Save money, not waste money!

Yay! I remembered that the Sunday newspaper had a coupon before I finalized my order for photo processing.

It was fun to have a running total. But I lost track. I have continued to save money…and I’ve figured out a few things since my last recorded amount:

1. I stopped taking the extra fancy vitamins from the health club ($30/month) and switched to a one-a-day vitamin (about $5 or so/month).
2. I refrained from purchasing another set of sweatpants. The current ones get washed before the next trip to the gym, so why would I need another pair?
3. I used a coupon for the new bathroom scale that saved me $10. I’ve stopped trying to manage the little food coupons and am only focusing on the big coupons. Little-coupon management was taking too much of my time! Plus, I’m trying to cook more from scratch and there aren’t that many coupons for ingredients that I need.

Another recollection: For one our summer getaways, we used a coupon for $55 off the hotel, and we also downgraded from our usual room, saving another $50.

So, I’m tacking on another $105 saved.

Cumulative Savings: $746.94

Okay, another recollection of savings from the past summer:

I reattached the lining of my dressy sandals using super glue. So I figure I saved $33, since I would have spent up to $35 for a replacement pair of sandals. But I have to subtract the cost of the super glue ($2).

Cumulative Savings: $641.94

Last May my DH and I went to visit my family. My sister picked us up at the airport. She took us everywhere we wanted to go.

She saved us at least $250 in car rental expense. Thanks, Sis!

Recent Savings: $10.00

1. Used a coupon at the store: $1.00
2. Purchased used books using store credit from books I returned: $9.00

Today’s Savings: $80.16

1. Deposited bowl of coins = $48.55
2. Coupon at the grocery store = $0.55
3. Shopped at the discount grocer’s = $22.06
4. Buy one, get one free (and I truly needed the two free items) at the resale shop = $6.00
5. Didn’t purchase the plastic bottle for toting water because I remembered I had a similar one at home that would work just fine (!) = $3.00

I refused to buy a magazine at the airport, at either end of the trip, so I’m adding $10 to the saved column. Woo hoo!

Cumulative Savings: $268.78

1. We had a coupon for $10 off our grocery tab today.
2. I got a pair of perfect work-out togs from the clearance rack a few weeks ago for $12. I would normally spend up to $25 so I’m marking a savings of $13.
3. My husband bought a swimsuit yesterday for $16. He budgeted $40, so that’s a savings of $24.

Total from this entry: $47.
From previous entries: $7.

Cumulative Savings: $258.78

I’m going to move this goal to the ‘Done’ side, but I’m going to keep doing it and adding to my cumulative total whenever I can. Our savings has been increasing little by little.