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$15.00 Treasures in Our Closets and in our Vehicles
"I love getting those "You have been approved" envelopes and the "Refinance now at only ?%" because I take them to the shredding machine and jam them in and "Cut them off at the pass"" -
Minneapolis
Last month, we held the Less is More Great Clothing Fling. Over 400,000 piece of clothing were tossed, recycled, or donated in a two week period. Wow! The best part is, we all found clothes we love to wear. I found out I have enough clothes for spring and summer. I do not need any more shorts, t-shirts, or SOCKS! LOL I have added these to my ANTI-SHOPPING List.
Oh, and if you have kids - look out! An outfit you buy on Friday may not fit one month later! Take a look at how many clothes your kids have. They need no more than 7 pairs of pants, shirts, undies, socks, and PJ's. And then one or two "play outfits" for the dirty hard play time, and one or two "good outfits". You may be amazed by how many $15.00 pieces of clothing are sitting in your kid's closets just waiting to be found. Get rid of the stuff that doesn't fit them anymore, take inventory of what does fit them. If they don't need any clothes for the next 6 months, add that to your ANTI-SHOPPING list.
In my part of the world, gas prices just went up again. I am taking a good hard look at how often I drive, where I drive to, and why I drive. One or two less trips a month will begin to add up. Doubling up on errands and making just one trip a week to the grocery store will make a difference. How about walking the little ones to school instead of driving?
Open your eyes and let your imagination run FREE. Let's see if we can find some $15.00 treasure of new money in our closets or our vehicles....
From our members....
"Well, I have to admit that I cheated a little.
DH and I were inspired during the new year to start saving my Payroll SHE salary and live only on DH's salary. This is in anticipation of my be a SAH SHE after we have babies. Anyway, that means I've had a one month jump start in FACEing my finances. Plus we got a wonderful tax refund which has already been deposited. We spent the entire amount on retirement investing and paying off debt! I wrote the last check this weekend to pay off $1300 on the remaining credit card debt. Then, we'd spent all of February living successfully (and comfortably) on his income. So I could easily write a check today for a double payment on my car loan. This with the confidence that we don't need that cash as a security blanket. And to think before we were FLYing and FACEing, that whole paycheck was going toward clothes, eating out, and who knows what every month! I'm beginning to realize that one day I will have the choice of being a SAHM and the knowledge that we can live comfortably on one income . . .without debt, with a backup savings for emergencies, and with confidence that our babies will have a happy, financially healthy home!"
- Hello FlyCrew,
I am saving up to 15$ this month by using my motorised bycicle when I have
to go to the mall for little shopping, like getting my new pair of glasses,
and when I go to my journalling date once in a fortnight...
This July mij DH will be 40 and on his 40th birthday he don't want to have
anymore debts... Because he is very busy working I am very eager by bringing
our debts down... I still have to go 1.000 euro's.
We had stopped eating Mac Donalds and that kind of food and eating at
gas-stations...already, we take our morning bread from home...
Thank you for all the help, ideas and inspiration!
Flybaby from Holland
- I save $20 a month by carpooling just two days a week. I drive one day,
and my friend drives the other day. My 30-minute-each-way commute uses
about $2 in gas, and it costs $3 to park. By riding with my friend one
day a week, we each save about $5 a week, or about $20 a month.
Even if you don't have to pay for parking, you and your friend could each
save $15 a month in gas if you drove together 4 days each week.
-Flybaby in CO
- I plan on limiting my errands to one day per week no matter what and car pooling when I can to save on gas, at these prices not having to fill the tank more than necessary I hope to save over $15!
- Dousman, WI
- Hello FlyCrew...
What I did last month in prepearation for this month is fiugured out how to pay 1 extra month per year on my car and student loans.
I am not even sure if my fellow fly babies know how to do this but I was just thrilled to find this out and wanted to share.
take your monthly bill minimum payment... (my example)$145.00 divide that by 12 (months of year)
you get $12.00 add that $12.00 to the minimum payment (145.00+12.00= 157.00 and if you do that each month for a year you will pay the debt off earlier buy one month.
To me that extra 12 dollars means eating from the pantry this month and not going for that extra treat...
Love you all
- in PA
- I don't really know if this counts but...we saved about 6 thousand dollars by not buying a truckthat we would have to finance. Instead we found an older truck in very nice condition that we were able to purchase with cash from our income tax refund. It wasn't exactly what we wanted but is nice, reliable and best of all, paid in full.
flybaby R. in LA
- I plan this month to use my bike more. This way I save money, at least
15 dollars,keep fit, and care for the environment.
Auckland New Zealand
- I plan to save $15 this month by planning my trips out of the house. Gas prices are up over $2 a gallon for regular unleaded where I live and I drive a gas-guzzling SUV (it's paid off though, and no car payments are incentive to keep it).
If I only run errands one day a week instead of venturing out every other day, I will save a fortune (well, at least $15/month) in gas, not to mention the money I will save on bottles of soda each time I go shopping. My sanity will probably also be saved, since my 18-month old son seems to be getting an early start on those terrible-twos. :-)
-
San Diego Flybaby
- Careful gas fillups and watching mileage use of our cars:
Payment by ATM costs $.50 at some gas stations. I pay cash. Weekly fillup
for 2 cars = $52.00 per year
Buying gas from gas station that is $.05 cheaper than the gas station across
the street. Weekly fillups: $50.00 per year.
My husband and I trade cars based on who has the longer commute that day.
Savings in gas mileage = $75.00 per year.
Running errand trips to favorite shops and farmers market on Sundays after
church services = (10 miles less per week. (Mileage is 30 mpg, gas at $1.50
per gallon.) = $25.00 per year.
This adds up to an effortless $16.80 per week savings. You can get more
savings if you shop around for cheapest gas in your area.
- Mountain View, CA
- FlyCrew,
I decided to help my heart and finances at the same time. I live 1 1/2
miles from my job and I walk to work almost every day. It saves gas
and wear and tear on my car. I have lost 10 lbs doing this also.
taking baby steps in NC
And more...
"Hi FlyCrew,
I am so excited we are going to FACE our finances this month. Besides the clothes flinging, this is something I really need to get a grip on. As most of my credit cards were for (gulp) clothing and department stores. I don't know what in the world I was trying to compensate for buying so many clothes, shoes and accessories for me and my three DC. So far I have closed two needless credit card accounts and have thrown away the first of the April clothing catalogs that were sent in the mail to another credit account I have. I have just got done writing checks for my bills, OVER the amount of the minimum due! I am so excited to pay these needless credit cards off and begin saving money. I think the real wake up call was the essay of the lady who could fit all her wordly possessions in the back of her trunk and still have room left over! That essay hit me like a brick. How simple and sweet her life must have been. I know I will never get that far, but I would like to atleast be able to fit all of my possessions in the back of a pickup truck, not an eighteen wheeler moving truck.
Thanks again for all your love and encouragement!" -
Flybaby C in California
"My favorite clothing store called me to say they are having a big sale this weekend. There is nothing I really need right now, but if I go I know I’ll buy something.
While I know I would “save” money by shopping there now, I decided to save even more by not going at all!" -
Mobile, AL
- I will spend at least $15 less on my 2 year old dd's clothes. This will also help save in the cost of storage bins I use for when she outgrows the clothes she only usually wears once or twice!--Flying in OH
- I just went to a mall store where I had gotten some clothes right after Christmas. Yes, they were a wonderful deal, but they didn't fit me and they were just sitting in my house using up space and causing more stressful clutter. I returned them and got $14.99 back which I will use towards my credit card debt.
Thank you for the all of the inspiration-- my husband is proud of me because of you!
--a FLY Baby in OH
- I was getting my nylons through a mail-order company. The seem to last me
longer than what I buy at the store. After doing a dresser boogie I
realized I have 13 UNOPENED pairs. That will last me a while, so I
cancelled my subscription to them. That will save me 24.36/month. With
our income tax return (yes, we already filed and have our return:-) my DH
and I paid off the last $100 on a bill to free up another $80 per
month. My boy's are done bowling (at least until September:-) that will
save us $84/month . Asked the Dr. if my boyz could get off the high end
epilepsy meds (that aren't doing any good) and stay on the lower cost one
that we know works. He said yes, savings...$60/month Lastly, we took our
high interest rate card and divided it among 2 cards, one at 5.9% (never
increases unless I miss a payment.... not happening this time:-) and one
that is 0% for 1 year. We will be saving about $300/month. This should
make a considerable dent in the credit card/ medical bill debt.
Financially Flying in Southern Oregon
"This is just a reminder to everyone who has begun to FACE their finances and can see a light at the end of the debt tunnel. When the balance is zero, have a party, cut up the card, and be sure to write a letter to the company who issued the card cancelling the account. Most companies will not close credit card accounts over the phone, you have to send something in writing. Having these accounts closed, except one for emergencies, will improve your credit rating. Should you go to get a loan for a new home or car, a potential lender will take into account that you have so much credit at your disposal, even if all the accounts have zero balances." - Flying in Missouri
- To save $15 this month I am going to start cutting my 3 year old son's hair again. I used to do it when he was younger but he was so squirmy then, the cut would only look good every 2nd or 3rd time!
I'm trying to convince my hubby to let me cut his too! That would save an additional $25. If only...
FlyBabe in Frisco, TX
- I air dry my clothes when it is nice out it saves us over $40 per month in our electric bill that extra is then placed on other bills. This last summer we saved up for a new dryer using this method.
- FlyCrew:
I went to Old Navy for shopping therapy over the weekend - the 3 tops I
bought were too small - instead of getting a larger size I am simply
going to return 2 of them - the 3rd is a little dressier than I usually
wear & I'm trying to upgrade my casual work look - I'm also going to
return the purse I bought - I don't need another purse. Thanks for the
encouragement.
FlyBaby in Columbia, MD
- I know thrift stores & yard sales can be a trap, but I go to this really nice thrift store "with something I need in mind." The kids need a new coat or out grown there pants, I go looking for that particular item, not buy whatever catches my eye. I stick to that. Many times I have walked out empty handed. When I do find what I need, I have easily saved at least 15.00 because It would have cost a whole lot more if I had bought it new.
- I plan on using your laundry tip of having a tip jar in the laundry room. In the past, I have always returned money found in pockets to the rightful owners in my home. I announced to them yesterday. I would now consider this left money as a tip for doing their laundry. Since yesterday morning, I have already collected $8.44. WOOHOO!! $15.00 will be an easy target. (Buried in debt and Buried in snow. Halifax,Nova Scotia, Canada.)
Hi Flylady: I have been looking at this part of the routines and thinking, how can I FACE my finances? I don't HAVE creditcard debt!! Well, that's because I have a creditcard that I pay off in full every month. It has a paltry $200 limit on it. But then I realized, that my debt is in the form of loans. Student loans, grant overawards, and a loan from a finance company that I'm currently paying 29/9% interest on!!! That's what I'm going to face. That is the debt that, regardless of what we ahve to sacrifice, I am going to have paid off this year. We just refinanced it for another 4 years. I have already paid the original loan amount a couple of times over!! So this year, its going to be faced away....
Every month I put an additional $17 on it. I am going to triple that. If I pay more, it will go away faster. And the low interest student loans can wait.
Thanks flylady... I'll let you know how I did next March.
-
Kamloops, BC
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