Saving $$$

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Gina

Sandy thanks for those sites I will check them out when I get a chance. Haley some good tips I am going to look into local calls only from my landline. I am trying not to charge to much either.. Cutting back on buying clothes all the time. I lost a big deal we were closing next week. The buyer couldnt get a mortgage due to the fact he may be losing his job along with losing money from hubby's 401 K , yep we are all feeling it... They say better days will come years from now.. ughhhhhhhhh we are all in this together...

Gina i am actually so sick over this whole thing, My 401K and my husbands are almost down to zero,, we worked years to build that up and for what nothing.. i can't even sleep at night... we were saving up to buy a bigger house in a couple of years i don't even see that happen.. just been sick to my stomach lately .. i'm just depressed... so sad.. what is happening... we might be getting laid off this winter.. all the steel mills are shutting down til the first of the year cause scrap prices dropped so much...

[Tiramisu]

I went through the house unplugging stuff, trying to figure out why some things were there in the first place, like the blinking alarm clock that never gets reset.

Hubby and I work just a couple miles from each other. I carpooled with him while on crutches, but started driving again a couple days ago. The problem is that he was dropping me off about 30 minutes early and 30 minutes late, leaving me in my office for almost 10 hours a day. I think we'll try me dropping him off next week.

Now, I'm going to figure out how kilowatts work and how much things cost to use!

$$ CUTTERS
unplug electronics (when not in use)
coupon surf
cancel call waiting
cancel scrapbook club
unplus house nightlights
lower water heater setting
turn off doggie radio/TV
raise or lower A/C-Heat
stop smoking
less alcoholic beverages
no junk food
car pool when you can

[Tiramisu]

I found some "usage charts", based on average usages. My electric rate is 14 cents per kWh.

coffee maker = 8 kWh per month
dishwasher = 4.3 kWh per month
freezer = 180 kWh per month
microwave = 1 kWh per month
range = 100 kWh per month
refrigerator = 180 kWh per month
toaster = 3.3 kWh per month

clothes dryer = 3 kWh per use
iron (1-1/2 hour per week) = 5 kWh per month
washer (hot wash - cold rinse) = 6.6 kWh per use
washer (cold wash - cold rinse) = .3 kWh per use

water heater (1 person) = 117 kWh per month
water heater (2 persons) = 202 kWh per month

radio (3 hours/day) = 7 kWh per month
TV (3 hours/day) = 33 kWh per month
clock = 1.4 kWh per month
100 watt light bulb = .1 kWh per hour
well pump (1 hp) = 1 kWh per hour

1 ton A/C = 1 kWh per hour
5 ton A/C = 5 kWh per hour

[DianaB]

We are signed up with a credit card that gives points for each dollar spent. We never have a balance carried over on our credit card but always pay it off each month. This year I have enough points that I can give each of my children's family a $100 gift certificate to what I think they'd use. There's a really wide choice on gift certificates available. I don't like that Wal-mart has gone to directly taking out money from our checking account so I've been putting those purchases on my credit card.

I think that this is a cool idea for a thread especially with our economy in turmoil. I also may be making a few gifts this year or cutting way back. We'll see. I'm also planning on selling some things on e-Bay in a couple of weeks. (Hopefully)

[DianaB]

I signed up for some free stuff from Betty Crocker and I got a link for printable coupons. Here they are.....

http://www.bettycrocker.com/coupons-...F_BETTYCROCKER

[Marilyn]

This is an awesome thread. We're doing okay here, but hubby's home building business is down. He has one home under construction and two cash customers who say they still want to build. He has one other he thinks may be able to build also, but this is way less than ususal. He will probably lay off his superintendent. Hate to do it, but the business is just not there. Our 401k's and IRA's took quite a hit. I almost threw up a couple of times this week. Retirement plans will probably have to be pushed back. My business is still booming, but I was the one who was planning to retire first. Oh, well.

Love the cost saving ideas. We did the no long distance on our land line a long time ago. Don't even subscribe to a long distance service on it.

Will definitely check this all out and post any additional ideas!!!

Hang in there ladies!!!! We can make it & we are here to help each other.

[DianaB]

My husband said that he won't be selling any grain for a while. The grain markets are taking a plunge too. That always worries us because that is our income.

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

This is an awesome thread. We're doing okay here, but hubby's home building business is down. He has one home under construction and two cash customers who say they still want to build. He has one other he thinks may be able to build also, but this is way less than ususal. He will probably lay off his superintendent. Hate to do it, but the business is just not there. Our 401k's and IRA's took quite a hit. I almost threw up a couple of times this week. Retirement plans will probably have to be pushed back. My business is still booming, but I was the one who was planning to retire first. Oh, well.

Love the cost saving ideas. We did the no long distance on our land line a long time ago. Don't even subscribe to a long distance service on it.

Will definitely check this all out and post any additional ideas!!!

Hang in there ladies!!!! We can make it & we are here to help each other.

Marilyn, how is your area doing, i heard the south is doing bad with the economy?
Pa is getting hit pretty bad, around my area.