Monday, March 29, 2010

Thrifty Moms Unite!

As a Mom of six, I learned a long time ago that it really pays to be thrifty. I work online, so we do splurge on our cable and internet package, but that is just about the most expensive thing that I do for myself all year. We have been shopping at thrift stores since my oldest kids were little, and rarely pay full price for clothes anymore.

There are some items that I just can't get second hand, like shoes. Alright, I CAN get them secondhand, but they don't last as long and I end up spending more than needed, so I buy them full price from the Shoe Depot. A good pair of shoes will last for six months or more, much longer than a second hand pair.

I have some some new thrifty things, though, like joining Swag Bucks. It seems like it would take forever to earn enough for even a $5 Amazon gift card, but I search literally all day for work, so it actually doesn't take too long to earn enough bucks for something cool.

I also now shop with Hyena Cart. Although I can get some of the items cheaper elsewhere, there are tons of things that I love that are very inexpensive. I found wipes the other day for 20 cents each! I have a collection of home made flannel wipes, but there are times when nothing works as good as an OBV wipe ;)

I have also started menu planning, and although it is more work, it simplifies my grocery shopping and cooking so I am not running to the store for dinner at 5 pm.

Some more things I have done are making my own cleaners with water and essential oils, reducing the amount of soaps I need by making laundry soap (not sure about my formula, it seems to work for now, though!) and starting my own garden with additions like lavender, herbs and ornamentals in addition to vegs so that I don't have to buy these. I LOVE fresh lavender, too, it can be used for tons of projects!

What thrifty things have you done lately? I am looking for tips and advice on saving money, so any ideas are welcome!

No comments:

Post a Comment