Saving $$$$$

[DEATHTRON 19]

Buy quality pasta...the wheat kind. Add salt x3 times a day. Thats a budget right there. Seriously, Im just getting into my place this week, its takinga way alot of my budget, so I really only have planned for booze and pasta to save cash.

Zach

[Chadd 916]

Always buy groceries after you've eaten a full meal = less impulse buying due to the munchies.

Conversely, never go to the liquor store after you've been drinking.

[Rustpot 1]

Deal with the heat- we took the AC unit offline for the house. I know that's really not an option for some of the more southern members, but HVAC bills can be cut drastically if you decide to just live with it and practice energy conservation methods.

I'll second the mention of planning meals in advance and keeping cash instead of always using debit/credit. Going shopping once and stocking up on staples like pasta (*NOT RAMEN), canned soups, etc, will be great. I made a nice big casserole that lasted me close to a week, and it cost about $7 for the pasta, ground beef, can of sauce, butter, evap milk, and cheese.

Change your driving habits to raise your average MPG- aka drive like grandma.

Charge your electronics less frequently, like your cell phone or MP3 player. When you do charge them, do it during the day when you can check every hour or so until you get the charge times down so you're not leaving them plugged in overnight.

If you're up past sundown, use smaller lights for what you're doing. A lamp with a 40w bulb takes less energy than the ~3 60w or brighter bulbs from the room's fixture - or simply unscrew some bulbs (be careful not to strain your eyes for reading though).

If you have nightlights and you don't have any kids remove them, or get one with a switch so you only use that bulb when you're in the can instead of the 10 hours it would normally run for.

*Ramen style noodles are terrible for you. They have a ton of MSG, salt, and fat. All it took was a kidney stone and I swore off most frozen meals, ramen noodles, diet pop, and anything else that uses salt as a preservative or flavoring agent.

[fatwabbit 93]

Play in goals instead of as a player? Goalies play for free normally

But the start up cost to play goal is huge

Agree with you that the start up is expensive, but you can get a decent set from ebay or craigslist for about the cost of 1 or 2 high end OPS.

Some rinks have a backup set that you could use... and its better to be playing in goal for free, than to play and bitch about not having a goalie around.

[sitzlejd 0]

If you have short hair, buy a $25 dollar haircut machine from Wal Mart. I've been doing this for years and gotten good enough to do a legit haircut on myself, not just a buzz cut. They seem to wear out after a while but even if it lasts a year that a lot of money saved. You could also buy a more expensive one that will last forever.

[Darkbyte 0]

Learn to cook and learn to cook from scratch. If you dont have a good cookbook, borrow your mother's (or even better your grand mothers) or go to the library. Look for the old books, not the new modern, glossy books that use expensive "in fashion" ingredients.

Read the old school cook books, old school cooking is generally cheap cooking.

Dont buy packet sauces, ready made meals, stir fry sauces, marinaides, learn to make your own (its not that hard and better for you). Dont buy packets of pancake, scone, cookie, cake mix. Learn to make it yourself - I can make 2 dozen anzac cookies for the same price as 1/2 a dozen store brought ones (excess cookies can be frozen).

Use less meat, bulk your meals up with rice and pasta. Some people go as far as bulking meat based pasta sauces and chilli with red lentils. If you are making a stew, add some home made dumplings.

Eat in season. Fruit and veg which is currently in season is a lot cheaper than eating that which is out of season.

Buy generic brand products (there are some exceptions).

Always plan your meals for the current shopping period before you go, if a recipe does not consume all of a product e.g. a tub of sour cream, make sure there is another dish in your plan that will consume the rest of it.

The key is to shop such that there are little to no leftovers when you get to the next shopping period. <- make sure these shopping periods are as infrequent as possible. The less you go to the supermarket, the less you spend.

Learn to cook asian food. I find that thai, chinese etc uses very few ingredients e.g. http://www.khiewchanta.com/archives/noodle...es-rad-nah.html <- one of my favourite meals.

When you plan your meals, make sure you stick to the list. Dont be dazzeled by 2 for 1 offers. Sure its a good deal, but its not always worth it as they are luxuries that you dont always need e.g. packets of crips, chocolate, biscuits, etc.

Take your time when shopping, the more expensive brands will be eye height, look at the top and bottom shelves for cheaper brands. Remember the supermarket is the enemy, not your friend.

Revisit your insurance (home, contents, car, etc), by updating/changing policies you may save yourself a few hundred dollars a year.

There have been tough times all throughout history, find out what your mother, grand mother etc did then and apply it to now.

Hope this helps.

Oh and for the bachelors, nothing scores brownie points like being able to cook. Women generally love a man who can cook :)

[Leafsrule16 5]

If you have vices, make attempts to get rid of them. A can of Copenhagen is $6 here in FL.

You think you got it bad? Your tins are twice the size pretty near and half the price, youd be lucky to find a decent tin of skoal straight for under $13 here at a convenience store. Heard your stuff was better down there too. Next time im in florida im gonna pack so many bombs my lips gonna rot off.

[Chadd 916]

If you have vices, make attempts to get rid of them. A can of Copenhagen is $6 here in FL.

You think you got it bad? Your tins are twice the size pretty near and half the price, youd be lucky to find a decent tin of skoal straight for under $13 here at a convenience store. Heard your stuff was better down there too. Next time im in florida im gonna pack so many bombs my lips gonna rot off.

Is it possible to miss the point any more than that?

[Leafsrule16 5]

If you have vices, make attempts to get rid of them. A can of Copenhagen is $6 here in FL.

You think you got it bad? Your tins are twice the size pretty near and half the price, youd be lucky to find a decent tin of skoal straight for under $13 here at a convenience store. Heard your stuff was better down there too. Next time im in florida im gonna pack so many bombs my lips gonna rot off.

Is it possible to miss the point any more than that?

I wasnt trying to hit the point, at all. I just made a sidenote that i was slightly jealous of how easy Americans have it in some ways (pricing).

[fatwabbit 93]

Just to add on Darkbyte's 'cooking essentials' ... making a pot of porridge is an easy way to fill ya belly.

2-3 cups of leftover rice (best if left overnight), some mince pork and a little seasoning is all you need.

- boil some water in a pot, ensuring you have more than enough water

- throw the rice in, stir in some seasoning to taste, let the rice simmer on low heat until it starts to break down (a little more mushy)

- season mince pork with some soya sauce or thai fish sauce and pepper to taste

- using a spoon, create small meatballs and drop those into the porridge, stir until cooked.

- dish out, serve with garnishes (fried sharllots, fried anchovies, both which you can get at the asian supermarket for really cheap but taste good)

Made that for my family of 3 yesterday for breakfast... fills the stomach for the day, and in the cold weather is very good comfort food. Best if you could use a crock pot for this... just throw everything in and cook, by the time you get home its nicely cooked and ready to serve.

Another alternative is to get some 'offcuts' which are essentially those areas that have most of the meat fillet-ed off. There are still some meaty parts, and you can still get a decent meal out of it. Or throw those in soup, and you have a nice hearty broth.

My wife buys maybe 5-6 chicken frames (meat removed), and makes chicken stock. Lets the stock cool and stores it in glass jars in the freezer. Anytime we need soup, she just takes a bottle out to defrost so you dont use any unhealthy alternatives. Also, you can start to remove the leftover meat from the frames, and from 5-6 chicken frames you can get a lot of leftover meat. Make an omelette, chicken macaroni or even a healthy chicken sub or wrap. even the bones get fed to the dog (whatever is left after I'm done with it).

You might also want to get one of those oil/fat skimmers so that when you make the stock, you can remove some of the fat/oil that floats to the top... no point eating on a shoe string budget and getting a unhealthy food.

Didnt we have a thread on good-eats?

Edit.... found the link

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...876&hl=eats

[number21 3]

even the bones get fed to the dog (whatever is left after I'm done with it).

You shouldn't give cooked bones to a dog to eat or chew. The bones can splinter and tear apart their insides. Raw bones are apparently okay though.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

Agree with you that the start up is expensive, but you can get a decent set from ebay or craigslist for about the cost of 1 or 2 high end OPS.

Some rinks have a backup set that you could use... and its better to be playing in goal for free, than to play and bitch about not having a goalie around.

But end of the day it's really about whether you enjoy playing goal or not, and not a lot of people do. I thought I'd like it when I tried it because when they made us play soccer in PE during high school I always liked being the goalie. But in retrospect I think that was just because I didn't have to, you know, play soccer.

[sdcopp 1]

The best ways I have found to save money personally was to make a detailed, realistic budget and keep my check registry accurate.

By realistic it's knowing what the minimum to live on is and adding a little where I can to make sure I'm not feeling starved just to save a few more dollars. Of course there are the odd stories you'll hear about people who start saving heavy amounts early on in life and retiring at 50, so pick your comfort

[tomh7 2]

For $15 and change this is a great start.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I'm not sure what the users fees at ATMs are like in the States...but up here they range from $1.25-3.00 when you use a machine other than your own bank. So...seeing as how every little bit counts...only use your own bank machines.

[Jarick 5]

Yeah if you seriously want to get the finances in order, Dave Ramsey's the man. My friends went from being beyond broke and way over their heads in debt to paying cash for cars and having tons of money in the bank. They're very, very frugal but still happy, three little kids and only one income.

For food, it's the frozen meals, beverages, and snacks that do it for me. Pasta and rice dishes save a lot of money. I had to cut back on salads because fresh lettuce and veggies are expensive. I'm also adding less meat to my dishes. Soda is pricey, so I've been drinking a lot of Crystal Light. I also drink more water that way. Went from eating almonds to whole grain chips, which may be less healthy, but it's much cheaper and has fewer calories. And only do one frozen meal and one fast food meal a week.

Oh, and if you have a Super Target near you, that's the way to go. I cut my grocery bills by 1/3 to 1/2 by shopping there, as they have generic foods for cheap. Just don't wander off and buy other stuff! Their diapers and formula are way cheaper than the regular stuff, $7-8 a bag compared to $12-15 for brand name diapers, $12-15 a can compared to $25 for brand name formula. Wipes are cheap too.

[chippa13 1844]

The first step should be to first start keeping track of where you're spending your money. You have to know where it is going before you can figure out how to save some. One of the biggest money wasters for people are credit cards. Not just because they buy more but because folks tend to carry balances, that means blowing money on interest. Paying off what you charge each month can save you quite a bit over time. And if you've got a card with cash rewards then you are even making money on the deal. Make coffee at home instead of buying it out. Bringing lunch to work will not just save you money but can also make you healthier. When you are out for a "soda" grab the draft special and if you're planning on a few then get the biggest size, large drafts usually work out to be cheaper than small ones.

[mack 44]

I remember my wife thinking it'd be a good idea to use cloth diapers rather than disposables. Maybe practical in theory but wow was that a horrible move. Other than that, nothing much I can add that hasn't been said. The one credit card we do use is an airlines card so we get a mile a dollar and make sure to pay everything off that month.

[dumbpolak9 1]

how about putting money to the bank interest ? that can add up

[lampliter87 8]

Bank interest is terrible these days. Don't expect to earn anything that way. A CD or bond will do you a little better, but that locks your money up for a certain time period.

[dsjunior1388 81]

I kept a journal where I logged every purchase, the exact price, and the "necessity" of the purchase. I added it up, twisted the numbers and pretty easily discoverred I was spending about 35% more than I needed too with superfluos purchases and things like vending machines or gas station buys. Why stop for a pre-game red bull for 2.39 + tax when I can buy a 20 pack for 19.99. plus i realized how much certain things were hitting me, realizing I had spent @100 in three months on fast food. even in the lifestyle of a college student, that's just unnecessary.

Side note: a similar journal on what you eat pays big dividends as far as weight loss and eating smarter. All those "just this once" moments on paper in front of you and you'll realize you're not making as much progress as you might hope.

[Chadd 916]

For food, it's the frozen meals, beverages, and snacks that do it for me. Pasta and rice dishes save a lot of money. I had to cut back on salads because fresh lettuce and veggies are expensive. I'm also adding less meat to my dishes. Soda is pricey, so I've been drinking a lot of Crystal Light. I also drink more water that way. Went from eating almonds to whole grain chips, which may be less healthy, but it's much cheaper and has fewer calories. And only do one frozen meal and one fast food meal a week.

Other than drinking more water, most of those things aren't healthy choices.

[Ahriman 1]

For food, it's the frozen meals, beverages, and snacks that do it for me. Pasta and rice dishes save a lot of money. I had to cut back on salads because fresh lettuce and veggies are expensive. I'm also adding less meat to my dishes. Soda is pricey, so I've been drinking a lot of Crystal Light. I also drink more water that way. Went from eating almonds to whole grain chips, which may be less healthy, but it's much cheaper and has fewer calories. And only do one frozen meal and one fast food meal a week.

Other than drinking more water, most of those things aren't healthy choices.

Tea. Real tea, like from leaves, not Arizona Ice Tea, is widely regarded as very healthy which you can do for less than the costs of sodas. And if you buy those crystal light packets are no more unhealthy than anything else with artificial sweeteners, and there are ones with vitamin/minerals added.

Depending on your location a farmers market would be able to supply cheap fresh vegetables. You can also buy cheaper, more fatty ground beef - if you rinse it after browning the fat content will be right on par with or lower than the much more expensive very lean ground beef at the grocery store.

Back to actual money saving: TURN OFF THE THINGS THAT DONT HAVE OFF SWITCHES. Game consoles, modems, routers, cable box, your monitor(s), dvd players. Anything that has that one little tiny glowing status light on even when it's "off." It's using power, power that you pay for. Turn it off. If they are all in one area, get a power strip and flip the switch off when you're asleep/out. Actually shut down your computer, don't just let it sleep when your not around.

Another fun little tip: Apply basic chemistry to cooking. The simple act of putting a lid on the pot your trying to boil water in/heat soup/etc will make the water boil faster, meaning less gas burned or less electricity used to heat the element.

[shotty 7]

For food, it's the frozen meals, beverages, and snacks that do it for me. Pasta and rice dishes save a lot of money. I had to cut back on salads because fresh lettuce and veggies are expensive. I'm also adding less meat to my dishes. Soda is pricey, so I've been drinking a lot of Crystal Light. I also drink more water that way. Went from eating almonds to whole grain chips, which may be less healthy, but it's much cheaper and has fewer calories. And only do one frozen meal and one fast food meal a week.

Oh, and if you have a Super Target near you, that's the way to go. I cut my grocery bills by 1/3 to 1/2 by shopping there, as they have generic foods for cheap. Just don't wander off and buy other stuff! Their diapers and formula are way cheaper than the regular stuff, $7-8 a bag compared to $12-15 for brand name diapers, $12-15 a can compared to $25 for brand name formula. Wipes are cheap too.

frozen meals are high in sodium and other preservatives. fresh veggies are only expensive if you don't use them quickly. go to farmer's markets if you're concerned about cost. crystal light has aspartame which is a perservative and deadly, if you want to drink more water, drink more water. totally free! almonds are expensive in weight, but they offer lots of protein and the calories from fat are far lower than that of corn chips. they also have ZERO cholesterol. one place you shouldn't try to save money is when it concerns your long term health.

[Master P 0]

I stopped drinking cola a few years ago. Much better for your health and wallet.