More Thrift Ideas for Saving Money
Now was not a good time for me to lose my High Tech Contractor’s job. With the price of essentials like gas and food going through the roof, I’ve had to figure out ways to have an enjoyable summer vacation with the kids without breaking the bank.
Food
If you’ve read my earlier posts, we’ve modified our food budget a bit. We buy only what we need and rarely have “spontaneous treats” like those 2.50 dollar treats from the ice cream truck.
We’re watching portions and now that summer is here we’ll be on the lookout for farm stand food from local gardens. Even the youngest kids are starting to eat their vegetables.
Snacks, muffins, and biscuits are all homemade now. If I make a large enough batch, it provides munching material for the rest of the day (especially if I put a bit of jam in the middle of the muffins as they bake).
Transportation
We have two cars, one that fits 8 people and one that fits 5. As much as we can we use the smaller car for any trips around town. Errands are consolidated and we try to get our supplies once or twice a week.
The older boys have dusted off their bikes. Unlike the days when we were kids and rode our bikes everywhere, today’s kids have become far too dependent on being driven places. Not any more, if you want to go to an afternoon movie, ride your bike. If you want to go to the library, the post office or even the grocery store to pick up some food for dinner, ride your bike.
There was a little grumbling at first but now that they know it’s “the law” the attempts at revolution have quieted.
Free Events
As the mother of a large family, I have always relied upon the kindness of strangers. I scan the local newspapers to find out when the libraries are holding events. In the next town over, every Friday in the summer they hold outdoor movies in the park. It doesn’t matter if we’ve seen the movies before watching them outdoors in the dark makes for some memorable experiences.
I’ve taken the kids to the State House to see the monuments; we’ve gone to old local cemeteries, taken hikes while trying to identify plants and birds. Our town has great outdoor tennis courts. I take all the kids and our rackets. The older ones play and the younger ones keep themselves busy on the playground.
Even getting up early to watch the sunrise can make for a great and inexpensive summer memory. Granted it’s not Disneyland but if it means that we can have fun while making ends meet, then it will be well worth it.