I thought this was somewhat enlightening and wondered how many tips we could come up with to make even BETTER savings, and how many of these you’re already doing or CAN’T do (like I know some folks can’t work at home even one day a week):
http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/105397/Cut-It-Out

Cut It Out
by Lauren Baier Kim
Tuesday, July 15, 2008provided byWSJ

When it comes to cutting costs, consumers always look at the big stuff. Postponing that vacation. Keeping your car a few more years. Nixing the addition on the house.

But it’s often the little things that can make an even bigger difference. For instance, Joseph Montanaro, a certified financial planner for USAA Financial Planning Services, says he saved $130 a month just by kicking his daily Dr Pepper habit. That’s a savings of $1,560 over a year.

We calculated the savings you might see from making various adjustments over a period of one year, from carpooling to work, to drinking a cheaper cup of coffee, to taking a quicker shower. If you do all the things we suggest here, you could save at least $5,000 over a year’s time. That’s real money.

So, what lifestyle change can save you the most cash? Read on.

How much can you save over one year if you…

1) Cut your daily shower to 10 minutes from 15 minutes?

$102. A 10-minute shower uses about 25 gallon of water (that’s assuming the showerhead emits 2.5 gallons of water a minute). That means a total water and energy cost of 57 cents a day, or about $208 a year, according to Seattle City Light’s Conservation Resources Division.

By contrast, a 15-minute shower consumes 37.5 gallons of water with a total energy and water cost of 85 cents. Over a year, that 15-minute shower costs you slightly more than $310. So get out of the shower faster to save some money.

2) Reduce your home’s water heater setting to 120 degrees from 140 degrees?

$125. That’s if you use an electric water heater. The annual savings would be somewhat less—$75—if you have a gas water heater, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s EnergyStar program.

3) Brew your own cup of coffee instead of picking up a latte at Starbucks?

$912. A tall latte at the local Starbucks will run you about $3 a cup, or $1,095 a year, if you go there every day. If you brew your own at home for 50 cents or less per cup, you’ll pay nearly $183.

4) Prepare your own lunch rather than buying out?

$1,460 to $3,650. If you make lunch from last night’s leftovers, you can avoid spending an extra $4 to $10 a day, says Dwight Raiford, a senior financial planner with MetLife.

5) Hit the water cooler at work instead of buying bottled water?

$260 to $390. If you can avoid paying for the bottled stuff (at $1 to $1.50 a bottle), you can save at least $5 to $7.50 for each five-day work week. Yet one more reason to gossip around the water cooler.

6) Carpool or work from home one day a week instead of driving into the office each day?

$423. Let’s assume a gas price of about $4.07 a gallon (We know. It’s much higher in a lot of places and it’s not going to stay at $4.07 a gallon.) Let’s also figure on a daily round-trip commute of 30 miles and that a full-size car or SUV can get about 15 city miles to the gallon. An employee who logs on from home or catches a ride with a co-worker a minimum of once a week can avoid spending at least $8.14 at the pump a week.

7) Cut your lawn yourself instead of hiring a lawn service?

$1,040 to $4,680. You can trim costs substantially by cutting your lawn yourself. Lawn services generally charge $20 to $40 for a weekly cutting for an average lawn, and as much as $90 if you throw in leaf blowing and hedging, etc. But you’ll have to subtract what it costs to fuel your mower. Obviously, you’ll have to use a manual mower to get the most savings.

8) Polish your nails at home instead of getting a weekly manicure?

$520 to $1,040. Skip the salon and buff your nails yourself, and you’ll pocket $10 to $20 a week.

9) Order a film from a movie-rental service instead of going to the nearest multiplex?

$36. This assumes that a movie ticket is about $7 these days (yes, such places exist. It can be more like $10 or up in many places). It also assumes that you go to the movies once a month, and that DVD services like Netflix.com, Blockbuster.com and Intelliflix.com offer plans for as low as $3.99 a month.

More benefits: The flat monthly DVD service fee often includes more than one rental a month, and the popcorn you pop may be cheaper and healthier than the stuff at the local theater. And we won’t even begin to discuss the cost of a baby-sitter.

10) Use compact fluorescent bulbs in your lamps and light fixtures instead of the old incandescent type?

$120. If you replace just one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent one, you’ll save $6 in electricity costs over a year, according to the EnergyStar program. If you’ve got 20 bulbs in your house, those savings will start to look even brighter.

hulitoons - 18 July 2008 04:47 AM

1) Cut your daily shower to 10 minutes from 15 minutes?
2) Reduce your home’s water heater setting to 120 degrees from 140 degrees?
3) Brew your own cup of coffee instead of picking up a latte at Starbucks?
4) Prepare your own lunch rather than buying out?
5) Hit the water cooler at work instead of buying bottled water?
6) Carpool or work from home one day a week instead of driving into the office each day?
7) Cut your lawn yourself instead of hiring a lawn service?
8) Polish your nails at home instead of getting a weekly manicure?
9) Order a film from a movie-rental service instead of going to the nearest multiplex?
10) Use compact fluorescent bulbs in your lamps and light fixtures instead of the old incandescent type?

I just wanted to tally up & see which of these we already do…
1 - Since I’m lucky if I get a shower two days in a row…I don’t mind spending 20 minutes in the shower.  Although, we don’t pay for water, we do pay for electricity that pumps water to the house.  And we pay for the water heater to heat the water.  And I don’t think our shower head could do 2.5 gallons a minute if our lives depended on it!  LOL!  I will have to start timing the girl’s baths.  (At least SOMEONE gets to bathe every night!) 
2 - We did this to prevent accidental scaldings.  You can still be scalded at 120, I think…but at least that’s the hottest it could possibly get.
3 - We don’t drink coffee that often.  I do keep it at the house for guests (ha! like I invite people over)...or for when I get frazzled.  I enjoy it now & again.  I do let Jason get starbucks when we go to the mall (where we don’t actually shop, we just walk)...which is every other month or so.
4 - Jason does this.  I try to bring some kind of snack or lunch food with me when I go out with the girls so there are no extra stops b/c someone is starving.
5 - Jason works in his truck…so he does have bottled water, b/c it is easier to keep in his cooler.  I have thought about sending a pitcher with a lid…I do this for the park (I found a pitcher that fits PERFECTLY in our little cooler thing).  He seems reluctant to do it…but maybe I can get him to.  We buy our water in bulk..usually about $5 for a case of 24.
6 - Jason’s company pays for his gas, and he drives a company truck…all upkeep is on them.  I tried to get Progressive to do this while I worked there, but they said the costs for them would be too much.  They had a 5 year lease with the building they were in…and would have to pay that whether there were people in the office or not.  Just before I was fired, my boss said that some of the higher ups were looking into what it would cost to set up people from home (versus paying leasing fees and other costs associated with running an office).
7 - We don’t have a lawn mower.  We did just pay someone to do it…but we are going to try and buy a push mower (ugh…for a friggin’ ACRE) soon. 
8 - I haven’t had nail polish on in about 5 years.  I am SO ahead of the game. 
9 - We don’t do this at all.  We do pay $12 a month for a movie package with our cable service.  With that, we can do “on demand” movies for free.  So even though a movie is already half over on one channel, we can go to the on demand and start it from the beginning.  Or if it’s not playing that day at all.  They keep almost all of their movies in a play list of sorts that we can pick from.  It’s not too bad.  On a side note, cable is really one of our few “splurges” of non-necessity.
10 - Yay!  We do this. 

I hate to double post, but I thought the first was long enough.  Sheesh.

Anywho…to do better, Umm…
Shower TOGETHER!
Buy in bulk and split the membership fee with other families.  Sure…you MIGHT use a gallon of mayonnaise.  But I wouldn’t want that sandwich.  If you can get a few smaller families together that might want to share some large bulk purchases, you could save some money from regular grocery purchases…especially on the fresh stuff like produce.  Although, know your prices at the local stores, first.  Some things are a really good deal, some are only about the same.
Coupons!  I am so into coupons.  I can end up with $10-15 off my bill with coupons.  I ONLY buy stuff I already use…and I am careful to bring a calculator to be sure my “discount” is actually cheaper than a brand I might normally buy.  (An example of this was a 50 cent coupon off non-stick cooking spray of a particular brand.  Even with the coupon, the store brand was cheaper.)

That’s all I got for now.

Oh…and make your own baby food.  The stuff in the jar is disgusting and it can be expensive for a hungry baby.

Buying in bulk is something I do even though there are just two of us.  I freeze in meal sized packs.  Food selections are kept VERY simple and seldom if ever pre-packaged dinner mixes.

Most grocery shopping is done at a ‘club’ where bulk purchases are typical.  We also buy gas there.  We also use coupons.

We purchased a Honda Fit this year after our other car had been paid off and was just beginning to nickke&dime;.  It’s a stick shift and we have been getting 40 miles to the gallon.

Most clothing is purchased via thrift stores, or second hand from Ebay (I’ve done this for years).  I seldom buy anything new unless it’s on sale and greatly reduced.  Perhaps once or twice a year I will get something new. 

We watch most movies via Netflix and when we do go to the neighborhood theater we’ve been able to use passes gleaned from rewards and by waiting until the movie has been out awhile.

Though we do buy books, we mostly get from three different libraries.  We also buy in used book stores.

When we need to buy online we look for grouping items so they qualify for free shipping, especially with perishables.  Since I have to drink a very specific kind of water (because of a specific mineral that can only be gotten this way - medical), free shipping for cases is a HUGE help.

While we have central AC, we don’t use it.  We have one room we keep cool because it’s our master bedroom and also where FuzzyButt is most of the time.  We have a large, portable AC in there made by Haier.  So we seldom use the heat pump unless it gets incredibly hot (or cold in winter—- I use individual room heaters only when in that particular area.)

Maegan I used to make my own baby food as well.  It’s a lot cheaper and better, a LOT more healthy for baby too!

When I buy fresh meat, I freeze in family size portions.  Usually a couple of one pound, then a couple of half pound portions.  And to save a little on meat, I will supplement with black beans & chick peas.  Both like 50 or 60 cents a can.  If I am using cut up or shredded chicken, I give the chick peas a little whirl in the food processor.  (Heh, whirled peas.)  And I do the same with black beans when I am browning ground beef.  I also do about 3 no-meat meals a week.  And if I get a good deal on a nice pot roast or something, I will stretch it out over a couple of days with leftovers.  But I always do something different.  I don’t just re-heat.  One time we ate it 4 days in a row.  First night was just basic sliced, 2nd night, chopped for fajitas, 3rd night I crumbled it in my food processor and made a sort of shepherd’s pie.  And one the 4th day…I put it in cream soup over toast, for breakfast.

We are BIG on the library.  And will return to them as soon as I pay a $26 late fee.

We rarely go to the movies…although AMC is having a summer movie thing where movies are a dollar…and I have been taking Jocelynn for the past few weeks.  Jason and I haven’t been out since Harry Potter was in theaters.  Mom owes me some favors and I will probably cash them in for some babysitting & movie tickets for X-Files. 

We use our A/C all day.  I set it at 79…but it does still run quite a bit.  I wish we could cut down more…but if we opened the windows, our house would very quickly b/c muggy.

Anicah will NOT eat jar baby food.  And I don’t blame her.  I have NEVER seen watery sweet potatoes except in a jar of baby food.  They are totally flavorless!  And I don’t add ANYTHING to her mashed fruits & veggies.  UGH.  Her favorite right now is avocado. 

I made Trinity’s baby food too. It wasn’t even about the money (tho we were poor at the time), it was more about the quality of what I fed her.

Start hitting up Value Village (or any thrift store) for clothes.  You can save a bundle by shopping at the second hand stores.  Mind you for suits and stuff you probably still need to go with new, but for kick around and casual clothes you can save a bundle.

Value Village is awesome!!

We don’t have VV.  But for the girls, I am big on Once Upon A Baby.  They are a really huge consignment store.  I have gotten the MOST awesome clothes for super cheap.  I also go to Ross.  Jason HAS to wear khaki pants & polo/collar shirts to work.  I bought a pair of Lucky Brand jeans for like $11…they were originally over $100.  WAHOO!  I got Jocelynn a cute little shirt & capri legging outfit for $5.  It’s adorable.  And I got a pack of 7 onesies for $3 for Anicah.  They only have 2 snaps at the bottom, and they are plastic…but the material is super soft & they’re really cute.  I found a pair of jeans for $6.50.  It was the first time I had purchased jeans for myself in over a year.  I hardly ever buy “cute” clothes for the girls…I usually stick to the basics.  Jeans, t-shirts, onesies, socks, shorts.  BUT, when I can get really cute outfit for $5 or less, I will grab it.

Although, I am particular about brands for the girls.  I have noticed wal-mart clothes tend to shrink REALLY fast.  They might only get to wear it once before the washer mangles it into unwearability - so no more walmart.  (And I have an awesome washer, so I know it’s the clothes’ fault!)  I like Target…but their sizes seem to be a little “skinny” for Jocelynn.  She’s not chunky even by a little bit, but if I go up a size so it fits better around the waist, they are WAY WAY too long.  And Jocelynn is fairly tall for her age.  Over 42 inches now.  So I will spend an extra few dollars on their clothes if I know they will last a little longer.

hulitoons - 18 July 2008 04:47 AM

1) Cut your daily shower to 10 minutes from 15 minutes?
2) Reduce your home’s water heater setting to 120 degrees from 140 degrees?
3) Brew your own cup of coffee instead of picking up a latte at Starbucks?
4) Prepare your own lunch rather than buying out?
5) Hit the water cooler at work instead of buying bottled water?
6) Carpool or work from home one day a week instead of driving into the office each day?
7) Cut your lawn yourself instead of hiring a lawn service?
8) Polish your nails at home instead of getting a weekly manicure?
9) Order a film from a movie-rental service instead of going to the nearest multiplex?
10) Use compact fluorescent bulbs in your lamps and light fixtures instead of the old incandescent type?

1)  Well, I usually take about five minutes or less when I shower.
2)  I don’t have anything on my water heater that shows the temperature in degrees.  All I have is a knob that ranges from “Extra Hot” through “Hot” down to “Warm”.  I keep it around the middle, which isn’t really all that hot.
3)  Coffee?!?
4)  I make most of my own meals from scratch.
5)  I usually just use a water fountain, or else bring an insulated bottle of water (or tea, or whatever)
6)  I’m about fifteen minutes’ walk from work, when I’m not working at home, so I don’t use my car at all for that
7)  One of my neighbours had a bad accident and is a bit brain-damaged, being more or less the equivalent of a 6-year-old emotionally.  His big joy in life is lawn care, so he mows and rakes my lawn (and most of the others in the neighbourhood).  He’d probably be heartbroken if I started doing it myself.
8)  Errrrrr. . .right. . .
9)  Most of the movies I watch I check out from the public library.  They’re free, unless you go past due in which case they’re ten cents a day.
10)  I live in a building that is listed on the historical registers, and so I’m pretty much stuck with what light fixtures I have.  Most of them are rather old, so that limits what lightbulbs I can use.  I try to use the long-lasting bulbs when I can, though.

Maegan - 18 July 2008 05:33 AM

Shower TOGETHER!

Especially if the other person’s really cute. 

listed for convenience
1) Cut your daily shower to 10 minutes from 15 minutes?
2) Reduce your home’s water heater setting to 120 degrees from 140 degrees?
3) Brew your own cup of coffee instead of picking up a latte at Starbucks?
4) Prepare your own lunch rather than buying out?
5) Hit the water cooler at work instead of buying bottled water?
6) Carpool or work from home one day a week instead of driving into the office each day?
7) Cut your lawn yourself instead of hiring a lawn service?
8) Polish your nails at home instead of getting a weekly manicure?
9) Order a film from a movie-rental service instead of going to the nearest multiplex?
10) Use compact fluorescent bulbs in your lamps and light fixtures instead of the old incandescent type?

1) - I take less than five minutes to shower
3) - I hate the taste of coffee
4) - Haha. My wife and I have a set budget of how much we’re allowed to spend out per week. Since we work at home (not spending money on gas to get to work) eating out is one of the highlights of our day.
5) - Got a water cooler at home 25c per gallon as opposed to 29c per bottle of water (Do people really pay $1 - $1.50 for bottled water?)
6) - I got one better and work from home
7) - Not a chance
8) - Polish my nails????
9) - Movie Rentals? I’ve never rented a movie since arriving in the U.S. I prefer to own. Besides its a day out for my wife and I. Try working from home, you’ll go stir crazy if you don’t get out occasionally. Not to mention that the latest movies are not on DVD yet.
10)- Already do

Accipiter - 18 July 2008 07:11 AM

Maegan - 18 July 2008 05:33 AM

Shower TOGETHER!

Especially if the other person’s really cute. 

I think your shower would go faster if the other person isn’t so cute.