How do you stretch your money?

[dawnwes]

We just budget, budget, budget.

Every dollar is part of a master budget and we try very hard not to go over and if we do, we cut in another area that month.

Ooma phone service ($1.10/mo for unlimited calling, voicemail, etc....love it.)
Very cheap cell phone plans ($42/mo for 3 phones, 750 min. no data, nights and weekends free)
No cable or Satellite (we do have Huluplus, a TV antenna, and Netflix and Roku boxes)

We cut quite a few extras

I coupon!

I yard sale and thrift shop.

I go to Disney World every year.....on the super cheap.....so cheap that most people don't want to do it the way we do. But we LOVE it.

Dawn

[rob62521]

I think knowing the difference between needs and wants is vital. Some folks get confused!

[clipper11]

i drink water when dining out. the price of a drink can add 10% - 20% to your bill.

[snafu]

Dawn, will you share some of your travel [Disney world] Florida super cheap ways? Perhaps we can apply your methods to other locations. I would love to go to Florida on the cheap. After a cold, winter that seemed to never end, we need to find sunshine.

We have become even more mindful of spending since fuel, food and cotton prices have skyrocketed. In our region chicken and pork prices have doubled. Since so much of the wheat belt is under water, bread and anything with flour is worth stocking up. Last year it was rice that doubled in price, this year it will be pasta products.

We are now threatened with 35% increase for water. Seems the city made a mistake when they worked out the cost of operating the new water plant and upgrades to the old water plant. If I charge too much I won't get any contracts, they will go to others. That's the downside of being self employed.

[Frugal]

I also use couponing, and rarely buy something at full price. You can comparison shop savings ads that come out from local grocery stores on Wednesdays in most areas of the U.S. I also do not allow myself any extra expenses such as eating out or coffee or entertainment lately. My one splurge was renting a movie my spouse wanted, and getting the free deal at Blockbuster where you get one-night non-new-release rentals free unlimited through July 4th.