I’ve learned that it’s entirely possible to manage a modern household without paper towels. Would I prefer to use something disposable to wipe down the potty? Yes, I would, and I may grant myself a modest paper towel allowance for just that purpose. But for now, I’m appreciating the all-or-nothing mindset, as it’s making me realize just how often I reach for the convenient white roll.
I truly appreciate all of your tips and recommendations on how to save money. I haven’t had time to dig into the resources yet, but I’ve made a few more decisions already. I’ve instated a strict must-be-on-the-list policy at the grocery store and was very pleased with my receipt last weekend. In general, I’m trying to give up convenience foods (as much as is reasonable for a family with two full-time jobs and two young children).
Aside from the grocery store, I’m trying to avoid in-person shopping whenever possible. I’ve set up subscriptions for household items on Amazon. I save an extra 15% with its Subscribe & Save program, plus free shipping with Prime. For months, I’ve been purchasing specialty grocery items like Sunbutter this way. I just discovered the Amazon Mom program, where I’ll also save 20% on diapers. Yes, please! Strangely enough, the prices are substantially cheaper than what I’ve been paying at Diapers.com (big fan of their customer service), which is owned by Amazon.
The other big change is that Josh and I have signed up for mint.com (free!), and I think it will make a huge difference. In the past, it’s been hard to track our budget accurately because we pay for things with multiple debit cards and credit cards. Now that we’ve tied all of our accounts to mint, we can see every transaction in one chronological stream. This is great since we generally use a debit card but have to put larger purchases (hello, auto repair and emergency vet services) on our credit cards. Plus, we only need one login and password to see our financial snapshot on one screen.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last two and a half years, it’s that sharing my greatest insecurities, failures, conundrums, and embarrassments on the internet is counterintuitively rewarding. While I’m not planning to turn this into a personal finance blog, I will definitely keep you posted on our progress. I may just need to call on you for support when all seems hopeless and I’m ready to run off to the Caribbean (or maybe just the Mall of America) with the last Visa standing.
*****
I Want to Know
- Do you use any personal finance software that you like? Do you happen to have experience with mint.com?
- How much of your shopping is done online these days? Do you have any tips on saving more money?
- Do you do a good job of keeping your clothing budget modest? I often feel like I have nothing to wear, and I’m generally pretty disciplined about not buying clothes (and shoes), but a gal has to do a little shopping from time to time. Right?
Find me on twitter @emmasota, look up emmasota on Facebook, and visit me at my other blog, Divorced Before 30.
ah…
yes.
this!
My husband and I have been religiously using mint.com for about a year and a half.
Hello – EYE OPENER!
Even today, I’m amazed at how quickly things add up. ‘oh, I forgot to bring lunch today, I’ll just run out and grab something…’
Aye aye aye.
I can say with certainty, mint has completely reshaped our lives. Being aware is a huge part of the battle…and now, we most definitely are aware! Painfully aware!
Painfully aware is what we’re going for. I’m glad to hear that it’s been working for you!
I think having no money put some of the strongest stresses on my marriage. I have no easy answers but wish you very well.
Yes, it can be a huge stressor and a huge marital strain. Thanks for your support!
I do 80% of my shopping online. I even get my groceries delivered. My father-in-law found it hilarious that we subscribe to toilet paper. We have the Amazon credit card and opt for statement credit (as opposed to gift certificates). We buy so much stuff from them that it saves us a significant amount of a money every year. Same with Target, that 5% on each purchase adds up.
With clothing, I actually find that NOT seeking out bargains helps. I tend to put a lot more thought into buying investment pieces and end up wearing them more. Those “eh why not, it’s on clearance” items add up and will just clutter your drawers. Of course, being in nursing clothes changes the whole game–I’m wearing a henley that I got at Target for $7. And I won’t regret ditching it when the time comes.
I also remember setting my loan payments for the same day as pay day while I was paying off student loans. It was purely a psychological thing, it sort of made it feel like the money was never there in the first place. Though, now that I read that, it sounds pretty depressing.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who subscribes to toilet paper!
Generally speaking, I have a similar philosophy about clothes. I tend to buy just a few things at a local boutique that is really my style. But I definitely have my cheap pieces, too, especially since I’ve been fluctuating so much in size over the past few years!
I like your student loan psychological strategy. I pretty much feel that way about our paychecks in general (spent practically before they hit our account!).
We use Microsoft Money, which I don’t think is being produced anymore, but we love it.
I was doing a lot of online shopping for kids’ clothes for a while, and thanks to rewards programs and websites that helped me track good sales, I was often able to get things at Gap Kids and Gymboree for less than I’d pay at Target (good quality for hand-me-downs). I’d also buy some things on eBay. Now I’m more likely to shop in stores because I need the kids or myself to try things on. Online shopping is easier when the kids are younger and less picky!
As for clothes, we do have a household budget that we try to stick to each month. I’ve had to buy myself more clothing in the last year because I’ve lost a lot of weight and no longer fit into my things, though. One thing I let myself splurge on is shoes – if they are well made they will last 10 years or more! Whereas when I bought only cheap shoes I was replacing them every 1-2 seasons, kind of negating the savings.
I’m with you on shoes! I tend to buy nice shoes and don’t really follow what’s “right now.” I guess I’m a pretty practical shoe gal.
I find fabulous deals on really nice, gently used work and casual clothes at consignment stores – you could do the same for kids clothes I’m sure.
I love to shop at Costco too but I know that it’s also a place where I’m tempted to buy more than I need with all the great deals on clothes, books, flowers, etc.
I feel the same way about Costco! I love it, but I find it dangerous.
I actually went consignment shopping this weekend (you’ll read about it!). I am lucky that my mom buys almost all of my kids’ clothes (Gramma Rosie get some, too). Most of the kids’ things come from thrift stores, and Mom is able to find tons of cute name-brand clothes.
My biggest challenge these days is to find the time to shop!
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Here’s a thought, and maybe you already had it, but how about refinancing your home at a very low rate and rolling all your debt into the new mortgage? The interest would be tax deductible and the whole load would be just one payment. Just a thought.
I also know that taking your kids to the store socializes them to strangers and even if it is only to pick up some bananas and milk, it gets you out of house/work/ routine and can be an adventure for the small ones. You can allow them to make choices, ie, one big banana or two little ones. The beans in the red can or the beans in the green can.
I wish we could refinance, but I don’t think that would make sense now (we did it two years ago, and that made a big difference!).
I agree about socialization. I will always do my grocery shopping in-person because I actually love doing it. The kids come along sometimes. And Linnea adores shopping for shoes.
We’ve used mint.com but are bigger fans of You Need a Budget.
Hmmm…will have to look into that, too! Thanks.
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