With prices of seemingly everything skyrocketing and an analysis of next year’s family budget, some belt tightening is in order. I thought I would start figuring out now how to stretch a few more dollars. We’re pretty frugal as it is, but there is always room for more.
1. Stay in town when I take kiddo to school. It’s a 30-mile round trip, which I have to do twice on the days that I teach, but on the days that I don’t, I can plan to pack coffee and a lunch and stay.
Savings: 30 miles X 3 days X 0.51 (IRS reimbursement) = $45.90/week in savings figuring in the wear and tear
or X 4.00 for a gallon of gas = $12/week
What would I do with that time?
-read (got a backlog of books to review)
-write (got a backlog of projects)
-edit (again, a backlog)
-walk
-volunteer at kiddo’s school
-hopefully be called in to sub
#2. Hang dry our clothes instead of using the clothes dryer. A rough estimate is that I do 20 -24 loads of laundry a month. I think I will do an audit just to see since I’m curious now. I’ve never though about it before. Hubby estimates that it costs about $1 for each load.
Savings: $16-$18 (work clothes will need to be dried or fluffed to dewrinkle them. No ironing in our house.)
How: I’ve got two drying racks, and I’m very familiar with using them since when we lived overseas we hung all our clothes to dry. If we can get a line set up in the shade outside, I can dry the work clothes out there and almost eliminate the dryer use.
3. Better menu planning.
I’m ashamed to admit that we throw away too many leftovers and uneaten, rotten veggies. Just spending more time planning and freezing excess would save a bit.
4. Stay out of McDonald’s.
What can I say. I’ve discovered Cinnamon Melts. And if I really, really need one (I’m a stress eater) and kiddo is in the car, then I have to buy him something too. I’ve begun taking a different route home to avoid the temptation.
I’m sure I can come up with more, but that’s enough for now. I’m going to go make some cinnamon toast!
