What have you done to cut back?

[JEM]

Here in TX we've actually had a cold week this week---I noticed yesterday that the house was COLD. (Ok, for us HERE that are used to a fairly mild winter. ) I decided I wasn't turning on the heat. I lit every candle I had (which trust me, is A LOT! ) and it actually warmed up the house quite nicely.

[sisterfunkhaus]

We have done Angelfoodministries twice, but I felt I could purchase the stuff we like more, for just the same or cheaper with sales/coupons. People were raving about all name brand foods and good quality meats, but the boxes we got had very fatty meats, cookies we didn't like the taste of, and some stuff that we ended up donating to the Food Bank. I guess it varies from month to month and maybe we just didn't do it on a "good" month lol.

I have heard that a lot of their foods are processed, which aren't healthy. I know processed food is cheaper, but in the long run, the health benifits of really nutricious foods are so important.

I use homemade cleaning products. I don't even make up bottles of stuff either. I use dishsoap and hot water to clean counters, borax or bleach for toilets and sinks, vinegar to disinfect, olive oil for wood. I do use Windex b/c I love it. I also use cup towels and microfiber cloths so as not to have to use a ton of paper towels.

[nally]

that is a great idea
it you have done that
write the check for groceries and purchase a gift card for a gas station, to last us til payday rolls around again....my mom is always saying one day I will get burnt but so far so good.











__________________________________________________ ____
charmed on dvd

[nc73]

Shhh! I just took out the biggest cash advance possible and am not heading to the casino!!



Yeah!! Daddy needs a new everything!! yehaa

i don't think that qualifies as cutting back

[anykey]

Shhh! I just took out the biggest cash advance possible and am not heading to the casino!!



Yeah!! Daddy needs a new everything!! yehaa

[lindsay2181]

Ooops, thanks AngelinaCat! I goofed huh?

After doing a bit of research I have decided to cancel the basic cable we have ($13/month) b/c they are increasing the monthly rate to 19.99 and not adding more channels. The channels we get, we will probably be able to pick up with an antenna (ABC, NBC, PBS, etc) so the initial cost of the antenna will be more but will save us in the long run.

[dscurlock]

We have recently within 6 months moved out of our $1250/mo plus trash, plus water... in townhouse. We saw a mobile home for $15,000 - we talked him down to $10,000 because we had to do some work on it...we paid cash for it...did not want too, but credit compaines are just choosing and picking these days...we now pay $500/mo which includes trash and water...

What I do not like is buying massive amounts of food, and find out that
at least 75% of it goes to waste...(wife wants this, but ends of not
eating it, or fixing it up...) We buy loads of meat for the freezer, and
six months later, then it is tossed out...

I also do not like being charged high amounts of money to
talk on a cell phone, and watch BS shows on TV that never change.

Dish Network: $100/mo
Phone: $110/mo
2 Cell Phones: $100/mo

I hardly even use mine at all...I am just afraid that moment
I cut it off, then I will be stuck on the side of the road...

and bills continue...

[lindsay2181]

oh meal planning is great! i do it occasionally. just posted to my blog for this week!
(Active link removed as per privacy and safety considerations)

Ms. Lindsay: Please do not post anything relating to personal information on the Internet. My 'Hub and I are the nine year victims/veterans of cyber-stalking, because we were too trusting of putting our personal information on the 'net.

To ALL: Keep in mind, that though this seems like one happy, cooperative family--and it is, this IS an anonymous forum, and you do NOT know who is actually at the other end of the keyboard attached to a user name. Thank You, AC

[JEM]

Nothing as significant as some of you have done.

I changed around some of our cell phone options to lower our bill.

I also upped our auto deductibles to save some money each month on our insurance bill. Since we've been having trouble making ends meet each month trying to make all these CC payments. THAT decision backfired---we ended up having to pay that ded. when an animal ran in front on my van and dented the bumper--and killing our A/C. Live and learn. Deductibles will be lowered again before we file.

Better meal planning, shopping sales and with coupons.

[TooMuchCredit]

How do you shop for an electric company. I have heard of the possibility here in FL to do this. After all, Clay, JEA, FPL, Semenole all use the same grid. Do you have choice? 'Hub

It's deregulation in some places. I am not convinced it actually saves money. It just adds another hand in the chain that is trying to make a profit.

They deregulated natural gas in Georgia so you can pick a 'marketer' which may have lower rates, but then they may have a higher monthly fee and some have fees if you switch. The only time I think you may save money is if you get lucky and have a fixed rate for a year and the gas rates go up. But that can also bite you if the rates go below what you locked in at.

The areas in Georgia that are controlled by Atmos which was not deregulated actually seem to have lower bills than the areas that deregulated.

I think businesses in Georgia can pick and choose their electric provider, but residential cannot. I have no complaints about Georgia Power though. I have about 2,300 sq. ft with gas heat, water heater and stove and all elese electric. I keep the A/C at 74 in the summer and heat at 68-70 in the winter and my budget bill amounts for Electric is about $135 and gas is $75.

[AngelinaCatHub]

^Wow that is hardcore stuff right there lol. I remember one of my college professors always going on about how people should start using peanut oil. He didn't own a car at all, just biked to campus every day.

At&T has finally added a cheaper family plan so I dropped us down to that one today, should save us $10/month. whoohoo!

My "Hot spot", yes a diesel will burn, diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, benzine, turpentine, soybean oil, any type of cooking oil, charcoal lighter (I did this in an emergency once) light oil, hydrolic oil, mineral spirits, anything but gasoline. Gasoline is too thin and will not spray in the injectors. The diesel is less poluting, and what you see on the exhaust is only lamp-black or carbon. More oxygen comes out of the diesel as the fuel is completely consumed. Not like a gasoline engine that requires a rich exhaust to make the catalytic converter work for the poisons it reaps.

I get 40 to 43 miles fully loaded and I can lay rubber if I needed to. The new engines are quite strong and quieter. 'Hub

[lindsay2181]

^Wow that is hardcore stuff right there lol. I remember one of my college professors always going on about how people should start using peanut oil. He didn't own a car at all, just biked to campus every day.

At&T has finally added a cheaper family plan so I dropped us down to that one today, should save us $10/month. whoohoo!

[AngelinaCatHub]

Are you converting your pnut oil to biodiesel first or just use it straight? I know 100 percent can cause problems in the long run. 50/50 straight oil and diesel seems safer. I use to run all biodiesel on a golf tdi, but got to be a mess when making it, so I stopped.

Yes it does coagulate in places. I do a mix 2/3 to 1/3 as I don't wish to bother with all the heating, treating, and chemicals. Unless it is cold, actually, soybean oil is what the diesel was designed to burn, long ago in Germany. I love the idea and it is a complete burn. We don't need no Schtinkin Spark plugs. 'Hub

[nc73]

Here is another way we are saving. First I love diesel engines. Will burn anything liquid except gasoline and water.

Since we have a farm with a large yard-space, (we are not farmers) we have a Kobota tractor. Mrs. saves and strains all cooking oils through coffee filters. I then add it into my fuel tank. Every 200 hours I have to change the hydrolic oil, what to do with the old? Throw it into the tank and move the yard. Have done this for five years without a problem. Peanut oil from a friendly restaurant burns fine in our VW TDI Jetta. We try to wast nothing and recycle anything we can. 'Hub

Are you converting your pnut oil to biodiesel first or just use it straight? I know 100 percent can cause problems in the long run. 50/50 straight oil and diesel seems safer. I use to run all biodiesel on a golf tdi, but got to be a mess when making it, so I stopped.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Here is another way we are saving. First I love diesel engines. Will burn anything liquid except gasoline and water.

Since we have a farm with a large yard-space, (we are not farmers) we have a Kobota tractor. Mrs. saves and strains all cooking oils through coffee filters. I then add it into my fuel tank. Every 200 hours I have to change the hydrolic oil, what to do with the old? Throw it into the tank and move the yard. Have done this for five years without a problem. Peanut oil from a friendly restaurant burns fine in our VW TDI Jetta. We try to wast nothing and recycle anything we can. 'Hub