilyn]

Check outlets on the outside walls of your house. Take off plastic plate the covers outlet, add insulating piece (can purchase at any hardware store) and replace outlet cover.

If outlet isn’t being used, plug in safety plugs (used by parents with inquisitive babies) to block any air coming in.

[Beth]

One of our biggest recurring expenses is groceries. So, make a menu, shop from a list, avoid impulse spending by ordering and picking up and shop sales.

I saved about $300 last month by ordering and picking up groceries. We ate better planned meals too!

[Melissa]

Be sure you have a written budget. Then look at each catagory and ask yourself what can I do better.

Insurance. is my home and vehicle insurance with the same company, are they giving me the best rate, ask your agent what can I do to get a better rate.

Sometimes it can be as little as having a fire extinguisher in the house. If you raise the deduction be sure to have that amount in your emergency fund.

Water. Can you put a timer in the bathroom to keep your shower time shorter, can you limit the number of baths, wash dishes in a basin rather then leaving the water running, laundry in full loads or adjust amount of water

Electric. Are you turning off lights, are they led lights, unplug unused appliances and chargers, turn your hot water heater down to 120°F, turn your thermostat 1-2°, can you cut back on oven use
Groceries.

Take a calculator or cash so you don’t spend more then the budget, are you making beverages at home and eliminating/limiting sodas and power drinks, cutting back on processed foos, eliminate single serve packaging

By taking each catagory, 1 at a time and reacessing it, it it easier to cut back and save more.

[Diane]

When it comes to entertainment, I try to keep up with what is going on in the community and sometimes you have to dig..

The advertising people do seems to be targeted to certain audiences and when this happens others miss out.

I mean things like events going on at local colleges/jr colleges, etc.. Everything from music to sports. Somethings pop up on short notice, others are scheduled.

I don’t pretend to be overly “cultured”..but when I was broke and bored I started going to some local history and art museums and I discovered some this of interest and others..I laughed out loud at and thought some of this stuff is so out there..

it looked like a vacation bible school project gone ong, but it was still FUN even when we shook at heads in disbelief at what others saw as “art”

I also found out I liked to watch things like the college athletes practice..especially things like volleyball and even went to a local roller derby at at local fairgrounds that was asking for a canned good donation for the price of admission..

Then of course there are lots of Park & Recreation things that go on.

You have not smiled large til you watch a bunch of little kids play T-Ball Get creative, some things you’ll just do once, others might become areas of interest.

Have Fun..exploring!

[Darla]

The areas that are most easily to cut back are utilities, auto fuel, and groceries. Using my heated seats at this time of year really sucks up the fuel so I use sparingly.

We use a programmable thermostat for the home so that we aren’t overheating/cooling when we aren’t at home.

We sleep with cooler temps in the winter and warmer temps in the summer (just enough to remove the humidity). We also use fans in specific rooms when we occupy them.

On top of a 6 month emergency fund, we’ve always had ‘sinking funds’ for insurances, car purchase fund, car maintenance fund, home maintenance fund, vacations fund, etc.

Since you have a second job, pull the extra hours when you can. 4 extra hours over the month will help you create those emergency or sinking funds.

It’s possible to see some energy relief in the future. If that happens, use that savings to increase your savings. Costs will rise eventually.

With your full time job, use raises to increase your investments. We used to increase 1% per year.

This is automatic with some plans.
The rest we add to our sinking funds.

[Ann]

Do the little things that keep your home maintained, i.e., regular sewer line clean outs, cleaning gutters, making sure landscaping is slanted away from home…

This kind of maintenance goes a long way to avoid damage to your home!

[Christine]

I use my local library for all my on-line books and audiobooks. I don’t buy books. Library’s also have access to Hoopla. They have movies and tv shows you migh enjoy.

I don’t buy large items without consulting Consumer Report.

The library also has Consumer Reports for each month downloaded as well as the yearly book. They have Chilton Car Repair on-line and probably hard copy.

My county has a library that has a seed swap so gardening is frugal. I grow my own veggies in the summer.

You can make your own laundry soap. There are instructions on-line. I have made my own laundry soap for years and it works just fine. Bring game night to your friend group.

Everyone brings what they want to drink and a small appetizer. Enjoy each others company and laugh and the board games and card games you play.

If you take meds, make sure you are getting the best price. I found that different pharmacies charge different prices for each of my prescriptions.

I use gas buddy to find the cheapest gas in my area. I joined the Shell gas free fuel perks program.

I take full advantage off discount apps. like Flashfood, upside and my food stores online coupon program. I like upside because you get cash back on select local restaurants, groceries and convenience.

I can use several discounts to same the max on my gas purchases. Take a look at The app “flashfood” with my discount code CNXC4.

It gives you points for each receipt you scan. You get more points if you have purchased anything on the monthly list.

Cash those points in for cash card, for retail card and more. Take a look at Receipt hog.

It’s the same idea but you can log you online purchases as well as scan a receipt from anywhere. You earn points towards a PayPal, amazon or visa amount.

You also get special slot machine spins for receipts that cost nothing and give you a chance for more points and prizes. I use Checkout 51 for groceries and discounts on my gas purchases.

Ibotta is a good discount app for you to look at. It has more than just grocery stores.

As you accrue money you can cash it in. It takes time to use these apps and you need to read the directions thoroughly but it pays off in the end.

Check out Earnify for gas at at select brand stations along with foot and drink purchases. Finally, topcashback is an app that I just downloaded.

[Dottie]

Congrats. Keep up the great work. Know your monthly budget, save and get your emergency fund up, get your utilities under a certain amount, batch cook, prepare and pack lunches, drives only when necessary, cut cable, shop thrift, discount, shop when needed, no unnecessary spending

[Judy]

I heard a story once. A husband lost his job and the newlywed wife didn’t want to discourage him as their power got shut off. he was really working hard to find another job.

So, she got out a table cloth and put it on the living room floor.

when got home he asked what was going on. She had lit candles and said I thought we’d have a picnic tonight. What a memory and how fun! It’s all perspective and enjoying what we have.

I’m looking around my house right now Ive got 3 pieces of furniture my dad made, 2 pieces my cousin gave me, 1 piece my aunt gave me, 2 pieces from friends, 2 from my grandparents, a few I bought.

I love each piece And it took time to obtain them. Enjoy the journey give it to God in prayer.

[Sara]

Rules for being frugal:
I wish I had known all these great ways to be frugal and build savings.

Even if someone just did one thing listed and slowly adopted the rest over time they will live a frugal and financially healthy life.

Since the number one reason for divorce in the US is money issues; discussing a budget, spending, saving, traveling, retirement, and other goals needs to be addressed before getting married.

1. Establish a budget that includes every expense. Work it out so you are saving and paying yourself for retirement.

Then stick to the budget. If you have debt pay it off as quickly as possible. Pay cash for your large purchases. Google Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.

Take the class as soon as you can. Meanwhile, check his Facebook page and Google “budgeting“. When putting your budget items on a list; sort them into monthly and yearly totals.

You will need the accurate amounts for the monthly budget and yearly budget.

Then you will be putting money aside for those once/year expenses Ie: car registration, oil changes, tires, taxes, school supplies, co-pays or fees for dental exam, vision exam, vet bills, gifts for Christmas, birthdays, etc.

Monthly costs include utilities, groceries, eating out, alcohol, subscriptions, gifts, home & yard repairs/ maintenance, rent/mortgage payments, cell phone, internet/cable, trash pick-up, water, church tithe, childcare, car insurance, car payment, home/renter’s insurance, gasoline, entertainment, vet and pet food, etc. Avoid carrying any credit card debt. Always pay in full.

2. Meal plan so you can budget food expenses; when you cook something that freezes well (Ie. soups, casseroles, meatloaf, stew, etc) make a double batch so you can freeze them for another time. Label and date your frozen meals.

I have different menus for a variety of dinners. Ie. Greek, Italian, Mexican, American, Dutch, German, etc. I have the recipes for each menu along with the grocery list for each meal.

For holiday meals I have all the dishes selected and written out on index cards. You need to meal plan one month at a time.

This is the best way to save money on groceries and stop the waste. I use a spiral notebook and put each month on a page.

I label the month, and start with numbering the days and then the day of the week each day is.

I also have an app on my phone where I keep an inventory of what I have in my chest freezer.

Once I fill in the holidays and special events for that month I work to fill in meals that I have most of my ingredients for.

I cook mostly on the weekends; mostly because my husband works three hours away so I meal prep all his breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

When I cook, I cook enough to feed our family through the end of the week.

You are making the same number of dishes/pots dirty; May as well make it productive. That means I double or triple the recipe.

We love leftovers, so I typically only cook once or maybe twice a week. Some meals morph into a different meal during the week.

Ie. Fajitas with rice and beans can be used to make quesadillas. Italian spaghetti and meatballs can become meatball subs with salad etc.

I try to not repeat a meal for two months to keep it interesting. Pizza night happens at least once a month.

We make our own pizza using the naan flat breads and I have a variety of cooked sausage, ham, chicken, and pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and parmigiana cheese, sliced onions, peppers, and tomatoes, and red sauce and bbq sauce and diced pineapple.

I set it all up like a buffet, so the family can make all kinds of pizza. On index cards I plan each meal menu so I know what all I need to have on hand or what needs to be bought for the coming months’ meals.

I also keep a copy of any of the recipes I will need in a large recipe binder. We cook most meals all from scratch.

I would emphasize shopping only once or twice in a month if possible. That excludes perishables, but stick to the meal plan so you won’t waste food.

Make it a challenge to work up a menu everyone has input on. If the others at home are old enough, takes turns having them cook . Save eating out for special occasions.

3. Recycle, reuse, repurpose, and refrain. Recycle rather than throw away. Stop using paper plates for everyday or paper napkins, use cloth napkins.

Use paper plates only for convenience such as picnics. Repurpose items you no longer need or donate so someone else can use it.

Repurpose or repair by learning how to do basic DIY chores and repairs yourself. Before calling in a repair man; see if there isn’t a a YouTube video on how to do what needs to be done.

Invest in quality parts and gadgets, the cheap ones never last.

We have air filters in our house that are custom made and are recyclable: I wash them after replacing the dirty ones once a month. (We have two sets of filters so I can take my time cleaning the dirty ones.

Use stainless steel water bottles rather than plastic water bottles. Pack lunches and snacks in washable containers when you are out and about. Refrain; from impulse purchases.

Before buying anything new, first ask if you really need it or is it a “want”. Look for the item you must have on. Facebook Marketplace and your local “free” pages, and shop the thrift stores near you.

You can buy really nice work clothes, shoes, cars, yard and outdoor items, exercise equipment, toys, electronics, and more second hand. You just need to be patient and check the many resources in your area.

I keep a going list on my phone with items I am searching for. And I usually find exactly what I need. I make it a challenge, like hunting for buried treasure.

I have bought my husband’s professional business clothes all at thrift stores. You just need to know which brands are good quality and wear well.

His shirts are all name brands.

4. Start saving for your retirement as soon as you get a job! Max out the IRA, 401K, Thrift Savings Plan, etc. At a minimum, put away 10% of your pay for retirement.

If you do this with your first full time job; you’ll never know it’s coming out of your pay. As we wait and get older; we have to put away more than 10% in order to meet our retirement goal.

That’s why you need to start on this immediately. Treat that retirement account as the “Holy Grail “. There is absolutely no reason for you to touch that account.

Once you do, it’s all over. It’s extremely difficult to pay back these funds.

Retirement will happen before you can blink an eye, make your retirement secure and buff.

Be sure to have decent term life insurance so your family is not left destitute if you should die young. Morbid, but life insurance is a necessity in the US.

If you want to travel and see the country or go overseas there are frugal ways to do that too.

Depending on how luxurious you want to travel you can save tons of money by staying at hostels and or go camping. When you travel budget one meal a day out at a restaurant or kiosk.

You can buy yogurt, sandwich fixings, fruit, veggies, cold cuts and sliced cheese and make wraps or sandwiches to take on your daily excursions. Always carry a refillable water bottle.

We lived in Europe for six years and absolutely loved it. I would pack breakfasts and sandwiches for dinner and we would eat out lunch since that meal is usually cheaper than the dinner menu.

If you are young and mobile, consider working for a cruise line; the employees are usually young, foreign nationals and they work the ships and get free room and board and they sight see on their off days.

It’s not easy work, but if they change home ports as that is possible, they can see the world for next to nothing.

[Author]

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