I love reading blogs like Frugally Blonde where the blogger shares concrete ways that they saved money that month. So, a few months ago I decided to start writing my own, and they have quickly become some of the most popular posts here at The Orthodox Mama!
Here are 5 Ways We Saved in August:
1. Accepted Food From a Friend
Very dear friends of our moved out of state a couple of weeks ago. In preparation for the move, they gave us all of the food out of their freezer. What amazing generosity! Our freezer is now filled with a bag of chicken breasts, pounds of hamburger, hash browns, meatballs, and more. Considering the cost of meat these days, that is some serious savings!
Estimated Savings: $50
2. Accepted Dishes From a Friend
I think I see a theme developing here….Another couple who is very close to us moved just the other day. We have known them through our church for the past five years and are quite sad to see them leave. As they were decluttering and downsizing, they sent out an e-mail list to many friends letting them know of items that they no longer needed. My husband and I agreed that we would love their set of dinner plates (a beautiful set of 8 white plates) and their salt and pepper grinder.
Estimated Savings: $40 (This is easily how much they could have asked for the items on Craigslist.)
3. Reused Back to School Items
My son is in first grade, and he had quite a list of items that he needed to bring on the first day. This could have quickly added up to a LOT of money. However, we always make sure to check and see which supplies he can still reuse. Because his backpack, lunchbox, and several folders were still in good condition, we did not have to buy those again this year.
Estimated Savings: $35
4. Ebates “Big Fat Check”
I was super excited to get my Ebates “big fat check” this month. If you’re not familiar with Ebates, you should be! It is basically free money that you earn when you shop online. If you are a beginner, you’ll want to check out my post on Getting Started on Ebates. In a nutshell: each time that you make an online purchase, simply go through Ebates before you go to that site. Then you’ll receive a percentage cash back. For example, when we booked our hotels for our summer vacation, we went to Ebates and then typed in “Expedia.com” in Ebates’s search bar. That was all it took to receive cash back. Ebates pays out quarterly, and our check this time was $75! Not bad!
Estimated Savings: $75
5. Little Free Library
Our local library recently put out a Little Free Library nearby. It is a very cute little box in which people can drop off books that they no longer want and pick up ones they would like to read. It is completely free! I found some great books for the kids, as well as some incredible books for my classroom library. I was also able to declutter and give away many of our extra books. It’s a win-win!
Estimated Savings: $30 (A conservative estimate on the value of the books I took, which were all in excellent condition.)
Total Savings: $230
Looking back over this list, I realize that most of this savings came through the generosity of others. It is a humbling and inspiring reminder to me–may I be as generous with others.
How have you saved this month?
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(Linked to Thrifty Thursday, Tips and Tricks, Small Victories Sunday, Works for Me Wednesdays.)
These are great ideas! Very concrete and “do-able” – thanks for sharing them in this post. I look forward to seeing more money saving posts. I also like the Prayers to Pray For Your Children. 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement, Joan! I try to be practical!
I think it is safe to say we could all use some pointers on saving money! It is hard to do it sometimes though especially at the end of the day when all you want to do is sit down to a hot meal and not have to cook! Thank you for linking up with us at the Tips and Tricks Link party! I hope to see you back this week!
That’s true! Definitely when crock pot or freezer meals come in handy!