Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Entertainment: Netflix and the public library for movies and books. Also, we have just purchased a NY State Empire Pass. Sixty-five dollars gets you unlimited access to all the state parks, including those with beaches.
Housing: Not much you can do, unless one is willing to take in boarders (or be one). I do plan to grieve my taxes in the next couple of days.
We receive the sunday newsday and it usually has supermarket coupons in it. We cut the coupons for items we use regularly. Stores like King Kullen and Waldbaums "double" the coupons! We save on average between $40.00 and $60.00 per week.
When we go out to eat for dinner we try to find restaurants that offer "kids eat free" with adults. Ben's Deli usually has this deal.
Also, we installed a water filtration system in our home. We used to purchase so much water every week...now, we just fill up bottles at home. We have saved a huge amount from just doing that.
Great ideas, Ziggi. Stop and Shop will accept other store's coupons, too. Occasionally KK puts out at $x off of $XX -- S&S will accept it and their prices are better than KK to boot.
We have a water filtration system and purchased several of the Sigg style bottles. The savings over buying bottled is amazing as you've noted.
We don't go out to eat, rather take in. (Saving the tip and the temptation to order more apps and such.) Most restaurants will give you to go -- even though they don't advertise it. We did that for Mothers Day from a restaurant. The 'to go' portions were larger than the 'dine in' portions we have had on previous trips! Seeing as we brought it home, no one was ordering sodas or cocktails, saving the bar tab. What would have been easily $160 or more for 4 dining out was $109 taking in.
Haircuts are 2 months as opposed to 6 weeks so that's 6 haircuts a year as opposed to 8.
Invest in a chest freezer and buy meats on sale in bulk.
Entertainment: Netflix and the public library for movies and books. Also, we have just purchased a NY State Empire Pass. Sixty-five dollars gets you unlimited access to all the state parks, including those with beaches.
Housing: Not much you can do, unless one is willing to take in boarders (or be one). I do plan to grieve my taxes in the next couple of days.
I wouldn't call Trader Joe's cheap, but food is one area I don't like to go only by price.
The public library is you biggest resource for free entertainment. I just wish mine wasn't so far away from where I live. DVD's, books, Cd's, magazines, all free..maybe a few bucks in late fees now and then.
I wouldn't call Trader Joe's cheap, but food is one area I don't like to go only by price.
The public library is you biggest resource for free entertainment. I just wish mine wasn't so far away from where I live. DVD's, books, Cd's, magazines, all free..maybe a few bucks in late fees now and then.
Yes, it's not cheap-cheap, but if you're looking to buy organic and or natural foods, it sure beats Whole Paycheck.
Definitely make use of the public library for entertainment! I haven't rented a video in years. I buy very few books, the latest being a cookbook I borrowed from the library and loved most of the recipes in so I had to own it! Usually I just type out the few recipes I like and return the book. There are also classes at my library, and I often take those as well - can learn some very interesting stuff!
I make almost all my meals at home, making large enough dinners to have lunch for the next day. I rarely go out to eat, but will sometimes pick up a pizza - if I have a coupon!
To reduce my insane LIPA bills, I've plugged most things into power strips (like my TV, VCR, DVD, etc) so that I can turn the entire mess off with one switch. All those little lights and clocks use energy. I only use the cold/cold setting on my washer, heating the water is one of the largest expenses for washing clothes. And to dry my clothes, i only dry them part way, then hang them to dry the rest of the way. This won't work in the humidity of the summer, but is great the rest of the year. I'd hang them outside if my neighbor didn't have a quad track on his property - everything gets filled with dust out there. This saved me money, until LIPA bumped up it's rates. But I guess they'd have gone up further if I hadn't done all these things!
To keep the house cooler in the summer, I've installed ceiling fans. I rarely use the ac due to the cost. To keep my house warm in the winter, I installed a pellet stove (I have electric heat) and I use the ceiling fans in the opposite direction to bring down the heat from the ceiling.
As other posters said, unless you downsize or grieve - there isn't much to do about housing costs.
For water, even though it's relatively cheap, install rain barrels for irrigating your lawn and outdoor plants. Water less frequently to encourage deep roots. Mow at 4" to keep the lawn healthy so it can crowd out weeds and keep it's roots shaded, so you can skip the chemical fertilizers and weed preventatives. I'd rather feed my family than my lawn!
Car pool at work, if you can. Some companies are offering incentives. My work gives each car pooler $20 if they make 12 or more trips a month together.
Oh, yes. Aren't they opening a Whole Paycheck by the Smithaven Mall? How about Wild by Nature in Setauket? Wildly overpriced, I assume?
Trader Joes sells Organic Milk for less than the Wholesale clubs do, I've just realized recently.
I've heard that Whole Paycheck is going in there as you've written. The big LA Fitness center has been up and running a while now.
I haven't been over to TJ's in a while -- how much are they getting for organic milk?
Wild by Nature is overpriced. If I am going to pay Wildly Overpriced or my Whole Paycheck to those corporate franchises for organic produce and products, I would much sooner frequent my local farmstand, which I do.
Another reasonably priced option is farm shares. A person can buy either a whole or half share and each week gets loads of produce from a farm out east. (Some people will buy in together on one share.) Produce is driven to western drop off/pick up points. Not only is the shareholder getting organic produce, they are also helping to keep farming alive on eastern LI. It's a win-win.
LIAlleyCat is spot on with the rain barrels -- I bought two last year, old wine barrels and have them hooked up to the downspouts. I use them to fill up the watering can for all the planters and flowerbeds. I have a lot of shade so I've been gradually reducing the lawn area in favor or flagstone patios and garden paths. I have reduced water use that way, as well as cutting back on mower time and whatever gas that saves.
Another great resource, which some people still wrinkle their noses at, are the thrift stores. I bought a lovely linen suit for a party - $20. It looked like new. I could have dropped a lot more money for the same buying it new.
Need to dial information? Free: 1(800)GOOG411 (Goog as in Google) I use it from both my cell phone and my land lines.
And I am a member of the LIBRARY chorus.
I find checking the listing of upcoming events in Newsday helpful for finding free things to do -- go to the library and read it for free! To heck with the Dolans and their 75 cents for that fishwrapper! LOL
I forgot to mention the farmstands, but aTypicalLIer covered it! I don't do the CSA farm shares, but I do frequent my local farmstands. If I had a large family, I'd certainly consider the CSA. You may find out that there are more things out there that you love than just peas and carrots!
Buying in season is another way to save. I adore strawberries, but I'll wait until they are plentiful and cheap before indulging in them (at which point, I over indulge and become tired of them! LOL!). Then I'll freeze as many as I can before the season is out. One of these days I want to learn to can too. Wish the library would do a program on it!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
