Saving Money

Other than taking CLE's consistently and either finding free classes or going to lunches to stretch out-of-pocket expenses, here are ways I save money:

I'm working somewhere that provides coffee, tea and ice water. I try not to spend money on bottled beverages and mostly drink water anyway. Today, someone left a plastic bag full of tea, including my favorite! I had no shame in taking my favorite to my desk. I didn't hoard the tea the company provides.

Bring lunch from home. I'm boring and can eat the same thing for lunch every day, or else bring leftovers from supper.

Shopping:

Don't go to Target. Period. Especially not Super-Target. I swear there's a $50 minimum purchase. If you MUST go, bring a list and stick to it. Most of the things I need from Target are in the grocery store's pharmacy department. They may cost a bit more but in the long run I spend less money.

Stop hoarding. I don't know what you hoard but I'm sure you hoard something. For me, it's bath products. I have soap, lotion, body wash, etc. and am forcing myself to use my stash. I'm down to two bars of soap and one bottle of body wash but have about 8 bottles of lotion. I'm not replenishing my supply until I run out. It's frustrating because sometimes I'd like to buy a new product, like these, but I have to wait until I actually need more product.

At the grocery store, stay around the perimeter where the fresh foods are. You'll need to make the occasional foray to the middle, for staples like flour and oil, but most of your needs can be met by sticking to the outside lane. It's less convenient to cook actual food, but it tastes better, is better for you and is cheaper in the long run than the pre-packaged foods. Don't neglect the coupons, both ones in the newspaper and the ones at the store. My grocery store sometimes has two for one meat coupons. That's a great deal!

My friend is selling books and cd's to used book and cd stores. If you have recent clothing that's only gently worn, selling it at consignment shops is an option. There are a couple of really nice ones where I live; my other friend bought a suit with its tags still on at one of them!

Shopping at consignment shops will reduce your clothing budget but you can also find bargains at thrift stores; I bought a wool sweater from Nordstrom with its tags still on for $9 at the thrift store this winter. If you have time and are patient, you can find great stuff!

Tightening the belt is difficult but needs to be done.