Ways to Save and Happy Bday!

Lots of things to do...but I am happy to tell you what I'm up to: trying to trim the outflow of cash. Here are my thoughts:

Been shopping for a car, I promised DD I'd sell her my Camry. I am socking away some money for my "new car," but I'll have to get financing, it looks like. So much for getting out of debt! But on the bright side, the checkbook is balanced and budgeting is a WIP.

I may look for a new cellphone policy. Fifty dollars a month seems a bit much....

Gonna start using coupons when I shop, and surveying the ads before I go to the store. One of the girls I work with is the queen of this and inspires me to get back on track.

Knitting related savings: my goal is to make something from each knitting book I own. I have quite a few books, but that goal makes me happy. And reminds me to refrain from more shopping....

I am starting to use the public library more frequently, instead of popping into the bookstore. I don't need more stuff cluttering up my house.

As much as I've talked in the past about walking to work to save on gas, it hasn't yet happened. I love to come home at lunch for a nap or to sit on my patio, and I'd have to give that up if I walked. So that has yet to become a reality.

I need to find an antenna I can hook up to my TV; I only ever watch the local news in the AM while getting ready for work. Don't need to pay the satellite service for that! (Except it's football season and I do like the NFL! Go Bears!)

Not much to look at, but we just put in shelves. This closet has been without shelves or rod for 18 years, piles of crap on the floor of the closet. I can now happily store the stash there, woohoo! Cost of shelves: 11.81! They still need paint, but I'm just so happy to put stuff in there I don't care right now! I have bead curtains I got on clearance at Target a couple years ago for the door of the closet. I'll show ya when it's done!

I am going to propagate some plants from my garden too, so I don't have to buy more. I have lots of perennials that really should be divided if I want to keep them going. And I am setting up my cold-frame in another week, to start some salad greens for the fall. Looking forward to that kind of gardening!

Are you all doing anything new to save money? If I had time I'd try my own canning, and I'd love to make my own soap, but there's an initial outlay of $$ that I can't afford right now. Maybe for Christmas...

HAPPY BDAY TIMMY-TIMS!

Love, Mom