The Frugal Lifestyle

moxie · 03-23-2010, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

OMG! Kewl, I am going to find her on TV again!!!
WOW!!!! My new hero is The Coupon Mom!!!

I was awestruck!!! Obviously she has to do some planning, but think of the $ you could save! Here, I thought I used coupons well. No way!

CHA-CHING!!!

I don't think this is her, but you should try http://www.moneysavingmom.com

TONS of coupons and deals at stores. She also talks about how she shops with coupons and spends I think it is $40/week to feed a family of five. And she ALWAYS has money left and how she used the extra money to pay 100% down on a house.

Site is awesome.

AtLast · 03-24-2010, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puregrrl

I don't think this is her, but you should try http://www.moneysavingmom.com

TONS of coupons and deals at stores. She also talks about how she shops with coupons and spends I think it is $40/week to feed a family of five. And she ALWAYS has money left and how she used the extra money to pay 100% down on a house.

Site is awesome.

Totally AWESOME!!! Thanks! I love saving money!!!

Linus · 03-27-2010, 11:39 AM

Welp. I get to update this. I may be able to wipe out another debt. I went to H&R Block, got my taxes done and found out I only need to pay about $200 to NYC for taxes (my company didn't realize that Queens is part of NYC until April 09). But my federal return will equal around $3K. On top of that, after talk with my rep (and will verify with my g/f father who's a tax accountant) I apparently set aside too much from the stocks I sold towards taxes I believed I would have to pay on selling them (since I won't have to pay taxes on those until next year and I'll be doing a cross-country move along with getting my 401K going even more, I set aside an amount for it in a high-interest account that I never access other than to put my Emergency Funds in). Between the tax return and the excess tax funds I had set aside, it will pay off another credit card (about another 10%) leaving me with one credit card and the line of credit to pay off.

w00t!

Diva · 04-26-2010, 07:59 PM

I found this really neat website......stumbled onto it, actually!

Lots of good information! Hope You find it useful as well!

http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

Medusa · 05-10-2010, 10:31 AM

Anyone bring their lunches to work?

I once added up the cost of a Starbucks every morning and an out-lunch every day and it was pretty embarrassing to spend that amount of money on food and beverage.

Jack and I went to the store last week and got all kinds of fancy lunchmeat, lettuce, fancy bread and cheese, and good sandwich spread so we can have lunches at work that we actually look forward to.
Yanno, it kinda sucks to eat a crappy peanut butter and jelly on cheap-ass bread.

Today, I found a Marie Callendar pot pie in the back of the freezer. Its a parmesean chicken one and so far is pretty good

Tell me your ideas on saving money on food and drink at work!

Diva · 05-10-2010, 11:06 AM

I'm on this quest now to see just how long I can go between visits to the grocery store. Today, I have to go as my daughter will be here tomorrow and so I have to break my streak, I guess!

But it made me realize just how much I DON'T really need. So when I run out of bread, I go to crackers. Tuna salad tastes just as good on a cracker as it does on whole wheat.

SassyLeo · 05-10-2010, 11:25 AM

I spend about $150 (sometimes up to $200) per month on groceries. I make most lunches and dinners at home and eat out maybe 1 time per week- Usually Sunday breakfast with Erin. I buy things that can make different kinds of meals.

For instance: I buy several boxes of Israeli Couscous (YUM) or a 5 grain mix that Trader Joe's sells, which I make with chicken broth. Sometimes I will use it for a side dish with chicken or pork chops... just add some veggies. Also I make a cold salad with it for lunches.

I never eat out for lunch at work. The rare occasion is a group/team lunch thing we do like 6 or 8 times per year.

And I rarely buy coffee at work. I either make it at home or drink tea.

Lunch would normally cost about $7-8 per day. Coffee around $3. So that comes to $140 for food and $60 for coffee. $200 on lunch alone!

Ask June ... I'm a thrifty shopper.

Chancie · 05-10-2010, 12:26 PM

Pete installed an under the counter coffee maker in my little kitchen, and I have basically stopped buying coffee on the way to work. Then I bought a very beautiful water bottle and I stopped buying bottled water.

Oh, if only I had room for a freezer.

Gemme · 05-10-2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medusa

Anyone bring their lunches to work?

I once added up the cost of a Starbucks every morning and an out-lunch every day and it was pretty embarrassing to spend that amount of money on food and beverage.

Jack and I went to the store last week and got all kinds of fancy lunchmeat, lettuce, fancy bread and cheese, and good sandwich spread so we can have lunches at work that we actually look forward to.
Yanno, it kinda sucks to eat a crappy peanut butter and jelly on cheap-ass bread.

Today, I found a Marie Callendar pot pie in the back of the freezer. Its a parmesean chicken one and so far is pretty good

Tell me your ideas on saving money on food and drink at work!

Yup. I do bring my lunch/dinner/snack to work. Every once in a while I will give in and call a local pie place and get one of their medium sized $5 pizzas (that's $5 even, tax included). It always looks like I'm moving in because I'll bring a big recyclable bag (the kind you can reuse to shop in) full of things I could eat. I bring different options so I'm less likely to say "I don't want that, lemme call that Chinese place or whatever".

As far as TV dinners go, I wait until the Lean Cuisine Spa Entrees are on sale for $1.88 (the magic price) a piece and then I hit Albertson's with a stack of coupons and their store "double" off coupons (up to a dollar for each coupon), so I've been able to get about 15 of those suckers at a time for less than 80 cents a piece. Not only do they give me yummy dishes like Pumpkin Ravioli but (with the exception of a higher sodium content) are very healthy. I mix them with my homemade meals like navy bean and onion soup and the more 'lunchy' type foods (sandwiches) and the fruit I pick up at my food bank (I had my first apple pear from there!) and those 15 will last me a month.

03-27-2010, 11:39 AM	#3
Linus The Planet's Technical Bubba How Do You Identify?: FTM Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him/Geek Relationship Status: Married to my forever! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 5,440 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,929 Thanked 10,727 Times in 3,172 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	Welp. I get to update this. I may be able to wipe out another debt. I went to H&R Block, got my taxes done and found out I only need to pay about $200 to NYC for taxes (my company didn't realize that Queens is part of NYC until April 09). But my federal return will equal around $3K. On top of that, after talk with my rep (and will verify with my g/f father who's a tax accountant) I apparently set aside too much from the stocks I sold towards taxes I believed I would have to pay on selling them (since I won't have to pay taxes on those until next year and I'll be doing a cross-country move along with getting my 401K going even more, I set aside an amount for it in a high-interest account that I never access other than to put my Emergency Funds in). Between the tax return and the excess tax funds I had set aside, it will pay off another credit card (about another 10%) leaving me with one credit card and the line of credit to pay off. w00t! __________________ Personal Blog \|\| [] \|\| Cigar Blog "We become Human Doings instead of Human Beings." -- Ram Dass

05-10-2010, 10:31 AM	#5
Medusa Mentally Delicious How Do You Identify?: Queer High Femme, thank you very much Preferred Pronoun?: Mme. Relationship Status: Married to JD. Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10,446 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 5,995 Thanked 42,690 Times in 7,831 Posts Rep Power: 21474861	Anyone bring their lunches to work? I once added up the cost of a Starbucks every morning and an out-lunch every day and it was pretty embarrassing to spend that amount of money on food and beverage. Jack and I went to the store last week and got all kinds of fancy lunchmeat, lettuce, fancy bread and cheese, and good sandwich spread so we can have lunches at work that we actually look forward to. Yanno, it kinda sucks to eat a crappy peanut butter and jelly on cheap-ass bread. Today, I found a Marie Callendar pot pie in the back of the freezer. Its a parmesean chicken one and so far is pretty good Tell me your ideas on saving money on food and drink at work! __________________ . . . Buy ButchFemmePlanet Merch Here: https://teespring.com/stores/butchfemmeplanetcom-merch

05-10-2010, 11:25 AM	#7
SassyLeo Is Grateful How Do You Identify?: Queer Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: Engaged Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The PDX Posts: 1,526 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 846 Thanked 1,577 Times in 620 Posts Rep Power: 856202	I spend about $150 (sometimes up to $200) per month on groceries. I make most lunches and dinners at home and eat out maybe 1 time per week- Usually Sunday breakfast with Erin. I buy things that can make different kinds of meals. For instance: I buy several boxes of Israeli Couscous (YUM) or a 5 grain mix that Trader Joe's sells, which I make with chicken broth. Sometimes I will use it for a side dish with chicken or pork chops... just add some veggies. Also I make a cold salad with it for lunches. I never eat out for lunch at work. The rare occasion is a group/team lunch thing we do like 6 or 8 times per year. And I rarely buy coffee at work. I either make it at home or drink tea. Lunch would normally cost about $7-8 per day. Coffee around $3. So that comes to $140 for food and $60 for coffee. $200 on lunch alone! Ask June ... I'm a thrifty shopper. __________________ Joy is the best makeup -Anne Lamott

04-26-2010, 07:59 PM	#4
Diva Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Diva Preferred Pronoun?: Diva Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chez Diva Posts: 11,879 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,263 Thanked 17,174 Times in 5,239 Posts Rep Power: 0	I found this really neat website......stumbled onto it, actually! Lots of good information! Hope You find it useful as well! http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

05-10-2010, 11:06 AM	#6
Diva Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Diva Preferred Pronoun?: Diva Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chez Diva Posts: 11,879 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,263 Thanked 17,174 Times in 5,239 Posts Rep Power: 0	I'm on this quest now to see just how long I can go between visits to the grocery store. Today, I have to go as my daughter will be here tomorrow and so I have to break my streak, I guess! But it made me realize just how much I DON'T really need. So when I run out of bread, I go to crackers. Tuna salad tastes just as good on a cracker as it does on whole wheat.

05-10-2010, 12:26 PM	#8
Chancie Senior Member How Do You Identify?: queer femme-inist Relationship Status: I'm lucky. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Western Mass Posts: 3,774 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,518 Thanked 14,540 Times in 2,744 Posts Rep Power: 21474855	Pete installed an under the counter coffee maker in my little kitchen, and I have basically stopped buying coffee on the way to work. Then I bought a very beautiful water bottle and I stopped buying bottled water. Oh, if only I had room for a freezer.