10 Ways We've Been Saving Money Lately

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Our family of 5 lives on a TIGHT budget so we're always looking for ways to save money.  Whether big or small, it all adds up.  And if we keep thinking creatively, we can come up with some great ideas for saving money.  These are just a few of the ways we're saving money:

*Packing lunches/dinners when we're at baseball games--In the spring and fall, our boys play baseball and the games ran from evenings or Saturdays.  And feeding a family of 5 at the concession stand at least twice a week can add up quickly.  So when we have baseball games, we have a couple of easily packed meals that we prep ahead and take with us.  That and water bottles leaves room in the budget for an occasional treat.

*Reviewed a couple of books and got something new to read--You guys know I review books here quite often.  It serves a double purpose.  I get a chance to share books with you from some of my favorite authors.  And it helps curb my book budget.

*Kept up with our library books and didn't incure any fees--We're a homeschool familyand all big readers.  So our library checkouts (and fees) can add up quickly.  Lately we've renewed our efforts to keep up with our library account and keep fees from occurring.

*Made a new batch of laundry soap--Several months ago, my mom bought us a big jug of laundry soup.  But it recently ran out and I got back to making my homemade laundry soap.  It saves us a ton of money and cleans our laundry very well.  Little bit of time and effort saves us quite a bit.

*Took our water bottles while running errands around town--All of us are big water drinkers.  And with running errands it's so easy to pick up a few bottles of water and watch the money add up quickly.  So we carry our reusable water bottles with us everywhere.  It's healthier than a soda from the drive through and cheaper than a run into the grocery store.

*Used a coupon to make birthday invitations--Most of my kid's birthday invitations are homemade.  They always come up with crazy themes and I have to adapt.  But I usually start with a basic card from Jo-ann's or Michael's.  So as the kids are picking their themes, I watch for a coupon in the mail before I pick up my supplies.

*Used credit card points for Christmas presents--Our credit card offers Amazon points so we'll often put everyday purchases on ours and pay it off each month.  As the year progresses, I start watching our points in June or July.  I keep a running wish list of items the kids want and budget the majority of it within our credit card points.

*Using cloth napkins--I never have liked using paper napkins for the disposable factor.  So recently we used some of our credit card points to invest in cloth napkins.  We're slowly building up a small stockpile and using them for our family, saving both money and being green.

*Turning down the heat--It's winter and the heater could run frequently if we're not careful.  So we've been turning the heat down to 65 degrees, with the heat only running minimally at night.  During the day, we layer clothing and slip into wool sock and slippers.

*Soaking and cooking dried beans in the crockpot--Cooking your own dried beans can save a ton of money.  And it's incredibly simple.  So when I'm cooking recipe that calls for beans, I cook my own in the crockpot.

We're constantly looking for ways to save money.  So we consider it a journey and really a lifestyle change. 

How are you learning to save money lately?