Saturday, July 9, 2016

Grocery Haul: July 1st, 2016 and the grocery savings and rebate apps I love

Paying It Off One Penny at a Time: July 1, 2016 Grocery haul and the savings and rebate apps I love
I happen to LOVE grocery haul videos on YouTube! I don't know why, but they get me kind of excited. I really like seeing how other people eat and what groceries in different areas of the country and at different stores cost compared to my own.

I'm not quite at the taking video stage yet, but I plan to get there. In the meantime, here is my grocery haul (well, part of it) from July 1st, 2016. I made a few additional stops over the last few days for more produce and staples that were cheaper elsewhere, but this gives you a basic idea of some of what we eat.

Please note, we are a family of two--a mom and a teenage boy. We also buy most of our produce separately at different stores so not a lot of produce is pictured here.

The apps I mention below are (please note, some are affiliate links):


and the website I print my coupons from is:

  • Swagbucks -- Go to the Shopping tab in the menu and then find the link for grocery coupons. With Saving Star, you get points for redeeming coupons. These points, along with points accrued from other activities via Swagbucks, can be redeemed for giftcards. Over the last several years, I have paid for my son's birthday and Christmas presents almost entirely with giftcards earned in this manner. Most months, I am able to earn an average of $20 in Amazon gift cards via Swagbucks. Sometimes I earn a bit more and sometimes I cash out for Starbucks gift cards instead. You can earn a lot more on Swagbucks, but it can be time intensive if you aren't picky. It can also generate a lot of unnecessary junk email if you aren't careful.  

Most of these apps and the website are only available to users in the USA, although I believe Checkout 51 is also available in Canada.

Since that haul, I did temporarily misplace my receipts so I am not totally sure of how much I spent or what my savings were overall, but I recall being pleased other than a hiccup with three coupons that I mention below. On average, I save 30 to 50% per grocery trip BEFORE applying rebate app savings. On occasion I get up to 75% savings. My dream, of course, is a 100% savings trip!

On to the haul...

We eat a lot of sandwiches so I picked up two packages of Oscar Mayer lunch meat--both on sale AND I had a coupon. I also picked up a package of dry salami (on sale) and two packages of pre-cooked sausages. And, for my son I picked up a package of pre-sliced Tillamook cheese. For cooking and baking, I picked up a package of Imperial margarine since I am allergic to dairy and thus can't use regular butter. The cheese was on sale AND a rebate was available via the savings app Ibotta. I printed the coupon for the lunchmeat via the website Swagbucks.
Sugary cereals aren't my ideal, but sometimes we need a super easy sweet treat. Cereal was on sale AND I had coupons printed from Swagbucks AND a rebate from Saving Star. We use rice milk in place of regular cow's milk and were running low so I picked up two containers. Our favorite bread was not in stock so I bought our second favorite as well as some bagels. The hamburger buns were on sale AND I had a rebate available from Ibotta resulting in the buns costing next to nothing. We just use them for regular sandwiches. 
We had run out of laundry detergent so I picked up a new bottle. My hair also has been unusually tangled and coarse lately, I think due to the water quality where we live now, so I also picked up some apple cider vinegar. Dilute it with water (I do about 20% vinegar to 80% water most of the time but increase the vinegar after swimming) and pour it over your hair after shampooing and rinsing. Then, rinse it out. The tangles come out so easily! It's like magic!

I also bought some bulk oatmeal, unbleached flour, and sugar to make blueberry muffins--I guessed on how much of each I would need and my guess was spot-on! I also bought my favorite jelly (with a coupon) and muffin tin liners for the blueberry muffins. The jelly jar also will eventually become a bulk spices container once the jelly is all gone and I've washed out the jar. 
Lighbulbs...I bought a reading lamp after our move due to not enough natural light in our space, and the only bulbs I had available were much to high in wattage.
PRODUCE! You can see the blueberries in the back, then two bell peppers, one bunch of radishes, a pound or so of green beans, zucchini, and tomatoes. I had rebates for the peppers and zucchini via Ibotta. I also had a rebate for tomatoes through the app Checkout 51.
Snackies... The Wheat Thin crackers were on sale and I had a rebate available through Checkout 51. I had coupons for the Justin's nutbutter packets that should have made them free, but they resulted in an error message each time the cashier tried to use them. I ended up paying full price for each nutbutter packet and plan to write to the company for a refund due to the coupon problem. I also received a rebate on the Luna bar from both Ibotta and SavingStar and a coupon and a sale price resulting in my $1 Lunabar costing me only 25-cents! The pretzel bites and soda...no comment! My son actually bought the chips himself but gave me the cash and tossed them into our cart.
My work schedule makes it hard for me to prepare three meals per day every day for both of us, so my son gets more frozen foods than I care to admit. The Morning Star patties are for me though.
These next three pictures show my shopping and savings method. I write out a list of what's on sale from each store I frequent with the sale prices, item names, item sizes, and any limitations. Then I also mark (SC) if I have a store coupon, (C) if I have any other coupon, and then abbreviations for any apps that have rebates or offers on the items on my list. 

So, I might write:
  • $1 Luna Bar (C) (Ib) (S*) to indicate that Luna bars are on sale for $1 but I have a coupon plus rebates available from both Ibotta and Saving Star.

I also note the rebates I have selected from Ibotta, Saving Star, and Checkout 51. At the top of the page, I make a list of anything else on my shopping list. After I get home or get back to my car, depending on how many rebates I need to take care of or how many stops I've made, I process the rebates. For Ibotta, Saving Star, and Checkout 51 and my local stores, this involves scanning the barcodes on most items (the apps include the scanning mechanism) and taking pictures of the receipts. Ibotta pays out the fastests after scanning your items, but Ibotta and Checkout 51 both require that you accrue $20 before you can actually get the rebates sent to you. Saving Star has a threshold of $5 before you can request your rebates. 

I also recently started using Shopkick. I'm so new to it that I have yet to decide how useful it will be. It appears that you can get deals and savings through Shopkick, but I am far more interested in the fact that you can accumulate points (called "kicks") just by walking into certain stores or by scanning the bar codes on selected products. Right now I have 275 kicks. 

You can trade the points in for gift cards ranging from Starbucks to TJ Maxx/Homegoods/Marshalls to clothing stores to Wal-Mart. Some are available for as little as 500 kicks, but that is only for a $2 gift card. My current goal is 1250 kicks for a TJ Maxx/Homegoods/Marshalls gift card as we moved at the start of June and have lots of things to replace! Our move was far enough that we got rid of almost everything we owned before moving (sold, donated, or trashed everything!).

If you use Shopkick or Swagbucks and redeem your points or kicks for Starbuck's gift cards, be sure that you register one card and transfer all of your balances to it via Starbuck's! That way, every time you make a purchase using your Starbuck's gift card you can earn Star Rewards--points towards free drinks, food, and merchandise. Most of the time you earn 2 stars for every dollar spent, but there are monthly double reward days and other deals and specials that can greatly increase your stars and your potential for freebies. 

What other apps or saving programs do you utilize? I have downloaded a few others but either they don't have items available that I would use or they aren't as easy to navigate. 

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze -- Introduction and Chapter One

Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze
Recently, my former boss and great friend took me to a women's entrepreneurs conference at her church. It was sponsored in part by Dave Ramey's organization and many of the presenters based their business savvy on Dave Ramsey-like principles.

Although I was not there for the first day, my boss/friend showed me the book she had picked up, Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze (Ramsey's daughter). Not only did she get this book, but it was bundled with several other items for the price of the book. As the day wore on, I kept thinking about that book and finally wandered over to the table where Ramsey and Cruze's books were beings old. Rachel wasn't there, but the person at the table was gracious and kind and I ended up buying the book and the bundle. And...I got a signed copy of the book.
While my son, at nearly 18, is much older than the principles in the book are meant for, I think it will still be valuable to us as we navigate financial freedom. I still have a ton of debt to pay down and we aren't anywhere near being able to afford to own a place of our own. My son is about to start college too and I don't want him to end up with a pile of debt just as his adult life gets under way.

So, although I had already read the first two chapters, I am going to restart the book and have my son read it as well.

Below are our thoughts on the introduction and chapter one.

My thoughts:
My first impression of Smart Money Smart Kids is that Dave Ramsey has been-there-done-that. It's easy to forget that he once was in my position: worried about money, beating himself up over stupid money mistakes, and wondering how on earth he could get his family's financial situation back on track. From the start, he is honest about how it felt to be handling money poorly and seeing the impact on his family. His daughter also paint a clear picture of her childhood as being anything but flashy and filled with whatever money can buy. This is a down-to-earth, humble family who built themselves back up from ruin to financial stability and beyond.

Reading chapter one was a bit difficult for me as it's written from the point of view of Rachel, Dave Ramsey's daughter. I kept thinking, but I'm the parent! I'm the one that should know how to handle money! I'm the one that should be teaching my son money lessons! We shouldn't be having to learn these things together and the child should definitely not be having to teach the parent! Ramsey's daughter is only ten years older than my son and I had a moment of, "You're not old enough to teach me this!"

I got over it though...

My son and I NEED this. We both NEED to improve our financial situations. We both NEED to be financially free.

So, I kept reading...


My son's thoughts:

I read the introduction and first chapter of the book. I don't really know what to write about specifically because most of the introduction and first chapter are just the authors talking about their personal and family success and how they've helped so many other people, and then also reminiscing about events in their life which I can't really identify with or relate to. I'm not really 100% with their mindset of big success, big business, big money and all that as it is; I just want to be happy. 
Money is not necessary for happiness. It just helps you get along in the modern age and opens up new avenues for you. I see it more as a resource rather than a means of being successful; if you're an idiot, you'll mess up and burn; if you're smart, you'll get where you want eventually.
We have basically no money to spend as it is, and I generally mindlessly squander the majority of the money I'm handed because it will never, ever be enough to pay off actual college funds, and the things I immediately want are already just pointless material goods that I don't need and thus don't need to 'save up' for. They don't really matter as much as bills that I'd need to save for would, had I a house or a car. At the very least, though, they keep me happy for a month or two and provide new things for me to do with the people I spend most of my time.

I know my monetary choices may not seem smart, and they aren't smart, but when I have an actual job and am trying to feed and clothe and house myself, I'm confident enough with my intelligence to say I won't be powerwashing all of my cash down the drain.
My thoughts again:
I think we NEED to read this book together.

Pick up your own copy of Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze at your local library or from Amazon HERE.

This post contains affiliate links.

Monday, June 20, 2016

June 2016 update--it's been a while!

June 2016 Update--Paying it off One Penny at a Time
I can't believe I last blogged here in March and that I had only ONE post that month! If nothing else, that's a sign of how stressed I have been over the last several months.

I had a job I loved (and now greatly miss) and great coworkers, a close friend in town, and my son and our dogs. But, beyond that my son and I both weren't feeling too satisfied with our lives. We were on the tightest budget we'd been on in a long time--made worse by the negative impact of benefits and a raise (more in a minute), and we just didn't really like where we were living.

Money was tight.
Moods were low.
We needed a change.

Despite working hard earlier in the year and late last year to stick to a spending fast, it didn't help our budgets this winter and spring as I got hit with the flu for the second year in a row, followed by severe asthma, then severe seasonal allergies. Add to the mix a second virus that was quite flu-like.

I was a mess. And when you feel like a mess, a lot of your promises to yourself go out the window.

I dumped my spending fast in place of convenience.

I didn't calculate the financial cost of taking a raise and more hours compared to the cost of the benefits that would come with those hours compared to getting a second part time job instead. I didn't calculate the cost of no longer qualifying for a reduced cost energy program or an employer sponsored health plan versus a state sponsored plan.

I didn't calculate a lot of things.

As a result, we became even more broke than we were before.

I could say I just give up and let the world roll me over, but instead, I decided, along with my son, to make some huge changes in our lives.

First of which was that we moved...not only did we move many, many miles away, but we moved in with a relative. This alone will save us several hundred dollars in expenses. We are paying him rent, but it's significantly less than what we would pay if we stayed in our old town, even if we had moved into something smaller or into a less well to do neighborhood.

Second, I did get a new job that pays more and has the opportunity for bonuses, on average an extra $500 per month. I started last week and while it's been slow to start and a steep learning curve, I think I'm going to enjoy the job. Unfortunately, it will require a lot more driving so we'll see how that impacts my budget due to gas consumption.

Third, I started a new business with a friend. Our immediate goals are to build our audience, but by the end of August, we hope to be turning a profit, even if it's small. Long-range, however, we believe we can earn a tidy sum while helping others. You can check it out HERE.

Fourth, I had an article published on the blog And Then We Saved! I didn't get paid for the article, but it's still a great accomplishment considering how widely read that blog is! Of course, the article was about how I planned to make my spending fast work! As noted above, my plans didn't exactly go as expected, but for the period of time that I was on track, I managed to pay off a tiny bit of debt, pay my expenses, and feel like I was on the right track.

Fifth, I have recommitted to my spending fast! I already did well last week by not going to the nearby coffee shop when doing training at my new job's headquarters and I didn't stop at Starbucks on my way to or from training either. And, I've been looking ahead to this coming week. I know I will need to get gas and buy some groceries, but otherwise I plan to make do without.

This coming week, instead of spending money I plan to:
  • Catch up on reading (check out my reading blog HERE)
  • Work on my new business with my business partner (check it out HERE)
  • Walk my dogs more often, bringing my son along 
  • Study for my new job
  • Plan for the following week
Overall, I feel like we are back on track and living with my relative is a critical part of the process of not only getting back on track, but staying there. My goal is to set aside as much money as possible over these next few months, building up my emergency savings fund, and to pay off some small, lingering debts. My hope is that I can pay off enough small debts to eliminate them AND to see my credit score rise.

I even have a plan for when I feel like I need a reward or a treat for doing well--I have Starbucks gift card credit thanks to Swagbucks and also a free drink from taking part in Starbucks's rewards program (using built up gift card credit!). At the moment, I am just shy of enough credit for two grande Americanos, but by Wednesday I should have two drinks covered. I'll save them up for a time when I'm really feeling that urge to splurge!

Dave Ramsey suggests $1,000 in an emergency fund, but my goal will be to have $2,000 in an emergency fund by September 1st. It will be tight, but I think I can do it!

Monday, March 28, 2016

Stop hunger now -- donate to your local food bank

End hunger in America -- donate to your local food bank

What would you do if you were so broke that you literally could not afford to eat? Would you turn to a food bank?

For many, a food bank is their only option, no matter how tight their budget is, no matter how careful they are with their money, no matter how hard they work. Although my son and I have never been truly at risk of going hungry, thanks to generous family members, there were times where help from family was the only reason we didn't end up at a food bank.

Many years later, I still vividly remember those dark days, and as a result I have committed to donating to my local food bank (or food closet or food pantry--whichever term you prefer) as often as I can.

I recently donated the following, in addition to many items not pictured--our local food bank takes both perishable and non-perishable food, as well as hygiene and personal care items--
Stop hunger now by donating to your local food bank

Stop hunger in America -- donate to your local food bank
My donation, in the end, filled two large paper grocery bags and included:
  • Several cans of soup
  • Several cans of beans
  • Several cans of vegetabls
  • Two full size tubes of toothpaste
  • Two razors
  • One box of tampons
  • Three boxes of breakfast cereal
  • Several bars of soap
  • Several sample size lotions and soaps
  • Dental floss
If you think you can't afford to donate to a food bank because your own budget is tight, consider looking more carefully at sales flyers and coupons. I've been able to get many items for pennies or even free and often those are items I pass on to the food bank. One of our local stores also has a huge sale two or three times per year where they have many canned goods marked down to a mere quarter per item! I use whatever change is in my wallet or purse to buy a few items for the food bank during these sales.

If you have fruit trees or a garden that produces more than you can possibly consume, consider calling your food bank and asking if they take produce. In Arizona, not only do food banks accept produce, but if you have fruit trees, there are organizations that will come and glean (or harvest) them for you and deliver the excess to the food bank all for FREE!

If YOU are in need of help or feeling despearately broke, please don't bear your burden alone! Check out THESE blog posts for ideas on how to make ends meet, where to turn for help, and more.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Freebie Friday: Pinch Me Unboxing Day! {{Feb 19, 2016}}

Freebie Friday: Pinch Me Unboxing Day!
February 19, 2016
Freebie Friday: Pinch Me Unboxing Day! 2/19/2016
I've mentioned PinchMe.com a few times, and I have to say....

I LOVE A GOOD FREEBIE!

Or two or three...

I received my second Pinch Me box of free samples, and I am thrilled! The samples in my first box were good, but today's are GREAT!

I didn't do an unboxing for my first Pinch Me order, but it contained a dog food sample, a small lotion, and a coupon for $100 off of a case of $160 worth of wine from an online retailer. I didn't select the wine coupon and don't drink enough to use it, but my dad might find it useful. Today's box had another wine coupon! I'll offer that one to my dad as well.

Before I get into today's unboxing though, maybe I should tell you a little about Pinch Me.
PinchMe.com -- an UNBOXING
PinchMe.com is a website that allows you to select a couple of free samples every month or two to try out in exchange for a review. The samples might be for you, for a baby, for your pets, and so on. To qualify, you do have to fill out a profile about your interests, who you are, the makeup of your family, information about your pets, and so on.

The samples you are offered are based on your profile. For example, I don't have a baby so I don't qualify for baby samples. We do have dogs, so we do qualify for dog-related samples but not cat related samples.

Once you sign up, you will start getting emails periodically inviting you to select your samples for your next Pinch Me box. Once you've selected your samples, you sit back and wait. You'll get another email when your sample box has shipped. You can even track the shipping date on your Pinch Me dashboard.

When you receive your samples, you try them out and then go back to PinchMe.com to review each item. So far, I've had one review that was just a few yes or no questions and another that was a few yes or no questions with a brief short answer to write out.

Easy peasy! 

The only downside to Pinch Me that I've come across so far is that you do get occasional emails inviting you to sign up for various offers or newsletters, such as for Tablespoon by General Mills. If you sign up for those offers, you may receive coupons and samples from these third parties, but you also will end up on a lot of email lists. So, when you get those emails, proceed with caution, or consider setting up a second email address just for Pinch Me and other similar programs and offers.

Now, on to today's unboxing! 


In today's Pinch Me box, I received a nice sized sample of Purina One Smart Blend True Instinct Grain-Free Formula dog food. It's enough for 3 meals between my two dogs. What I like about this sample:
  • It's a decent size for a sample!
  • It doesn't smell weird or bad like many dog foods (although it doesn't smell like a bunch of roses either!).
  • The ingredients on the back are mostly recognizable or things I can easily figure out.
  • My dogs like it!
I also received a much bigger than expected bottle of Olay Ultra Moisture with Shea Butter body wash. What I like about this sample:
  • The size is honestly incredible for a free sample! It is four times as large as the lotion sample in last month's box!
  • It smells good (although the scent is a little stronger than I prefer).
  • It feels smooth going on.
  • It washes off nicely.
  • It came with a coupon so if I see it on sale somewhere, I might consider buying it. 
    • So, um, edited to add that I didn't read the label very carefully! This is BODY WASH, not lotion! Oops! It smelled great though and worked well as a lotion. But, once I noticed that it was body wash, I used it in the shower, and it's GREAT! Smells lovely. Goes on smooth, and rinses of with ease. 
And, I don't recall requesting this so maybe they automatically popped it in, but I also received two packets of Truvia, the stevia-based calorie free sweetener with a coupon.  I've never tried Truvia and usually don't use sweetener alternatives. I might try it on my oatmeal tomorrow.
  • Edited to add: I tried Truvia the next morning in my oatmeal and ended up throwing the oatmeal away. I did not like the flavor of Truvia at all. It didn't really make my oatmeal sweeter so much as gave it a bit of a chemical flavor. Odd considering Truvia is supposedly all natural. 

Finally, I received the wine coupon that I mentioned above. I'll probably give it to my dad. It seems that they automatically put these in orders.

Overall, I really am enjoying Pinch Me, even though this was only my second box.

You can sign up HERE
I'd really appreciate it if you'd enter code 7C42J when signing up too!

Have you tried Pinch Me? What did you think? What other samples and freebie programs do you participate in that I should check out??? Leave a comment!

Edited to add: If you do give Pinch Me a try, make sure you update your profile regularly as this information is how you qualify for samples. I didn't qualify for the last two boxes--I believe one was focused on baby care (I have a teenager) and the other was focused on cats (I have two dogs).

Saturday, February 13, 2016

100 abundance affirmations - 76 to 100

Affirmations for abundance
Welcome back to the fourth and final installment of my 100 Abundance Affirmations! As mentioned last time, this series has become not just affirmations, but also gratitudes. Read 1 to 25 HERE, 26 to 50 HERE, and 51 to 75 HERE.

Here are abundance affirmations and gratitudes 76 to 100:

76. The Universe is eternally supportive of both my needs AND my wants.
77. I no longer worry about needs and can afford my wants.
78. My bank account is larger than I ever dreamed possible.
79. I can afford my dream home with ease.
80. We have the financial means to travel first class anytime we wish.

81. Every time I open my mailbox, it is filled with money and freedom.
82. My investments are constantly growing.
83. I live in a modest apartment not because I need to, but because I like my home.
84. I use the library because I enjoy it, not because it's all I can afford.
85. I can afford to buy any book I want, any time I want.

86. I can easily afford take away coffee as often as I want without worry.
87. I don't need to make financial sacrifices because I am on solid financial ground.
88. I am grateful to the Universe for EVERYTHING in my life.
89. I can afford to be generous with others.
90. I am living a life of infinite abundance.

91. I am prosperous beyond my wildest dreams.
92. I am FREE.
93. I release all resistance to financial wealth and prosperity.
94. I welcome wealth into my life with ease.
95. I am grateful for all that I have.

96. I am grateful to the abundance making its way to me now.
97. I am open to receiving all forms of wealth funneling their way to me.
98. I can easily and effortlessly pay my bills.
99. I can easily and effortlessly afford my needs AND my wants.
100. Wealth loves me.

Read the entire abundance series HERE.
Read my series on what to do when you are desperately broke HERE.
Visit the Etsy shop mentioned above to get fun and fabulous download-and-print coloring pages HERE.

Friday, February 12, 2016

Money's tight and you're desperate -- Part V of V: Laundry, toiletries, cleaning, and pet care



Part 5 of 5: Laundry, toiletries, cleaning, and pet care
Money's tight and you're desperate -- Part V of V: Laundry, toiletries, cleaning, and pet care
This post is the last in my five part series on steps you can take when you are desperately broke. I talked in my first post about a time in my life, or a season as some might say, when I was desperately broke. My son was very young and we were trapped in an abusive relationship in large part because of money--I had none. Even though I worked and my ex worked, there was never enough. It seemed like the harder I tried to get a handle on our financial situation, the harder my ex tried to prevent me from doing that. It was a round-and-round battle. That was merely one aspect to the abusive nature of our relationship, but I am mentioning it because often money is a reason why abused people stay in relationships and it is often a tool used by the abuser to keep the the person being abused from leaving. Looking back, I can see that was the case for me, but at the time, I was so deeply into just trying to survive that I couldn't see this reality. 

If money--or lack of it--is keeping you from leaving an abuser, take heart. Leaving is not easy, even if you do have money or support from friends or loved ones, but I know it can be so much harder without those things. But, there are resources out there. Your local community likely has shelters, crisis centers, and much more available to you, including free or sliding scale legal resources. Please seek help from these places. If you don't know where to turn to, try your local church, temple, synagogue, mosque, or other community based organization. 

I've been thinking a lot about that time in my life and lessons I learned from it since watching a video recently in which the speaker talked about using the power of forgiveness as a way to attract positive energy and positive things into your life. At one point she said something along the lines of, "Forgive your abuser and thank them for the lessons you learned that made you the strong person that you are today." 

WOW! 

Powerful stuff!

Forgive my abuser??? HOW???

I think forgiving him is something I will always struggle with. I can, however, see the many lessons I learned because of that relationship and I truly appreciate how those lessons have built upon one another to turn me into the strong woman that I am today. That experience, and leaving it, has taught me to be strong, independent, and to stand up for myself and my son, even in the face of great adversity, but that is all a story for another time. 

The point today is that during that relationship, we were constantly broke and I was constantly struggling to find ways to save money or make the little money available stretch as far as possible. So let's get on with it, shall we?

Save on your laundry
Several years ago, I came across an article about jeans and how frequently they should be washed. The article did not give a definitive answer, but instead, the author asked many famous people how often they wash their jeans. The singer Jessica Simpson reportedly hardly ever washed her jeans unless they were visibly dirty. I remember that many people thought this was rather gross. But, really, is it? If you are wearing underwear and not really getting dirty or sweating or doing anything overly active, how gross is it?

So, consider things like jeans, outerwear, and your bra if you are a woman. How often do you really need to wash these? What about your bath towels or kitchen towels or cloth napkins? First of all, they are all likely to last a lot longer if you don't wash them every time you wear them. Instead, carefully fold or hang them up immediately after wearing them. Learning to take care of your clothes will go a long way towards saving you money on laundry and will save you even more money on the cost of replacing your clothes.

As mentioned in THIS post, air drying is a great way to save on utilities. Hang dry everything that you can. It might take time to get used to the texture of air dried sheets, towels, and jeans, but my son and I really don't even notice anymore.

Take a look at your laundry detergent and fabric softener. Do you really need to use the full measure as directed? Experiment with using less. Due to skin sensitivities, we use a "free and clear" variety of laundry detergent, and I've found that the ideal amount is actually HALF of the recommended measure of detergent. Our clothes get clean and there is no soap residue left behind. I also DUMPED the fabric softener and instead add a half cup to a cup of vinegar to the dryer. The vinegar both helps soften and to deodorize our laundry--it's especially great when washing your bedding or towels!

If you notice a stain on your clothes, take steps to treat it immediately and inexpensively. Non-grease, non-oil, non-fat stains may be removable with simply a little soap and water. Oil or fat based stains might come up with a sprinkling of cornstarch. Natural substances like blood often can be removed with hydrogen peroxide. Just be sure that you understand your fabric and the type of stain you are treating--not every solution works on every fabric or every stain. For example, hydrogen peroxide can cause some colors or patterns to bleed and it can also cause material to break down if you aren't careful. Do your research first!

And, be sure you wash your laundry during OFF peak hours if your utilities company regulates high and low usage times of day with different rate schedules for each. Also, do ONLY full loads of laundry (but not overloaded), unless you really have no choice but to do a smaller load, in which case use the appropriate load size setting on your machine.

Also, consider cutting back on the number of clothing items you have. Do you NEED 10 pairs of jeans and 20 t-shirts? Does your child need 15 sun dresses or 12 pairs of shorts?  The more clothes you have, the more likely you are to do lots and lots of laundry. Scale back to a wardrobe of basics for work and basics for everyday, and ideally items that can be used for both. Less clothing = less laundry = savings on detergent, water, and electricity or gas. It also may mean saving time.

Save on toiletries
As mentioned in THIS post, as a woman, a part of my monthly budget goes towards feminine hygiene items and they are EXPENSIVE! Even the cheapest tampons, pads, and so on are on the spendy side! Most toiletries are, in fact. And, if you have any sort of special needs, the costs can break the budget. I have a couple of different skin conditions and require special shampoo and have to be very careful about soaps, shaving lotions, and so on.

I save on our toiletries by:

  • Contacting manufacturers for coupons and samples--if you have a special need, be sure to explain it when you call, email, or write. They may be sympathetic and willing to send you more coupons or samples than they normally would.
  • Figure out how much you can dilute liquid products--one of my shampoos works great when diluted to 50% with water, but the other only works at 25% dilution. 
  • Use the smallest amount possible to get the job done--you really do only need a pea sized amount of toothpaste to clean your entire mouth and anywhere from a dime to a quarter sized amount of shampoo for your hair, depending on your hair's length.
  • Experiment with time between shampoos, shaves, etc--if I was my hair daily, it feels clean but looks limp. I can go two days between shampooings before my hair starts to look and feel like it needs washed. 
  • Find multi-use products (including by accident!)--I discovered by accident that my body wash makes a better shave lotion than my actual shave lotion! It also costs a lot less!
  • Add water to some products to make them work better--my shampoo and body wash turned shave lotion work a lot better with a lot of water after I lather up. I can't dilute them too much in the bottle, but once they are on my body, both work best if I then carefully increase the water on my head or if I use my cupped palm to add a little water as I lather body wash on my legs to shave. Don't use more product! Try using more water!
  • Treat your razors with care--make sure the blade is dry and not in contact with anything when you are done shaving. If it has a moisture strip, periodically add some lotion or petroleum jelly to the strip to keep it working. Rinse the blade carefully between uses so it doesn't get all gros and gunked up.
  • Selectively buy your toilet paper--you could go fully frugal and use "family cloth" instead of toilet paper (ew...not for us!), or you could very carefully and strategically buy your toilet paper. Where we live, Angel Soft brand is frequently on sale and there are routinely coupons available. At least twice per year, I can buy several 4-roll packages for ONLY the cost of tax by combining the sale price + coupons. Now that I use Saving Star and Ibotta, I'm also saving even more throughout the year. Recently, I was able to buy $25 worth of toilet paper for less than $5 after sale prices + a store coupon + a manufacturer's coupon + a Saving Star rebate.
  • Skip makeup--when you start to run out of makeup, experiment with going without. I know for some makeup feels like a necessity, but really, unless your job is somehow makeup dependent, makeup is a luxury. If you don't feel that you can go without, look for less expensive alternatives, possibly even look into making your own cosmetics. 
  • Try the "no poo" method of washing your hair--I haven't had a lot of success with "no shampoo" hair washing, but I have had GREAT success with NOT using hair conditioner. My hair is not colored or treated, but if yours is, this might not be ideal for you. Instead of conditioner, I use diluted apple cider vinegar three times per week after washing my hair. My hair is silky, clean, and super easy to brush afterwards and looks great for the next few days! I no longer need conditioner in the shower and I don't need detangler after the shower either! It's so inexpensive, especially if you buy the generic store brand. 
Save on cleaning
As with diluting your toiletries up to 50% with water, try doing the same with your liquid cleaning products. Or, better yet, stop buying cleaning products and start using basic vinegar and water, baking soda and water, and even salt and water to clean your house. Check out THIS infographic on my friend Dr. Andrea Rosario's blog--it's all about natural household cleaning. If you skip the essential oils, you can clean your house for almost pennies! For most of the cleaning recipes, the essential oils aren't actually essential...keep the cost down by skipping them.  I spend less than $2 per month on cleaning supplies by only using baking soda, vinegar, water, old dish towels, a scrub brush, and a toilet brush to clean our house. And, bonus, I don't have residue from icky chemicals hanging out in our home.

If you do feel the need to use regular cleaning products, pare back to only the essentials, ideally to multipurpose products, and dilute them whenever possible so they still perform their job but last a bit longer. And, whatever you do, ditch the paper towels and use old rags, torn up old t-shirts, and other fabric scraps instead. Just throw them in the laundry when you wash your towels or bedding.

Save on pet care
A lot of people will suggest that if you are truly financially strapped, then you should not have pets. However, pets bring all kinds of joy to our lives. If we didn't have our two dog, my son and I would probably spend a lot less time at home which would translate the a lot more financial temptations when away from the house. Of course, that doesn't mean our pets are cheap! I save money on our dogs by:
  • Buying the cheapest dog food they will eat and that will allow them to stay healthy--one of our dogs only does well with two varieties of canned wet dog food. The other one does well with a dry kibble that I can buy in bulk at WinCo for 39-cent per pound. For both of our dogs, I compared brands and packages at the store as I looked for cheaper and cheaper dog food. I now spend about $5 per week on dog food to feed a 25 pound terrier and a 55 pound boxer-bulldog-mutt. Both are quite healthy!
  • Brush their fur and use baking power dissolved in water with just a drop or two of Dawn dish soap to bath them--brushing my terrier's fur regularly helps keep her odor free and looking nice. But, both dogs do need baths on occasion. Be sure you understand your dog's breed and their fur coat well. Our boxer-bulldog-mutt has very short, wiry, oily fur and does best with every other month baths. The terrier has longer, shaggier fur and needs monthly baths. Research your pets and their fur so you understand how much and in what ways you should bathe them--it could save you time and money and could also keep your dog's coat healthy.
  • Learn to brush their teeth and clip their nails--Our terrier is a pill with nail clipping, so I do pay someone to do that, but I just found a BETTER groomer that will do the clipping for HALF what the many places around us charge! And, she's mobile and will come to us! Be sure you are comparing prices! Our other dog loves the attention showered on her when we brush her teeth but her nails are extremely thick and hard to cut, even after learning to do it myself so I also pay the groomer to do this, but taking her for regular walks helps to keep the nails from growing excessively long so I don't have to get this done as often as with our terrier. 
  • Walk your dogs (or cats or bunnies or whatever...)--walking your pets is great for them and for you and by extension for your wallet. It's FREE, it can be entertaining, the whole family can make it a regular outing, and as mentioned above, for some pets it can help with their nail-trimming needs. It keeps you and your pet healthy too. Unless the weather is rotten, walking might be the most perfect activity there is!
  • Consider if your pet and your wallet would benefit from a pet insurance plan--I used to think these were total scams until our mutt had to go to the vet SIX TIMES in one year because she kept eating things she shouldn't be eating (Legos, half of a very long garden hose, a rock) and because she is prone to impacted anal glands resulting in abscesses. Most of the time I can head off the anal gland-abscess problems, but not always. The eating-things-she-shouldn't was totally unexpected. Both are expensive problems. Our other dog is a senior citizen and has some minor but chronic health problems. Last year, those problems led to some dental issues. I calculated the cost of the pet plans I purchased for both dogs just prior to last year and compared it to the costs of not having the plans--between the two dogs, I saved $650 dollars in one year on veterinary care just by having those plans. It hurt to see that money leave my bank account every month, but knowing that it did save me in the long run and protected my dogs' health made it worth it. Of course, this is a case of spending money to save money. You'll have to figure out if you can manage this or if you are too broke for even that, in which case see if there is a veterinary school in your area that might provide services for less. Look for free clinics, free or low cost vaccination events, and so on.
  • Ask for samples and coupons--samples and coupons aren't just for humans. I recently got a sample of dog food from PinchMe.com that my dogs LOVED and it was big enough to replace two meals. It was FREE! My vet periodically has samples as well, and some companies will send you samples or coupons if you just ask. This works for dog food, cat food, rabbit food, guinea pig bedding, and a lot more! Some companies will also send you samples and coupons for non-food items too.
  • Learn to make your own dog food and how to handle upset doggy tummies--ask your vet about cottage cheese, boiled chicken or ground beef (gross but it worked for my dog...ask YOUR VET first though!), plain rice, and so on. After consulting with our vet, I discovered some really cheap ways to make our dog's food stretch, but you really MUST consult your vet before altering your pet's food or treating upset tummies or other health issues at home. For our dogs' particular needs, we've stretched their diet both when they've been sick and when we've been broke by adding some plain boiled rice, diced carrot, a little leftover pumpkin puree and so on in with their regular food--NEVER give pumpkin pie MIX to a dog though! The spices in the mix can be deadly to your dog!
  • Skip a bunch of toy--your pet probably only needs one or two toys if you are careful. Don't let your pet play with toys unattended and be sure to pick up the toys after they are done playing or when you need to leave your pet alone. Inspect the toys regularly to make sure they are in good condition and don't pose a choking or other health hazard to your pet--I've seen many people in the Emergency Department where I work come in with injuries sustained while trying to rescue a choking pet. The cause of the choking is almost always an old, worn out, or damaged pet toy. It's emotionally horrible as often the pets die, but it's also very expensive to have an Emergency Department visit on top of costs associated with any veterinary visits in an attempt to save the pet and/or arrangements when the pet dies.

 As, I mentioned in THIS post, you MUST get the book Tightwad Gazette from your library! It is a wealth of information about how to live on less and make a penny really stretch. If it’s not available, see if your library participates in OverDrive so you can get it as a digital loan. It has amazing ideas and resources that really saved us when money was so tight I was in utter despair at how to make ends meet.

I hope you enjoyed this series on what to do when you are desperately broke! Come back again to see what else we are up to in order to save a penny and pay down some debt!

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Money's tight and you're desperate: Part IV of V -- Cooking, kitchen, and pantry habits

Part 4 of 5: Cooking, kitchen, and pantry habits
When you're desperately broke: Part 4 of 5--Cooking, kitchen, and pantry habits
This five part series has covered a variety of topics and tips to consider when you are desperately broke, but today's post is going to focus in on your cooking, kitchen, and pantry habits. This post is NOT about grocery shopping, but it is related. To read more about my grocery shopping tips, click HERE.

STOP buying aluminum foil, parchment, plastic wrap, and Tupperware and its alternatives
Products such as aluminum foil, parchment, and plastic wrap are expensive. Even when you buy the cheap versions. When you run out, I want you to see how long you can go without replacing them. If you have Tupperware or similar food storage containers, when they break or get damaged, don't  go out and buy replacements. What alternatives can you find to how you use these items? A few ways that we get around using these things:
  • Save butter or margarine wrappers in your fridge and use them to grease baking sheets and baking dishes instead of using parchment. 
  • Save jars and washable food packaging with lids to use for food storage. I scored a free jar of pasta sauce a few months ago and rinsed and washed it well after we used the last of the sauce. I now use that jar to hold rice (bought in the bulk section at a great price from WinCo). I also use re-purposed  jars to store dry lentils, oatmeal, herbs and spices, and a wide variety of other dry goods in my cupboards. 
  • If you use a microwave to reheat food, use a plate to cover the food instead of plastic wrap. Also, be much more careful of how long you microwave food for to prevent spills and splatters to reduce the need for covers in the first place--can you heat, stir, and heat a little more to avoid splatters?
  • If you need to cover a pot and don't have a lid, use a plate for that too.
  • In the fridge or freezer, use your upcycled jars and other containers to package your food. Just be careful about how long you leave foods in the freezer in your upcycled containers and use them up before freezer burn has a chance to set in. Also, be very careful before placing glass containers in the freezer...you don't wan them to crack!
REUSE aluminum foil and wax paper
If you buy or have cereal at home, save the wax paper liners from the packaging. Carefully peel it open at the seems and wash it in the sink with a sponge and a little soapy water. Lay it out to dry, or lay it over your clothes drying rack to dry. Then, carefully fold it up and put int in a drawer for the next time you need wax paper.

Of course, also make sure that if you are buying cereal, that you are buying it ON SALE + using a COUPON + using a savings app or website like SavingStar or Ibotta. Or, buy store brands if they are cheaper!

If you still have aluminum foil, every time you use it, be very careful not to rip or tear it. After use, carefully wash it with a sponge and some soap and water and then dry and save it as well.

And, with any foil, wax paper, parchment, or plastic wrap, be careful to only use the amount that you need. Measure it and use scissors to cut it, if you necessary.

MINIMIZE your dishes, utensils, pots, and pans
How many plates do you have? Mugs? Spoons? Steak knives? Do you NEED all of them? If you pack some of your dishes, utensils, pots, and pans away you can reduce the amount of dish washing you have to do simply by eliminating excess. We are a family of two but had dish and utensil sets for EIGHT. When we needed a clean plate, we'd look in the cupboard first. We would put off washing dishes as long as we could as it's a chore we both really dislike. Ultimately, this habit was causing us to have to wash A LOT of dishes at a time which made us put off doing dishes even longer! It was totally counterproductive and it meant we used a lot more energy and water when we would finally wash the dishes. We'd also typically be a lot more unhappy than necessary.

We now have dishes for four in the cupboard, 8 spoons, and 4 of the rest of our utensils (we use spoons A LOT).

I also went through all of our cupboards and pulled out pots, pans, bake ware, and more that we either didn't use, were duplicates (causing us to use more than we needed and increasing the dish washing load), and so on. I also got rid of anything that was broken or unusable.

I did sell a few items, but the extra dishes and silverware that I kept are packed away in a closet and only get brought out a few times per year when we have company.

If you aren't sure how much to pack away or get rid of to reduce your energy costs associated with dish washing, start small. Can you pack away one mug and one set of silverware without anyone noticing or complaining? Keep going until you've hit the threshold of what you and your family can tolerate. I did it all at once though, and I noticed an immediate and significant drop in our water bill just from this single change!


Inventory your fridge, pantry, and freezer
You might need to eat some creative or weird meals, but nothing should be wasted — if you bought it, you should eat it unless it’s gone bad or is too far expired. If you find foods you bought a long while ago, consider never buying them again — if you bought it and didn’t ever eat it there was a reason why and that was wasted money.

At the moment, I happen to have a package of mushrooms that must be eaten in the next two to three days, as well as two tomatoes, and a bag of salad. I'll be having mushrooms and chopped tomatoes  cooked in some olive oil with pepper and some garlic powder for a snack, salad with mushrooms and tomatoes for lunch at work, mushrooms and tomato in an omlette for breakfast, and another salad for lunch tomorrow.

Do this inventory at least weekly. 

Inventory the food you throw away
Put a piece of paper on your fridge or cupboard and write down every piece of food you throw away. Then, after the list has grown, take a look at it. Was it leftovers, stuff that expired, stuff that went bad/got old/moldy? WHY did you throw it out? Make a plan to really minimize throwing away any food.

Every time you throw food in the trash, reflect on how much money you had to pay to buy that food. As it adds up, your shopping, inventorying, and eating habits should improve accordingly.

Food in the trash = money in the trash.

Have a leftovers night at least weekly
At least once per week have a leftovers or "clean out the fridge" night. Pull out all of your leftovers and let your family members choose from them for dinner. The crucial element is that you are eating the food that's already prepared or about to go bad and not cooking or buying something new. If you or your family hate leftovers, make a plan to minimize or eliminate them.

I once tutored for a family that would cook HUGE meals every night and then throw away more than HALF of what they had prepared because they all claimed to hate leftovers. On a couple of occasions they gave me the leftovers to take home. They made so much food that their leftovers translated to multiple meals for my son and I! I told the mom, in total seriousness, that I would give her a huge discount on my services in exchange for their nightly leftovers. She didn't believe me and never took me up on my offer.

Promptly refrigerate or freeze leftovers
If leftovers cause your family to overeat, promptly package the leftovers as soon as you re done cooking and pop them in the fridge or freezer as soon as they are cool enough.  If I know the dish I am making is going to have extra leftovers after everyone is served, I will portion those leftovers out into containers for lunch the next day. Four soups and things that are easily freezable, I portion the left overs out into single serving sizes so they are easy to thaw and reheat for a single meal. This minimizes food waste, minimizes additional cooking time, and keeps meals on hand for those hectic and crazy days when fast food or delivery seem easier (even when you can't afford them). Just be sure items are clearly labeled with  the item name and the date and eat them up before they go bad.


Read all of the posts in this series HERE, or for individual posts:

Read Part 1 HERE--Getting support, embracing free, food bank, and feminine hygiene.
Read Part II HERE -- Medications and healthcare, grocery shopping tips, and housing.
Read Part III HERE -- Utilities and transportation

Part V will cover laundry, toiletries, cleaning, and pet care

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Money's tight and you're desperate: Part III of V

Part 3 of 5: utilities and transportation
When you're desperately broke: Part III of V--Utilities and transportation
Welcome to Part III of V in my series on what to do when you're desperately broke. Just today, as I was feeling great about my recent raise and increased hours in my day job, I was dealt a blow I wasn't expecting and it goes along perfectly with the first topic in today's post.

You see, I went to pay my electric bill in person so I could pick up an application for my utility provider's income based billing plan. I had been on it before but my plan period (one year) had come to an end and I needed to reapply. I thought the income limit was a bit higher than it actually is. When I looked at the application, I thought, "Hm...that's not as high as I thought, but I think I might still qualify." When I got home, I checked my pay stubs for the last few pay periods and my heart sank when I realized that I don't qualify anymore. I'm about $200 over the maximum limit for a household of two. And, despite my raise and increased hours, unless I find a way to increase my income further, I won't be able to afford my next electric bill. I also live in one of the hottest climates in the United States so I am worried about how I will manage this summer when average temperatures are well over 110F.

So, let's get on with it--how can you save on your utilities and transportation?

Saving on utilities
First, before you do anything else, if you are reading this at home, look around you. Is there a light on that isn't being used? Turn it off! Is a radio or television on in an empty room? Turn it off? If it's daylight and your blinds or curtains are closed and lights are on instead, turn off the lights, open the blinds or curtains, and sit by the window to use natural and FREE sunlight to see by.

Now that you've sorted your immediate electricity usage, I want you to look up ALL of your utilities providers--electric, gas, water, trash and sewer. Call each one and ask if they have any income based programs and ask how you can apply. Even if you think you don't qualify, apply anyhow. I am over the limit for our electric company's saving program, but I plan to apply anyhow. I called after reviewing my paystubs and was told to apply regardless because my income was close enough that there might be deductions they can take or other programs they can enroll me in--I won't know without applying.

And, during the same calls, ask about equalized payment plans where they average out your usage over the course of the year so you pay about the same amount each month instead of variable amounts from month to month. My electric bill can by sky high during the summer, so it helps my budget to be on an equalized plan to spread that extra cost out over lower cost months.

If you aren't on a time-based electricity billing plan, get on one! The cost of electricity here is significantly lower from 7pm to noon and on Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. I save 90% of our cooking, laundry washing, and dish washing for these "off peak hours". I also try to minimize usage of lights and other electric items during noon and 7pm as well.

Work on shorter showers and better dishwashing habits. By focusing on cutting our showering time as short as possible, we have shaved quite a bit off the cost of water and natural gas. I also make sure that we are careful when washing dishes. We stopped using our dishwasher a long time ago a it really ran the water and electric bills up. We now wash dishes by hand, but we make sure to turn OFF the water while we are scrubbing. Even more so, I try to fill a bowl with soapy water and dip my sponge into it to wash my dishes instead of running the water or squeezing soap onto my sponge over and over. I then use the minimum amount of water possible to rinse my dishes. We then let them air dry since we live in an extremely dry climate.

During the winter, if I bake during off-peak electricity hours, I leave the oven door open after I am doing baking and after turning off the oven. The heat from the turned off oven can help keep the kitchen warm.

Air dry your laundry if you live in a non-humid climate. We have one small drying rack and it doesn't fit all of our clothes for each wash cycle, so I drape clothes over the towel racks and shower rod in the bathroom to dry overnight.

Keep the top of you refrigerator clear, especially if it's an older model. Heat rises and your fridge and freezer generate heat as they run. If you have a ton of stuff heaped on top of the fridge and freezer, you make it harder for that heat to escape thus forcing your appliance to work harder to stay cool.

Unplug EVERYTHING that doesn't need to be plugged in OR plug everything into power strips or surge protectors that you can turn off between uses. This includes your television and computers--both continue to draw electricity when turned off. Every night before going to bed, go around your home and turn off the power strips and unplug things. It may be annoying to do this, but it can add up over time.

Follow the sun with your blinds or curtains. During the winter, be sure to keep blinds and curtains open when the sun is shining in on them. During the summer, keep the blinds and curtains closed when the sun is shining in. During the winter this will help you recover some heat while during summer it will help you reduce heat in your home. Also, if you have ceiling fans, be sure to use them to help circulate air, especially during the hot summer months.

Keep your thermostat as low as possible during winter--wear layers and socks and use blankets instead of cranking up the heat. During the summer, do the opposite--keep the thermostat as high as you can handle it and wear shorts and tank tops. My electricity provider today suggested keeping your summer thermostat at 79 to 80F. But, be careful that you don't adjust your thermostat so low in winter or so high in summer that it is a health hazard.

Finally, when you are calling your utilities companies to ask about better rates, energy plans, and so on, also ask if they offer any type of energy audits or if they have programs for things like free energy saving light bulbs, weather proofing kits, and so on.

Saving on transportation
Let's face it, most of us need to use a car, bus, train, or other mode of transportation on a regular basis. It can be a huge budget killer. Let's talk about public transportation first.

If you take a bus or train, figure out if you can afford to buy a weekly or monthly pass. If you can, will it save you money? Call your local transportation organization and ask if they have any income based plans or if there are ways to get free passes. Ask if there is any discount if you buy your passes online or in person or over the phone--I used to live in an area where you could save quite a bit if you bought a monthly pass and bought it online.

Find out if your employer offers any commute assistance programs. My employer offers public transportation discounts and rebates and other programs to their employees in California. Some companies offer such benefits to all of their employees regardless of location. I have worked for several companies that offer free or discounted bus or train passes and that one company even offered regular prizes for their commuters that took the most bus or train trips to and from work.

This may seem obvious, but WALK as often as possible to do errands or get from point A to point B. I can walk to my local grocery store and a pharmacy. The library and post office are within bicycling distance. Walking or bicycling to these places not only will save you on the cost of transportation, but it can be great for your health which can save you money over time on the costs of medication and healthcare.

If you bicycle, learn to do your own maintenance on your bike. Consider bicycle commuting if you live in a safe enough area to do so. Read more about my bicycle commuting HERE.

But, what if you own a car?

I do own a car. It is 17 years old with 232,000 miles on it. I drive it as little as possible and work hard to keep it in good shape. Be sure you are maintaining your car so that it will keep on running! Use coupons or Groupon to save on thing like oil changes and brake maintenance. If you belong to Costco or Sam's Club or have a friend or family member that belongs to them, consider buying new car batteries and tires there. Call around to local independent mechanics and ask what they charge for maintenance. Often (but not always) they will meet or beat the prices of chain auto repair shops.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated and only use the air conditioning if you really need it. The A/C can actually suck up tons of energy and drop your gas mileage and overall efficiency, especially if you have an older car. If you live in a climate with dramatically fluctuating temperatures, keep on top of your tires and make sure you check their inflation regularly--although I suggest you use independent mechanics for maintenance, many large chains offer FREE tire inflation checks and will fill your tires for free (just beware they might try to up-sell services to you--be ok saying, "No thank you.").

Use Gas Buddy. You can download the Gas Buddy app or use it online to find the best price on gasoline in your area. Prices in my area vary by as much as 50-cents per gallon! My local grocery store typically has the best price in my area and if I shop there enough, I can rack up points for discounts on gas. Lately I'm only saving 10-cents per gallon once per month, but that's still money saved! There is another gas station by one of my two work sites that is an even better price though so I plan my gas fill-ups to take advantage of that gas station when I can.

Consider carpooling to work or events. If you work the same hours as a coworker or two, see if they will carpool with you. Either take turns driving or figure out a way to split the cost of gas. If you plan to go to an event that you know your friends or neighbors are attending, ask if you can ride together and split the cost of the gas.

Combine errands. I hate doing numerous errands all in one trip, but I love how much it saves me in terms of both gas and time. I usually map out my errands so that I can go in a loop and to minimize any backtracking. This does take some planning, especially if you are doing things like grocery shopping and buying perishables or frozen foods. In warm or hot weather, I make sure to have a cooler in my car and to place cold and frozen items together in grocery bags.

Consider combining errands with your neighbor as well. Go grocery shopping together and split the cost of gas. Go to Costco or Sam's Club together if one of you is a member and not only split the cost of gas, but split the cost of bulk items, checking first, of course, that the prices of these items is actually cheaper per piece or per unit than anywhere else.

Finally, if you are truly desperate, ask family or friends to give you gift cards for gas, groceries, or other necessities instead of gifts at birthdays and holidays. Ask a family member with a Costco or Sam's Club membership if they can add you to their membership and then be very careful about what you by at these stores. Most major gasoline chains do offer gift cards...

Read all of the posts in this series HERE, or for individual posts:

Read Part 1 HERE--Getting support, embracing free, food bank, and feminine hygiene.
Read Part II HERE -- Medications and healthcare, grocery shopping tips, and housing.
Read Part IV HERE -- Cooking, kitchen, and pantry habits

Part V will cover laundry, toiletries, cleaning, and pet care

Please keep in mind, that how much you save on any tip in this series will depend a lot on how much effort you put into your savings and how much you are willing to change your habits. I once had someone tell me how broke she felt and how she felt like nothing she did would make a difference. When I offered a list of suggestions similar to the items in this series, she replied, "None of that's going to save enough to be worth doing." Well, maybe some of these individually won't amount to much (like clearing the top of your fridge), but when taken all together, the results DO start to add up over time.