Being Frugal

Here are some various tips for saving:

• Do not do any impulse buying, and save for what you want instead of using credit cards.
  
• Shop thrift stores for clothes. You will be surprised at the bargains you can find. Or, make your own dresses/skirts. Patters are good investments since they can be used over and over.
  
• Use a clothes line to dry your clothes. Electric dryers can be costly. I cut my electric costs in half by hanging our clothes out.
  
  
• Always make a shopping list for the grocery store, and do not shop when you are hungry.
  
• Buy clothing that does not need drycleaning. Many items that are "dry-clean only" can be washed with Woolite.
  
• Use what what our grandmothers used to clean with: vinegar and baking soda. This will save you a bundle.
  
• Save leftover scraps of soap and put them in a jar with a little water for a handcleaner.
  
• Turn your thermostat down at night. Better yet, open the windows and leave it off until you can't stand the heat.
  
• Buy your husband a home repair book so he can learn to do those repairs himself. We just remodeled our rotten floor in the back bathroom and ended up having to do the biggest part of the work ourselves. :) We learned ALOT!!

There is great satisfaction and many rewards for spending less and using less, the most important being a stay-at-home wife and/or mother.You may even find that, instead of having less, you actually save money by working at home.