Money saving tips to survive this economy??

[selerson]

What are you and your family doing to survive the economy being the way it is? I used to be the type of person that bought what I wanted when I wanted and didnt worry about clipping coupons and trying to cut back but I am feeling the pinch now along with a lot of other people.

I have recently started clipping coupons and printing them from online sites and joined a couple of websites where people exchange coupons. I hate the looks I get from people behind me at the grocery store though! I never thought I would do what my grandmother did, getting the sales papers every week and planning my meals for the week based on what is on sale but that is exactly what I have been doing (never say never lol)

I never buy kids meals anymore. On the rare occasion I do take the kids out to eat, I try to find family value meals or go on kids night when the kids meals are .99. I don't use the drive thru to save gas.

I downloaded a free budgeting program on my computer and record every single dime that comes in and out so that I can track where it all goes and make adjustments when I need to.

I am trying to organize a childrens clothing exchange in my community for good used clothes.

I buy more stuff in bulk than I used to and split it into smaller containers.

Any more ideas anyone has?

[discardedheart]

my family has started clipping coupons quite a bit more as well.

[annmohrmann]

Coupons, shopping at the Dollar Store (pasta, chips, shampoo/conditioner - the lotion is pretty watery - elastic hair bands, socks; sometimes they have brand name granola/Chex Mix bars, and I'm a knitter and love it when they get a new shipment of yarn), I've joined a lot of fast food places email lists and they send out coupons and freebies on your birthday. I've always loved garage sales and flea markets, and right now the Kroger store near me is remodeling and they put a lot of their inventory on clearance in the past 6-8 weeks. I now have toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo/conditioner and feminine hygiene products for the next year or two at a fraction of the cost! I also recommond looking in the Sunday paper for store circulars for places like Office Depot, AC Moore, Michaels, Hobby Lobby...you may not need their stuf, but they will often have 25% or more coupons for any item and you can get batteries, tape, pens, school supplies, or even just a candy bar.

[snale21]

You mentioned trying to save gas.  One big thing you can do is "trip chaining".  Make sure to plan out your days travels in advance, figure out where you will be traveling during the day and minimize the distance traveled as much as possible.  Trips that are flexible should be moved to other times.  For example, don't go home from work and then back out to the grocery store.

If possible plan ahead and only go to the store once a week, cutting out the little trips can save a lot of gas money.  Also, try to avoid congested roadway times.  A lot of gas is wasted sitting at traffic lights and in slow traffic.  As much as possible adjust your travel times to avoid this.

[ahunter300]

get rid of your car - take the bus.  look what you save - no gas, no car insurance, no car taxes, no accidents, no ... on and on you can go.  advantages - you can relax, meet people, put on your make-up, make calls (without breaking the law), or just sleep.  it's all about what you need not what you want. 

[brendy1990]

we do a lot of scrapping, we save all our pop cans, clip coupons and match them with a sale ads. and save all our change for our future broke day.

[michellemoore92]

I don't have much of an income, but I'm trying to save up at least 3/4 of the money I make.
(I'm a dependent, so I don't have bills or anything to worry about)
I hope college isn't as expensive as everyone says it is... 

[CompKillaz]

I don't have much of an income, but I'm trying to save up at least 3/4 of the money I make.
(I'm a dependent, so I don't have bills or anything to worry about)
I hope college isn't as expensive as everyone says it is...  

you have alot to learn darling

[cerealspiller]

I heard some great tips on saving money at the gas pump.

Always try to fill up your tank in the early morning. Since the stations gas tanks are under ground, they tend to heat up during the hot day, making the gas less dense.

When you use the automatic notch on the nozzle, use the slowest setting. I can't quite remember why but I think that the faster the gas moves through the hose the less dense it becomes. Maybe? anyway

If there's a truck pumping fuel into the station. Move on. The trucks pump stirs up dirt at the bottom of the stations gas tanks, making the fuel... well... dirty. (Not really money saving but still a good tip)