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Syncletica
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 5:36pm | IP Logged
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I need some help with living frugally. We didn't have enough money from dh's check to cover our mortgage last time (had to dip into our savings - our income tax return - which is supposed to be for property tax.  ). This pay period he has only 12 hours, and hasn't worked at all this week. We're soon to be in trouble.
How do you figure out how much money it costs to run your dryer (and other things - like dishwasher, washer, etc.) I'll sometimes put a load of clothes in for 70 min. and they'll still be damp, then I'll put them in for another 30 min. We've often got 3 loads a day, and wash day might have around 7. Now that the weather is warmer, it may be a good idea to hang clothes, but I don't have a clothesline, nor the knowledge to put one up. I can't imagine handwashing, but could investing in a ringer washer be a possibility for substantially cutting down costs?
I've begun turning lights off earlier.
I'd like to try to make some cash from home,(preferably as a family business) but everytime I mention it, my dh brushes it off. He said now's not a good time to start a business. I'm not talking about investing a lot of money into anything. Just something as a means to bring in a bit of income. It'd be a great educational experience for homeschooling too. And since he told me yesterday that he has absolutely nothing to do with their homeschooling, I shouldn't be out of line in trying to find ways to make some money as a homeschool 'thing', right? Problem is, I have no idea what.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing any and all ideas for saving money and cutting down on bills. I wish we had solar power or some such thing. I'd love to be 'off the grid'.
TIA!
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CrunchyMom
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You can get a device called a kilowatt meter. I know you don't have much to spend right now. My husband got one for Christmas a few years back and has loaned it out to many people. It is super handy!
One thing you can do for electricity specifically is put things like your television, computer, radio, etc... on a power strip you can switch off (or just unplug them when not in use). These types of appliances continue to draw electricity even when not "on."
My husband does a lot of carpentry and handyman stuff in addition to his desk job. He has considered making it official and starting a business, but a lot of the upfront cost in starting a business like filing the paperwork, licenses, etc... do make those sorts of ventures difficult (he would have to do a LOT more to make it worthwhile). Right now, he can claim it as a hobby and report it that way up until a certain point. I don't know the particulars, but you would probably be okay to use a "hobby" as a means of bringing in a little extra cash, but a "business" might be more of a commitment than you realize--it was for us.
I'm sorry you are struggling this way!
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Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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stellamaris
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 6:01pm | IP Logged
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One thing you can do is to turn down your hot water heater's thermostat. It is usually on the bottom front of the tank. If you set it to a little lower temperature, you'll prevent anyone from scalding themselves as well as save money on dishwashing and laundry. Ours is set at 120 degrees, but you could probably go a little cooler. As far as hanging out laundry, it is a big electricity saver and not difficult. You need a clothesline strung anywhere (porch, between two trees or upright poles firmly anchored) and clothespins. I still dry towels in the dryer because they can get stiff on the line. Another big energy user is a large freezer, but it saves on food costs. If you have one and are not using it to buy food cheaply, you might want to unplug it and remove the door. Save money on food by making soups--try not to throw out anything!
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Caroline
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DianaC
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 6:04pm | IP Logged
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For saving money on electricity:
check with your power company to see if they have a "time of use" savings program. This is a very simple way to save - by doing the wash in the evenings or on weekends when the time of use rate is much lower. We typically save $30 - $50 per month using this program. Also, unplug any electronics when not in use. Even when they are off, they still draw electricity (it's called phantom drain). A clothesline should be a very simple set-up. You could attach a line from one tree to another or from a fence-post to a tree, etc. or just set up a couple of posts. Also, if your dryer is taking a long time and still the clothes are damp, you may want to see about having your vent cleaned out. A clear vent will cut the drying time by a great margin.
For savings on groceries, try the Coupon Momwebsite. On the left, use the 'grocery deals by state' link to find your grocery store and a list of sale items and available coupons. By buying with the coupons and stocking up at sales, you can really save a big percentage.
For a simple side-business idea: one of my husband's co-workers does this and makes a good deal of money. She goes through the classifieds and buys used items at the lowest prices she can find. Then, if necessary makes simple repairs or just some cleaning of the items and sells them at a great profit. This seems to be a good time to do this, since people are more likely to look for used items in the current economy. She is particular about what she'll buy - just things that she knows she'll be able to turn around.
I hope these ideas will help!
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LisaR
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I line dry 90% of our clothes year round. i have big boys who get very dirty/go through athletic clothes etc. and I am able to keep up.
I unplug EVERYTHING.
We just don't have people over anymore :(. unless it is for potluck or dessert!  it is just not in the budget to entertain, or go out.
Keep our heat at 62, and our A/C at 82-84.
ditto what everyone else said!
oh, PS about clothesline- dh strung up plastic coated line in the basement- it keeps me from having to turn on the humidifier in our DRY winter months, too.
in the summer- I use a BRABENTINA (sp?) clothes umbrella thing that sticks into the ground and can be pulled up and out for soccer games, etc.
It holds 3-4 full loads at a time, was under 50.00, and has lasted 7 years so far with use from march-nov.!
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dh Tim '92
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Stephanie_Q
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 8:46pm | IP Logged
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Syncletica wrote:
I'll sometimes put a load of clothes in for 70 min. and they'll still be damp, then I'll put them in for another 30 min. We've often got 3 loads a day, and wash day might have around 7.
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Yikes! That seems a long time for the dryer to be running...in addition to clearing the vent, if the exhaust is very long and has a lot of bends in it, you'll have a longer drying time. Try to make it as short and straight as possible. I'm thinking of trying to reduce laundry by making the kids re-wear their clothes. Especially things like jeans. Do they really need clean jeans to play outside? I don't wash their jackets every day...they can have play pants, too...right?
Anyway, here is a link to an Electric Appliance Calculator that looks pretty handy. You'll probably need to change the electric rate at the end of the table.
Here are some ideas from This Old House on how to reduce electric costs, since it sounds like the electric bill is your biggest concern.
I'd never really considered a home business, but it looks like we are kind of heading that way with raising chickens - both for meat and eggs...but we're rural and have land for that sort of thing. It started out as something we were doing for ourselves - but then dh's co-workers said, "Hey, I'd love to buy farm fresh eggs / chicken from you." So, we'll see where that goes...
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dd 6.02, dd 8.03, ds 3.05, ds 12.06 at Catholic school.
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stellamaris
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 8:57pm | IP Logged
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OK, I know I'm getting old, but we always wore our pants a few days before washing them unless they were really obviously dirty. Ditto shirts. Underwear, socks get washed every day, but unless it is stained or smelly, outer clothing can be worn more than once. Hanging up the clothes helps to keep them aired out and smelling fresher. PJ's get worn 3-4 days before washing unless someone wets the bed  Clothes last longer, too, when they are not washed as much.
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Caroline
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 9:21pm | IP Logged
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We are trying to cut our costs too. Does anyone wash their clothes in cold water? I wash in warm and rinse in cold. Apparently washing in warm uses a lot of electricity. But I am scared to wash in cold - especially as we use non bleach homemade natural detergents - will things be clean and sanitized (especially all those muddy boys stuff?)
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LisaR
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I wash in warm when the temps outside are below 40 degrees- our basement location and how cold we keep our home just can't dissolve the detergent when it is below 40 degrees.
the rest of the time I wash in cold, and I use clorox 2 ?? (I think? too lazy to get up ) in the big blue box from SAM's Costco.
It is a sanitizer, I was using OXYclean from SAM's, but this is far less expensive and seems to do just as good of a job.
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dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
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Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
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Mackfam
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 9:48pm | IP Logged
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Syncletica wrote:
| I'd like to try to make some cash from home,(preferably as a family business) but everytime I mention it, my dh brushes it off. He said now's not a good time to start a business. I'm not talking about investing a lot of money into anything. Just something as a means to bring in a bit of income. It'd be a great educational experience for homeschooling too. And since he told me yesterday that he has absolutely nothing to do with their homeschooling, I shouldn't be out of line in trying to find ways to make some money as a homeschool 'thing', right? |
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Your husband seems to have expressed himself clearly that he believes this is not a good time to start a business. I think he is right. Starting any business, no matter how small, takes $$capitol$$ and a lot of time invested. Using that money to start something would be taking it away from things like mortgage payments and utility bills. And, though you are right, the experience would be educational, it would also demand your attention away from homeschooling and your other duties and would not be in harmony with his clear request that you not start a business.
Just brainstorming here, but I think there are ways you could impact the budget in a significantly positive way without spending a dime or dividing your time elsewhere. I think perhaps sitting down with your husband and asking him if he could see any obvious ways or areas you could help him in whittling the excess off the budget would be very beneficial. Even if he can't sit down with you and offer direct guidance there are some obvious areas to look to...
**laundry helps
**lightswitch patrol
**unplug - brutally
**letting go unnecessary classes and activities
**trimming the food budget
**library, library, library
Consider it a personal challenge...ask him to help you come up with a monetary figure for a goal. See if you can find creative ways to shave every penny of excess from your budget. Don't stop there though. Make a list together of favorite *free* things for the family to do while you're in buckle-down mode...
**a picnic at a park
**a late night up watching the stars
**a popcorn movie
**a free concert (they're often held in the warmer months)
**dig out a favorite read aloud you haven't read in a long time
**a dress up show with clothes from mom and dad's closet
**set out board games in a new place - they'll somehow look more attractive!
Our husbands often feel a great burden when they see their income doesn't stretch far enough to meet the family's financial obligations - help him by supporting his time at work in whatever ways you can...
**pack him breakfast and lunches
**try to prepare one of his favorite meals each week
**support his needs to unwind and de-stress by not burdening him with the small gripes of the day
**be willing to shoulder extra work at home (tending to the homeschooling) so that he feels the freedom to shoulder the heavy load he carries in order to provide for the family
**commit with every shred of your being to stay faithful to the budget he sets - in other words, be a good steward of the money he earns. ask him to bring home a set amount of cash for you each week and use only that for your grocery trips - you'll spend it much more wisely.
**get in the habit of going to him with expenditures you anticipate. Talking about expenditures together has helped my husband and I so much in sticking with our budget. We discuss everything beyond weekly groceries. Everything. This seems like too much, but it has paid off too many times for us to stop - and it keeps me accountable and lets him know that I want to steward wisely the money he works hard to provide.
These are hard times for so many. I'm praying that you find creative solutions to the financial challenges you face.
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Jen Mackintosh
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SallyT
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| Posted: April 16 2009 at 11:36pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer's ideas are great, as are everyone's.
I managed to slash my grocery bill literally in half -- my husband did not think it was possible -- by comparison shopping different groceries (I buy most of our staples at Aldi, and other items not available at Aldi, like whole wheat flour, on sale wherever I can find them), by making a master grocery list for the month, and shopping for the month, or at the very least for three weeks, so that we did not spend more money on impulse buys when we dashed in to buy a gallon of milk.
Some of my strategies:
*overbuy milk, and freeze. You have to open and pour off a little from each jug to counteract expansion when the milk freezes; I just put that in a pitcher in the fridge and, sometimes, "stretch" it with powdered milk.
*you can also freeze butter and cheese. I find I have to hide cheese anyway, or it gets eaten up in an afternoon as snacks
*limit meat. Meat is expensive. I buy four or five rolls of frozen ground turkey and maybe a couple of packs of chicken, and that's our meat. Otherwise we eat beans and rice, eggs, cheese sauce, etc.
*no prepared food. At all. My monthly staples are:
white flour
self-rising flour
wheat flour
yeast
oatmeal (we eat it for breakfast, I make scones with it, we make granola, I put it in bread)
grits (we're Southern. They're cheap. You can actually do a lot with them)
brown sugar
honey
peanutbutter
jam
beans/legumes (black, white, pinto, red, blackeyed peas, split peas)
milk
powdered milk (good in baking, if you don't want to drink it; this still keeps you from using up the "real" milk so fast)
cheese, including parmesan for pasta
pasta (I buy this at the dollar store)
rice (I buy 20lbs every 2-3 months and keep it in a file box in my cabinet)
a few canned things like mushrooms, that I can throw into pasta sauce, onto pizza, into a rice casserole; and tomatoes, which I can use to make pasta sauce, pizza sauce, etc.
frozen vegetables: peas, corn, asparagus (really cheap at Aldi for some reason, and decent quality), spinach, broccoli, green beans, and okra are my staple veggies
fresh produce -- apples, oranges, celery, carrots, etc. Apples get eaten for snacks; I ration them. My little kids will never eat a whole one, so to keep them from being wasted, the rule is that I cut them up and people eat the slices.
olive & vegetable oils; butter
I will also shop the grocery aisles at the dollar store; in addition to having the cheapest pasta, they often have nice things like jalepenos, sweet red peppers, sundried tomatoes, etc, in jars, and those are good to throw into things -- I like having a few "gourmet" resources around to elevate the usual fare.
Obviously cooking is something I have to give thought to, because I make everything, including our bread. Fortunately my older kids have become proficient at a few things, including bread-baking, and they will make dinner once or twice a week -- also a good homeschooling venture. Even my youngers like to help cook. Things like yeast bread can be time-consuming, but not once you get a routine down. I also use self-rising flour to make biscuits, scones, and quick breads, which are good "fillers" to accompany a meal.
I have been known to turn frozen leftover pancakes into dessert, too . . .
Somebody gave me a copy of The Tightwad Gazette last year; it's full of great ideas for frugal living. I also HIGHLY recommend The Common Room, which is a highly entertaining and information blog by a lovely and engaging Protestant homeschooling family. I love this blog for all kinds of reasons, but their frugal-living posts are especially good.
We have had lots of financial ups and downs -- currently we've been able to relax the frugal regimen a tiny bit, as I have been (rather serendipitously) been making some extra income, but these grocery-shopping and cooking strategies saw us through some very lean times.
And yes, using cash really helps. We've done that. I keep an envelope marked "groceries," cash goes into that, and that's what I spend.
I cut my own and my girls' hair. The boys are vain :) -- but I've used clippers on them at times.
I have found, in addition to hanging clothes, that washing and drying smaller loads, and always setting the dryer on a very short cycle, works more efficiently. If the clothes don't get dry in the time I allot, I can hang them or else dry them for another short period. But I don't let the dryer run and run.
OK, it's late, and I need to unplug my computer!
Sally
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MaryM
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| Posted: April 17 2009 at 12:06am | IP Logged
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SallyT wrote:
| OK, it's late, and I need to unplug my computer! |
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 - you certainly live what you preach!
Great overview of ideas, Sally and Jennifer.
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mellyrose
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That seems like a long time for your dryer to run -- I would try smaller loads, or try throwing a completely dry bath towel in with the loads. I have read that a dry towel can help speed up drying.
I went without a dryer for 2 years when we moved to AZ. We didn't have a clothesline, so I hung our clothes over the banisters and hung them on the shower rods. That was before children, though!
Clotheslines are inexpensive and if you have someplace to string it, very handy. I had one that went from the corner of our house to the fence. I dried diapers and most of our clothes on the line for 2-3 years when my boys were little. We don't have one right now, but I would like to string one again.
Lots of great tips have been shared. I second shopping with cash, and if you have a Super Wal-Mart, they will match competitors ads so you don't have to shop multiple stores. It takes more time to plan, look at the ads, etc. -- but it's worth it in savings.
Not all businesses require capital. If you write, you can earn small amounts writing web content. Sites like ehow pay you revenue share on articles you write, and there are more -- associatedcontent.com is another. I write for Demand Studios and am paid a flat rate for articles that are published on their various websites (like ehow.com.)
I also teach desktop software classes -- if you have any skills that you can share, you could consider offering classes. Things like sewing, knitting, bookbinding, etc.
However, if your husband is against the idea of you taking time away from caring for your family, then of course that isn't an option. I am not encouraging you to against his wishes -- I just wanted to mention that not every business requires an outlay of capital. The things I do only require time and effort.
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: April 17 2009 at 1:18pm | IP Logged
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Wow what great ideas you all have shared --I am loving this thread!
mellyrose wrote:
| That seems like a long time for your dryer to run -- I would try smaller loads, or try throwing a completely dry bath towel in with the loads. I have read that a dry towel can help speed up drying. |
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I also highly recommend dryer balls. They cut the drying time and save on softeners (which really aren't good for you, your clothes or your dryer anyway). I have found (through experimenting with different kinds) that Nellie's Dryer Balls seem to be the best and did a little happy dance today when I saw they are on sale at Aldi next week for $6.99! Oh and like Sally --I LOVE Aldi!
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: April 17 2009 at 1:23pm | IP Logged
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MarilynW wrote:
| We are trying to cut our costs too. Does anyone wash their clothes in cold water? I wash in warm and rinse in cold. Apparently washing in warm uses a lot of electricity. But I am scared to wash in cold - especially as we use non bleach homemade natural detergents - will things be clean and sanitized (especially all those muddy boys stuff?) |
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I wash just about everything in cold water. I wash all our towels and sheets in hot water but that's it.
As soon as I use up my container of All-Free I'm going back to the homemade laundry degergent. I missed the ordering date last time and ran out, this time I bought two packages . I rarely use bleach. I probably should for our dish towels.
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Willa
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I agree with what Jennifer said about not starting a business right now if your husband doesn't like the idea. It's hard times right now for businesses -- the best opportunities are probably in areas where you have a skill that doesn't need a lot of money for materials.
However, during this interim time while you are following all the great suggestions for cutting the budget, perhaps you could also brainstorm quietly a little about things that could bring in money without major start-up costs.
Like everyone else we are living hand to mouth right now and I've been praying for a while about how to be more helpful to my husband in bringing in $$$. Just recently a couple of small things have come up that are helping just a teeny bit -- but every little bit counts, right?
The thing is, I think I wouldn't have noticed the potential opportunities if I hadn't been praying so much that my husband's financial stress would be relieved and praying and thinking about how I could help him and make things easier for him as provider.
I think making money stretch is a sort of instinct that you can hone. You start thinking of every single thing that is costing you money and thinking about how to make do, do without, or do it on the cheap.
I really appreciated this blog post on Thrift as a Strategy for Pleasure. It talks about how "thrift" is related in its root to "thriving" and how "frugality" is related to "fruitfulness". I think there is truth to that!
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Willa
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MarilynW
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Mary Chris - I have to confess. My homemade detergent has gone well - except for whites and grease stains - I have to figure out a way to work on these. BUT - I just ordered two bags of Charlies Soap - I just wanted to have something ready made for when I am in labor and postpartum - and apparently this is the closest to homemade.
Is there a natural bleach?
Thanks for the cold water tip - maybe i will give it a try.
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Marilyn
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MarilynW
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| Posted: April 17 2009 at 1:39pm | IP Logged
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For lot of frugal ideas read America's Cheapest Family (sorry computer problems - having linky troubles) - also check out their website - sorry I cannot even find their website to post - my computer is being very iffy.
I have to say though - it depresses me a little to read their stuff - I just could not manage on their budget. I just went to Costco and probably spent the equivalent of their monthly budget on one week's shop ..and no unnecessaries or treats there!!
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Marilyn
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MarilynW
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Just to add - our husbands really need our support and tolerance of their preferences. My husband who has always been so very calm and sanguine and peaceful is very concerned about our situation and the responsibility of supporting 8 - and he makes some decisions which sometimes seem unreasonable to me, or he is irritable (which is really unusual for him) - but I try to understand how hard it is for him to keep working long hours and then figure out ways to make ends meet.
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Marilyn
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JodieLyn
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Like someone else mentioned.. I can't wash in cold water in the winter months.. that's not cold water that's a half step above ice cubes so in cold months I use warm water wash.. when you feel it in the washer it's really only cool.. not even really warm just not frigid. But in the summer I can switch to cold water.. we're about at the point of switching for the summer now.
a clothesline can be fairly easy to put up.. I run two from the shed to the house.. which is enough line to put up one large load of clothes.. I would have a hard time only using the line (could do it if I had to) but i can at least put one load in the dryer.. and the washer will be done before the dryer and can put that load on the line.. and then the next load into the dryer etc. Saves money and can actually speed up laundry.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: frugal living ideas?
