Every Penny Not Spent

Saving money, even in the smallest amounts, all adds up and I for one am determined to not overspend on anything.  I'm now more aware of my spending habits, preferences and methods than I ever have been in my adult life.

Buying a Hybrid was one of the first major steps we took to save money -- sounds backwards to buy a car in order to save money but the proof is in the gas savings.  A full tank costs us $35 and gets us 450 miles.  This translates to about 2 weeks of daily commutes to work and daycare.  Might last longer if not for having to go over the mountain every day.

The price of gas being the (ever-increasing) variable, buying a Hybrid (or all-electric) makes more sense and is the right choice.  Our car sales rep told us that the large gas-guzzlers lose value every month.  A full-size SUV or truck decreases about $1,200 per month in trade-in value.

Other ways I have found to save money in our every day routine:

* Volunteering at my children's daycare.  Whether helping out in their classrooms or taking home tasks, volunteering my time saves us 10% on our monthly bill.  The savings are huge.  (Pays for at least 3 tanks of gas.)  I also get to spend more time with my kids within their own environment of teachers and friends.

* Shopping smart.  Doing a quick search for a coupon prior to shopping has given us about a 5% savings each grocery day.  Check out your grocery store's website.  They post itemized lists of all products on sale.  Don't forget to hit up the case sales and manager specials.  We did last week and we saved BIG.

* Buying pre-owned.  Especially children's clothes.  Why spend full-price for a season of wear?  If you can find a trading circle that would be awesome.  I don't have one here but I do stick to eBay, consignment stores, and the bi-annual rummage sales at nearby military bases.

* Shop online.  Especially through Upromise.  Every purchase results in a small percentage of savings that goes to my children's 529 college savings plans.  I've amassed a significant amount of savings especially when buying airfare, winter gear, reserving rental cars and home appliances.  But be smart.  Sometimes it truly is cheaper elsewhere.  Then there's always MyPoints and eBates.  Not bad once you have amassed a significant amount, then it finally starts becoming important.

Again, it all adds up.  This is all new to me.  I've never lived on a budget before and now that we've been state-side for almost a year now, I'm slowly starting to get the hang of it.

For future savings, I have compost and a "salsa garden" going -- potted garden to get my feet wet prior to digging into my lush green grass.  Tomatoes, bell peppers, habanero and jalapenos... yummy.  Soon, more but for now it's a savings at a time and I'm proud of myself for adjusting and being able to maintain our lifestyle within this present economy.