COUPON CLIPPERS UNITE! How in the world does one thrive in a one-income family this day and age?! I'm on a quest to find the perfect part time job that will work around a full time mom's schedule, be flexible enough that a puking or sniffling child is a good enough reason for my absence, and will give the body of my family's financial livelihood a little pecuniary splurge.
We're all on a budget, times are tough. Until that perfect employment opportunity comes along, we will have to rely on my scathingly brilliant schemes of economic expansion. I've been compiling a list of economically friendly tips to help trim some "fat" from our budget belly. Take a look:
1. Cut down on fast food or treats. Mama loves her greasy Baconator... what can I say?
2. Trim your shower time by a mere 2 minutes. According to the back of my Suave body wash bottle, this may save up to $150 a year and close to 4,600 gallons of water! According to my husband, my showers are so long, he should keep his shower the same and I should cut mine down by 4 minutes. Motion denied.
3. Plan family meals based on the adds at the market. It's not so much "eat what you're hungry for", it's more or less "Be hungry for what you can eat".
4. Buy in bulk when you find it economically advantageous. I bought a 10 pound tube of hamburger from the market last month because it was far more reasonable in the long run than buying the 2 pounds I needed. Aside from the financial perks, this tube 'o beef would be a stellar weapon to use on burglars, Kirby salesmen, and those pesky door to door politicians.
5. Shut the lights off! If anyone has ever driven by and witnessed us dining by candlelight, it's not a romantic gesture.
6. Rent movies from your local library. True, halfway through most of them the DVD begins to skip and you have to turn off your TV, completely unsatisfied. If you're specifically keen to the mystery genre, this may not bother you too much.
7. Shop second hand stores, especially for kids clothing. It takes approximately 2 wears before Noah's jeans have holes in the knees. This is the kid who can wear a hole through a pair of sweatpants! Ridiculous...
8. Conserve your gasoline! Stop driving so much. Plan one trip for multiple purposes. Or, just walk... But walk slowly, or you may break a sweat. Then you would need an additional shower, thus proving this bullet point to be extremely counter-productive.
9. Turn your heat down. When my brother and I were kids, if we told Dad we were cold, he would tell us to go put on another sweatshirt. Who needs heat nowadays when we have the technology of the Snuggie!
10. And finally, my last tip for economic expansion: hang dry your clothes. According to one study, your clothes dryer is the second largest energy consuming appliances in your home, using up to 4000 watts per operation! We have a clothesline outside for the warmer months and one inside for the winter months. It looks a bit tacky on laundry day, but it puts great moisture back in the air that is lost during those dry, winter days.
Now, I'm no expert. I'm just trying to be a resourceful, savvy fiduciary. I invite you to comment at the bottom of my blog and share some of your creative ways to make the dollar stretch!
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