So with little money and a little bit of low spirits due to my son being away I had to try and pull through on a holiday that normally I enjoy to the fullest.....a summer fun holiday. Originally I had thought out in my mind that I would do the home fireworks display of my childhood years....a large BBQ style picnic of sorts and get to the lake early enough to catch the city show. None of which happened. instead we grocery shopped, visited my dear uncle to discuss where to try and fish, and came home to concoct stinky stuff (catfish stink bait). soon after we hit Subway.....mmm. With our food in hand we drove out to the lake to look for a good spot to sit and eat. Finally found one and enjoyed our picnic. Not quite the envisioned but yummy, peaceful and good enough. After our picnic we wandered to the lake shore and I went camera happy on my little girl lol. Her favorite part........watching dad throw rock in the water. sheesh. After this we headed home again......no bathrooms and water at the lake......you put it together. We got home and found last years modest supply of leftover works and fired them off......to which this year baby girl liked the sparklers, thought anything that moved was scary and she told me that the snakes and glow worms were icky and looked like poop. We also got bit up by mosquitoes and decided it was time to head in for the night. All in all the 4th wasn't horrible. I miss my little man. I visited him on Thursday and they told me he was doing pretty well....just wish they wouldn't have told me it may be a long time before he comes home for sure. *sigh*
Being as our cars are costing us so much these days I have been trying to cut costs where and when we can....so I figure I'll let you in on what I've been doing in case you could use some of these ideas. (bear in mind I am not about extra work and like to live comfortable and so I'm not going out of my own limits to scrimp)
I finally got the hoses hooked up on my washer right so things get washed cold.
I don't run the washer till clothes are needed and I have a plan in place to not use the dryer if possible.
I don't run the dishwasher til it's full.
I shop at the dollar stores and buy store brands.....unless I find them to be crappy....then I will go back to the brand I know.
Pop and beer cans.....man were there ever a lot left behind at the lake last night......we went around and picked up some to get out of the house today and do something good. Cheap activity followed by hubby will turn them in and get $0.50 per pound for them.
We eat venison, pheasant and fish so we take advantage of fishing and hunting. 4 deer will get us through a year easily.
The Old Home Outlet store proved to be a big money saver for us.
There is a sprinkler park in the city Noah is in and it's free so we took baby girl there.
Jazz Fest is coming up.......more free entertainment if we make it out that way.
Savers (or any other thrift type store)......picked up some things we needed there.
Game Stop....traded in some old video games and got some new ones.....also bought em cheaper than new.
Watchin sales, finally using coupons, library books.
Instead of the outrageous price for a day at the pool (in which we will only stay an hour or 2) we got a wading pool in the back yard or we'll just go to the lake.
Turning off the power strip to the computer and related devices and the computer and it's counter parts when we aren't home and at night. (I read this can save $200 a year!!)
Shutting off the air and opening the windows at night only to turn the air back on if it's really that hot. (also shutting off the air when we're gone)
Freezing leftovers which also makes hubby's lunches easier. I also got the idea to do a restaurant night when the stock gets higher...that sounds fun.
So nothing too tricky just takes some getting used to. Oh and if you've got some suggestions I'm open to them.
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