I love reading blogs like Frugally Blonde which share practical ways that their family has saved money. A few months ago I decided to write my own post each month on how we save, and it has quickly become one of the most popular features here on The Orthodox Mama.
1. Free Clothing
I tried out Schoola, an online clothing site with discounted gently used clothing, this month and was impressed. I had a $10 credit and found a really cute tank top that I wanted to buy. I simply added it to my cart, entered my address, and they applied my credit. I ended up with a great summer top for free! You can get $20 credit by signing up HERE. Schoola has a huge variety of children’s and women’s clothing at 70% off retail. Plus, 40% of each purchase will benefit a primary or secondary school. As a teacher, I’m all for that! I’m excited to make another purchase through Schoola soon.
Estimated Savings: $10
2. Entertainment from the Library
Pretty much all of our entertainment this past month came from the library. I have been devouring the Maisie Dobbs mystery series and putting them on hold at an alarming pace! My husband and I also checked out a couple of movies to watch on our in-house date nights this past month. Plus, the kids and I spent a few afternoons hanging out at the library–reading, taking in a children’s program, and playing with the library toys. I swear the library is one of their favorite places!
Estimated Savings: $50 (estimated cost of buying the books and of renting the movies)
3. Bought a Course during a Pre-Sale
I am in the process of working on an e-book that I am really excited about. I want to do a good job with this e-book–both in terms of writing and formatting and also launching and selling. So, I decided to sign up for a comprehensive course that will walk me through the entire process. This past month I purchased Abby Lawson’s course, “Book Boss,” at a pre-sale discount. By buying it early, I saved $100. Since I knew I was going to be writing and launching an e-book within the next five months, I decided that the cost would be easily offset.
Estimated Savings: $100
4. Used Free Samples
So, we have a fish in our house. We actually bought it a year ago for Big Brother’s sixth birthday. We fully expected it to die within a few months, since, after all, fish are famous for such things. However, it is a particularly hardy fish who is still going strong one year later. But, by using free samples from the pet store, along with leftovers from a friend whose fish was not so hearty, we have yet to buy food for the little guy. Moral of the story? Free samples are awesome. (And, don’t make plans based on a fish.)
Estimated Savings: $15 (estimated cost of fish food for the past year)
5. Mended Clothing
Finally, I spent about 15 minutes one Saturday this month mending clothing. A pair of Big Brother’s pants had a hole in them, one of my husband’s shirts was down a button, and Sister’s dress had a small tear in the hem. With just a few minute’s effort (and practically zero skill), I managed to patch all of the items of clothing.
Estimated Savings: $60 (estimated cost of replacement clothing)
Total Savings: $225
Don’t forget that the little things add up! Frugal living is a marathon sport!
How did you save this month?
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