Goals: Ways To Cut Back
So, after reading an ingenious blog titled "Beautyandbedlam.com" I have decided to make some very specific goals for myself and my family for the ongoing 2010. And for this particular list I will make it specifically about cutting back! Everyone needs to fine tune their priorities and finances, so this is a way of doing both at once! Hooray!
A practical list always begins with...
1. While grocery shopping ALWAYS stock up on loss leaders! The items that are advertised at extremely low prices, usually rock bottom prices to get people into the store. By stocking up on these items you create a stock-pile for yourself and save yourself tons of money by avoiding having to pay full price on these items in the future.
2. Make weekly meal plans and STICK to them! I have tried this in the past and gotten through a week until I tired of the inconvenience of actually having to sit down and plan a whole week of eating! What I lacked was the idea of shopping the loss leaders and THEN planning your meals around the ginormous deals you have just bought! This eliminates choosing recipes that could have potentially expensive items in them... Why didn't I think of that!?
3. Do NOT buy: New furniture (which I didn't plan to anyways), Clothes (Exception of kids clothes since most of the time I get them at such a steal anyway), Toys, Books, Accessories, Household items, Etc. THRIFT SHOP! I am prepared to do this now after reading the ingenious blog I previously mentioned.
4. Continue shutting off un-needed electrical useage. Try to be even more consistent.
5. Plan to plant a garden. Must decide which veggies/fruits to attempt at this year. Corn is a definite because it's so darn easy. I'm thinking maybe green beans, tomatoes, and I'd like to buy and plant a few fruit trees for future years.
6. Eat Healthy! Consistent with vitamins, healthy diet, Brushing/Flossing teeth, etc. to save on future medical bills! I have taken an extreme effort to buy as healthy of groceries as possible, all but cut all soda and exchanged it for fruit juice, cut back extremely on bread products, buy non-gluten when I can, went to organic/free range eggs and milk, Do not purchase any hamburger from wal-mart (after reading about the chemicals/liquid they charge you for), and only buy all natural chicken meat. This can be more expensive, but it is worth it to help a liver out! I am also researching a better kind of hamburger meat, maybe something equal to free range/organic meat. It pays to not have cows that are on a carnivorous diet, yuck. And now thanks to a great christmas present, I make our bread fresh! No preservatives! Yay!
7. Extra income: A compliment to cutting back is adding extra income to your household. I have started doing this by selling things on craigslist that have been sitting around collecting dust! I am also making plans to start making things and selling them. I have alot of ideas for children's room accessories (bedding, etc).
Some people may be ashamed of being frugal, but I consider it a challenge I can win and an awesome compliment! Only the smartest don't pay full price!
If anyone who reads this has any ideas that I haven't thought of, PLEASE POST THEM! I am determined to cut back in every area that I possibly can!
A practical list always begins with...
1. While grocery shopping ALWAYS stock up on loss leaders! The items that are advertised at extremely low prices, usually rock bottom prices to get people into the store. By stocking up on these items you create a stock-pile for yourself and save yourself tons of money by avoiding having to pay full price on these items in the future.
2. Make weekly meal plans and STICK to them! I have tried this in the past and gotten through a week until I tired of the inconvenience of actually having to sit down and plan a whole week of eating! What I lacked was the idea of shopping the loss leaders and THEN planning your meals around the ginormous deals you have just bought! This eliminates choosing recipes that could have potentially expensive items in them... Why didn't I think of that!?
3. Do NOT buy: New furniture (which I didn't plan to anyways), Clothes (Exception of kids clothes since most of the time I get them at such a steal anyway), Toys, Books, Accessories, Household items, Etc. THRIFT SHOP! I am prepared to do this now after reading the ingenious blog I previously mentioned.
4. Continue shutting off un-needed electrical useage. Try to be even more consistent.
5. Plan to plant a garden. Must decide which veggies/fruits to attempt at this year. Corn is a definite because it's so darn easy. I'm thinking maybe green beans, tomatoes, and I'd like to buy and plant a few fruit trees for future years.
6. Eat Healthy! Consistent with vitamins, healthy diet, Brushing/Flossing teeth, etc. to save on future medical bills! I have taken an extreme effort to buy as healthy of groceries as possible, all but cut all soda and exchanged it for fruit juice, cut back extremely on bread products, buy non-gluten when I can, went to organic/free range eggs and milk, Do not purchase any hamburger from wal-mart (after reading about the chemicals/liquid they charge you for), and only buy all natural chicken meat. This can be more expensive, but it is worth it to help a liver out! I am also researching a better kind of hamburger meat, maybe something equal to free range/organic meat. It pays to not have cows that are on a carnivorous diet, yuck. And now thanks to a great christmas present, I make our bread fresh! No preservatives! Yay!
7. Extra income: A compliment to cutting back is adding extra income to your household. I have started doing this by selling things on craigslist that have been sitting around collecting dust! I am also making plans to start making things and selling them. I have alot of ideas for children's room accessories (bedding, etc).
Some people may be ashamed of being frugal, but I consider it a challenge I can win and an awesome compliment! Only the smartest don't pay full price!
If anyone who reads this has any ideas that I haven't thought of, PLEASE POST THEM! I am determined to cut back in every area that I possibly can!
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