Wasting, wasting it’s been quite a few days talking about it.  So I don’t need to tell you, I feel waste should be avoided – by now you already are on that page.

Today I am going to tell you three real ways our family avoids wasting money.

Planning our spending:
It’s impossible in our house not to plan our spending, check out the best deals and then “layer” the deals.  What I mean by layering is to plan the purchase in a certain order where you can get a benefit from each layer.  Layering for us starts by deciding what we want to buy,  which can take time because we will want to compare value, costs and details.  We will want to know this particular product is one we really need or want before we move to the next step.  Once we do know ~ we go out to the internet to find sales on that particular make, model or brand.  We find and check out any coupons and or rebates and even print out the rebate forms.  We print the forms because not all vendors will have a link, note a rebate or even give you a hint there is one available ~ but if there is, we want to be able to take advantage of it.  Then we go to one of the sites that give back a percentage of the price, or points for your purchases. We will buy our item after we calculate if points or cash back is our best option.  Lastly, we pay for the items with a cash back credit card.  We use credit for ease of purchase, for the benefits the credit card provides, and for the cash back from using the card. (Note:  We have no annual fee cards  and we pay our credit card in full each month, and the cards give back $$ or points that can be changed into $$).

Finding new ways to cut costs:
Every month I try to find one more way to save.  Last month I ordered my prescription medicine from a Canadian pharmacy.  If you know me, you’d realize I didn’t do this lightly or without quite a considerable amount of thought.   With our income slashed to the bone, I just felt like I had to slash my prescription costs too.  So I first tried at my doctors’ office asking for a lower priced medicine.  When that didn’t work and my only options were the same medicine, or one that wasn’t asthma sparing – I had to stay with my old one.  The old one’s price is now  $128.40 for a 30 day supply (that’s over $4.00 each) – the Canadian pharmacy price is $1.21. Great right, but how do you chose one?  My in-laws currently use one they are happy with, so I went there, and took them up on their referral fee offer.  It gave my in-laws $25.00 off any $90 or more, and it gave me the same offer.  I wound up paying $0.916 per pill delivered for mine.  I chose non-generic pills because of my allergies, but generic would have been even less!  You are reading this correctly… I paid $50.00 less for 3 month supply, than I would have had to pay for a 1 month supply at the local Walmart Pharmacy.  So on my regular Rx, brand name pills, with the lower price, and the referral discount – I paid 72% less for my medicine.  I should have done this sooner!

Avoiding Debt:
Another of our ways to stop wasting our money has been to not carry any debt. I know that’s not easy, and it’s not for everyone.  When we purchased our third home – we paid cash for it.  We moved into a smaller place on a smaller piece of land, and a house that needed work.  But it meant no mortgage – and it also meant that my husband could now work anywhere and pay our bills because they were now that “reasonable”.   We just felt that any interest we had to pay to own or have anything wasn’t something we wanted to do.  We preferred to save for what we needed or wanted. Not having debt is very freeing.  And …all those dollars we would have paid?  We saved them by not having to spend them on interest.  Thousands and thousands on mortgage interest, thousands and thousands by not keeping a credit card balance, and we saved thousands and thousands by not having car payments, etc.

Others in the Waste Series
Stopping Waste in Our Home Part 1 ~ Click here‎
The Goverment Wastes Your Tax Dollars  ~ Click here
Stop Wasting Your Money ~ Click here

As I said yesterday, wasting money bothers me.   But truthfully, any waste bothers me.  Wasting natural resourses, money, time, anything — because I view waste as unnecessary to living happily and healthily on this earth.  It always saddens me when I see waste ~~~ any type of waste.

Since we all view waste differently we will each approach ” doing  away with it” in our own way ~~ but in this economy not doing it ….  just doesn’t make sense.  So today I am sharing some ways that you might stop wasting your money, get off the spending roller coaster and get your expenses to more reasonable level .  A level that  might allow you not only to live better overall but also might put you on the right path to accomplishing your financial goals.

First, make up you mind to cut your costs.    That’s step one towards ending the waste.  It’s going to benefit you. You can’t do it unless you make up your mind that it’s something you really want.  In this economy with rising prices, bleak job prospects and the reality of inflation – you need to stop wasting your money now!

Second, decide what is most important to YOU.  That’s right, figure out what you really want out of your life, what you want for your children, and where you want your life to end up.  For some it might mean a home, college savings, or a new car, for others the reality is that life without debt and with a healthy emergency account would be a Godsend. Each of us is in a different place, and our goals are different. You need to know yours!

Third, start cutting.  There are usually things in every life that can be cut or shaved down to cost less.  Here are some of the things that come to mind.

• Paid Subscriptions – Can you get that same information online and cut out the cost of those magazine subscriptions?  If you cannot cut all of them, can you cut most of them?  Just write cancel on your next invoice and be done with it.
• Cable Subscriptions/Special Channels/Movie Packages – Do you have one or more of the ones that you pay extra dollars each month for that you really aren’t using to its full advantage.  If you find you don’t need or use it, eliminate it.
• Trash Collection – If you pay for it, can you find a less expensive hauler?
• Newspaper – Can you get the same information online for free?
• Utility Bills – Can you figure out a way to save hot water, water in general, or electricity?  Look around your house yourself, or get a free energy audit.  Many utility companies offer free energy audits to homeowners.  Everyone can save some energy and therefore some dollars with utilities.  Maybe it just means filling your dishwasher full before running it, turning down your hot water heater a few degrees, or getting it an insulation cover.   Look into resealing your window or doors, using a programmable thermostat to save energy by lowering the heat or air conditioning while no one is home or hanging out your clothes instead of using the dryer.  Maybe you could plan on making 2 meals at one time, so you only have to reheat the second (in the microwave!), or baking twice the amount and freezing the items to have on hand.  Read more “Stop Wasting Your Money”