Living on a REAL Tight Budget, Part 1

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I know I’m not the only Broke Doper here, so I thought maybe we could swap some budgeting stories. Can’t afford much else in the way of amusements, eh?

A new grocery store opened up here in Flint, called Aldi’s. It’s an off-brand, bring-your-own-bags & bag-'em-yourself store. I normally buy house brands or off-brands when I shop anyway, so I thought I’d give this place a try.

I was impressed. Really impressed.

The store itself isn’t really huge, but they’ve got a good selection of your basic stuff. And the prices were really good. Most of the other people shopping there were also really friendly, too. There were only two cashiers, and the store was packed out, but even though they were busy as hell, they were still quite friendly, and fast.

I think I’ll be shopping there a lot. :smiley:

2

I have a confession to make.
I’m so broke that I bought Kroger’s soy sauce instead of Kinkomann.
I saved a dollar.
I feel so…used.

3

How much room, time and effort goes into growing enough of your own food to make a dent in the budget?

4

I like Aldi’s a lot-I did a lot of my shopping there when I lived in Nashville. Unfortunately, there aren’t any around Atlanta, at least according to their website.

As far as budgeting, I find that taking my lunch in helps a lot. Then riding the train instead of riding-the company I work for buys my train pass, so I save a lot just in gas costs.

I buy mostly store brands when I go to the grocery-the quality is usually just as good. When there were four kids at home, Mom used to buy the store brand of cereal and store in in such a way that we didn’t know it was store brand(like an airtight container of some sort). Because we didn’t know, we thought we were getting cheerios and rice krispies-so didn’t beg for them at the grocery.

The “dry clean in your drier stuff” works well on some of my clothes-a huge help-my dry cleaning costs used to run me $70 to $100 a month. I’m not opposed to buying clothes and such at Goodwill-if I find stuff that I like and that fits. Shoot, I know I’ve given them very wearable stuff in the past, so I might as well purchase there when I can.

I can’t think of anything else specific that I do, but I’d love any ideas that anyone else has. :slight_smile:

5

Ours is called “BGO” (Bellingham Grocery Outlet.) Honeylove, you wouldn’t BELIEVE the deals you can get there! I once got some REALLY good French Roast Coffee beans for like $1.00 a pound. I fed my immediate family once for $10.00, that’s my sister and husband, my aunt and my dad and me. This was primarily possible due to the $4.99 family sized lasagne thingie I got at the BGO. And it was a popular brand, and tasted good too! ::Sigh:: I LOVE that place!

I also recommend the “Dollar Store”…you have to watch it, but you can get really good deals on non-food items. Wrapping paper, hair stuff, lotion, air freshner, envelopes, etc.

((((((((((Cristi))))))))))…Just because I feel like it.

Much Love,

Cheri

6

You wanton hussy!

7

BAHAHAHA!!

Fwew…that’s funny!

8

I don’t know how you’d find out which store in your area (if any) does this but on friday mornings if you go around to the back of the store they bring out a cart of all the bread and bakery items that went out of date. French bread, italian bread, onion rolls, tortilla’s, pies, buns sometimes even other things like non perishabled in containers that became damaged or lost labels. Someone from our church goes there to pick up everything that someone doesn’t claim right there to take it to a food pantry. It’s free food, all you have to do is be there and bring your own bag.

9

FWIW, I work in an office, and most of my compadres either head out together for lunch or do the building deli. They typically spend $7-12/day for lunch. There are 3 grocery stores within minutes of our office, and I hit them up for lunch regulary. A typical (filling) lunch for me might be a BBQ sandwich from the grocery deli and a pear for ~$1.50. Sometimes I am extravagant and do some fresh spaghetti and meatballs for $3.99.

Not that I don’t bleed cash elsewhere.

10

We will frequently but generic/store brand items. But there are somethings that cannot be compromised.

GENERIC CHEERIOS ARE SATAN-SPAWNED

I have never tasted a more repulsive attempt at food in my life.

11

ditto to generic brownie mix. Blah. However, I used to work with a woman whose husband managed a local bakery (Bouyea Fassets, for anyone who cares) and one of their biggest contacts was baking bread for the local supermaket chain,. and bagging them in Grand Union brand bags. So when people say the store brand is just as good, sometimes it’s exactly the same.

Though I DID have a bad experiance with store brand cheetos.

My stable food is quesedillas. Cheese, bread, and salsa make a round meal, sorta. And anything with melted cheese is just yummy. I buy 5 lbs of shredded cheese at Cosco and break them into smaller zip lock bags and freeze them, and they last forever. Same with eggs, if you break them into ice trays. So take advantage of those “buy one, get one free” deals. Bread freezed fine, too.

12

stape. I’ll preview next time, I promise.

13

Oh pcubed, generic Cheerios are just fine. It’s the generic peanut butter that is of Satan. I did buy some gneric PB, though–but I’m afraid to open the jar. :eek:

Scotti: Thanks for the hug. :smiley: And we’ve got approximately 2,756 Dollar Stores here in Flint. This is an economically depressed area, and because of that, Dollar Stores do a booming business. Oh yeah, they rock!

Swiddles: You can freeze eggs? Did I read that right? You break them in to ice cube trays, and put them in the freezer? How long to they keep that way? Aldi’s had them for 59 cents a dozen. If I can freeze them, darn tootin’ I’m going back for more!

I’ve also found a couple of interesting deals at a yard sale across the street from my house. Not stuff I actually needed, but just too good to pass up. Got 3 pair of jeans and a shirt for $3. Total. Got my OhDope Halloween costume for $15, and it was brand-freakin-new, still in the bag, and the original price tag said $69.99. Got Strainger’s OhDope costume there, too. Cheap. Cheaper than mine. And his rules. Oh, and my husband got two mic stands for $10.

Yard sales & other thrift shopping doesn’t suck. Not at all. Especially for kid’s clothes, and especially when you’ve got kids like mine, that really, really enjoy dirt. They can tear up some clothing. And since they’re toddlers, they just don’t care about style. That helps a lot. :smiley:

14

My brother is still wearing shirts he wore in the mid 80’s. He’s 21 now.

15

On the food front:

It doesn’t get cheaper or healthier than oatmeal for breakfast. In the winter I buy a whole chicken or turkey or cubes of beef, throw it in the crockpot with potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, greenbeans, garlic, and parsley, and live off of the resulting stew for as long as I possibly can. It freezes great and makes wonderful, tasty winter lunches.

Entertainment:

The public library is my friend. I take out books, movies, and cds instead of buying or renting them. I go to author readings and movie screenings there, and someone just told me that they have practice rooms with pianos that I can use. I use the request system to get things I want from outlying branches. Right now I’m using the library as my own mini-film school , reading screenplays, checking out tapes of the movies, books on filmmaking and film history. Before I had a computer I used the internet facilities at my local branch.

Exercise:

A month ago I discovered a public pool not too far from my house. It is indoor, so I can use it in the winter, very well maintained, and absolutely free to use. They also have a weight room that you need to pay to join, but the price is significantly less than a gym. Also, when it’s not too hot out, I’ve taken to walking home from work instead of spending $1.50 on transportation. Two birds, one stone.

Little things:

Scooping the cat poop and pee every night saves on litter over the long term.

It almost becomes a source of pride seeing how little money I can spend in a given week to cover my needs. I try to think of it as a game.

16

**Tighwad checking in **

When you spend your money in an educated manner, you feel better. (really, I mean it.)
Use appliances, like washing machine, at night (after 11p) it is cheaper to use them at that time.

Turn off computer when you will be out of house for hours.

Hang dry laundry. I do this (so naturally, so should everyone, dammit!) You cannot beleive how much I save on propane by doing this. And it is much easier to put it away when hanging on a hanger to put in a closet than leaving it in the dryer and having to iron it, hang it up and then put it away. Nothing beats the smell of fresh dried laundry, IMHO.

Because propane is expensive, this winter we will use our heatilator fire place for the first time since having kids. (it really cranks out the heat and we’ve been a little nervous about using it with two rug rats around.)

I go to a wonder bread store about every two or three months and get for about $15 enough bread to last until the next trip. I have a freezer.

I buy the meat that is on sale and freeze it. I can usually get it for a deal: two for one.

Buy in bulk the things like toilet paper, canned goods or whatever you run out of alot. Non perishables. Running out to the store for a reem of TP can cost you up to $100 extra with the “Oh, yeah, I need this and whoops, almost forgot about that” extras.

Skip juices (frozen or not) and stick with water and milk to drink. I buy the store brand lemonade/whatever mixes on sale and they last forever since I hate giving my kids juice ( it turns them into human fly paper)

Buy for the next season in advance: since it is fall, you can pick up summer things on clearance ( outdoor dishes, camping stuff, lawn equipment.) Last year, after Halloween, I bought really cool outfits for my kids for the next couple of years from Old Navy. Four outfits (exceptional quality) for the price of one ($25). Christmas shopping is nearly done.

If you have the time and inclination, you wouldn’t beleive what you can get from garage sales. Make a list of what you are looking for and the top price you are willing to pay. I could have outfitted my kids in the baby gear (crib and assorted baby containment devices) for under $75 for nearly new/barely used/the stuff lasts forever/still up to code gear. But, noooooooooooooo, I had to suffer a baby shower.

Thrift shops and consignments stores are excellent sources of the next level of clothing for your kids.

There are somethings that are worth every penny. For you, it is something different. For me, it is bra’s, birkenstocks and quality chocolate.

Learn how to change your own oil and check your fluid levels.

Use the library for books/video rentals. I had forgotten what a treasure the local libraries are. I’ve picked up a dozen books for sale at the library for a whopping twenty five cents, all of which when I am through (since the libary does not want them re-donated) will take them to the local used book store to trade in at a higher value.
Get rid of cable. I am working on this, but it is easier to shovel sand in the desert with a slotted spoon.

Eat soemthing before you grocery shop. You will be less likely to buy on a hunger impulse.
I make my own hamburger helper: a box of some kind of noodle - not spagetti - a pound or two of hamburger. Three cups of hot water, half a cup of milk (this is the same as the Hamburger helper box) and an assortment of spices - usually garlic, pepper, salt and paprika. I will throw in a can of corn (opened, you nitwit) to get the all-in-one meal going.

See that pile of CD’s or stack of videos that you haven’t looked at in years. You never will. Find a place to get cash for them and that money will help pay for a couple of bags of groceries.
Have a magazine exchange with friends. Save up your magazines and give a bag of them to a friend, who -this is the tricky part for the intellectually challenged - does the same. When you are finished, trade that pile to someone else , who trades you for theirs, while adding to the pile of newer stuff. I have tried this one several times with a few neighbors. It has failed as they are all short bus riders.

Have friends that you can mooch off them on vacation. This is the primary reason that we, the Ujests, have been able to travel the world, by mooching off of friends and family.
In exchange for dirtying their sheets, promise them an afternoon - or entire day (depending on length of stay) to help them with a honey do list. We are always invited back.

Also, I end this, and if anyone is still reading this manifesto, I am duly impressed, when you are on limited funds (and after two car crashes this year, we are, but we still took a vacation and had a major mechanical on the road home, but it would have happened anyways.) *when you feel like your financial boat is sinking, instead of bailing out constantly look for the holes (cable,unnecessary bills like a cell phone or second line,newspaper/magazines/gift giving etc) and plug them. *

17

The suggestions here are good.

What I do is get a buspass at the beginning of the month. Here in Houston, it’s $35, and I can use it as many times as I want. It saves on the cost of a car, insurance, gas, and maintenance. It’s not very convenient if you have kids, however.

I also don’t have long distance service on my phone. That is a HUGE cost-saver because I can communicate with my family and long-distance friends via Internet for the cost of my ISP charge, versus a hefty long-distance bill. If I need to call my parents in an emergency, we have a code worked out so they know to call me back. When I signed up for service, I also turned down Caller ID (if I need to know who’s on the phone, I screen my calls), voicemail, Call Waiting, and that stuff. I don’t need it, and it’s an expense I don’t have.

Sit down and honestly look over this stuff and figure out what you don’t really need. All this stuff is nice, but is it necessary?

Robin

18

Great ideas, everyone!

I’m a college student living in my first off-campus house with two friends. To save or make money so far, I’ve:

  • bummed rides off of friends with cars to go to Meijer’s instead of the more expensive Country Market down the street.

  • cut out cable and using the school’s free dial-up Internet service.

  • had “potluck” dinners: each roommmate cooks a food item and we throw everything together to make a big meal for all of us. Fun!

  • sold old books on half.com.

  • re-used my old notebooks and backpack (school supplies are not cheap in a college town)

  • not bought too many new clothes this year, even though I really really really really want to…

19

The most money-saving thing I have ever done was to do away with a car entirely for nearly two years. You would not believe how much money that car eats up. I picked an apartment that was right off the public bus line and for a $25.00 bus pass, I went everywhere I needed to go. Wasn’t all that convenient for grocery shopping, I’ll admit, but it got me to school and to work. Got to talk to some interesting people, too.

If you just have to make long-distance phone calls (and I do), find a very cheap phone card to use instead of your regular long distance. There’s one I found (through 7/11, I believe) that can go as low as 2 1/2 cents a minute. If I just can’t use AIM or e-mail, I use that and call from work. Works like a charm. (I have to pay for my L-D charges from work, in case you’re wondering. If there are surcharges for that card, I’ve never been notified about it.) Also, despite the ‘convenience’, don’t have your local phone company combine their bill with the long-distance carrier. You’ll pay an extra buck or two a month for this ‘service’, even if you don’t make any long distance phone calls at all.

I’m right with Shirley about the line-drying. I don’t line-dry everything, but I do dry towels and bedclothes that way. Not only does it make everything smell absolutely wonderful (including your house when you bring them in) and save on the energy to run the dryer, but it keeps the house from heating up (and subsequently, having to crank the A/C to compensate). That’s a BIG consideration down here, trust me. As an added bonus, it usually takes only half the time to get such heavy things line-dried as it does in the dryer, and I get my laundry done that much faster.

Also, instead of joining a health club, see if your community has similar facilities. Our city has a number of recreational parks and buildings, and you can take classes and use the equipment for a very nominal sum, so long as you’re a resident. It’s as good, if not better, than anything you’ll get in a gym, and a LOT cheaper.

The other suggestions, though, are wonderful. Thanks for sharing. :slight_smile: BTW, I was an Aldi devotee until I moved. Meijer, too!

20

A lot of you are going to be thoroughly grossed out by this. Those of you who already know about it will nod your heads knowingly and hopefully support me in this.

Dumpsters are your friends. They have lots of useful things in them. From dumpsters you can safely take:

clothing
books
CDs
small appliances
food (except meat, almost always)
silverware
plates, cups, glasses
holiday stuff

Just about the only stuff you can’t find in a dumpster are toilet paper and paper towels, which have the shelf life of God. Nearly everything I have ever seen I have been able to find, at one time or another, in a dumpster.

Find the dumpster for your local grocery stores. Scope them out in the very late night (with a flashlight) or the very early morning (before people come to work). People who work at these stores can get freaked out at the site of someone diving at their place. Plus some twits try to put their garbage in commercial dumpsters. We don’t like these people.

Buy “The Art and Science of Dumpster Diving.” While it does contain some somewhat-scary info, it is one of the most useful books you will ever buy. It says in about a hundred pages what this post can’t (duh, because this post isn’t a hundred pages).

You’ll think I’m completely revolting for doing this. I’ll be eating donuts and twinkies and shortbread and tiramisu and laughing at you.