Tightening the belt

So this month, we’ve been hit with new tires, new brakes, insurance premiums, a couple of flights, and a hotel deposit, in addition to the typical expenses of groceries, gas, gym, dinners, and bills. Taxes are also on the horizon, and thanks to my sister B, I know that we are going to owe a sizable chunk this year due to a withholding mix up with Jason’s last job. As my parents used to say when we were growing up, it’s time to tighten the belt!

How can we do this? Well, a few months ago when I made a list of ways I could live a greener life, I discovered that making changes for a month really did lead to more lasting changes in behavior. I’m still doing everything on the list on a fairly consistent basis, except for air drying my clothes and stopping the dishwasher before the dry cycle, though I’m feeling a little guilty as I type so pledge to do both this week.

I’m hoping if I come up with a list of ways to save some $$ for the rest of Feb and March, it will lead to overall improvements in our spending habits, and hopefully lower credit card bills for the rest of 2012. Aren’t I optimistic?! Here’s a list of 10 ideas:

1. Pack my lunch 4 days a week. Hopefully this will help save some calories as well as cash!
2. Take a break from going out to dinner/going out to expensive dinners. Yes, Jason and I love to try trendy restaurants like The Purple Pig and Chizakaya, but I think we would be just as happy having our next “date night” at the movies or grabbing burgers at a local bar. Same deal when we make plans with friends – I think everyone would probably be down with a cheaper option for entertainment.
3. Go generic. We’re pretty good about buying store brand products, but could probably be even better. As a marketer, it pains me a little to write this, but I bet Molly wouldn’t even notice if we switched to “toasty O’s.”
4. Plan meals. Shop on Sundays. While we’re on the topic of grocery stores, as much as I love our neighborhood markets (Olivia’s and W Crossings), we need to be a little bit more strategic about when we shop there vs going to the less expensive Trader Joe’s or Dominick’s chains. This weekend I picked out a handful of recipes and shopped on Sunday. It SUCKED to be at the grocery store on a Sunday, but now I have everything I need to make dinner the next few nights – including a vegetarian option for meatless Monday.
5. Place a temporary ban on ordering takeout. So if we plan our meals and shop on Sundays, there should be no need for us to order takeout, right? Yes Jason, that delicious pizza we ordered from Pequod’s for the Superbowl will have to be the last takeout we get for a while, because I know we can save at least $20 by switching to frozen.
6. Stop shopping. It’s time for a resolution that has nothing to do with food. Let’s move on to clothes. I have a closet full of cute stuff and no need for anything new. As fun as it is to spice up my wardrobe every few months, how ‘bout I give that up this year? Or just give myself a budget of $50 every season at Old Navy. I can scope out my favorite budget blogs WhatIWore2Day and His&Hers for inspiration. The Molls is going to need a thing or two this spring – can’t avoid that, she’s a growing girl – but I can probably restock her closet through savvy shopping. Nothing for Molls if it isn’t on sale! 
7. Save babysitters for special occasions. Where else do we spend money? It’s kind of hard to find places to cut corners, but looking through my spending history on Schwab, I see I’ve written a few checks to babysitters recently. When you add babysitting fees on top of the bill at an expensive restaurant, that certainly makes for a pricey night out. We need to stick to the $15 “Parent’s Night Out” offered through daycare for our nights out (two times a month) and stay home the other nights! Unless, of course, we’re talking about a special occasion (birthdays, etc).
8. Clip coupons! Yes, I still get a Sunday paper. It comes loaded with coupons and advertisements that I usually throw straight in the recycling bin. But I need to start pulling out the coupons for Target, Jewel, and Dominick’s to see if I can save a few bucks on my Sunday shopping!
9. Move cash from checking to savings. If I don’t have it, I can’t spend it, right?
10. Give homemade gifts. I’ve got a pack of construction paper somewhere. Jason, looks like this year I will be presenting you with another homemade Valentine’s Day Card.

Wish me luck! Saving starts tomorrow!