I love reading blogs like Frugally Blonde and Joyfully Thriving 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.
5 Ways We Saved in January
1. Packed a Lunch Each Day
Each night I pack a lunch for myself, my oldest in first grade, and my two youngest in preschool. Believe me, there are days when I just don’t feel like it. It can be work, especially when I’m tired. However, by packing a lunch each day I save us a TON of money. Plus, I can give my kids healthy food. I tend to bring leftovers, so my lunches are essentially free. My kids are still really little, so they don’t mind having a PB&J, yogurt, and fruit each day. All together I spend around $1 per child. If we bought lunches at school each day, it would cost $2.50 per child and $3.50 for me. That means I save $8 a day just by packing lunches!
Estimated Savings: $160
2. My Husband Gave the Children Haircuts
I am so lucky to be married to a very handy man. My husband has cut his own hair for over ten years now. He also cuts our children’s hair every couple of months. He bought his clippers before we were married, and they are still going strong!
Estimated Savings: $60 (based on a $20 per child estimate)
3. We Had Fun Staying Home
As one of my goals for the year, we go on a family outing each month. These are usually fairly simple and low cost. This month, however, we had a free outing. Because of all of the snow that we received (22 inches!) we spent the day in our backyard sledding, making snowmen, building snow forts, and making snow angels. Then we came inside to some hot cocoa, popcorn, and a movie. It was such a fun (and free!) outing. The kids hope that we have more snow soon!
Estimated Savings: $20 (the average cost of our family outings)
4. I Made Simple Freezer Meals
I am all about using my freezer. (For proof, check out my post on 15 Things Frugal People Freeze!) This month I made a few simple freezer meals and side dishes that saved us time and money. I try to make a dozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches each Sunday to put into the freezer for school lunches. I also made three batches of freezer biscuits, 8 cups of chicken stock, two bags of soup, pancakes, and crock pot refried beans. By planning ahead, I avoided the temptation to eat out on busy nights.
Estimated Savings: $30 (the cost of two meals out)
5. Tidying Up with Unexpected Results
This January I was excited to launch my first challenge here on The Orthodox Mama: 10 Days to a Tidy Home Challenge. Each day we focused on a different area to organize, declutter, and tidy. As I was doing the challenge myself, I discovered a bunch of hand-me-downs that I had completely forgotten about! They included some winter gear for my kids and clothing that they need this season. I had been meaning to go buy these items but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. I was so glad that I tidied the house and found that I already had the clothing! (Well, I was excited and fairly embarrassed. Geesh. My house was a mess!)
Estimated Savings: $50 (for a coat, hat, a couple of sweaters, and boots)
Total Savings: $320
There are times when I wonder if the little things make any difference–if all of this frugal living really saves us any money. This month reminded me that every little bit really does add up!
How did you save money this month?
