Tag Archives: Frugal Ideas

The Financial Decisions That Have Saved Us $54,000 in the Past Two Years

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on March 19, 2013 3 comments

Almost two years ago my boyfriend and I moved in together. We are currently choosing to live on less income so that we both can go back to school for graduate degrees. I decided to compile a list of the financial decisions we have made in the past two years that have saved us the most money. After writing this list I have to say that I’m really proud of us!

1. Buying Our Cars With Cash– I drive a Chevy Cavalier that I bought for $2,000 and B drives a Nissan Sentra that he bought for $5,000 we could have easily spent at least $25,000 for these cars USED and that doesn’t even include interest on a car loan (See Our Experience as a One Car Household) Savings- $25,000

2. Renting a House in Our Original Target Price Range– When we were looking for a house to rent we originally decided we could spend $700 to $900 a month but quickly found that it would be very, very difficult to find a very nice home in that price range but we ended up picking out the house we are living in at $900 a month over houses in the $1200 price range Savings- $300 a month or $3,600 a Year

3. Renting a House With Free Water/Sewer/Trash Bill– We have a water well so we don’t pay for water but my sister and her fiancé used to pay $60 a month at their house (see Having a Water Well) Savings- $60 a Month or $720 a year

4. Working Jobs Close to Home– When I worked full time I commuted an hour each way to work. At one point I paid $100 a month just in tolls and I paid about $200 a month in gas Savings- $250 a month or $3,000 a year

5. Working Jobs Where We Don’t Have To Wear Dress Clothes– Dress clothes are expensive, there is nothing else to say! Savings- $50 a month or $600 a Year

6. Negotiating With the Cable/Internet Company- Our current rate would be $130 a month for a smaller package but instead we negotiated to $85 a month for a DVR/HD Channels/Internet/More Channels (See- How One Phone Call Saved Us $343) Savings $45 a month or $540 a year

7. Buying My Treadmill for $30– I had budgeted to spend $200 on a used treadmill but none came along then I got lucky and got mine for $30 (see How I Got a Treadmill for $30) Saved- $670

8. Buying Our 46 in Flatscreen TV for $150– We wanted a nice TV after we moved into our new house so we were able to price shop and use gift cards (See How We got a 46in TV for $150) Saved- $400

9. Getting Our Furniture Secondhand– Almost all of our furniture is high quality but second hand. We could have spent thousands on new furniture but we bought used and saved and our house still looks great. Saved- $3,000

10. Having a $200 a Month Grocery Budget– We try to eat healthy so we can easily spend a huge amount of money on groceries. I’m going to conservatively say that we save at least $200 a month by sticking to our budget. (See More About Our Grocery Budget) Saved- $200 a Month or $2,400 a year

11. Buying Groceries and Household Items with Coupons– We save thousands of dollars by using coupons so I’m going to conservatively say that we saved a couple of thousand dollars in the past two years. (See More About Our Couponing) Saved- $4,000

TOTAL- $54,000 We Saved Ourselves in 2 Years !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was really surprised when I calculated that total! The best part of this is that NONE of these are crazy things. These are regular every day things that with a little bit of extra time and effort saved us a substantial amount of money!

Doing My Taxes for Free

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on March 18, 2013 None comments

So this year for the first time ever, I thought I might owe money on my taxes. This was because of a stream of income from last year that had no taxes taken out of it and in addition I am no longer a student so I can’t claim that as a deduction. I tried asking various people what percentage of someone’s income goes towards taxes and I received various different answers that led me to the conclusion that it’s not that simple.

So for the first time ever, I decided to run my tax information through two different free tax services. Turbo Tax and HR Block. This took me less than an hour to do and to my relief, while I do owe money on my taxes, I owe less than $100 and both programs told me that I owe the exact same amount. While it is a little disappointing not to get a check back from filing my taxes for the first time, it is also a huge relief that I won’t have to take money out of my savings to pay my taxes either. Next year I will be back in school and I will likely qualify for a tax refund again so I can’t be too disappointed.

Note- I am in no way associated with any tax program. This article is simply meant to share my own personal experiences.

Free MyCokeRewards.com Points = Free 20oz Soda

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on March 9, 2013 2 comments

A long time ago I wrote about mycokerewards.com HERE and said that I had started using it. However, I never got around to updating how it went. Well since I first started using the site, we have received Free subscriptions to People, All You, and Wired Magazines and also free soda. They also offer no points needed free deals from time to time. And we rarely drink soda! People give us their caps! We simply input the codes and redeem them for free stuff.

Currently, they are allowing everyone to enter the following three codes for 40 free points! This is enough to get a free 20oz Coke!

– 10099041542625 (10 points)

– 10099144423516 (10 points)

– 10099755715372 (20 points)

So if you haven’t yet joined mycokerewards.com then now is a good time to start. The site is easy and fun to use. Click HERE to check out the site. (This is not a referral link)

Thanks, moneysavingmom.com for this deal idea.

Why I Have A College Degree and Choose to Be a Server

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on March 2, 2013 None comments

To make this article more interesting here are some things that you should know about me-

I graduated college in 2010 with a double major bachelor’s degree and a 4.0 GPA. And I did this with zero debt!

Part of how I accomplished this was by being very frugal and also by being a server in a restaurant. Most of my pay (servers make less than minimum wage hourly) was in tips which can vary but I’ve always had more good nights than bad so the pay isn’t really that inconsistent. After graduating from college I was hired for a full time job. I could write a book about how horrible that job was but for the sake of time I’ll just say that they wanted us to work a huge amount of unpaid overtime and also there were safety concerns including gun violence and arson. In addition, I felt suffocated by commuting an hour each way to work and working around 50 hours a week.

Making the decision to return to serving wasn’t an easy one.

Americans are taught that we should always be progressing and moving forward. Going back to serving after receiving my college degree felt like going backwards. However, for many reasons I was very unhappy working 9 to 5 which was really more like 8 to 7.

I started really considering what I wanted out of a job. This should be a requirement before choosing a college major but I assure you it is not.

Here are the things I decided I wanted in a job right now-

– A job that I could enjoy

– A job with a flexible schedule

– A job where I made at least enough money to pay my bills and save a little

– A job where I make a maximum amount of money in a minimum of time

– A job where I could take off if I was sick

– A job where I got to interact with people

– A job with a reasonable commute

Here are the things I want in a job in the future-

– All of the above things I want in a job now

– A job where I make a lot more money

– A job where I will use my education

– A job where I can help people

– A job where I am challenged intellectually

– A job where I am treated with respect

Even for an educated person the job market isn’t great right now. In our area, many full time jobs pay less than I make serving. I realized that going back to serving would meet the requirements on my wish list of things I wanted in a job right now. Yes, there are disadvantages to serving including being treated badly by customers, slightly inconsistent pay, and it can be a high stress job (People want their food and people want it now!) but I feel that the advantages outweigh them. In addition, serving allows me the flexibility to go back to school for my Master’s degree which will qualify me to teach at college level which is what I really want to do for a career.

However, when I made the decision to go back to waiting tables I hadn’t yet decided to go back for my M.A. I decided that I would rather have a job with a flexible schedule that I actually like (at least most of the time) rather than a full time job that paid a little more (in the area we live in it’s really not that much) even if I was miserable. In addition, I would rather work less and spend my time doing things that save me money rather than spend all of my time working. For now, the advantages of serving far outweigh the disadvantages and I’m really happy with my decisions.

What reasons do you have for choosing your current profession?

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on February 28, 2013 None comments

Today, I made a double batch today of homemade taco seasoning! A neighbor was kind enough to give me huge containers of Chili Powder and Garlic Powder and the main ingredient is Chili Powder so this has made making my homemade seasoning even cheaper. I also love not having to run to the store because I forgot a taco seasoning packet. If we run out, I simply whip up another batch. Click HERE to see my original post on this and to see the recipe.

What to Do With Shampoo and Conditioner Samples

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on February 27, 2013 None comments

I always seem to end up with more flatish shaped shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and hand cream samples than I can remember to use up. We do use these on the off chance that we run out of something and we could try using them instead of our regular products. However, we are going out of town soon with a group of people and I decided to bring this sample stash with me. Everyone will have their choice of toiletries to use while we are out of town, they are almost entirely flat so they won’t take up room in my suitcase, our hosts won’t have to supply any, I won’t have to buy or pack other toiletry bottles, and I won’t have to remember to take them home with me. Overall, I think this is a good money, time and energy saving plan.

Do You Have a Fruit Tree That You’re Not Using?

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on February 25, 2013 None comments

We live in Florida where fruit trees are everywhere. In fact, people often get so much fruit from them that you can see beautiful oranges, grapes fruits, lemons, etc. dying on tree branches in their owners yard. We have three orange trees in our back yard that for some reason haven’t produced any oranges this year but they did last year (see- Waking Up to Cold Florida Air and Oranges).

My Mother was actually the one to point out that she has the huge Loquat tree you see in the picture above in her front lawn. Every year as kids we would pick some to eat and some to throw at each other but we never really ate a substantial amount of them. This year, my mother decided that she was going to try to learn more about them. She found out that they are also called Japanese Plums and that they are jam packed full of vitamins and minerals. She has been faithfully giving us bags full of them every since.

It occurred to me that especially since I am trying to eat healthy I like to keep small fruits like grapes and cherries in the house to snack on which can also be expensive. Why don’t I just eat Loquats instead? They are just as healthy, they are free and they are also going to waste. Waste not, want not. It’s never too late to start taking advantage of an overlooked resource.

Getting $1 Croft & Barrow Towels with Kohl’s Cash

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on February 21, 2013 None comments

I had recently gone shopping at Kohl’s with my mother and sister and I was surprised to receive $10 Kohl’s cash with my purchase. That’s $10 I can spend at Kohl’s at a later date. I had almost completely forgot about it (which is probably what they hope will happen) when my sister reminded me to spend mine before it expires. So on the last day I had before my coupon expired, I went to the store. I couldn’t find any clothing I wanted and didn’t honestly feel like shopping (yes it actually happens!). Then it occurred to me that I wanted some nice towels for our guest bathroom when we have company over. The towels I bought from Walmart when we moved in for $2 looked worn after the first time I washed them.

I found these two Croft & Barrow towels for $5.99 each. After my $10 Kohl’s cash they were only $2.19 for both. I always associate Kohl’s with clothes and shoes but they do have very nice household items. I’m glad I got something that we will use in our home instead of buying something just because I needed to use up the ‘free’ $10. So if you have Kohl’s cash to spend (they have different expiration dates) and don’t want to buy clothes you might want to look in the housewares for something you need.

Saving Plastic Takeout Silverware

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on February 17, 2013 None comments

I like to think that we eat out less than the average American family, but like anyone else we enjoy takeout. It always surprises me how many disposable take out accessories we end up with such as silverware packs, sauce packs, etc. Originally, certain people around me thought it was odd that I saved them, but then I explained that I save them for our work lunches. They are free and convenient and I don’t have to worry about bringing silverware or small containers home to wash. They are already packaged for fast food on the go so it saves time and energy. Plus, they are free so why wouldn’t you use them to make your life easier?

So the next time someone asks you, “Do you want plastic silverware, napkins, BBQ sauce, ketchup, etc?” Say, yes!

January $200 Grocery and Household Item Budget Review

Posted by Ney@ShopahoicSavers.com on February 12, 2013 None comments

I know that I am a little late posting this but I ended up getting sick at the end of the month and it took me a little while to get back in fighting shape. However, it did make me happy that we did so well on our grocery budget last month. I don’t usually post about our grocery budget but I’m going to try to do a monthly review every month this year in 2013.

Our goal for January was our usual grocery budget of $200. We put our receipts in a reused junk mail envelope so that we can total them up periodically to check our progress. This budget is for two adults and yes we do eat three meals a day at home. We only ate out 2-3 times the entire month. I mention that not because we include what we spent eating out in the grocery budget but to show that we really do eat almost all of our meals at home. This also includes all household items such as toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, etc. Here is the breakdown-

January Monthly Grocery and Household Item Budget- $200

Number of People in Our Household- 2

Number of Meals a Month- 85-90

People I know who don’t coupon think that this is an extremely low number. People who do coupon tend to think that this is a high number. I like to think that it is in the middle.

Why $200 a month?

Things that make our costs a little higher-

– We try to eat healthy with as little junk food as possible- This means more fresh vegetables and fruits that aren’t that cheap in where we live. Also healthy foods have fewer coupons than junk food.

– We really do eat at home all the time- This means our grocery budget is a little higher but our eating out budget is a lot lower.

– This budget isn’t just food- It’s also all household items we may need like soap.

Things that help keep our food costs low-

– Couponing, couponing, couponing- While there are less coupons for healthy food that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there, it just takes a little more work

– Shopping Loss Leader Sales- Buying items at the lowest possible prices

– Shopping at Aldi a Discount Grocery Store- Food staples are simply lower at Aldi. Although Aldi doesn’t take coupons, most of the items we buy there aren’t items that usually have coupons anyways like flour and sugar.

– Shopping at Dollar Tree- Everything is $1. We can get regular sized laundry detergent for $1 and it works the same as name brand. We buy things there that are just plain cheaper than anywhere else even accounting for size and quality

– Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do or Do Without- We try not to waste food and we also try to make our meals around the items that we get deals.

– Stockpiling household items- We buy them at the lowest possible price to save $ in the long run

So how did we do this month?

We Spent- $192.33

We Saved $ 197.52 (this doesn’t even count stores like dollar tree that don’t show what you save over other stores)

So we actually came in under budget which is always good. Also, $20 of what we spent was on the last day of January on groceries that we were generally buying for next month, but as I said I was sick and didn’t think I would make it back to the store for a while and I didn’t.

Tune in at the end of Febuary to see how we do with our $200 grocery budget for next month.