My advice for today's Frugal Friday post for anyone looking for ways to save money is to cancel your cable TV. Most of us would agree that cable TV is not worth the money and is not really adding any quality to our life, but few of us follow through on getting rid of our cable TV. Somehow we think that we need it or that it is just an expected part of our household/utilities budget. Since Mike wants to have cable TV during football season what we do is cancel our cable TV in the spring (usually February) and then resubscribe in the fall. We usually are able to get the introductory offer for around $20 a month (for 6 months). Each spring it is a little adjustment when the TV goes blank (we get no reception through rabbit ears) but soon we realize again that (at least I) really prefer not having TV. It is generally quieter and I tend to do more productive things in our free time, like reading or playing a game together. We can get almost anything (like news or portions of TV shows) off the internet if there is something special we are watching for. Also, we check out movies from the public library for our entertainment. At around $50 a month, even 6 months of no cable TV through the year will save $300.
Ways that we have saved money specifically this week:
1) We had a date night using coupons and gift cards for both the Olive Garden and Cold Stone Creamery. The only OOP (out-of-pocket) cost was $5 toward the tip at the Olive Garden.
2) We wanted to get a folding camp chair for our vacation this summer. With CVS ExtraCare Bucks, we got one, (along with a bottle of French's mustard and box of Tums) for $1.32 OOP.
3) I finally reached the Buehlers reward and got my $10 gift card to use toward groceries next month.
4) When we found out the local Christian bookstore, the Carpenter Shop (unfortunately) was going out of business today we rushed out to use Mike's $25 gift certificate on Tuesday before it was invalid. (I couldn't bear to think about $25 just going to waste.) Mike deserves the "Frugal Friday" award for getting 2 t-shirts and a Christmas gift (for someone in our family so I can't say what it is) for $.06 OOP (out-of-pocket = the difference after the gift certificate)!!! Way to go, honey !!! I am proud !!!
And for the monthly total on our grocery/household items budget...
CVS $12.82
Rite Aid $9.08
Drug Mart $6.99
Aldi $15.07
Buehlers $26.88
Hawkins $19.35
Kroger $6.58
Walmart $41.85
Rebates: $2.99, $4.99, 5.99
Total after rebates = $124.65
What about you - did you find any good deals this week???
Friday, May 30, 2008
Frugal Friday
My advice for today's Frugal Friday post for anyone looking for ways to save money is to cancel your cable TV. Most of us would agree that cable TV is not worth the money and is not really adding any quality to our life, but few of us follow through on getting rid of our cable TV. Somehow we think that we need it or that it is just an expected part of our household/utilities budget. Since Mike wants to have cable TV during football season what we do is cancel our cable TV in the spring (usually February) and then resubscribe in the fall. We usually are able to get the introductory offer for around $20 a month (for 6 months). Each spring it is a little adjustment when the TV goes blank (we get no reception through rabbit ears) but soon we realize again that (at least I) really prefer not having TV. It is generally quieter and I tend to do more productive things in our free time, like reading or playing a game together. We can get almost anything (like news or portions of TV shows) off the internet if there is something special we are watching for. Also, we check out movies from the public library for our entertainment. At around $50 a month, even 6 months of no cable TV through the year will save $300.
Ways that we have saved money specifically this week:
1) We had a date night using coupons and gift cards for both the Olive Garden and Cold Stone Creamery. The only OOP (out-of-pocket) cost was $5 toward the tip at the Olive Garden.
2) We wanted to get a folding camp chair for our vacation this summer. With CVS ExtraCare Bucks, we got one, (along with a bottle of French's mustard and box of Tums) for $1.32 OOP.
3) I finally reached the Buehlers reward and got my $10 gift card to use toward groceries next month.
4) When we found out the local Christian bookstore, the Carpenter Shop (unfortunately) was going out of business today we rushed out to use Mike's $25 gift certificate on Tuesday before it was invalid. (I couldn't bear to think about $25 just going to waste.) Mike deserves the "Frugal Friday" award for getting 2 t-shirts and a Christmas gift (for someone in our family so I can't say what it is) for $.06 OOP (out-of-pocket = the difference after the gift certificate)!!! Way to go, honey !!! I am proud !!!
And for the monthly total on our grocery/household items budget...
CVS $12.82
Rite Aid $9.08
Drug Mart $6.99
Aldi $15.07
Buehlers $26.88
Hawkins $19.35
Kroger $6.58
Walmart $41.85
Rebates: $2.99, $4.99, 5.99
Total after rebates = $124.65
What about you - did you find any good deals this week???
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6 comments:
I could never find deals as well as you!!!
I was encouraged to see how much you spend in one month with all your savings n such. You probably end up with a lot more "stuff" with your CVS bucks but we spend about $220/mo. for our family of 5. Aldi's has been good to us! :)
$220 a month for a family of 5 sounds pretty good to me (with all the diapers and other extra stuff)!! The USDA says that for a family of four $448/mo is "thrify" and that was 2006 data, so you should feel really good about $220!! Before I started doing CVS I was spending more than $220 a month just for the 2 of us (course I do buy some things that you probably don't like Breyers ice cream n such). I agree, Aldi's will often beat out anyone else. I'm glad that you discovered Aldi.
The most exciting thing for me in the last couple months is being able to get so many things to share with others :)
Makes Good $ense to me.
I actually didn't include diapers in that amount (everything else is though) You need to add another $45/month for those since we have 2 in diapers (and we buy the CHEAP brand!) unbelievable, eh? and I"m sorry, $112/week for a family of four is NOT thrifty! whoa! - maybe if you have all teenage boys though... that would make sense.
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