This workshop was most satisfying in the amount of information shared. The speaker said that she won the award for the most frugal home in Arizona, and that as part of her application for that she itemized how much she was saving ... which totaled $18,000 a year! She reminded us that while some of the ideas she would be sharing with us only totaled a small amount, they would definitely add up. So, here is a list of ideas from her:
WATER HEATER BLANKET
Initial investment: $20
Annual Savings: $80-100
- Important: don't cover the intake air.
WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE DECREASE
Annual Savings: $50
Costs $500 per year to run water heater.
Save 10% by turning the temperature down to 120 degrees.
LINE DRYING CLOTHES
Annual Savings: $195
Drying clothes in dryer costs about $0.50 per load
The savings could be more or less depending on how many loads of laundry you do.
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP
Annual savings: $84
Tide per year=$88
Homemade Detergent=$4
($0.01 per load!)
She included a recipe for this as well ... I'm excited to try it!
HOMEMADE CLEANING SUPPLIES
Annual Savings: $32
All purpose cleaner costs: $0.04
Window cleaner costs: $0.15
Shower cleaner costs: $0.50
HOME HAIRCUTS
Annual savings $630
She said that you can get tips on cutting your family's hair by watching YouTube videos, checking out library books, talking to friends and hairdressers. I did my own figuring to see how much I could possibly save because my family is larger than her family. I figured that if everyone in my family (except me) gets their hair cut every 6-8 weeks at $11-12 a cut, we would save about $625-630 per year. However, my girls don't get their hair cut that often, so we would probably only save around $400 a year ... but that's still $400 to use elsewhere!
GROCERY SHOPPING - SHOPPING ONLY THE SALES
Annual savings: $1,800
Buy because it is on sale and not because you are out of it.
Buy 3 or 4 more than you normally would when it is on sale.
Use coupons only on GREAT sale items.
Change what you think you need.
Plan meals around the sales.
CANNING OR FREEZING TURKEY
Annual Savings: 144
Stock up on turkeys at Thanksgiving time. 22 lbs. of turkey will give you about 20 quart jars of canned turkey.
CASH ONLY
Annual Savings: $3,000
You spend 33% more when you swipe a card.
Determine categories:
Groceries
Clothing
Household
Entertainment
Spending Allowances
Cut down file folders to make dividers for your wallet
KIDS & MONEY
Annual Savings: Priceless
Don't worry about it until they are 6 or 7 years old.
Make a list of 3 things they would buy if they had money. When they see something they want at the store, they have to go home and take something off their list to add that item. Then, if they have the money, they can go back to purchase it.
Purchase must be on the wish list.
Forced savings in teenage years of 1/2 of what they earn. There will always be a reason not to save ... make sure they understand the reason to save.
She also referenced Dave Ramsey and Crown Ministries homeschool programs for learning about money, and suggested that the teen has to complete the course prior to getting a checking account.
One particular person in the workshop asked about printer ink. The speaker suggested 123Inkjets for printer ink and said that it wasn't very expensive at all.
I am excited to try out some of the ideas on this list, and I got to bring home a sample of her laundry detergent ... I'll let you all know how I like it!
Oh, and if you want to check out some of her recipes and stuff, you can look at her website: practicalsaver.com
WATER HEATER BLANKET
Initial investment: $20
Annual Savings: $80-100
- Important: don't cover the intake air.
WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE DECREASE
Annual Savings: $50
Costs $500 per year to run water heater.
Save 10% by turning the temperature down to 120 degrees.
LINE DRYING CLOTHES
Annual Savings: $195
Drying clothes in dryer costs about $0.50 per load
The savings could be more or less depending on how many loads of laundry you do.
HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP
Annual savings: $84
Tide per year=$88
Homemade Detergent=$4
($0.01 per load!)
She included a recipe for this as well ... I'm excited to try it!
HOMEMADE CLEANING SUPPLIES
Annual Savings: $32
All purpose cleaner costs: $0.04
Window cleaner costs: $0.15
Shower cleaner costs: $0.50
HOME HAIRCUTS
Annual savings $630
She said that you can get tips on cutting your family's hair by watching YouTube videos, checking out library books, talking to friends and hairdressers. I did my own figuring to see how much I could possibly save because my family is larger than her family. I figured that if everyone in my family (except me) gets their hair cut every 6-8 weeks at $11-12 a cut, we would save about $625-630 per year. However, my girls don't get their hair cut that often, so we would probably only save around $400 a year ... but that's still $400 to use elsewhere!
GROCERY SHOPPING - SHOPPING ONLY THE SALES
Annual savings: $1,800
Buy because it is on sale and not because you are out of it.
Buy 3 or 4 more than you normally would when it is on sale.
Use coupons only on GREAT sale items.
Change what you think you need.
Plan meals around the sales.
CANNING OR FREEZING TURKEY
Annual Savings: 144
Stock up on turkeys at Thanksgiving time. 22 lbs. of turkey will give you about 20 quart jars of canned turkey.
CASH ONLY
Annual Savings: $3,000
You spend 33% more when you swipe a card.
Determine categories:
Groceries
Clothing
Household
Entertainment
Spending Allowances
Cut down file folders to make dividers for your wallet
KIDS & MONEY
Annual Savings: Priceless
Don't worry about it until they are 6 or 7 years old.
Make a list of 3 things they would buy if they had money. When they see something they want at the store, they have to go home and take something off their list to add that item. Then, if they have the money, they can go back to purchase it.
Purchase must be on the wish list.
Forced savings in teenage years of 1/2 of what they earn. There will always be a reason not to save ... make sure they understand the reason to save.
She also referenced Dave Ramsey and Crown Ministries homeschool programs for learning about money, and suggested that the teen has to complete the course prior to getting a checking account.
One particular person in the workshop asked about printer ink. The speaker suggested 123Inkjets for printer ink and said that it wasn't very expensive at all.
I am excited to try out some of the ideas on this list, and I got to bring home a sample of her laundry detergent ... I'll let you all know how I like it!
Oh, and if you want to check out some of her recipes and stuff, you can look at her website: practicalsaver.com
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