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  • Tips and Tricks on saving / reducing spending

    Hello All,

    I'm curious what tips and tricks have you learned to save or reduce spending.

    The biggest lesson I learned is to be humble and accept the help of others. While I want to be independent, if it wasn't for the help of others

    1. Youtube is a great and free learning resource.

    2. When cooking make a bit more than you will eat, leftovers can be used for lunches. That way you can save on cafeteria or eating out costs.

    3. Good quality glass storage containers; great for storing / freezing leftovers.

    4. Learning to combine tasks; for example teaching my kids to cook by helping them search for online recipes (youtube), and helping them cook lunch and supper. We all learn, lower grocery costs, and spend quality family time.

    5. Get rid of apps such as amazon, wag jag etc... The easier the access the more the temptation to spend.

  • #2
    I think for young families the key to saving some money is to eat out less. I go to the grocery store frequently and watch what people purchase - all instant, frozen stuff. If you can learn to make things yourself you will save money in the end. When I first married I didn't know how to cook anything besides a few things (morning after kinda food if I recall).

    #1 keep kids out of the food stores until/unless they understand that NO they can't have everything they see.

    #2 learn to cook interesting food. It doesn't have to be gourmet and you can involve your kids if you are brave and can stand the mess.

    #3 sign up for some community cooking lessons - some are free or relative inexpensive and you meet interesting people there. You can learn how to make your favorite ethic food.

    #4 learn how to read recipes and plan ahead. You can go to your local library and take out cook books (free).

    here is a recipe that a bunch of guys put together. I found this a few months ago when I was looking for some decent tourtiere recipies. I don't think you have to even worry about rolling things out properly - a beer can would do the trick....

    Eat Well, Spend Less: Mini Tourtiere Hand Pies | Simple Bites

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by arabian View Post
      I think for young families the key to saving some money is to eat out less. I go to the grocery store frequently and watch what people purchase - all instant, frozen stuff. If you can learn to make things yourself you will save money in the end. When I first married I didn't know how to cook anything besides a few things (morning after kinda food if I recall).

      #1 keep kids out of the food stores until/unless they understand that NO they can't have everything they see.

      #2 learn to cook interesting food. It doesn't have to be gourmet and you can involve your kids if you are brave and can stand the mess.

      #3 sign up for some community cooking lessons - some are free or relative inexpensive and you meet interesting people there. You can learn how to make your favorite ethic food.

      #4 learn how to read recipes and plan ahead. You can go to your local library and take out cook books (free).

      here is a recipe that a bunch of guys put together. I found this a few months ago when I was looking for some decent tourtiere recipies. I don't think you have to even worry about rolling things out properly - a beer can would do the trick....

      Eat Well, Spend Less: Mini Tourtiere Hand Pies | Simple Bites


      I totally agree with this. It's hard work to come home from a full day at work and prepare a home cooked meal but it will save you loads, not to mention it's way healthier for your family. I think saving money involves a whole lot of PLANNING and organization. Plan your meals for the week then get all the ingredients on the weekend. Make your coffee and breakfast at home instead of getting it on the road. Actually learn to say no we are going home for lunch when the kids are requesting mcdonalds. These are little things but can make a difference. Have talks with your kids about the value of money so they know that mom and dad can't just buy them everything so they shouldn't be expecting it.


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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      • #4
        Don't buy magazines. One would think with the internet that the magazine would be a thing of the past. There is a reason they are there at the check-out till - impulse buy... Store space is valuable, especially around the till. If people didn't buy magazines they wouldn't be put there for you to gawk at... for 10 minutes or more while you wait to check out. Many magazines (yes recent up-to-date copies of Vogue) are at the library... Same goes for newly-released books. I used to spend a small fortune on books at the grocery store because it never occurred to me that library had such a wonderful array. I hadn't been in a library until I was divorced since university days. Best find. I love that I can reserve and order books online from my local library. If I am late in returning (a terrible thing) I believe I pay a whopping .25c per day.

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        • #5
          Also use the flipp app to see whats on sale where and price match at grocery stores.

          Planning is good too because you waste less.

          Make yourself a budget and stick to it.

          And all those morning coffee drive thrus burn cash!!!

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Asphenaz View Post
            Hello All,

            I'm curious what tips and tricks have you learned to save or reduce spending.

            The biggest lesson I learned is to be humble and accept the help of others. While I want to be independent, if it wasn't for the help of others

            1. Youtube is a great and free learning resource.
            YUP. Been experimenting with recipes there, the last couple of weeks.

            2. When cooking make a bit more than you will eat, leftovers can be used for lunches. That way you can save on cafeteria or eating out costs.
            Ditto on that.

            3. Good quality glass storage containers; great for storing / freezing leftovers.

            4. Learning to combine tasks; for example teaching my kids to cook by helping them search for online recipes (youtube), and helping them cook lunch and supper. We all learn, lower grocery costs, and spend quality family time.

            5. Get rid of apps such as amazon, wag jag etc... The easier the access the more the temptation to spend.
            This is very interesting coming from a male poster victim of the ridiculously gender biased system called Family Law. If it's any consolation, I too am a victim of an extremely vexatious and frivolous, bitter ex-wife currently going through a motion process in an attempt to either terminate outright, if not set ironed in stone terminating conditions to my existing child support order for my soon-to-be 20 year old son who is currently in dubious schooling arrangements at present. It is blood boiling that these leeches (oops I mean ex-wives) are profiting off our hard working backs, while they sit on their lazy self-entitled asses collecting ODSP. After all, why would they work if they just sit and get money handed to them for free?

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by m-chan68 View Post
              This is very interesting coming from a male poster victim of the ridiculously gender biased system called Family Law. If it's any consolation, I too am a victim of an extremely vexatious and frivolous, bitter ex-wife currently going through a motion process in an attempt to either terminate outright, if not set ironed in stone terminating conditions to my existing child support order for my soon-to-be 20 year old son who is currently in dubious schooling arrangements at present. It is blood boiling that these leeches (oops I mean ex-wives) are profiting off our hard working backs, while they sit on their lazy self-entitled asses collecting ODSP. After all, why would they work if they just sit and get money handed to them for free?

              .... and your money-saving tip of the day is?
              Last edited by arabian; 02-09-2017, 11:39 PM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by arabian View Post
                .... and your money-saving tip of the day is?
                Post irrelevant rants on the Internet for entertainment. Cheaper than Netflix or going out to the movies.

                Comment


                • #9
                  1. Think of coffee-shop coffee (Starbucks, Tim Horton's) as a treat, rather than a daily necessity.
                  2. Shop Goodwill or Value Village for just about everything, especially for kids' clothes.
                  3. Eat less meat (go vegetarian if you can!). You will save tons on grocery bills and stay healthier.
                  4. Cancel cable (if you have it).

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    @Stripes; You can also bring your own thermas / cup and as for a refill instead of just a coffee. Good for the environment and you save .10c on a medium at Tims.

                    I found that having a scheduled 'no electronics' night has helped as well. Not a direct savings, but we have better family time which in turn gives us time to cook or do other 'cheaper' outings. (Last week, it expanded to four nights of the week because we had fun cooking and playing board games)

                    A youtube channel I enjoy watching are "brother green eats", some of their videos are a bit crude, but amazing recipes. Especially the ones where they show how to 'replicate' most fast foods.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Oh and packing lunches and snacks saves oodles of money. My partner was the worst for just going and getting coffee and muffins or lunches out weekly. We started planning our week of food, shopping together, looking at affordable options and then coming home and making lunches for the week!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Do people still have cable?

                        I use a combination of Netflix and Kodi (free download and unlimited access to TV shows and movies)

                        Reduce cel phone carrier bills
                        I used to be a bell customer and was spending 100$+ a month of cel bills
                        Since being separated I switched to Wind mobile. Flat fee 40$

                        Switch internet providers. Teksavvy

                        Eat at home. Repurpose left overs into another meal. I don't like eating the same thing to days in a row.
                        Ie: left over chicken -> chicken stir-fry

                        Find free family activities. Winterlude, outdoor skating rinks, family days museum....

                        Here's a big one "hydro" change the times you do things.
                        Washing machine/dryer, dishwasher run them on off peak hours after 7:00pm

                        Groceries -> watch the flyers or use Flipp as suggested. When proteins on sale stock up and freeze them.

                        These are a few things I've done!!!


                        Originally posted by stripes View Post
                        1. Think of coffee-shop coffee (Starbucks, Tim Horton's) as a treat, rather than a daily necessity.
                        2. Shop Goodwill or Value Village for just about everything, especially for kids' clothes.
                        3. Eat less meat (go vegetarian if you can!). You will save tons on grocery bills and stay healthier.
                        4. Cancel cable (if you have it).





                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by otttawa_dad View Post
                          Do people still have cable?
                          I haven't had a cable subscription for approx 15 years. I prefer buying cheap movies and tv series when on sale or at hock shop as well as KODI (it used to be called xbox media center or XBMC). My local library also has DVD's to borrow.


                          Originally posted by otttawa_dad View Post
                          Find free family activities. Winterlude, outdoor skating rinks, family days museum....
                          Many cities / town's have their own websites that list a lot of those activities. Museums also have discount days for students / families.

                          As well when stocking up on protein, I will cut and marinate it and then freeze them in single or two person portions. Or I will create slow cooker in a bag meals. like this: 25 Simple Freeze + Dump Slow Cooker Meals | Hello Glow

                          Comment

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