Ways to Save Money in 2012

We are always looking for ways to save money, because we are always checking out real estate in the D.C. area.  Jason and I moved to Fairfax, VA (the outskirts of Washington D.C.) shortly after we married and were SHOCKED at how much we paid per month in rent and utilities.  We loved and hated that place.  It taught us how to budget very early in our marriage and how important it is for a married couple to be all on board when it comes to finances and budgeting.  We know all roads lead back to D.C. in Jason's current profession, and when we get back, we want to be able to buy a house, land and canoe (giggle) outright somewhere near the Shenandoah River and Shenandoah National Park.   

So -- here are some things we do to save our pennies and put as much into savings, retirement and college fund as possible.

1 -- Ditch Cable and the Smart Phone.  

I have never owned a smart phone, so I don't know what I'm missing.  I don't want to be that accessible anyway.  Of course, that's a personal thing.  Some folks must be connected for work, or just for sanity's sake.  I don't happen to be one of those folks.  Please -- don't feel judged.  I didn't have cable until we lived in NC a few years ago, and we didn't watch enough TV to justify having it.  You could save yourself a good $2000 a year this way... maybe more! 

2 -- Buy Used

Cars, clothes, baby stuff, furniture -- you name it -- you can get it used.  It's really not hard these days.  I'm not a huge yard sale shopper (although I'm thinking I might become one), but there are thrift and consignment stores everywhere and you can find stuff with tags still attached at over 1/3rd the cost of something brand new.  We haven't bought a brand new car in over a decade.  In fact, one year we survived with only one vehicle.  You wouldn't believe what we saved on taxes, upkeep and insurance.  All of the vehicles we've bought since we've married were located on Craig's List and bought with cash.

3 -- Take the Sunday Paper

This is a tip I got from my thrifty Sister-in-Law in MS.  I make sure I get at least $2 off in coupons on things we would normally buy at the grocery store to justify the $1 a week we spend on the paper.  I average about $12 a week savings, just by clipping coupons from the Sunday paper.  That's almost $50 a month... minus $4.  I try to go through my coupons before each trip to the grocery store and put a "C" next to items that I have coupons for on my list.  I also try to stick to my list.

4 -- Cut Your Husband's and Your Childrens' Hair  

I started cutting Jason's hair the month after we got married.  It took some practice, but I do a better job now than any professional since about six months in because I'm well-acquainted with his head and the way his hair grows.  Of course this takes a lot of trust at the outset.  I'm sure if he had the same professional cut it for a few months, I wouldn't be able to make that claim anymore, but Jason is so thrilled with the money we save, he's happy to let me do it.  I have cut my own hair in the past, but the savings we accrue this way allows me to get a good professional cut every few months with no guilt.  

5 -- Nurse if You Possibly Can

I know this is not always possible or desired for every woman.  Again - don't feel judged.  I had a VERY difficult time with this... and it never really happened for us without some outside help.  I won't go into all the hairy details, but we had to buy bottles, shields and an expensive pump, and we still probably saved upwards to $2000.  Jonathan received my milk exclusively for one year.  Who knows how much we've saved in doctors' bills.  The added benefit... I was wearing pants I haven't been able to fit into since year two of our marriage by the time Jonathan was 10 months old... and eating like a horse at the same time.  Awesome!

6 -- Consider Cloth Diapering

It's easier than you think.  Just buy a garbage can with a lid, some decent diaper covers (I use Thirsties duo wraps.), some cheap Gerber trifolds from Wal Mart, and you're set.  I buy biodegradable, flushable liners for the messy diapers (100 for approx. $6).  I don't use the liners in every diaper unless Jonathan is teething.  Depending on your washing machine, the liners can be washed and air dried several times before they start to break down.  Of course, you wouldn't do this if you had a messy diaper.  I recently realized, with the help of a good friend, that flushable wipes are great for cloth diapering when you've got a really messy diaper on your hands.

I received a 20 pack of cloth trifolds at a shower that I used as burp cloths until we got through all of the disposables we were given at showers.  I started using those on Jonathan when he was about 8 or 9 months old.  It literally took us that long to get through all of the disposables that were given to us.  We were overwhelmed by the generosity of friends and family.  It can be difficult with a baby boy that's a heavy wetter.  Boys just wet more in general.  We have to use a disposable at night.  I have no idea how much we've saved going this route, but it's easier than you might think.   It helps to have your diapers set up at the beginning of the day in your changing area.  I start the day with a stack of about 7-8 trifolds layered with linders and a few covers handy. The diaper covers can be wiped out and reused throughout the day until they get wet or dirty.  Wish I'd read something like this before I started on my cloth diapering adventure.  I've learned a lot the hard way.

7 -- Use Cloth Wipes

This is another easy, easy thing to do and it actually seems to really cut down on diaper rash and diaper pail stench.   They're also much softer on baby's bottom.  Jonathan received a gazillion baby washcloths and a wipes warmer at showers.  We have about eight that we actually use for the bath.  The rest I soak about once a week in a solution of water, baby oil, baby soap and aloe vera gel.  I roll them up and place them in a wipes warmer.  (I fill a quart sized container to within about one inch of the top with warm water and use one Tbs. each of the other ingredients.)  I can use one to two of these on a really dirty bottom as opposed to 4-5 disposable wipes.  They go in the diaper pail with the dirty diapers and actually help the smell until it's time to wash.  I wash diapers every second to third day depending on how many dirties are in the pail.

8 -- Use Cloth Napkins

Do you know how many cloth napkins I had laying around, still in plastic, from our wedding shower?  Sixteen.  For seven years only eight were ever used.  Now they're used almost weekly.  I keep paper towels in the pantry now.  Because they're not as accessible, we reach for a dish cloth, towel or a cloth napkin most of the time.  I don't change out that paper towel roll nearly as often anymore. I've bought material here and there from remnant bins at stores like Wal Mart (Our Wal Mart still has a sewing/ cloth section.) and Hobby Lobby to make more.  

9 -- Make Your Own Laundry Soap

Recipe:  1 bar of Zote, 1.5 Cups Borax and 1.5 Cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

Some use Fels Naptha instead.  I like the smell of the Fels better (if you decide to use Fels, the recipe is a bit different), but with tendonitis in both arms, Zote is much easier to grate and makes more at one time.   I mix the grated Zote and the powders in a large bowl and run it through my little food processor two cups at a time.  It takes a total of about 20 minutes.  It's easy and I only make it every couple of months.  It saves about 7-9 cents per load depending on what kind of laundry detergent you usually buy.  If you do a lot of laundry like we do, it really helps.   

10 -- Eat at Home

That's self explanatory.  I'm not a great cook, but I've learned a thing or two here and there.  I bought a whole chicken the other day for just over $3.  I love the HEB Combo Loco!  I can roast that in a crock pot and then get about six-seven cups of chicken stock out of it.  After I've removed the meat, I throw all the chicken "junk" back into the crock pot along with water and some veggies and spices and let it go all day.  The chicken is either immediately used in a big pot of soup for the freezer or is cooled and stored with the vacuum sealer in smaller portions for recipes.   I let the stock cool for a couple of hours, strain it several times and put it in a big bowl in the fridge.  A few hours later, I skim all the fat off the top, strain it once more and put it in two cup containers in the freezer.  Done.  Recipes made with homemade chicken stock are out of this world!  Again -- much easier than you might think.  I also grind all our flour and make all our bread.  I don't think I've been doing that long enough to see the savings quite yet, but I do believe it has had a positive effect on our health.  I've recently found a grain co-op in our area, so we should be getting our grain at a significant savings from here on out.  Jason and I limit dining out as much as we can.

11 -- Go Natural
A few months back I read that gray highlights were becoming vogue.  I started letting my fake blonde grow off and letting my age show.  Well - I haven't noticed that I'm starting a trend or anything, and my hair is still two-tone, but I haven't paid to have my hair dyed in over a year.  The jury is still out on whether or not I'll be able to keep this up.  I have a lot more snow on the mountain than I anticipated.  I don't want people to mistake me for Jonathan's grandmother.  

I'm sure there are scads of other ways to save your money.  I love to garden, but we're not in the position to do that right now, and may not be for some time.  I grow herbs on my porch and on my sunny window sill for recipes and will probably grow tomatoes and peppers in pots on my porch this summer.  I miss our little garden in NC.  Oh well.  Someday I'll get my sister-in-law to teach me how to can, but that may have to wait until we have our place out on the Shenandoah.  Maybe then I'll be able to have a clothes line as well.  The real benefit to all this -- marital bliss and zero debt.  No kidding!  

Here's the big guy -- resplendent in his thrift store Sunday best.

(The spot on the front is drool. ;o))