Saving Money

These days most of us want to save money. Here are a few ways to do that.

First, we need to buy only what we really need.

Second, it helps to buy large quantities of frequently used bargain items. Some ways to do that are joining places like Costco or Sam's Club where things are sold in bulk, and shopping at outlet stores. If storage space is a problem sometimes two or more families can share the cost and split the purchases.

When something we often use is on sale it's a good idea to buy two or three times the usual amount. But before using coupons or purchasing sale items check the prices of similar things. Sometimes other brands have everyday prices that are lower than the cost of the products on sale.

A clothing swap between families can be fun.

Some people are embarrassed to shop for clothing, books, and household items in second hand stores, but there's no reason to be. I can't buy used clothes anymore because the fragrance in the products the stores used to wash or clean them bothers my allergies, but I used to do that. I always felt proud when I could find something like a gently used designer suit for only a few dollars.

Another way to save money is to cook food from scratch and eat at home. With practice it's possible to cook enough dinners for a whole week in a couple of hours, and just reheat things each evening. Alternating between several kinds of food and freezing extras keeps the menu interesting and the meals can cost a lot less than frozen meals or fast food.

If money is tight there are still a lot of fun things for families to do. It doesn't need to cost anything extra if families take turns inviting each other over for dinner, but they still get the pleasure of eating out. If the kids in each family prepare performances for their guests that adds to the enjoyment.

A picnic at a park or beach, playing games together, or going for walks usually don't cost a thing. Other cost-free things families can do are singing together and reading books out loud - not just bedtime stories, but fiction the whole family will enjoy. Some classics are great to share that way.

There are many ways we can pinch pennies and still have enjoyable lives.

Penny Pinching

These days most people are concerned about money, and you'll see lots of hints about how to save pennies. My grandfather used to tell me about his Scottish grandmother who taught her family, "Waste not, want not," and "Many muckles make a mickle." Gramp said that last phrase was Scottish dialect for "Many littles make a big."

We're probably all aware of hints like those to save electricity by turning lights and electrical devices off when not needed, water lawns late in the day to save water, use fabric towels instead of paper ones, re-use things instead of throwing them away, buy and store quantities of things we often use at a discount, and shop with coupons, but here are a few more 'littles' I haven't seen elsewhere.

Unless clothes are extremely dirty, using slightly less laundry detergent than the bottle or package suggests usually works fine. The same applies to dishwasher detergent, fabric softeners, toothpaste, etc.

When buying applesauce avoid the oddly shaped bottles that make it nearly impossible to get it all out.

Packages of tissues usually have several folded together at the top of the box and, if someone is in a hurry to catch a sneeze or wipe a runny nose it's easier to grab and use them all at once. Separating them when the box is opened can avoid wasting those.

Save computer paper by using the backs of previously printed things to make copies of things that don't need to look good.

These hints, and others like them, mean we can buy a few less of each item in a year. The saving from each one is small, but they do add up over time. Many 'littles' really do make a 'big.'

Penny Pinching

Lots of families are trying to be more frugal these days, and one way to save a lot of money is to stop eating out and buying fast foods. Cooking from scratch can be time consuming, but here's a way to make it work. Cook enough for several different big dinners at one time. Then divide each dish into several sections, each big enough for a family meal, and freeze the ones you don't intend to serve right away. Cooking enough for a week or so all at once and then heating some up each night won't require much more total time than going to restaurants or waiting for pizza deliveries, and rotating the dishes will keep them from becoming monotonous.

It might seem boring to stay home, but a picnic doesn't cost much and provides a change of scene. And reading a book out loud to the whole family, or playing board games together can be an inexpensive substitute for going to a movie and offers a change from watching TV or playing video games.