amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

3Gs4Me · 04-12-2007, 10:08 AM

We have a decent amount of income to put towards debt but I am always looking for new ways to save money or pare down. Last night I worked our budget again and we are at the point that there is no way to take anything else out unless I figure out how to feed us less expensively or sell the one vehicle that we have a payment on (won't do this because we got it for half its retail value and have a very small interest rate on it).

We don't have cable, cell phones (dh has a work one we don't pay for), we don't pay for daycare, we don't have memberships anywhere, etc... I would like to figure out how to feed us and buy household goods for less than $750 a month but I am also not willing to change my cooking from whole foods or buy less nutritious, less quality foods so I don't see that as possible either.

I just keep wanting to squeeze an extra hundred out of the budget for our debt snowball but am at a point where there is nothing else to squeeze. Is anyone else in this situation?

Sandi · 04-12-2007, 11:43 AM

Maybe you can squeeze that extra hundred out of the groceries by buying alternate things. I'm not sure what you're eating, but I find that when I shop with the store sales and avoid things when they get too expensive, I save a lot.

For example, are you keeping a pantry stocked with basics when they go on sale? That helps us a lot - big cans of chili beans, tomato sauce for marinara, pastas and rice in bulk, etc.

Can you swap out two nights of organic/free range meat for a vegetarian meal (vegetable stir fry, bean soup/stew, curry) each week? If you can squeak out $25 a week from the grocery/household products budget, which seems do-able, that would be your extra $100

With the produce you'll grow in your garden this summer, will that shave $10 or $15 off per week from your current shopping?

Are you making your own cleaners? (Vinegar, water, spray bottle?) Microfiber towels instead of paper?

What about trying to cut back on your energy usage? Could you do maybe $20 off the grocery budget each week and $20 off the energy bill each month by turning the thermostat up a couple degrees in the summer and down in the winter? Have you switched you bulbs to compact flourescents? (we just did that this winter and noticed a HUGE difference in our energy bill). Can you hang the laundry to dry in the warmer months and cook out more to save on energy? Are your appliances all energy star?

Let's see...
What about car usage. We did end up selling our second car - yes, we were upside-down in it and it wasn't worth much, but we paid a lot of bills off with that money regardless AND no longer had to pay insurance (which saved us $82 a month on top of that car payment) plus didn't have to pay for maintenance and oil changes and our gas budget went down (not sure why, but it did). If you do want to keep the car, what about cutting down on the amount of driving? Can your DH pick up things from the store on the way to or home from work (instead of running a separate errand during the day in the second car?). Do you run all of your errands at the closest store to you, all at once instead of several runs out per week? Try condensing as much as possible - especially with gas prices being what they are right now - drop off the library books on the way to the grocery store, etc.

3Gs4Me · 04-12-2007, 12:07 PM

Thanks for your input. We actually do everything you listed other than getting rid of the second car. I am not willing to do that because my dh works long hours and I am not willing to be without a car for 60+ hours a week.

The thing is we don't need the extra money to get by I think I am just so into the saving money groove that I just can't accept that I have done everything possible

Saving money and being frugal is almost a compulsion for me

Sandi · 04-12-2007, 12:17 PM

Oh, yeah - I can see that, then. (with the 60+ hours)

Share that compulsion, wouldya?

It's hard for me. I still want to shop, shop, shop.

Linda · 04-14-2007, 04:45 AM

We can't really pare down on anything either. I am not willing to go cheap on food either. Actually, If I give up some of my raw Goat's milk($80 month) I could save a lot of money. But I don't want to. For one reason we generate NO rubbish by purchasing local raw milk. We spend about $70 on wine a month..and that is the thing that could go...buuuttt.....I think dh would not like that too much. I've already successfully cut back on that.

Baby steps.

I feel kind of guilty, because we are cutting out our monthly red cross donation. BUt I decided that our local and organic purchasing and our support of tiny businesses and sustainable causes were sufficient spending on donation/helping. We spend a SIGNIFICANT amount of our income on support of these things. Priorities, I know, but I know a lot of people would think we are nut considering these things to be worthy or charitable causes.

And I really want to take a Tai Chi class which is an 'experience' thing...but it is about $50 a month. I am dragging my heels on joining and paying it, but I really want to give it a go. IT is also a physical mental health thing. But I get so caught up in not spending, that something like that is hard for me to spend on.
Ugh.

We only have a mortgage debt, nothing else, BUT...I really want to save more. My dh just got approved for a higher salary range(thank goodness...as he was capped out since he took this job) but I have no idea when he will get an increase. When he does, it will just go to savings.

juliebelle · 04-15-2007, 01:10 AM

when is the last time your dh had a raise? has he done anything worth asking for one. could he propose one? that would be a nice fun and easy way to get an extra $100....just a thought....

3Gs4Me · 04-15-2007, 08:23 AM

My dh is a school administrator so asking for a raise is not possible. He does get a cost of living increase ever 2 years though and this year is a new contract year so we will probably get an extra 150-200 pre tax in his checks per month starting in July though.

juliebelle · 04-15-2007, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Gs4Me

My dh is a school administrator so asking for a raise is not possible. He does get a cost of living increase ever 2 years though and this year is a new contract year so we will probably get an extra 150-200 pre tax in his checks per month starting in July though.

ah! gotcha...i used to be a teacher so i completely understand that salary stuff.

JenTwo · 04-15-2007, 10:31 AM

Nothing to pare down here either so I can relate.

DH wants to buy the James Hand Washer (Lehman's and Gaiam) to cut back on water (solar heat the water) and electricity. Looks fun but a bit extreme for most- pricey too! I've been researching front loaders for awhile and all seem to have too many flaws to choose from.

JenTwo · 04-15-2007, 10:35 AM

Are you still sewing? Could you bring in a bit extra that way? Could you grow some of your own food to cut back on the grocery bill? IIRC you used to garden.

3Gs4Me · 04-15-2007, 10:39 AM

We love our front loader. I think it is a sears model that we bought 1.5 years ago. We did a ton of research before purchasing and am very happy with our purchase.

I am still sewing and do a bit of sales for Hyena cart. I intend to focus on getting organized with money and routine over the next month or so and then I intend to bump up my sewing for sale time. We also do have a garden and will expand on it this summer. I used to put up over 300 qts of food a year but moving to town has hindered that a bit. We should be back to that point in a few years but it will take some time since we are building raised beds.

I want to also re-itterate (sp) that I don't need to cut more to make our bills. Over 20% of dh's income is left over to debt snowball. It is just that I have been on the paring down mindset for so long that it is hard to realize that there is a point that one gets to when they can't pare anymore and I was wondering if anyone else had reached that poing.