*This post contains affiliate links that help to support Medium Sized Family at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your help!
Each week, I like to share the 5 Ways We’ve Saved Money This Week. This is a popular series, because I share a variety of ways a family can save money (beyond not buying Starbucks).
If you’d like to see other posts in the series, you can find them here.
We are really focusing on saving money and adding income so we can knock out our BHAG. Read more about that and why we spent the year saying #yearofno right here.
But for now, let’s dig in to
The 5 Ways We’ve Saved Money This Week
Yard Sale
I set up a yard sale, gathering up a bunch of items that I had been collecting for a while in many fits of decluttering. I got everything organized, priced, and made signs (with some help from my brother!).
Well, it wasn’t the most successful yard sale ever. Most people in my area aren’t expecting a yard sale in March (but our weather lately has been beautiful!). But I did manage to make a few bucks.
And now I have everything organized and ready for another try when the local villages have their official yard sale days.
Small payment
Inspired by the $2 debt payment that I’d read about recently, I decided to send my yard sale earnings to the credit card right away. I know that money lying around tends to disappear pretty quickly with no evidence of what happened to it.
Not only does that help us get closer to our BHAG, it also means just a little less interest I’ll have to pay over time.
Dollar Shave Club
Hubby has been using the Dollar Shave Club for a while now. The price of the razors is $1 for 5 replacement heads, but they also add on $2 for shipping (and also tax). So our total for the month is more like $3.07.
Hubby’s true and honest opinion (and this is one of the areas that he is pretty picky about) is that these blades are comparable to the expensive blades I used to get him at triple the cost.
This has saved us a ton of money over the past year, plus we never have to run to the store because “someone” forgot to buy razors.
From time to time, the company has thrown in small bonuses like a shaving butter (which was a great treat!). Plus they always throw in a small booklet called the Bathroom Minutes with short stories and jokes that hubby always gets a big kick out of.
[Tweet “Like to read about unusual ways to save money? “]
Put on An Apron
I like to eat pie, but I avoid making it. Not because it isn’t yummy, but because it’s so time consuming. Usually I buy the “cheater” crusts and just do a homemade filling or topping.
Well this year, the kids were wound up about Pi day, and I knew I was going to have to do something special for it. Since I’m no math fan, I decided to stick with what I know…baking.
Of course, since this was an impulse food, I didn’t have any cheater crust on hand. But I did have plenty of ingredients! So I decided to make a homemade crust, homemade filling, and homemade meringue. It took a long time, but it sure was yummy!
Took a Time Out
Hubby loves his sports. One year (when we were first married) he won a city wide March Madness bracket challenge and we got free pizza for a year! It was great. (Except that around that same time I got pregnant and the smell of the pizza made me sick. Sad face!)
Anyhow, each year he enters a few bracket challenges for fun. Some of them involve putting up cash and the winner gets the jackpot.
But this year he decided that it was best to file this one under #yearofno and sit out of the ones that require money. Every penny matters!
So those are our money saving ways this week! What short term sacrifices have you made so you can reach your goals?
Be sure to sign up for the Medium Sized Family newsletter! You’ll get extra money saving tips each week, plus subscribers get a free printable to help you Spring Clean Your Finances. Just type your email address in the box below to get started.
Good for the hubby on March Madness. The fun of the brackets is being right and cheering for your picks anyway, and there are a ton of free contests to enter.
And good for you for using your yard sale proceeds to pay down the debt!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Even with a beard, I still use a razor to clean up the edges, and yes, they cost a fortune. I’ve been hearing about the Dollar Shave Club and similar offers, but I have yet to take the plunge, mainly because I don’t go through razors that often. But as you mentioned, every penny helps, so I think I’ll be giving it a try.
We’ve had a yard sale before with pretty good success. I couldn’t believe some of the things people were willing to pay money for. Most of the stuff I was just going to throw away! We’re waiting for the weather to warm up before doing one this year, but we have a basement full of stuff ready to go!
I am so curious about that Dollar Shave Club, I see it on FB all the time, we may have to give it a try too. Thanks for sharing this, I love reading your tips every week! 🙂
I was a bit skeptical about the DSC, but hubby has been using it for over a year now and it’s been great! Thanks for reading.
This is great! I admire you for having the yard sale! I really wish I had the patience to do it…and I hate getting up early! 🙁
I hate getting up early, too. I’m not a morning person! I was motivated by hoping to get some of this junk out of my house! haha
So wise and practical. Thanks for the ideas.
I think it’s time for a yard sale for me too.
sounds like some great ways to save money. I love the pie idea, yes we had to make a pie as well, yummy fun and lots cheaper than purchasing a pie. I enjoying reading how you save money inspires me as well
come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for reading!
It’s definitely true that money lying around tends to disappear pretty quickly! That’s a great idea to put it toward your debt!
I’ve heard a lot about the dollar shave club and that they have great razors for women too! I may have to look into it now.
Why did I never consider getting my own razors from them, too?? I guess they seem so marketed towards men that I hadn’t thought of it.
You are right, every penny counts. As a food blogger I obviously cook most meals at home. I tried a yard sale once, but I hated the haggling. It is worth it to me to donate the items and claim it on taxes to not have to go through that again. ha ha! Thanks for shairng on #FridayFrivolity.
We celebrated Pi day too. Only we did Pizza Pi
I have heard good things about the Dollar Shave Club. Thanks for talking a little about it in your post. I need to order it for my hubby…because razor blades are so stinking expensive!
Jamie, I love seeing how you cut corners each week. Your tips are unusual and unique, things that we can all implement and most likely don’t think of! It helps me to be more creative in our expenditures! Lord knows I need to be creative! LOL
You’re too sweet! Thanks so much.
Great ideas!! We’re set on razors for the moment, but I’ll definitely check back for the link when we need some and we’ll have to try them out…
A yard sale is also the BEST place for munchkins to do a lemonade stand or sell cookies… I always did that at my mom’s yard sales and made BANK (in kid-terms anyway…). People already have change or cash on the ready, walking around going yard-sale to yard-sale makes folks hungry, AND kids are cute. ;P That’s how I account for it anyway!
That would be a great idea for getting the kids involved! Next time I’ll think about that.