Plan inexpensive,
healthy meals
It's so tempting to eat out. For those of us who work
outside the home, we might not feel like cooking. And for those who are home
all day, we might want to get out of the house. I'm not going to tell you to
never eat out. But the more we eat at home, the less money we spend. The same
goes for a work lunch.
If you don't know how to cook, start small. Also, there are
a great variety of sandwiches or salads you could put together easily. One of my sons buys bread and peanut butter
for lunches. You can dress up a peanut butter sandwich with jam or sliced
banana or raisins. It's fun to get creative.
Buy some things
second hand
There are things I will buy second hand and things I won't.
I never buy shoes or underwear second hand. Some other people might buy shoes,
but my feet are picky.
If I need something for a particular occasion, I usually
start with a thrift shop or two first. If I'm not successful, then I try
discount department stores (I've been pretty lucky with Ross Dress for Less).
Then I will try regular department stores (I'm thinking J. C. Penney or Kohl's).
If I'm still not successful, I look at the sales at more expensive department stores (for example,
Macy's).
Fix What We Are Able
to Fix Ourselves
Here, it's good to take into consideration our talents and
time. Some people can do some light carpentry or car repairs, and others
cannot. Some of us can sew and mend or re-make clothing, and others don't know
how. Some things can simply be super-glued or duct-taped or safety pinned.
There are videos online describing repairs for just about anything we can think
of. If it's doable, and you can put in the time, you can usually save quite a
bit of money by doing it yourself.
Spend a little to
save a lot
This one might be tougher for someone who is really pinched,
but it's a good principle to have in mind when you are able to pursue it. Here is
one example of what I'm thinking. If you have a car and you get regular oil
changes, the car will need fewer repairs and/or last ever so much longer. Incidentally,
checking the oil and the antifreeze/coolant, on the other hand, should only
require the expense of buying a little oil (if it needs it) or antifreeze or
windshield wiper fluid. If you don't know how, find someone who will show you
or you could probably find it online.
Work and do most
business close to home
This is one that might not be possible for everyone. Some
jobs require commuting. But if we have a job where the choice is between
somewhere close or somewhere further away, personally, I would take the one
that is closer in order to save on gasoline and wear and tear on the car. Not
everyone can do this, but could we find some of our doctors and businesses near our home…or
perhaps near our place of employment?
Grow some food
This one can be hard if you don't have a house and yard…or
at least an apartment with a patio or balcony. It's also hard if you've never
grown anything before. I hadn't grown food since childhood, and then only once,
but this year our neighbor gave us a couple of cherry tomato plants. It's been really nice to have those fresh
tomatoes. My plan is to start small and try to grow more next year.
