Real-world money saving tips
July 2nd, 2009#35 COLUMN
While quickly flipping channels last week, I saw part of a news story on CNN. It was some big feature on how a couple was learning to live in “these tough economic times.”
What struck me as beyond my world was the ways they were “cutting back.”
“They don’t eat out as much and they have planted a garden,” said the reporter.
Well, good for them. But if you eat out as infrequently as I do, eating out less isn’t going to save much money. Unless someone else is paying, I prefer to eat at home. I pack food for traveling, so I don’t have to eat out.
As far as gardening is concerned, having a garden is a luxury for me — not a way of cutting back. For years, my daughter asked me for a garden, but we couldn’t have one. We lived in mobile home parks and apartments for years. It is a luxury to be a home owner and have the space to plant a garden.
So here are some of my real-life saving tips:
1. Buy ground beef in bulk, but divide it up by one more unit than there are pounds before re-wrapping and freezing. For example: If you buy three pounds, divide it into four packages. If you buy five pounds, break it up into six packages.
(Of course buying meat straight from the farmer is cheaper, but some of us don’t have the money to buy half a cow and/or the space to store the meat.)
2. Buy store brand foods. They are usually cheaper than name brand food — even if you have a coupon for the name brand.
3. Use your public library. It’s free!
4. Wear your jeans more than once between washing. Unless they really stink or are filthy, save the water and the money.
There you have it — money saving tips you can really use.
