How do you make small savings add up?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
How do you make small savings add up?
3
Thu, 07-16-2009 - 6:56pm

I was thinking about my recent switch in car insurance.

 

Avatar for sohappilyme
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 07-16-2009 - 8:27pm

You're on one heck of a roll! Congrats!

Most of my "extra" funding comes from the food bill. Plan B is to earn more. I seriously look forward to the day when we make more money than we need for expenses and can actually not spend all month trying to figure things out! (Forgive me - I'm in a mood today! I actually went into a rant on my blog and that NEVER happens, LOL!)

Anyway, NICE JOB!

Sarah


sahm, wahm, homeschooling mom to

Sarah
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-09-2000
Thu, 07-16-2009 - 11:29pm
Our milk prices are state-regulated so we never see sales, but they do fluctuate.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Fri, 07-17-2009 - 8:10am

When I first got on this board, I tried to cut everything I could. I made a list of all my expenses and all the extras that I was spending money on and I tried to get each one down. I saved a ton on car insurance (4 or 500 a year by switching from state farm to allstate). I also saved a lot by switching my cell phone plan (30-40 dollars a month). I had texting and internet on my phones and decided I really didn't need those, I downgraded my minutes because I had a ton of rollover minutes. Those were my two biggest savings. I went from having hardly any money leftover in my budget to now being able to save 500 dollars a month. BUT, I'm finding that unless I am absolutely diligent with my budget I won't see that 500 dollars. It's so easy to spend an extra 100 a week on stupid things. Go out to eat once and visit walmart a few times and it's gone! This is my struggle now, to actually see my savings that I know I should have but it fails to materialize.

At one point in our struggle with debt, we got rid of everything that wasn't absolutely essential. We didn't have a TV for a year, we haven't had a home phone for years. We finally just got one because of a package deal with the cable company that saves me a lot of money. At one point, I even fooled around with my electricity bill by turning everything off and switching to energy efficient lightbulbs (slowly because they are expensive!)

I feel like I'm rambling here, but keep trying to cut things down or out and you will see results. Just be careful you don't take that money and accidentally spend it somewhere else :)! Also, I think we all spend more than we should on cell phones. If you haven't already, see if you can switch plans and delete features.

OH! One more thing that has saved me so many times. Go over your bills, your cable bill, your phone bill, your medical bills, credit cards, everything. I have caught so many mistakes and although the phone calls are such a pain, each time I have gotten the charge taken off. It's definitely worth it to be anal!