For the Barnes home we plan to spend less and save more.
Last year we did the same- it's not really a resolution, just a good time to reevaluate. In '09 we-
- started to share a cell phone plan with John's parents
- share our garbage service and split the bill,
- we signed up for netflix to avoid all the Hollywood video late fees and unwatched movies.
- ate out about twice a month
- knock off the coffee shop stops
- cancelled magazine subs
- use no credit cards
- make birthday cakes- not buy
Now for 2010 we have in mind
- canceling netflix
- maybe sharing out garbage can with a third neighbor
- compost and grow more, longer
- cut out that 2x a month eating out {maybe 1x}
- drive less, carpool more = less gas
- maybe find a side job for me
- unplug and turn things off more
- drop our heat down by a degree or two, and hour earlier
So what are your ideas? What do you do that you would like to share? I'd love to know!
6 comments:
We got rid of one of our cars and the house phone. We eat less meat and more vegetarian meals.
We make our meals from scratch. Also less meat = savings and better health. We cancelled our yard waste can and made our own yard waste area in the yard. We cancelled the Times and read the news online, and we have no magazine subscriptions except the Ensign & New Era. We have no cable TV. No, my kids are not deprived or suffering! We check books out at the library & also movies. We trade movies with friends also. We cancelled one of the cell phones and checked around on car insurance and found Geico to be the best one especially if you have teen drivers. If we MUST buy a book we go to Half price books. They always save the day! Get your grocery list together & drive to WINCO and stock up. Remember the ice chest! There are so many many ways to cut back, use less and conserve. Have fun!
I have to agree with Julie. When we lived in Seattle, I made two trips a month to Winco and saved $200 a month on grocery expenses. I also planned ahead so we didn't have the quick trips to Safeway, we always bought more than just milk.
My weakness is eating out, so I make extra meals to freeze for nights that I don't want to cook.
I plan my errands out, so I do them all in one day and map them to save time and gas. And while on those errands I pack snacks and juice so I am not tempted to make a quick trip to McDonalds.
Oh - and moved to Yakima where everything is cheaper, and we now save on gas too ;)
We kill our own meat. No commercial meat AT ALL. That was tough. We get a box of fruits and veggies from a CSA, which is awesome. It is all organic and it forces us to eat it all before it goes bad and lets us try things that we might not wondered into the grocery store and buy. Since we started the box we rarely go to the grocery store unless it is for something specific and that has cut down a lot on buying things we don't really need, i.e. ice cream, chips, etc. We only have libations on the weekend. We wash and reuse cloth napkins instead of using paper towel. We are going to live is rural Alaska during the summer with no on site water or power, so that should save a lot. Great blog post!
love these ideas torrie!
hmm... i was feeling pretty self righteous about no tv. probably should do a little more.
=)
Avoid Target. And pretty much not leave the house very often. Then I don't spend any money. :)
Seriously, those are lot of great ideas!
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