5 ways I save money

5 Ways I Save Money:

1-Bring a list to the grocery store and STICK TO IT!!
How many times do you come home with things you don't need, and missing the thing you do need? We go grocery shopping once every two weeks. I plan our meals for those two weeks, and the things we'll need for those meals. Add the essentials (eggs, milk, cheese, bread, ice cream) also know as our every day things, and that's it. Very rarely do we walk out with extra items, and then we usually are within our budget amount as well.

2-Create a meal plan
If I have a meal plan laid out, I've bought the things for it already, this saves me extra trips to the grocery store to pick up something I need for dinner that night AND I'm not adding extra things because they sound good.

3-Use my budget
We have one. Even if I'm the only one who knows what amount is in each one. I'm in charge of the finances in our house, even though Captain Jax brings home the paycheck. I pretty much give him an allowance for two weeks, and that's all he gets for his fun stuff. If I'm close to my budget amount in a section, I don't pull from another section that may have excess (like when my CC is paid off, I don't take the amount I was putting towards that and spend on scrapbook stuff, although it's tempting) I just STOP spending in that area. It took us about 12 months of playing with the budget to get it to work for us. but it works. We even have a section in it for savings. Someday we WILL own a home, and be out of his parent's basement!

4-Buy the store brand
Unless the name brand is cheaper with my coupon or something, I buy the store brand of items. Brand loyalty does not help you save money.

5-Coupons, coupons, coupons
When matched with a sale, coupons can save you money, and sometimes MAKE you money. Yes, you heard me. When used just because you have a coupon. . .well, they aren't much good.


These are small tips, but for us, the grocery store is where most of our money goes. Find out if your local grocery store has a gas station, and if they do, how much you have to spend there to get a discount. My local Harmon's Grocery has a gas station, and when you spend $30, you get $.05cents off a gallon, spend $50, you get $.10cents off. $75, you get $.15cents off. Spend $100 and you get $.20 off a gallon of gas. And this is up to 20 gallons worth! It's worth it for me to shop there, and save money on our gas as well.

Start small, and I bet you can find all sorts of ways to save money, and be a cheapskate too!