How To Budget Your Money

[shyvas]

I virtually only buy clothes from charity shops and discount stores. The only exception being shoes, underwear and nightwear. In the UK they do not sell the two latter.

 

[PTree15]

I virtually only buy clothes from charity shops and discount stores. The only exception being shoes, underwear and nightwear. In the UK they do not sell the two latter.

I do this as well. If you are willing to dig a bit, you can find some good quality stuff. I don't buy underwear from such shops, but I have bought pajama pants, shoes and boots. You have to really hunt to find decent footwear, though.

 

[shyvas]

I do this as well. If you are willing to dig a bit, you can find some good quality stuff. I don't buy underwear from such shops, but I have boughtpajama pants, shoes and boots. You have to really hunt to find decent footwear, though.

Yes, it's like a treasure hunt. I went to the approx. 30 charity shops in Brighton and found tons of deals. Some of the stuff looks like it's brand new.
I bought a vegan cook book as a gift; Ella for £ 2.
I also buy nearly all of my scarves there for 1 or 2 £

I usually buy all my leisure and night wear from either TJ Max, Ross and Khols. They have just good deals for luxury stuff.

 

[silva]

I do this as well. If you are willing to dig a bit, you can find some good quality stuff. I don't buy underwear from such shops, but I have boughtpajama pants, shoes and boots. You have to really hunt to find decent footwear, though.

I used to have a real aversion to buying footwear used, but glad I got over it because I've gotten really good ones! So many shoes people donate or sell just because they keep too long to return them and don't fit comfortably. I have an expensive pair of Columbia winter boots I got for $15.

 

[PTree15]

I used to have a real aversion to buying footwear used, but glad I got over it because I've gotten really good ones! So many shoes people donate or sell just because they keep too long to return them and don't fit comfortably. I have an expensive pair of Columbia winter boots I got for $15.

I, too, got a pair of short, black winter boots for $8 that still had the tags on them. They are perfect for minor snowstorms.

 

[shyvas]

I, too, got a pair of short, black winter boots for $8 that still had the tags on them. They are perfect for minor snowstorms.

Lots of charity shops receive donations from shops.

 

[hungryraccoon]

One of the charity shops in our town sells childrens books 3 for £1 - I've picked up loads. They're brand new! I got a big hardback of bedtime stories the other day.

 

[silva]

Best tip I've found is to stop looking for sales! I do always make my notes for usual groceries and stuff from weekly ads, but try to avoid spending based on being on sale.
I got an email from my grocery for 10 off a 50 purchase and I really don't need to spend 50 on groceries now--but they do have things on sale I could stock on--like coffee--but $50?
So easy to rack up 50 bill without realizing it, but when you're trying to come up with one it's so hard

 

[PTree15]

Best tip I've found is to stop looking for sales! I do always make my notes for usual groceries and stuff from weekly ads, but try to avoid spending based on being on sale.
I got an email from my grocery for 10 off a 50 purchase and I really don't need to spend 50 on groceries now--but they do have things on sale I could stock on--like coffee--but $50?
So easy to rack up 50 bill without realizing it, but when you're trying to come up with one it's so hard

I agree. If the sales pertain to something I would buy, that's another story. But I am increasingly displeased with these spend-so-much-to-get-a-discount "deals." It's annoying. Put some stuff that I buy on sale, and then we'll talk. I get a 40 percent off coupon from CVS quite regularly, but I only use it when there is something I need to get there. For one thing, they last only a few days, so it's just their way of getting you into the store for that one item in the hopes you'll spend more money while you're there.

 

[silva]

I agree. If the sales pertain to something I would buy, that's another story. But I am increasingly displeased with these spend-so-much-to-get-a-discount "deals." It's annoying. Put some stuff that I buy on sale, and then we'll talk. I get a 40 percent off coupon from CVS quite regularly, but I only use it when there is something I need to get there. For one thing, they last only a few days, so it's just their way of getting you into the store for that one item in the hopes you'll spend more money while you're there.

I'll say! I did go to Fresh Thyme with the idea of getting coffee and maybe matcha, even stuff for my son, but found the coffee was last weeks sale, and I really didn't need matcha...
Went to Old Navy cause I got an email about 50% off--turned out it was buy one get second 50% off!
They must make a good dime on these deals!

 

[shyvas]

I agree. If the sales pertain to something I would buy, that's another story. But I am increasingly displeased with these spend-so-much-to-get-a-discount "deals." It's annoying. Put some stuff that I buy on sale, and then we'll talk. I get a 40 percent off coupon from CVS quite regularly, but I only use it when there is something I need to get there. For one thing, they last only a few days, so it's just their way of getting you into the store for that one item in the hopes you'll spend more money while you're there.

I only ever buy food that is on sale that I would normally buy, especially soya milk and coffee. I usually buy 30 litres of the former and at least 12 tins of coffee and store it in the garage. I often get between 20 - 50 % off the normal retail price. PB milk is far more expensive over here compared to the US & UK. However, coffee is far cheaper compared to the US.

The UK really has the best food prices. I'm always amazed when I do my shopping in the lovely supermarkets over there.

I also find that the CVS and Rite Aid prices so expensive that even when they have their sales, there is very little difference compared to the cheaper stores that carry the same items. On the other hand you do cumulate points which permit you to get a few $ off from time to time. I have a Rite Aid card and use my cousin's CVS one so I get the best of both worlds.

 

[PTree15]

I only ever buy food that is on sale that I would normally buy, especially soya milk and coffee. I usually buy 30 litres of the former and at least 12 tins of coffee and store it in the garage. I often get between 20 - 50 % off the normal retail price. PB milk is far more expensive over here compared to the US & UK. However, coffee is far cheaper compared to the US.

The UK really has the best food prices. I'm always amazed when I do my shopping in the lovely supermarkets over there.

I also find that the CVS and Rite Aid prices so expensive that even when they have their sales, there is very little difference compared to the cheaper stores that carry the same items. On the other hand you do cumulate points which permit you to get a few $ off from time to time. I have a Rite Aid card and use my cousin's CVS one so I get the best of both worlds.

Yes, it really depends on the product. I rarely buy anything at CVS without a 40% off coupon.

 

[shyvas]

Yes, it really depends on the product. I rarely buy anything at CVS without a 40% off coupon.

Same here. I used to buy most of my Wet 'n' Wild make up at Rite Aid when they had a 40 % sale. However, this year, they didn't
have one during my stay. So, the cheapest shop for that particular brand was Wallmart. So, I stocked up with a few items but I mainly bough my make up from Superdrug in the UK. Their prices are really good and they have many Leaping Bunny brands.

We now have Wet 'n' Wild at my local hypermarket but it costs X 3 more than in the US.

 

[shyvas]

Some useful tips on how to eat savvy :

Is the vegan diet expensive? How can I eat vegan on a budget? - The Vegan Database

One of the most commonly asked questions about the vegan lifestyle is whether it's affordable for most people. Both me and my partner are vegans and we spend way less money on food than our relatives and friends who are not vegans. If you are new to eating as a vegan and would like to learn some...

thevegandatabase.com

 

[shyvas]

One of the charity shops in our town sells childrens books 3 for £1 - I've picked up loads. They're brand new! I got a big hardback of bedtime stories the other day.

That's the way to go. Moreover, children only look at them for a short time.

There was a charity shop on Vancouver Island that had a bin with children's book for free!

 

[silva]

We have many of these boxes in my community--take one, leave one....

Take a Book. Share a Book. - Little Free Library

We also have ...

little free pantry

 

[feather]

We give away our books at the free little libraries near us too. I make free bookmarks for them, and also participate in bookcrossing. BookCrossing You can register your give away books, label them, then they start to travel. The person that wants to look up where that book began can also look that up and make commentary about the book.

We do shop loss leaders if they are REALLY a good price, but not coupons. We also buy in bulk and we do a lot of calculations about how much we use in a yearly way.

 

[tlc1976]

For the last 15 years I’ve used an Excel spreadsheet I made. I put in all income and tax return, and can adjust it based on how many hours I work, like typically we get busy late in the year and I go on OT. And every expense I can think of. The more you enter the more you can see where you can save. It shows me how much I got left every month, and I break it down by season, since expense types vary per season. I even have sheets for gas used based on the miles and mpg I get for a season.

Seriously, I had no money for most of those years. Gas and electric and mortgage and child support and that was about it. Ate from the food pantry. Cut my own wood for heat. Utilized the junkyard and welded parts of my car to keep me going. Modded my car in crazy ways to save gas.

I’m finally more comfortable, but not wealthy. I have a better house now which is almost 20 miles closer to work. Between that and my daughter now grown up I don’t have to drive near as much. I still have to fix my cars myself and can’t afford gas for heat so I use pellets. I still use the spreadsheets I made. I can afford food, and to put a some extra toward the house each month and I hope to have it paid off before I retire. I stuffed a bunch of insulation in my attic this spring and hopefully it will make some difference this coming winter.

I don’t enjoy going out to restaurants, theaters, bars, malls… My idea of going out fun is a quiet desolate area to enjoy nature, especially up over the bridge, maybe take my bike. There’s also a nice bike path about 10 miles away. I’m also perfectly happy staying home, working on things, playing music, reading, watching whatever. I never had cable and still don’t, besides new stuff doesn’t interest me. There’s so much informative and classic free content out there that I never run out of things to watch.

 

[silva]

I found a local Buy nothing group on FB, and am amazed by the generosity of things given away!
I've always hated that those with money to buy the best would sell them after they're used, being able to really get a phenonemal bargain on things, while those who can't afford things buy the used ones, often taking a risk of whether they'll even work, or for how long
On the buy nothing site there is a part where people can post needs for things
This is a fabulous way to not only save money, keep your 'stuff' at a minimum, and certainly help the environment. people even post when they see things of value on tree lawns for garbage