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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,453
Registered: ‎02-02-2015

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????


@buyornot wrote:

@Snoopp wrote:

I just did my budget and I spent 800 on groceries too.  That is a bit high.  I'm using coupons and buying what is on sale and freezing.  I have a full pantry and am using that food up.  You might find the same in your home.  I have cut that 800 by $100 so far and hope to cut by another 100.

 

I had been spending way too much on qvc.  I stopped that and am on month 3 with no qvc purchases.  

 

If you have early bird dinners in your area, lots of people take advantage of them when eating out.  


Yup-those are the two area that I'm concentrating on alsoSmiley Happy


@buyornot you must be my twin😃

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,955
Registered: ‎08-13-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

Retired also we stopped newspaper delivery ($50 a month) download grocery coupons to my shoppers card, they even have their own brand coupons at times. Some will order their groceries on line & pick them up later know there is a fee for that but it will stop impuse buying. I haven't done that yet. Shop sales even if you don't need pantry items especially cleaning & paper products. We go out to lunch during weekdays some have specials on certain days plus I never finish so always have lunch the next day. Weekdays at 10am til 3pm is cheaper electric rates here so I always do my laundry or run dishwasher during those times. Dollar stores do have some brand names and is great for glasses, dishes & cleaning supplies. Utube has alot of people giving ideas how to live on a budget or soc.sec. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

@september,

The new Dollar General store near me has some great buys, and I will buy there before making a trip into town.   

 

I buy their Clover Valley store brand canned peas 2 for $1, sweet and dill pickle relish, and pepperoncini peppers, much cheaper than the grocery store.   I found Oxydol detergent there this week for $1.50, and occasionally find Ajax detergent, both of which pretty much disappeared from local shelves years ago.   I also purchased the Rexall brand of aspirin and Bacitracin this week, and always get my name brand shampoo and body lotion cheaper at DG.  This store also carries the packs of freeze dried fruit we feed to our chinchilla, for $1.

 

I am not a big generic brand shopper, but will buy certain ones I feel are as good as name brand.   DG offers multiple choices, and I like finding what I need close by, in a smaller store.  I love their greeting cards; nice quality paper, and so easy to write on.   If I lived within walking distance of a DG, I’d probably walk there every day!   

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,776
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

Grocery list? Still waiting.

When I lose the TV controller, it's always in some remote destination.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,776
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

And STILL waiting!

When I lose the TV controller, it's always in some remote destination.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,010
Registered: ‎08-29-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

I am late to the thread and admit to not reading all the responses, but, no doubt, you’ve received some good advice from the smart posters here.  For what it may be worth, I have my own 2¢ worth to share, tips that have helped us through the years.  Here are a few:
 
For your grocery bill, there are unavoidable purchases, of course, but think of the items you buy for the express purpose of throwing away:
• Paper towels
• Paper napkins
• Tissues
• Paper plates, cups, etc.
 
Stop buying them and switch to cloth and glass, reducing your landfill footprint and saving a tree (or at least a sapling) at the same time. 
 
Stop giving your money away in the form of penalties for late payments or interest fees.  We’re frequently advised by the experts to pay ourselves first, by allotting a regular amount to savings.  I’m all for savings, of course, but after obligations are met.  Pay your bills on time, and pay off credit cards as fast as possible, even if it’s a little painful at first.  Thereafter pay the credit card bill in full every month.
 
I have not paid a cent in credit card interest fees in decades.  Here’s my method for staying ahead of credit card debt: I record and deduct every charge from my checkbook register after every use of my credit card, just as though I had written a check instead.  After all, spent money is spent money, no matter the method of spending.  In the column for check number, I enter MstCrd, Visa, Amex, etc.  When the statement arrives, I check each charge against the register, making any corrections necessary, then, once everything is verified and correct, I submit the full payment.  The money has already been accounted for, so it’s painless.  Another benefit is that, from tracking every expenditure at the time I made it, there are no nasty surprises, such as, “What?! That can’t be right!” when I see the amount due. 
 
Did you know you can save on mortgage interest just by making half payments twice a month?  You don’t spend a dime more, but the interest drops exponentially after each payment.  On that same vein, if you can increase your payment, or make extra payments, to the principal each month you’ll be amazed how quickly the numbers come down. 
 
One last tip is for when you do pay off a bill.  Keep saving that payment each month. It takes self discipline, but that’s what being adult is about.  Let’s say you pay off your car.  When that happens, set the old car payment aside each month, budgeting it for the next car.  Again, you will be pleasantly rewarded to watch how quickly your balance will climb and how glad you’ll be to have it when the time comes for a new car.   Since satisfying our mortgage, I’ve saved that monthly payment to apply to property taxes and insurance so there’s no dread when the bills arrive.  
 
I hope I’ve helped at least a little.  I remember how scary retirement, the idea of never earning another paycheck, was for us in the beginning.  I was convinced we’d ‘never make it,’ but good decisions, and no doubt, blessings from Above, have proven to make it a comfortable and enjoyable stage of life.  I wish the same for you and yours as well. 
Strive for respect instead of attention. It lasts longer.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,113
Registered: ‎09-30-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

@IamMrsG   Excellent advice.  I am going to put the check register thing into practice, instead of keeping a separate accounting of the credit card amounts totals.  Brilliant, just brilliant.  Thank you so much.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,776
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

Does anyone really think that the Rexall brand of aspirin is any diff than any other.

Aspirin is aspirin. Bleach is bleach and on and on.

When I lose the TV controller, it's always in some remote destination.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,113
Registered: ‎09-30-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

[ Edited ]

@Group 5 minus 1   

 

To be certain, I always compare the ingredients.  It is the only way to be sure.  As an example take Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce versus a store brand or another national manufacturer, like French's. Worcestershire has distilled white vinegar, molasses, sugar, water, salt, onions, anchovies, garlic cloves, tamarind extract, natrual flavorings, and chili pepper extract.  For the competitors the ingredient list was not only not the same but if I recall correctly at least one had water as the first ingredient listed and a less extensive ingredent string.  So that was why they were less expensive.  So I purchase the original Worcestershire.

 

I have purchased and used the store brand versus Bayer, but I always check the ingredients list first, because formulas used can change.   However, if I have a coupon, which I often do, and CVS has a sale I will buy the Bayer aspirin.

 

When I shop I prefer making an informed purchase rather than just "grab and go" just to get it done.  

Super Contributor
Posts: 286
Registered: ‎10-24-2010

Re: Help Me With Tips TO Save Money-Please????

I’m also retired and also spent too much on food.  This  isn’t for everybody, but, I put a certain amount of cash into a small change bag and I use that money for food and gasoline for a month, any left over I top off for the next month, I put $250 a month into it and I kept to it, never go over the amount.

 

My sister and I are both retired and we spend most of our time together, shopping, travel,etc. A few years ago we decided to live together, sold one home and after awhile we downsized to one car. 

 

You can save a lot with having one car, shop at only one store for groceries and household needs, I shop at Trader Joe’s.

 

Of course you need to set priorities, mine is our health and travel.

 

Needless to say, don’t buy from QVC.

 

Remember, to live on a budget doesn’t mean you’re poor, it means you  use your hard earned money wisely.

 

Happy retirement, enjoy it!