[Dana]

Need to slash my variable budget by 50%. I’ve cut out EVERYTHING we can — meals out, subscription services, gone down to one car, even reduced speed of internet —

anything else I can cut?

Help!

[Donna]

Paper products (besides toilet tissue) – cut out paper plates, napkins, paper towels.

I use cloth rags instead of paper towels and throw them in the laundry.

[Darla]

Utilities and groceries are the first places I cut when we need to reduce our expenses.

Change your temperature of the residence, especially when you aren’t home or are asleep.

Unplug items that aren’t in use!
Keep lights off until you need them. We had many dinners by candlelight over the winter!

Don’t leave the tv on when you’re not watching it.
If your electricity has peak usage hours, charge items and use electric appliances during the off hours.

Water – showers are 10 minutes or less.
Utilize the washing machine by making sure the load is full, but not stuffed.

Batch cook meals.
Reduce auto fuel consumption by looping errands.
Use the grocery ads to plan your meals for the week.

Don’t overbuy. Take inventory before you shop. Make meals using what you have on hand, first! I only buy what we NEED!

This isn’t the time for extras. If it’s not on the list, don’t buy it. Plan your meals out on paper before you shop!

Lunch can be 5 slices of small pepperoni, cheese slices, crackers, and grapes.

We drink water and unsweetened tea for most meals. I’m water only.

[Mary]

That’s a lot to cut. Small ways are to cook beans for protein. Cut out meat. If you can, start a garden. Cut out all paper products. Use cloth and real dishes and silverware.

Wear your clothes several times before washing, except underwear. Same with towels.

Air dry your clothes. Unplug everything not in use. Batch cook so you only have to cook once every few days and just need to reheat leftovers.

If you have a long drive to work, slow down. Instead of driving 70, drive 60. This saves me at least a gallon of gas each week. Keep your tires properly inflated. Helps on wear and tear on tires and saves on mileage.

Use food banks and blessing boxes (the little boxes by churches and hospitals that get stocked with canned and bagged food) ask for needed things on buy nothing groups but don’t be one of the people that ask every few days. Sell anything you don’t use.

Extra clothes, knickknacks, household items not being used. Drink water, no soda.

If you are in a neighborhood where you can walk around easily take walks the evening before trash day and see if anyone is throwing away something you can clean up and sell.

Yard sales at the end of the day are great for freebies also.

[Julie]

Cut out all drinks except water. Soda, juice, coffee, tea, alcohol are luxuries when you need to be really frugal.

[Monica]

I use very little laundry detergent and hang clothes outside or over drying rack. I do not use any fabric softener.

Use library for movies & books. My library even has games, cake pans, and puzzles you can check out.

Meal planning is huge for me. Shop specials and try to buy when things are only on sale.

Garden – can & freeze a lot
Insurance – I carry only liability on my older vehicle and larger deductible on one vehicle with full coverage.

Medical – I ask for discounts for paying in full – they always give that.

Use several cash back apps – every little bit adds up.
Gasoline – use a BP credit card (pay my balance off each month) – get 15 cents off per gallon.

For new customers, the first 60 days you get 30 cents off. Plus, you earn rewards each month that you can cash out. I also use the Upside app to get additional cents in rewards.

Using monthly tracker sheets that you color in your no spend days is fun for me!

Budget – keeping track of expenses and watching your net worth grow is motivating for me.

Minimalism – you don’t need all that stuff! Buy less! Sell what you don’t need.

Wash out ziplock bags and reuse – except when they have been used with meat.

Watch electric usage. We have usage plans and there are certain hours that are higher. I do not use oven or washing machine during those hours.

Keep lights turned off when not needed. Unplug toaster and other items and just plug in when using. Keep temperatures cooler or warmer to save money.

Consolidate trips – find enjoyment at home doing things with family. Take food & drinks with us for outings.

We don’t drink sodas – tea, water and occasional coffee – made at home.

If you have a pet, many heart worm medicines offer rebates but you have to ask vet for them.

[Jess]

You can water down your shampoo, conditioner and liquid soap. I do it by not quite 1/2 but almost.

Cut out paper goods, plastic ware and zip locking bags.
Change your coffee and toothpaste to the cheapest brands.

Cut vitamins in 1/2 so the bottle lasts longer. I do this with pet vitamins as well.

Cut out all alcohol – too expensive.

[Christine]

Cut down on eating meat have meatless meals have breakfast for dinner, turn your thermostat down a degree or two, no bottles water reusable only for everyone pack your lunches make your meals, limit shower time limit laundry loads.

Don’t skimp on your pet’s health or food humans take the cutbacks.

Be sure your pets are spayed and neutered no unwanted pets cook a whole chicken for treats for them debone the meat and freeze or refrigerate for each day treats.

Don’t get any more pets.

No unnecessary travel wasting gas, no vacations look for free things to do parks, libraries.

[Lucinda]

If you have used credit cards in the past year, look at the monthly spending by category. It can be very eye opening.

I always check the Gas Buddy app for lowest gas price. Last week it was cheaper at our local station than at BJs.

Some weeks there is a 30 cent swing, so possible to save a lot. We also combine errands.

We keep our house rather chilly and wear heavy clothes in the winter. We make good use of our thermal drapes (year round) for insulation of our windows and to let in sun.

Eating out of your pantry, freezer, and fridge is a great strategy. We eat a lot of soup, stew, and casseroles.

I hang up my work clothes when I get home to air out, and can use my slacks and sweaters multiple times.

[Kathy]

Add rice or pasta to mushroom sauce/soups
Mac and cheese to
chili bowls

Baked potatoes with broccoli cheese
Pork loins for bbq
Or with kraut or cabbage

Mashed potatoes
Whole chicken for multiple meals
Make your own broth for noodles

Soups
Use dry beans to make soup
Make Chinese foods

[Sherry]

I don’t have to budget for toiletries, which has saved me a lot, because I use apps to earn extra money by walking, scanning my receipts, surveys, etc.

[Elizabeth]

50% is a lot. Think about a roommate or lodger. Think seriously about a second job or gig work.

Don’t eat or drink anything you haven’t prepared yourself.

[Christine]

Put a freeze on buying everything for a month. No new clothes/etc, pull the ones out of the back of the closet and use them.

Sort the pantry and make some creative meals using your things that get pushed to the back, have leftovers frequently enough that you don’t have any food waste.

Hang laundry to air dry-on hangers if nothing else on the doorframe/shower rod/doorknobs.

Watch the heat/air conditioner depending on where you live as they are big draw items.

Only wash full loads and if not actually DIRTY shorten the wash time and don’t use hot water.

Go back and reread previous posts for the hundreds of suggestions

[Amber]

Beans and rice and only one meal per day, reduce water usage especially showering, start selling belongings, no paid entertainment, repair or do without no replacing.

Prepare for likely homelessness and shed belongings accordingly to streamline the process.

These are things that I watched some neighbors do during 2008 and the process was easier than people who tried to keep on like everything was normal

[Suzie]

Don’t throw away food. Eat until it’s gone. If one helping is left, freeze it.

That way you can pull out a variety of meals to quickly heat up on a later day.

[Marian]

I set my heat to 62 night, 62-65 day in cold weather; 75 night, 76-78 day in hot weather. Cut my electric bills more or less in half!

Eliminate unnecessary driving (eg, group errands together), only buy an item of clothing if something becomes unwearable (and maintain a small wardrobe & shoe/purse collection).

Cut your own hair & do your own nails (or do each other’s with a friend).

Don’t buy snacks or beverages–eat a piece of fruit or cheese or some nuts (or home-baked snacks), drink mainly tap water. Don’t buy ultra-processed “foods.”

[Kelly]

You can probably cut out Internet altogether, although it would be very inconvenient. I don’t use any disposable paper products.

That means I use cloth rags instead of paper towels, and I use cloth rags instead of toilet paper.

I make most of my cleaning supplies very cheaply And I used to make my own toothpaste and deodorant, which is very cheap and works well.

[Janice]

If you’re driving children to school let them take the bus. Or walk them to school.

Do you have outlet grocery stores?

Dollar tree is good snack treats and hygiene products.

[Aurora]

Add beans to as many of your meals as possible so you are fuller and eat less or I’ve even done Intermittent Fasting and cut out meals.

I do it but I don’t ask my child to do and my stomach thanks me.

[Heather]

Utilize your local food pantry, request a meal from lasagna love, focus on using up what ingredients you have, not buying more groceries

[Denise]

Go through your house and sell things. Clear out closets, the basement, attic and garage. Meal plan around sales. Don’t buy processed convenience foods…only whole foods.

No soft drinks, juices.

sweets or extras . Eat one healthy well balanced meal a day if possible. “Shop” your pantry, freezer and fridge before going food shopping.

[Brian]

If you received a tax return this year, you could look into adjusting your withholdings to keep more in your monthly pay check.

Biggest opportunity would be can you cut from your grocery budget.

Shop deals, modify your eating to have less meat.

Use frozen fruits and veggies over fresh. They are as healthy and usually cheaper.

Reduces the chance of something spoiling.

[Karen]

Cut out meat and eggs! Eat beans, rice, polenta, oats! I’ve eaten this way for 14 years and feel fantastic! Do you have a Winco near you?

I buy a lot of grains and beans from their bulk section.

[Author]

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