Stretch Your Household Budget

[Jenni]

In todays article, I discuss some ways to stretch your household budget. From reusing and repurposing household items, to making your own cleaners and cosmetics, there are many ways to keep everyday purchases from breaking your budget.

Care to share any secrets you've learned along the way?

[Darla]

Baking soda and then vinegar poured ontop of it makes for a mean scrub (toilets, etc).

[DevilishSouthernBelle]

Is this for food, or for household?

I have stretched my household budget by using things like borax, baking soda, washing soda, salt, and vinegar. I cut our old sheets, pajamas, t-shirts, etc into scrap cloths to use instead of paper towels (if the clothes are unsuitable for donation due to tears/rips/holes/etc). I use thrifted cloth napkins. I get all my household furnishings, decor, and other cleaning necessities when they are on sale, and in bulk when I can afford it. I am about to switch all our light bulbs to the energy efficient and more green five year ones. For furniture and dining linens and decor and some clothing, I make good use of the thrift store.

For food, I stretch hamburger with either oatmeal or bread crumbs (for casseroles or meatballs), but a friend of mine has said tvp is great to stretch hamburger meat with. I've never tried it. I try my best to buy in bulk when our favorite convenience foods are on sale. I also try to make what I can from scratch.

[Melissa Santanastasio]

This will be the death of me I have had it out with the grocery store many times. I spend so much time and money there yet I never have food and supplies so I am always going back. How do you do it. I have beat my head against the wall to find the most effective, realistic way to create & maintain a budget. It seems with three small children that someone always needs something. It is endless. Anyone who can share a secret to success is a blessing.

[DevilishSouthernBelle]

Oh, I am so with you there! I do make a very valiant effort to do the following things:

~Plan a menu on a weekly basis
~make shopping list from menu
~gather any coupons I might be able to use with that shopping list (and this never works out for me because I mostly buy store brands, which are generally cheaper than name brands even with a coupon discount. Not always, but for me, that has mostly been the case)
~Go shopping when the kids are in school. I can do this; I know not all others can. But I suggest it if you can swing it!
~Make whatever meals I can from scratch
~Buy my favorite convenience foods and household goods in bulk when they are on sale, if possible

And the cleaning stuff I suggested in my previous post (it's right above yours, if you didn't get to read it) should free up some money for the grocery.

Well, despite my best efforts, I am still in the grocery store a lot, too. I always forget something, and someone always needs something unexpectedly. I have my 'off' weeks, but making habits out of the steps I suggested has still helped me tremendously. And I look forward to others' secrets of success, too!

[M3]

Think about what you really use, not what you SHOULD use. That was the first step for me. For example, it doesn't matter how inexpensive the peaches are (they were buy one/get one) if NO ONE eats them. Go to your cupboard and throw away, donate , or give to neighbors (I did this--10 cans of beef and barley soup no one liked went to the neighbors, who loved it) anything that you guys will not eat. Leaving it in your cupboard doesn't unspend the money, it just fills your cupboards with food you won't eat. Stuff in your cupboard should be stuff you will HONESTLY use.

Then, be honest...if you like Nacho Cheese Doritos with tuna fish (I know, it is weird, but it is good!) then buy them when you shop, don't talk yourself out of them saying that "this time, you'll be "good" and not buy the Doritos". That kind of thinking has you running to the store to get the darned things later in the week.

Finally, before you head to the store for something you "forgot", ask yourself, "Why am I going to buy this? Do we need it or just want it AND is there something I can offer up that meets the same need?"

If you start getting into this mindset, you'll get out of the habit of running to the store for one thing and coming home with 20!

[M3]

Okay, specifically, what can you do with spaghetti sauce jars? It kills me to even toss them in the recycle, but I haven't thought of anything to do with them.