2005- What's Your Frugal New Year's Resolution?

[littlecmom]

For me is trying to save money. Some reason DH and I can't save. We figured last year how much he makes a month and what is left over after the bills. I couldn't believe what we should of had left over a month. But for myself is to loose my gut. I got to get out and exercise more...

Becky

[mom2-4]

Mine are alot like the rest! To try to stop wasting food. I would also try to lower my grocery bill, but with DH going shopping with me every week that won't work.

But, if I use up leftovers for meals, than the "extras" that DH picks out at the store, will be "reserve".

I also planned/plan, but didn't do. To set aside about $20 per week. And use that to stock up on sale items. Whatever may have a good sale. Be it food, or paper items.

Also to lower the electric bill. I think I can do that just by hanging my wash to dry.

And we will be paying off our credit cards with our income tax return!! That will be a savings in itself!

[bluebird]

Ditto on the groceries and food! Last night I wrapped the leftovers, marked them and put them in the freezer. Stuck to my list when I went grocery shopping on Fri.... I will try to stay out of WM more too....... My elecritic bill has dropped a lot... we have no idea why.... dh is surprised they don't come check the meter. I don't care... I want it to drop lower.. Hard to have it really low since this is almost all electric house. LOL

I also want to get rid of some of our stuff. We have way too much.... the house is shrinking...... I feel a tiny bit bad since some of the 'gifts' dh gave me are going right to the thrift store..... but.... they weren't thought out.... just grabbed on teh 24th... you can only have so much cutesy stuff in your house.

[jjoj]

My New Year's goal is to stop going over my budget for groceries. I was doing okay until Thanksgiving and Christmas when I started buying more stuff for baking, etc. Now I see it could turn into a bad habit, so I'm just only taking a certain amount of cash when I shop. Then I'll have to really think about how much I want something.

[Lee]

I would like to keep better track of what I am spending and on what...I guess I need to do better record keeping.

I want to stock up big time, then I think I should only stock up on sale items. We belong to Costco which was always cheap through dhs work. Thinking this year I dont want to rejoin but join BJS instead. They take coupons, I shopped with my sister in law to be there and I saved 10.00! They are very comparable to Costco I found out there is a Bjs closer by than I thought!

I want to try and cut utilities even more, I do hang some but still use the dryer, I need to do laundry more often as once a week and there is no where to hang that much stuff plus its quicker to use the dryer.

Finaly I want to utilize the crockpot more, to keep us from eating silly meals or take out.
Leighann

[Liza44]

Like so many of you, getting organized is tops on my list. I used to manage a fabric store. I have sooo much fabric and of course so much of it is not something I can use now. son is almost 21, not 10! Some will go to my sister-in-law, but lots will be doled out to the different groups in town that can use it. Plus, back to sewing! Been a long time, used to make everything. And, de-clutter! I am a pack rat and have to learn to let go.
Did pretty good on the savings end last year, will try to double that this year. Never spend my change anyway and it adds up quickly. Back to saving dollar bills along with change.
Pay down cards, and control utilites. The electric went down 20.00 /month on budget, no complaints there. Just have to get the gas down. It's all the surcharges that are killing the bill, not the usage. Oh well, keep trying though. Doesn't help that we are having a back and forth winter, one minute wind chills to -33 and then the temp soars back to 45 degrees and rain.
My husband brings a lot of contraband food into the house, my goal is to stop him so he won't keep sabatoging his weight loss. I can take it our leave it, no temptation on my part.
Have a wonderful New Year and Good Luck with your resolutions!

[bluebird]

I am reading More With Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre and The 15 Minute Meal Planner by Emilie Barnes and Sue Gregg. I have these thru the library but think I will be buying them. I also want to read Living More With Less by Doris Janzen Longacre and The No Fad Good Food $5 A Week Cookbook by Caroline Ackerman.... I think these books will help me keep my focus on eating well and healthy..... I have also been requesting that my library buy more frugal living and frugal cookbooks. They have bought almost all I have asked for! That way I can check them out and if it is something I will really use, then I will buy it.

[kellygirl64]

I have several frugal New Years resolutions....Maybe if I post them for all the world to see, I will be more likely to stick to them

OK, Here it goes.....

I want to cut back on eating out so much. We spend alot of money on eating out at my house. Some of it is necessary due to crazy work schedules. I am going to start taking my lunch more often to work. Pack a healthy lunch and stop eating greasy, expensive, take out! I want to start drinking more water and less soda. This will be a tough one for me. I'm hooked on diet coke. If I can accomplish this, it will save lots of money. We have delicious well water at our house and it is free. The price of soda's keep going up and up.

I would also like to get more organized. I keep buying the same things over and over because I can't find what I already have.

I think I will start having a large portion of my paycheck deposited into my savings account rather than ALL of it into my checking account. I can just as easily do an ATM withdrawal from savings and the money is not so readily available to spend.

Well... that's a good start. Wish me luck! I wish all of you luck with your resolutions. Keep posting about your progress and give tips to help people like me that need motivation.

Kelly

[stardust12]

Mine are pretty much like everyone else's. I want to use more coupons this year and to go grocery shopping more often, we usually only go shopping about every 2 months which means I buy alot of my stuff at our local store which is very costly. They charge about 3 times what WM or BiLo does. Also want to use my crockpot more so if anyone has any good recipes let me know. Need to not impulse buy......need to stay out of WM, Micheals, and JoAnn's. I think that's about all......maybe seeing it written down will make me stick to it!!!
Thanks,
Rosey

[ajrsmom]

Bluebird, Thanks for sharing the names of those books with us. I'll be heading to the library on Tuesday with my son and Im going to see if they have any of them in our library system.



Thanks,
Tami