I know we all are dealing with back to school time as well as the rising fuel and food costs. Here are some ways I save money. Please share some tips with me as well!

1. I never go to the store without a list. It really does save time and money. Not to mention it lessens impulse buys. I make sure I have a meal plan for the week as well.

2.  I use coupons for everything from clothes to groceries. I watch ads and I shop in bulk for things like laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels or anything we use a lot of.  It saves a lot of extra trips to the store too.

3.  I pack my husbands lunch and make his coffee for him in  the morning. I also buy those gallons of spring water which are less than .70 a week. He puts it in his fridge at work then uses it to refill a plastic water bottle. This saves so much over a month.

4. I avoid atms! Each payday my husband and I take out the cash for what we need. I avoid atms fees, and bank fees this way. Over a month those little .25- $2 charges can rack up. it also helps if you don't keep a check book register anymore because you are more conscience of what you spend and you can't overdraft your account.

5. Plan when we eat out. We eat out only once or twice a month now. Each time it  is planned into our budget. I cook at home all the time and I keep at least two easy meals in the freezer for those busy days or days I just don't feel like cooking.

6.  We avoid using credit. We have no credit cards anymore and we truly live on cash. This way we have to be responsible for what we spend and we can't just swipe a card. if we need to buy something unexpectedly then we either have to make do and save or we will shop around for the best deal on financing. 

Tags: money, tips, groceries, budget, meal planning, lists, fees, family, mom, motherhood, kids, children, saving, cost, fuel, gasoline, food, living expenses

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