- Thread starter
- #41
-cut paid cable channels....hbo, showtime
-cut cell phone, got tracphone for emergencies, or for travel
-stopped buying the latest fashions in clothes and shoes
-cut call waiting, forwarding, caller id and voicemail off phone, use an old answering machine now
-cut our 3 overseas vacations a year and now take a local vacation once every1- 2 years
-hold on to our cars for 10 minimum years, 5 years without a car payment minimum.
-recycle everything that pays me!
-load a thermos of coffee every day for hubby to take to work
-brownbag hubby's lunch every day.
- got a car that gets 32 miles to the gallon 5 years ago for hubby's long drive to work.
-converted all credit cards to zero interest promotional credit cards, then paid them off.
-use cash for everything now, no accumilated credit card interest.
-found a cheaper auto and homeowner's insurance policy from a stable, local region Insurance company
-caulked my windows, bought storm doors for front and back, and weather stripping for doors and extra insulation for attic, foam insulation for electrical outlets on outside walls where they leaked air, installed electric heat fans in bathrooms so we don't need to turn the entire's house heat up when showering, bought foam pipe covers for the exposed water pipes for our heat and hotwater in the cellar.
ALL of this should save us 30% on our heating oil bill.
-bought firewood, should save another 20% on heating oil bill
-turn off all the lights
-use an oil lamp at night if just putzing on the computer
- bought a smaller flat screen lcd tv for the den vs a tube tv, cut the electric for the den use by 75%
-replaced my lights with 17 watt fluorescents, (i HATE THEM THOUGH)saving electric
-stopped leaving my porch light on or even turning it on.
-stopped eating out, instead every thursday, we meet with community friends at the local antique shop for a Pot Luck dinner where we each bring a dish....and just as yummy as eating out, with the selection of great, local, foods and recipes.
-befriended local farmers to buy my hormone free milk and fresh eggs and some of their in seson veggies before they sell them to the local grocers, (same people that own the antique shop, own 2 different farms, they are farmers....the antique shop is for fun)
-no movie theater, wait and buy the dvd to own.
-grow veggie garden in the summer
-never buy the newest, greatest gadgets anymore
Giving up ALL OF THESE THINGS and the concessions made saved us enough money....
to allow us to become a ONE INCOME family....thus, i retired young and hubby is really only part time, 35 hours a week or less working!
Are we poor now? Maybe in finances, but rich in life!!! we at LEAST get to see eachother now, instead of just ships passing in the night!
This is what we wanted, but for others these things could just save you money to do what you want to do with it....!
care
Thank you for taking the time to post all your tips. I will be studying it! You've made good choices and I'm glad you and your husband have the time to enjoy life. Time is one thing you can't save up!
shoot, my clothes from 5 years ago, probably UPDATES theirs by another 5-10 years.... since i didn't work, i just didn't need the newest and latest....and since i didn't work outside the home, it felt like i was on vacation so who needed to pay for vacations 3 times a year? 
