What tips do you have for a Mother of 3 on how to be more thrifty?

Question

We've already stopped all eating out, only drive when we absolutely have to, buy our groceries based on sales, my kids are in a free summer camp that provides lunch and field trips (everything there is free)... anything else you could think of?

Answer 1

yard sales, thrift stores, layaway all school supplies or birthday supplies, holidays etc. this is how I do it,  I have 5 different layaways at  k mart , jc Penny's, use to walmart. a year and it really helps to pay a little  a pay check for a whole lot of stuff.

Answer 2

You do what I pretty much do.  It really does add up to a few hundred $$ in savings a month if you look at it.  Other ideas:

1. Eat meatless meals a few times a week. (spaghetti with marinara sauce, Rice and beans etc)

2. Cancel, change or reduce pay services if you can (Netflix, internet provider etc)

3. Using cold water to wash clothing is less expensive

Answer 3

If you haven't already, make a budget and stick to it.  Don't leave lights on in rooms that are not being used (especially the kitchen and bathroon).  Turn down the heat/up the airconditioning so it isn't on all the time.  Sale or not, only buy the food you need and only in the amounts you know your family will eat before it goes bad.

Buy cloths second hand (Good Will, Salvation Army), or if you know other familys, have a cloths swap where you can exchange cloths that don't fit your kids anymore for ones that other familys don't use anymore.  

Good luck!

Answer 4

buy groceries at costco or bjs if the savings are more.  Freeze things if you have room.  

Coupons

walk to stores that are close enough on nice days

freecycle!  you can get and give away free items!

craiglist for clothes!

Answer 5

One thing we do that helps food last is to limit how much we consume.  Not to where we aren't getting what we need, but things like making our kids finish their first bowl of cereal before letting them have a different kind, making them drink the whole glass of milk, and if they don't, putting the rest in the fridge for them to drink later, having snacktimes at certain times of the day and then limiting it to one granola bar or one cereal bar or one small cupful of goldfish crackers and water.  This also helps teach them to not be wasteful.  Eat your leftovers for lunch the next day, use the brown banana in a fruit smoothie, that sort of thing.  Granted there sometimes is waste that you can't help--like when your toddler pours milk over his whole dinner, but you can try to be less wasteful and that helps.

Answer 6

In addition to what everyone has already said here you can also sell your kids outgrown clothing, toys, etc on ebay to bring in some extra cash. =]

Answer 7

You sound like myself what I do is I shop at the farmers market on the weekend to save money and sometimes you can bargin with them about there prices.

Answer 8

Well when time to buy clothes garage sales, thrift clothes, and walmart is nice. Forget the high price malls. Also use coupons as well as your sales on grocery.