Don't buy prepackaged food. Make it from scratch.

Cook breakfast cereal and pancakes and eggs and waffles. Skip the cold cereal and packaged pop ups and pancakes and waffles.

Don't buy empty calories. No soda pop. No candy. No liquor, no cigarettes. If you want cookies, make them yourself and use some nutritional ingredients such as in oatmeal cookies. Bake cakes from scratch; they taste so much better. Make your own popcorn and don't use those prepackaged microwave bags.

Make scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes from scratch. They are so much cheaper and tastier.

Don't throw out food. Stale bread makes good croutons, French toast, bread crumbs and toast. Left overs make a good lunch. Sliced fried left over boiled potatoes are a good lunch or breakfast side dish. Brew your own coffee and tea.

Eating out in restaurants, even fast food ones, really adds up fast. Plan well to avoid using it as a convenience. It should be a treat instead of a necessity.

The Sunday paper usually pays for itself with all the coupons. (There are no coupons on holiday Sundays usually.)

Juice is not as good for the family as the fruit itself, so don't buy it. Bottled water is the most expensive liquid out there, even more than gasoline. Buy sports bottles and fill them from the tap or the refrigerator.

Really be sure you need all those cleaning products they sell these days. Some I really like, but others are just too expensive.

I know others can add things, and you have many ideas of your own. I am happy that you are enjoying being a SAHM too.

I also learned to give my kids haircuts. I bought a nice pair of hair cutting scissors to be used only for haircuts and an electric trimmer. I paid for them in one or two haircuts. DH finally had me cutting his hair too. Now I cut my grandson's hair too.

Don't buy inexpensive Bathroom Tissue because most people use way more of the thin stuff than the thicker or sturdier brands.

All the different hair care products are the same ingredients. The inexpensive ones do the same job just as good as the expensive ones.

I don't have many savings in coupons either, unless the brands with coupons are on sale. When you shop Aldis and Save A-lot stores you can buy the unknown brands at low prices and get a good quality products. Quality is important so if your unknown brand doesn't come close to the name brand try another. Buying in bulk is a great way to save.

Look for a local grocery co-op or shopping club many times you can get great fresh produce and meats at very good prices.

Try to buy meats in bulk too! Single cut packaged meats in all stores are more expensive than buying larger package deals from many butchers.

Enjoy being a homemaker it is a wonderful life when you get to do the loving work full time.

CT

like shelia joyce said..when you shop, only buy from the primiter of the store...the minute you get coaxed into the center you're in money pit section...

read lables. we loved the idea of hamburger helper, but buying our own pastas gave more servings, and was better for you...

we also shop at sam's/costco. like a couple of weeks ago sams had a whole pork loin on sale at $1.58. (total cost was about $15) i "hand cut" it and repackaged into roast, boneless chops, and crock-pot for pulled pork.

dh still takes his lunch to work.

Do you have space available where you could operate a garden? Nothing beats the taste or nutritional value of stuff a half hour from the vine/bush/ground!

Are there others in similar situation nearby? Some folks like to have a get-together from time to time, to cook up some meals together in bulk for each to take some home ... and have a good chin-wag in the process.

Several people have described on various threads here and on "Money Saving Tips" how a number of commonly available generic materials, e.g. vinegar, baking soda, etc. do as good a job of various cleaning tasks as the expensive cleaners. Some say that they use much less laundry detergemt than the maker recommends and don't have trouble with the laundry coming out poorly cleaned.

Line-drying laundry is much less expensive and more environmentally-friendly than using a dryer ... and some municipal authorities have begun declaring illegal some home-owners' association rules against it.

Do you know someone who has a breadmaker? Maybe have them make some loaves for you, using various ingredients, to see whether your family will accept the different type of bread that they produce. Son and I regularly use 3 cups all-purp. flour and one whole wheat, oatmeal, etc. and I use a couple of tablespoons of flax from my brother's farm that I've ground in my blender. Sometimes we include raisins, cinnamon, dates, etc. and he includes peas, etc. I figure that I can make a 1.5 lb. loaf for under $1.00. And when my friend was riding with me, he found an almost new one put out with the garbage, shortly after I'd bought one for about $7.00 at a yard sale ... and it's the garbage one that I now use. I took a loaf (with ground flax, dates, cinnamon, etc.) to church yard sale last year and they sold it for $4.00.

Now that you have more time, you can study ways to make your money work harder ... some women have said that they've found some ways to make so more eficient use of it that they've found the loss of their income much less burdensome than they'd expected.

When I as a financial advisor discussed the actual cost of some families having the second income, especially with kids in daycare ... when some women saw that they were working for a net after-tax-and-other-costs income of about $3.00/hour ... some of the families did some re-evaluation of their plans ... and whether or not they chose to continue working, they had much more realistic view of the way that their money was working.

Which they carried over into other aspects of the operation of their income and assets, as well. Learning how money works is an interesting hobby ... and it pays well!

We get milk in tall square cartons and I rinse two of them and cut down one side of each, then hold a ruler inside to make a fold down beside the fold on the cut sides of one box, slide the other inside it far enough to hold a business envelope, then staple the sides together. I label twelve envelopes with the months of the year and store store receipts in them. As this (June) month's business goes on, I clip them together in order and as it becomes complete, I'll sort the receipts according to date, put a paper clip (or staple) on them and move the envelope to the back of the box. That will leave the "July" envelope at the front of the box, with last year's July receipts in it. That makes it simple to file a lost receipt that turns up after a few months - I simply drop it into the appropriate envelope.

I remove last July's receipts, put them into another empty envelope, label it "July '08" and file it in a similar box in a different location, that's labelled, "Receipts 2008".

I keep a cash income and expense, plus balance on hand book ... and update it frequently, so that discrepancies between the stated "Balance on hand" and the (usually smaller) amount in my wallet can be reconciled.

I also have this on a large sheet ... with a number of columns to the right labelled variously according to the various types of expenses that I make, and I enter each expense under those columns as well as in the "Expense" column.

That helps me evaluate my expenditures ... sometimes shift some of them ... and helps me prepare a budget for next year.

I buy various items in "Goodwill", "Value Village", etc. ... but, as I can afford to buy new goods, try to not buy things that I think that poor people may want, if there is only a small number/amount of that type of thing, as I don't want to deprive them of something that they may need.

Those are some money-saving ideas that I've been using: I'm sure that you'll receive many others soon.

ole joyful

Plan your meals around the loss leaders in the sales ads. I try to shoot for buying meat at $2/lb or less. Stock up when it's on sale, but only buy as much as you will use. Anything that gets thrown out is wasted money.

Now that you are a SAHM, don't shop for entertainment. Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you need it. Too many people waste money grazing through places like Wal-Mart. Take a list and stick to it. Resist the temptation by avoiding the aisles that that don't contain items on the list.

Find some simpler hobbies. Instead of a gym membership, go walking. If you love movies, check them out from the library or rent one instead of going to the movie theater.

Figure out how to make do with things you already own instead of running out to buy new. Can you get one more wear out of those pair of shoes or another serving by scraping the jar and adding a little water?

I don't buy new books. Paper backs in Canada run around $9.99 now for example - the latest Patricia Cromwell. I'll find it at a used book sale, garage sale or thrift store for 25 cents to $1 the next season and pass it on to someone else to read when I'm done. Same goes for video DVD's. I really don't need to buy the New York Best Seller's List book the week a new book comes out. Of course, the library helps with saving too unless you have a distance to drive.

Cautionary note: Garage sales are great if you don't buy things you really don't need. Hard to do.

I buy Christmas gifts over the year so my pension doesn't take such a hit during the season.

Hi Mickey,
Congratulations on your new decision. My biggest kick right now is making my own liquid laundry detergent. I've been using it for a couple months and I love it! The whole batch (a 5-gallon pail) cost me $1.70 Canadian, so I know you can make it even cheaper in the States.
If you want to make a 1/2 batch the first time, to make sure you like it, it's easily done. Use a kitty litter pail, or a pail that dog treats come in, or ask for an empty pail at a Health Food Store, or Dairy Queen!
I've given this recipe, and some sample jugs to friends, and they all like it.

HOMEMADE LIQUID LAUNDRY DETERGENT

4 cups hot water
1 Ivory or Sunlight bar soap (I prefer the Sunlight)
1 cup washing soda
cup Borax

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan of hot water. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until soap is all melted.

Fill a large kitty litter bucket or 5-gallon pail ½ full of hot water. Add melted soap, washing soda and borax. Stir well until the powder is dissolved. Fill bucket with more hot water.
Stir, cover and let sit overnight.

The next morning the pail will be all gelled and very thick. Stir with a stick to break it up. Fill a laundry jug half-full of the detergent, and top with more water.
Shake before each use.

Use ½ cup for top-load machines, and ¼ for front-load.

Use the thickened, undiluted soap as a pre-treater.

I bet you'll find, in the longrun, money isn't as tight as you think it will be.

I was a teacher, my husband a blue collar worker, when we decided that it was better for me to stay home and raise our family. We made that decision after we added up what it COST for me to go to work (putting us in a higher tax bracket, transportation, union dues, clothes for work, lunches out, child care, all those gifts for coworkers you get roped into buying, etc etc etc). Turned out, that I'd have been working all year for about $2000-3000. NOT enough for me to get up in the morning and walk out the door. And we didn't even add in the intangibles--the money you save by cooking from scratch, by doing the haircuts yourself, by doing the painting, yardwork, etc. If you can do those things, you may actually be coming out ahead by staying home.

We didn't have cable, or cell phones or any fancy plans on our regular phones. Just the basics. That's all you really need. We didn't have internet in those days. I cooked from scratch--even making my own bread. It doesn't hurt anyone to have a meatless meal once or twice a week (mac and cheese, a good hearty soup, vegetable stirfry), and it really helps save on the food budget. And when I do serve meat, I rarely ever serve a 'slab' of it. I'll use a little in a recipe where there are lots of healthy vegetables to extend it--again, a stir-fry; or chicken/vegetables/spaghetti sauce over pasta. My stews are more vegetable than meat. You can serve baked potatoes with a little Chili or BBQ beef and cheese for the topping. Use dry milk for all your cooking/baking--no one can really tell the difference. Make your own stocks--it's basically free, and then use half stock/half milk when making cream/cheese sauces--adds flavor, saves money, and tastes better.

Here's a great tip. Never buy fresh herbs at the grocery store. Instead, head to the garden center and buy a pot of whatever you need. For about the same price, you'll have herbs all summer, instead of just for one meal. And some of them even winter over and come back the next year--BONUS!

Eating out--I know most people will probably advise cutting that out, to save money. But actually, if you have coupons (sign up for all the 'clubs' at the places you enjoy eating), sometimes it can be CHEAPER to eat out than to cook at home. That is the only way we eat out--if we have $10-15 off, or a bogo deal. But if we go out to dinner and pay $12 for one dinner (the other is free), AND if we take half our dinner home (we always do--restaurant portions are way too big), then we get four individual meals for that. At $3/meal, that's pretty economical, don't you think? I know you have to factor in the cost of the kids eating, but I'm just making a suggestion that there are sometimes ways to have the rare night out, without destroying the family budget entirely.
Do your own painting. And honestly? This last year, with having 2 houses to fix up (one to get ready to move to, one to get ready to sell) we've been back to pinching pennies pretty hard. I've been buying Wallmart paint and have been VERY pleasantly surprised by the quality. It's much cheaper than buying name brands and I've found it does an excellant job for me.

Cut back on the products you use--1/4 the recommended amount does a fine job on the laundry. That's all I ever use, along with the shortest wash cycle--and I find my clothes are actually CLEANER than when I was using more detergent and it wasn't all getting rinsed out. Water down stuff like shampoo (about 1/4-1/2 water), liquid detergent, etc. It will still clean, but will last longer. Get the kids used to drinking water in the summer--rather than those 'juice' drinks that are mostly sugar, very little juice, and expensive.

As to coupons--you have to use them carefully. They aren't a saving if they make you buy a higher-priced item or one you wouldn't normally buy anyway. I save them, and only use them when it's something I'd have bought anyway, AND/OR it's on sale.

Cut back on gift-giving. Make gifts when possible. If you can, give a gift of 'time' rather than a thing with a high price tag. For example, for Children's Day, we always made it a family activity day--we'd do something special as a family, not always something pricey, just something we'd all enjoy doing together. Suggestions--invite someone over for a meal, give a gift of food (a cake, plate of cookies, etc), flowers from your garden, a fruit basket you make yourself.

Speaking of your garden--grow your own plants from seed, or get cuttings from friends.

Make Money--
And don't forget--even staying home, there are ways for you to make a few $$$ to add to the family budget. I ALWAYS picked up a little extra along the way. Various things I did to make money--substitute taught (if you don't have a degree, check with your kid's school, they often need other kinds of subs--lunchroom aids, etc); taught summer school and tutored, making and selling crafts, recipe contesting (that one's a good way to put some major $$$ in your pocket if you have the talent) yard sales are a great way to declutter and make a few $$$. I'm not saying those exact activities are right for you--but that there are always ways for a stay-at-home mom to make a few extra $$$. Other mom's I've known have done: child care in their homes, wordprocessing at home, e-bay selling. I knew one man who lost his job, and started cruising the streets on trash night, picking up stuff he could sell at the flea markets--that evolved into a very successful secondhand store over the years, now he's moved up to a very lucrative antique business. All because he wanted to make a few extra $$$. You may want to assess your skills/talents and find a way to make them pay. It's easier than you might think. Just be sure to get things set up properly with your accountant from the start, so that you don't have tax problems down the road.

You'll be fine--it's really not that big a hit to the family budget to have one person home, one working, if you're smart about it. I can tell you're going to be just fine. Enjoy these very special days with your children.

The best way to stretch a dollar is to have a budget. Write down all your fixed expenses first. Mortgage, car costs, insurance, electric, phones, taxes, etc. Then write down your cash expenses. Food, lunches, gas, pocket monet, etc. The expenses must match up with the income. (Make sure a savings deduction comes first). I have a empty checkbook box I use for my cash expenses. I pay my fixed expenses first and the remainder goes in the box. I have each cash category labeled food, lunch, spending money, etc. The cash goes under each labeled category in the box. When it's time to go grocery shopping I take out that week's money and spend no more than allowed.
I make a grocery list at home first. I shop at Whole Foods and I know the price of everything I purchase. I shop fresh foods only with the exception of tomato sauce and rice pasta. I don't buy snack foods, soft drinks, or prepared foods. As I'm preparing my grocery list I put the price next to each item. That way I can tell if I'm close to my budget or going over. When I'm actually shopping I add up the prices as I shop. It's fun, kind of like the "Price Is Right" LOL. It really makes me aware of cost and necessity. I make heathy, flavorful meals. Last night was vegetable, tofu stir fry.
I don't like buying at stores that carry low quality food. I would rather have less food that is high quality than a lot of processed foods. Whole foods salmon is very expensive. I buy their wild salmon ground patties instead at 1/2 the price. The patties are wonderful and give me Omega 3 fats. I don't bother with coupons.
Donna

I was going to try making lye type soap at one time. It seems to me that it is a bit caustic..I googled washing soda and found that it (washing soda or soda ash) can be harmful, so be careful, wear gloves and eye protection. I may want to try this myself. My husband does seem to get rashes though when I use anything but Tide without scents added, he is mostly sensitive to perfumes.

Congratulations on this big change in your life. The tone of your post is so happy. I know you feel like your life is more under control now. I was home with my kids, and it was wonderful.

I don't know if anyone posted about the utilities yet. Can you put a few things on a clothesline when you wash? Of course keep the lights off as much as possible. If you have A/C that will cause your elec to go up this summer. Use fans when you can.

Best wishes.

Check out this link...it is NOT charity but an organization founded simply to help families. Now nationwide. Food is bought in bulk & distributed at a significantly lower price than retail.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

(Be sure to click 'more...' to read how it began, etc.)

Suzi

Lots of great ideas.. check into using natural cleaners rather than 'store bought' not just laundry soap. Here's another site that might give you some more ideas. WiseBread.com

Tammy, congratulations on your decision. Both my daughters are SAHMs, and loving it. I just sent them both the book:
1/2 Price Living by Ellie Kay. Check it out at the library. She has some good tips for living on one income. Also, check out Everyday Cheapskate on the web. You have to pay to join, but you can read some areas (like readers tips) for free and sign up to get her emails for free, I do, and there are good money saving tips.
Also, like Organic Donna, we have started using a cash system for things like gas and groceries. I put X amount of cash in an envelope on payday. DH and I are both recently retired, so we get our retirement checks at the first of the month. I kept track of our expenses for a few months, averaged how much we spend on groceries, etc (way too much on groceries for two of us by the way, all the things we just grabbed when we were using checks or debit cards. So i put the money in an envelope, budget carefully, make lists and stick to them, and when it is gone it is gone. I do use coupons, smartly, only cut out the ones you use, watch for double coupon stores, and combine the coupon with a store sale and you will save.

Best of luck to you and your family.

Goody for you. I have always been a stay at home mom and loved it. We did without things as time went along but it never bothered the kids. I had a jar that I saved change in and this is where the fun things came from. When we had a nice amount we did something fun.

I never use paper towel, I use cut up rags. Seldom use paper plates either. I have always cut back on using paper products. Trade coupons with friends and family. Often ones are thrown away that you or others can use. I stock up on really good sale items. I try to buy all my cleaning products and can goods in the summer when they are on sale to keep from buying them when the heat bill goes up. For instance this week a store had tomatoe juice on sale for 79 cents for the large can. I bought enough to make all my soups for the winter. I have all my laundry soap, fabric softner and cleaning ( 401 was half price along with a 50 cent coupon that was doubled, I got it for 39 cents)supplies already bought for the winter. I buy one large package of paper towels just for emergency cases. This will last me a very long time. Not having to buy these type of things when the heat bill goes up is a huge savings.

You migh consider babysitting for a few people to help bring in alittle. I did this and it helped so much. You can sit your own time and do as much as you want.

I wish you the best and I know you will figure it all out.
It just takes a little bit of time.. Just have fun doing it..

Susie

When I was young I was very frugal and saved like many of you have mention, but now I am 72 and living frugally is not high on my list of priorities. I am on the down hill side of my life and I am enjoying our savings. I have one trip coming up on July 9 another on Jul 29th. I am the only senior I know that can sift modes, from save to spend. My sisters are still saving for a rainy day and I told them at our ages, it is pouring down rain outside.
LOL I will stop rambling now.

I agree - you do sound so happy and positive about your decision to stay home with your children, etc. Congratulations to you.

I never pay full price for a magazine. I love home decorating, etc. type magazines and they, like all others, are expensive. I buy them at garage sales or the thrift stores - usually 4-5 for $1.00. Sunday newspapers will pay for themselves by using the food coupons in them. Unless, like someone else mentioned, having a coupon causes you to buy something that is higher priced than another brand, etc.

Try a lot of different generic/store brands. Some your family won't be able to tell the difference but others? It's worth the difference in cost for no waste. (A purchase years ago of some type of storebrand "Velveeta" cheese comes to mind.......LOL) My grown kids still kid me about it. Yuck! LOL

Good luck. I figure you guys will do just fine and be a lot more relaxed and happy by your decision.

Barter!
Say the dog needs grooming, I bet you could barter some of your computer expertise for a grooming.
To me I'd barter for computer help alone! LOL
I bet you have plenty of other areas you could trade too.

I also planted deciduous trees on the hot, sunny side of the house. They shade the house during hot weather, and in the winter their leaves fall and the sun warms the house on cold days.

Don't buy new cars because you lose thousands of dollars just driving it off the lot. Buy great condition used cars, and drive them till they reall need replacing.

Also, remember, if your family does not like a particular dish, it is not saving you money to throw most of it out. I think sometimes you can go too far in skimping on the food bill and either buy too large a package at a bog box store and throw a lot out or tire of it, or cut out too much flavor with a frugal version.

As a former SAHM and as a housewife now, my best money saving tips:

No or almost no pre packaged foods

laundry on the line, with the bonus of a GREAT smell

walking or bike riding for exercise, and for short trips to the store, when we lived in walking distance

collect the water at the faucet that runs till it gets hot, and use it to water plants, or to flush the toilet

dish rags and dish towels as well as wash rags rather than paper towels

eat at home

close the curtains/blinds on the sunny side of the house

Bet, some of these have been mentioned, but I didn't read the above tips yet.

Play with your kids. LOTS! They grow up and are gone before you know it. Enjoy them.

Moni

Uses for White Vinegar (buy it in the gallon jug)

Use it in place of fabric softener - same amount, put in the same place.

White vinegar with equal amount of water in spray bottle for washing windows.

For cleaning floors, use about 1/4 cup in about a gallon of water.

FOOD
__________
Never throw out leftovers: Make Soup Out of it!
Keep a plastic zip-loc bag in the freezer to put all into it: EXAMPLES:
~the juice when I drain canned chicken
~small amounts of vegetables (all kinds)
~small amounts of all kinds of meat, beef, chicken, hot dogs, burgers, sausage, eggs, meat loaf, etc.
~raw veggies, carrots, celery, broccoli, etc.
~speghetti sauce, salsa, macaroni&cheese,
~ you chopped too many onions, put it in the bag!

No kidding I have made some of the best soups this way, unfortunately they will never be made the same again.
I always add some pepper (salt?) thyme, garlic, and sometimes chilli powder. If there isn't enough of these important items, then I add them fresh -- onions, celery, carrots. Those are just a must in a soup.

GARAGE SALES - are great, but plan it out by using the adds (either in the paper or on the computer. If you do too much running around, you waste your savings on gas.
Remember you don't need as much in clothing when you are staying home.

I found that making a menus up for a week or two, all three meals and snacks, and then doing my shopping from the menus.
Also I bought two books.....Make a Mix I and Make a Mix II....made my own bisquit mix, cookie dough mix, etc and kept them in the refrigerator or freezer as directed.
One of the things I do now to save money is bake a chicken and having it for dinner one night, then remove the meat and cook the carcass in chicken broth or water with onions, carrots and celery and have the base for chicken soup. I can add left over rice or add noodles or potatoes or what ever I happen to have around. Part of the meat from the carcass will be used in the soup and part of it for chicken salad or a chicken casserole.
I hope you have a freezer besides the one with your refrigerator.....makes buying in bulk or making your own mixes easier to store.
I use a vacuum sealer (Food Saver) a lot and the one I have now came from Good Will for less that 6 dollars.
Let us know how you are doing. I am so happy you get to stay home and enjoy your children. Time well spent.

Thank you so much for all the advice/tips, book referrals, website links, and recipes. I'm going to test a lot of these out. Unfortunately, we aren't allowed to have clothes lines where we live, or I would definitely do that to save $. I'm going to write down the suggestions here in a notebook I have tonight.
Thank you so much!
Tammy

Much of the above advice became a way of life when I became a SAHM when the 2nd kid was 1 (we had 2 more.) The one thing that hasn't been mentioned that I SWEAR by is, BUY a freezer! Like I said, way of life, even with the kids all adults & the oldest GK already 11 -- the 15 cf freezer saves big bucks. Recently, I bought pork loin (whole loin) for $1/lb!! (Bought 30 lbs., cut it up myself) When chicken legs were .49/lb. (loss leader) I wrapped 15# into meal-sized portions. And then there's the leftovers. That cup of chili no one ate. 1 lonely grilled chicken breast. Anything that's been cooked & left in the fridge for 3 days gets frozen in individual servings. And then we have nice microwaved lunches! Oh, and when the basil goes ballistic, I make pesto and freeze it. It REALLY pays for itself, especially when it saves you trips to the store.

The public library is my frugal tip. Books and audiobooks, music CD's, and movies (often for a full week) - you already know about those. What you may not know about is that many libraries offer passes to local museums and fun their own (usually free) kid programs (especially if you have young kids). Mine even has video game rentals.

I also subscribe to a family newsletter showing all sorts of things to do in Boston and the surrounding areas. I'm always surprised at the number of free or very inexpensive things that are listed. (Even things like Let's Clean Up the Beach Day are fun when shared with your family and like-minded people from the community and then followed by a picnic lunch.)

Congratulations on becoming a SAHM. And congrats on keeping your home nice and clean. I worked all the time my kids were growing up. I left my four month old daughter with a babysitter, I didn't get to see her first steps. Can you imagine the heartache? Take good care of your kids. Don't let them drink sodapop. Water is the best drink, and limit the fruit juice, too. Too much apple juice rots the theet. Believe me, I know.

I was always a stay at home Mom. I would make menus, but not for a certain day. I would use those menus whenever there were certain things on special at the store. Another thing is when you are baking, if a cake, bake two of them at a time if your oven is big enough. Freeze the second one with out frosting for another time. Put the icing on when you take it out of the freezer. Of course bake whatever to use at a later time and freeze, it seems a waste of energy to only bake one item in the oven. Or if a cake is too big for your family, bake it in cupcakes and freeze what you aren't going to use. Lots of ways to save and over time you will learn on your own. I used to buy my flour in 25 pound bags but I don't do that any more. I don't know if it is cheaper to make a cake from scratch or to buy the mix. I freeze all my leftover bananas, just put them in a freezer bag, peel and all and make them into cakes, breads, pancakes or whatever you like even good in a smoothie or milkshake. (removing the peeling first) Good luck, I know you will do well.

Sue

I'm a slow learner in the fugalness (is that a word)? Anyways I am trying just because we have so many things that have gone wrong lately and breaking and cost lots to fix.....the best thing I have done.....make a menu......plan out your meals go to walmart or where ever you grocery shop only that day.....I even buy my milk and bread when we run out at just the little convience store that is only 4 miles to us since it seems when I get into walmart or elsewhere I end up just buying because I want it......I also ride the mule or moped to that store as they get the best gas mileage for us.
I too have become a garage saler....I bought all my summer shorts and shirts at them and they were all name brand for next to nothing (since I have out grown last years LOL)....
And being a readacholic I am now not buying books in the store but at the garage sales etc......Congrats on staying home......I am so happy for you...Stacy

Try using the Twin-Shelf Principle
The twin Shelf principle
How your twin shelf works for you.
Just keep "two" of everything on the shelf and keep replacing any used-up articles as soon as youve taken them off the shelf. In replacing the missing "twin" be sure to put the new one at the back. By following this simple plan, your self-invited cooking emergencies belong to the past: they can never happen again: you are playing safe. Remember your twin shelf is an active, lively pantry of stable staples.Use it constantly. Keep it alive, replace any missing "twin" next time you go shopping.

HERE ARE SOME MORE TWIN-SHELF ADVANTAGES
: all items are
- basic and indispensable to your cooking and meal serving
- are easy to store (at room temperature, in a cool dry place) only opened cans may need - cold storage
- are ready for use on the spur of the moment
- may be bought during special sales.
- Require very little shelf space if the "two or each" are placed one in back of the other.

This utilizes 6 shelves

Top Shelf
Contains various beverages to serve hot or cold
Items 1-6

Shelf Two
Contains twin foods that go with beverages; then twin-salad ingredients
Items 7-14

Shelf Three
Contains more salad ingredients; twin foods such as catsup and chili sauce that add taste to simple dishes.
Items 15-23

Shelf Four
Contains, first, three twin foods to add taste to your dishes; then crackers for TV Snacks, unexpected guests, and when you run out of bread; and flour and cornstarch for 101 uses.
Items 24-29

Shelf Five
Contains, first, four twin foods for jiffy dishes; also bouillon cubes and consommé for jiffy soups.
Items 30-36

Shelf Six
All the foods here are favorites with children.
Items 37-43
Supplies on the twin-food Staple Shelves
1 Regular Coffee
2. Instant coffee
3. Regular tea bags
4. Instant tea bags
5. Regular cocoa
6. Instant Cocoa
7. Instant Cream
8. Sugar
9. Oil
10. Vinegar
11. Salt
12. Black Pepper (ground)
13. Paprika
14. French Dressing
15. Salad Dressing Mix
14. Mayonnaise
17. Tomato Catsup
18. Mustard
19. Chili Sauce
20. Steak Sauce
21. Tabasco sauce
22. GratedCheese
23. Relish
24. Pickles
25. Olives
26. cranberry sauce
27. Crackers
28. Flour
29. Cornstarch
30. Biscuit Mix
31. Instant Pudding dessert
32. Gelatin Dessert
33. Quick-cooking rice
34. Bouillon Cubes
35. Consommé (condensed)
36. Cigarettes (remember this was 1956)
37. Marshmallows
38. Peanut Butter
39. Chocolate Flavored Syrup
30. Raisins
41. Cookies
42. Soft Drink Powders
43. Milk shake powders

Of course you will want to add to this list your own personal taste and needs .
Home Baking: All-purpose flourand cake flours, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tarter, dry yeast; flavorings extracts and spices for baking such as cinnamon, ground nutmeg etc.
For unexpected guests: sardines, spreads, a few cans of potatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, baked beans, mints, candles and nuts.

I SO wish more people could comprehend the value of a SAH parent. Either one, I don't care which, but I just think it's indescribably superior to having a daycare center and school system raise kids. Congratulations and best wishes on your new adventure.

Keep in mind this doesn't necessarily prohibit you from taking an odd job to bring in a little extra if you want. Many situations let you work out of the home. That's an option.

My suggestions and trying to avoid duplication if possible: Do you really need satellite TV? Do you really need contract cell phones? Look into prepaid cell phones. Even if just for one, it could be a substantial savings. At home you could use the landline more and having a prepaid with you for emergencies can cut the cost to just a few dollars a month. You could still hang some clothes inside to dry, especially in the winter months. Another savings is to start a price book or list. Start modestly. Jot down in a notebook the prices you're paying for items you buy every trip or nearly every trip. This can add up. Just because something says "sale" doesn't mean it's cheaper.

The library is your friend! I can't see buying books and magazines. Make a recreational outing with the kids to the library and use it. You'll be amazed at the things available including discount passes for museums if you like that. One set of books I do recommend buying for someone serious about frugality would be the Tightwad Gazette series but you could get them from the library and look them over. Don't use it with the idea of following each tip and recipe though. Use it to help adjust your thought process. Start thinking do I REALLY need this instead of I'm out of something. It's light reading, rather humorous at times too. Some things I go ewww, but others I've been doing for years.

Live with less. The less you have, the less you have to dust, repair and maintain. Watch gift buying. Make things. Enjoy the simple things in life such as a sunrise or sunset with someone you care about and the peacefulness of looking at the stars. Educational too.

Many things like cleaners can be made more frugal. Use 1/2 the amount of shampoo and conditioner. Your hair will likely be as clean and then, do you really need the conditioner? If you need to trick yourself, dilute the cleaners.

Menu planning can be a godsend in many ways. Don't have to rack your brain to decide what's for supper tonight. Look at the menu. Some use the if it's Monday it's spaghetti or you could use a monthly plan. Not as hard as it would seem. I'll bet if you jot down what you've had the last 2 months there'd be a lot of repeats in there.

Set up a pantry if you haven't already. Keep basic staples so you don't have to run out to the store. Multitask when you make trips. Gas can be a waste, plus it takes life off your vehicle.

MIND YOUR FINANCES! Pay your bills on time, don't run up credit cards, avoid interest and finance charges. You can pay off a mortgage early by making additional principle payments and save a lot of interest.

Have a family vacation at home. Take the kids camping in the back yard. Get creative.

Once a week or once a month cooking can be helpful in many ways. Putting together a lasagna? Make two and freeze one. You now have dinner to go in the oven in a week or two. I like keeping cooked hamburger in the freezer. Sometimes I'll cook it with onions. I've done 5# at a time and I have meal basics for: pizza topping, sloppy joes, soup, stew, chili, pizza burgers, tacos and more. And I only clean up the grease mess one time.

Powdered milk works great for cooking and can save money if it's the right price. Plus it's a pantry item.

Use less heat and air conditioning. Put on a sweater in the winter. Use a fan in the summer. Cut down on or discontinue watering the lawn. Let it go dormant. It will come back. Wash full loads of laundry. Quit using fabric softener. Vinegar works well but it's not always needed. I have hard water and don't use softener and my clothes are soft. Don't overdose the laundry detergent and you'll save money many ways.

There are things that work for me that won't work for you. There are things that work for you that won't work for me. Keep in mind the goal of frugality. This isn't a cheapskate, tightwad or penny-pinching situation, it's getting VALUE for your money. If you can truly justify spending more, spend more. Sometimes it can save in the long run. But buying kids $200 shoes that they'll grow out of in two months is not getting good value.

Learn to DIY. Start small and work up. Changing oil on the vehicles isn't difficult and can save quite a bit. I think it's enjoyable too so it's a recreational activity. Household repairs, sew on a button, replace a shoelace instead of a pair of shoes.

Instead of a night out at the movie theater, watch a tv movie or maybe rent a couple. Make popcorn, lemonade and turn off the phones. This is frugal family fun time. Or invite the neighbors for a game of Monopoly or cards, coffee and snacks.

Set your own traditions. Don't do things just because we've always done it that way. Do things your way now.

Good luck on your new adventure! And yes, enjoy and savor the moments.

I forgot also Tammy we planted a garden this year and as every year I grow herbs.....wow what a money saver on herbs....I am even thinking that for winter I will buy a aero garden even though they are expensive in the long run...I think I could recoup my dollars...and nothing beats fresh herbs.....Stacy

Heythese are all good tips I'm printing some out for me!!

As for drying clothes. Are yyou in a house or an apartment? Alot of people run their towels etc thru a cycle to get most of the moiisture out then hang them on the fold up dryer racks in the basement ofr in the dining room etc.

Another point I found when raising my kids on my own was to make sure I didn't give them the impression that we were poor or destitute. Keep a happy face make gme out of saving and you'll be ok

Since you may have more time, you might want to research your insurance coverage. My better half saved us a great deal of money last year by shopping around. We are still with a National well known and well rated company, but the home and car rates are much better than with the company we had been with for years.

I after reading this thread am really looking at my life...How I have always lived....money is not tighter...DH makes a awesome living....but you know what....I could help by NOT spending like I do....we always have money in the bank and savings and his 401k....bu wow.....if I WOULD LEARN TO BE MORE FURGAL.... cheap etc...like cynic pointed out but just more money minded we would have even more....one great thing today was....the watering the lawn he mentioned...now I will never ever stop watering my back yard....to me it is my PARK my haven for living....but I went to my wading pool the water was hot...I just drained it from the side......do you knwo how many plants I could have waterd with what i wasted??????? I do because we have rural water bought from the city when we are not even home....out on the road our bill is 40.00 that is not encluding trach or septic.......just water......go figure....so today just drainging my little pool was probably by the time I refilled 15.oo dollars....now I could have water alot of flowers with that.....I love learning and I have never been a money saver never watched a penny but i need to learn...it is the smart thing to do...glad you started this thread Tammy! Stacy

We don't throw away worn clothing. These go into the rag box. The soft cotton undershirts gets used for car washing and polishing; Absorbent rags are used for under-hood auto servicing. The stronger, non-absorbent, rags are used in the garden for ties, hanging onions, stc.

Flatten large carboard boxes, lay on the garage floor, and slide under the engine compartment to catch drips.

Got an old air matress, the type that has a cloth cover, but now leaks. Roll the air our of it and fold flat for storage. These make good kneeling pads, or unroll the flat matress to provide a place to lay on the cold gagage floor for cold weather auto service.

Got an old coat that is shabby. Hang it in the garage and wear it for dirty jobs.

Drape old coats and jackets on the fenders of your car when performing under-hood work to protect the paint.

Got an new electric skillet, but the old one still works and is yet safe. Use it as tool warmer for work in the winter. Use it only if you can set it low enough not to burn your skin.

I agree with Donna, make a written budget and stick to it. Allow so much for "fun" money out of it too because more than likely you're going to spend it anyway and you need to be accountable for it so you know where your money is going.

I allot myself/kids $100 a pay period to just blow on whatever. So much for food, don't go over the amount so before shopping you need to write down what you plan to buy and keep a running total either with a calculator or by rounding off in your mind. I allot $200 a pay period for food and other household items like toilet paper, shampoo and other necessities.

Movies, eating out comes out of the "fun" money. Up until I decided to give up sugar I was still buying an occational white chocolate mocha at Starbucks on my way to work. It came out of the fun money.

It's amazing when you do a budget how much extra cash you come up with that you were just blowing. 2 1/2 years ago I was living paycheck to paycheck. I had a good paying job and so it was frustrating not having anything left after paying my bills. I decided it was time to get out of debt and started trying to pay off my debts one at a time. Then at the end of the first year I started listening to Dave Ramsey on the radio, I started doing a written budget and paid off as much in six months as I did over the whole previous year.

I still have a ways to go and went off his plan a year ago to save for our upcoming trip, using the same budgeting principles. The whole trip is being done with cash. Get rid of credit cards and other loans because that's what eats away your money like it's nothing.

I have 3 loans now besides my house payment and those 3 will be gone before the end of the year.

Plan for birthday gifts and Christmas by saving for it each paycheck. Less likely you will have to charge those gifts at the last minute. Same with vacations.

Oh, and if you blow the budget one pay period don't throw your hands up and give up saying it doesn't work, because you're going to mess up every once in a while.

Have fun staying at home and enjoy your kids while you can. Sooner than you think they will be teenagers and heading off to college. ) :

I believe that I saved a ton of money when my kids were growing up by rarely buying boxed cereal. I made Malto Meal, Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat almost every morning. Note, the Oatmeal was the cooked variety, not instant packaged. Healthier for them and a box that costs approximately 2.99 today would last for many breakfasts.

Sometimes I made french toast or pancakes with sausage or bacon just for a change. I also had a pan that was used for poached eggs that the kids really enjoyed occaisionally. But most of the time it was hot, cooked cereal. My friends and co-workers thought it was unusual and didn't it take a long time? No, it takes about 5 minutes but I don't leave the stove area when it's cooking. It generates the same amount of bowls you'd have if they'd had cereal and just one pan which I'd fill with water and wash later on in the day. On the plus side, my kids did not become addicted to sugar laden cereal. In my older age I have found steel cut oats which is oatmeal in a pure form and I eat it almost everyday. I am almost 50 and have great cholestoral numbers.

Congratulations! I believe you are going to love staying home and your children and husband will reap the benefits.

Here are a few suggestion that may help.
1. Don't throw away margarine tubs away. Reuse them for leftovers or snacks for kids.
2. Instead of buying prepared snacks for kids. Make your own with veggies or crackers. Peanut butter crackers premade or carrot sticks, celery sticks with peanuts butter down the middle and raisins dotted on the peanut butter,(we called celery with p/b and raisins, ants on a log), and my kids loved them. I guess it was because of the funny name. LOL. You can even have your children help make their own snacks up ahead of time. Even if they just help zip up snack in ziploc bag and place in frig after you have prepared it for a later time.
3. Go to the dollar store and get indivual size serving bowls with tops that are microwavable. Then when you make your dinner cook twice as much as you would normally eat and make up little dinners for you and your children for lunches for the following week or when you just don't have time to cook or don't want to. Freeze
4. Subscribe to your local paper. Then build your menu around the specials of stores that are located nearest each other. If it is too much for you to shop more than one store, shop the store with the best bargains and build your menu around the best bargains. If possible buy more than one.
5. Find out free activities for your children in your area. Like library time at the county library. Often they will have someone come in and read to the children, especially in the summer. Matinees in the summer where they will have kid movies and they will be cheaper.
Do a search where they may be a church or recreational dept with fun activities for your children. Research.
6. We buy alot of our plants at the local rehabilitation home, and the local technical school at a huge savings. Find out if you have one in your area and when they sell their plants. That might be a good activity for your children also.
7. I reuse all my plastic bags. Bags that my bread came in, bagels, etc.
8. Remember it is not what you earn that counts, but what you save. (:-)

Thank you again for all these great tips. It's been fun reading this thread!
I don't have a freezer but am going to watch for one to go on sale this summer.
And I get the Monday weekly paper with the sales ads free on Tuesdays, and I do use that to buy the loss-leaders. I do plan out meals as well, I've been doing that for a while actually.
I started out writing these tips down in a notebook, but there are so many good ones, that I'm just going to print the whole thread out and save it in a folder instead.
Thanks again for all of your help!
I do like the

I've always loved Mom's mayonnaise on her creamed salads, egg salad sandwiches. She told me she makes her own.
She gave me the recipe yesterday and it is soooo good. And extremely easy. It has the flavour of Miracle Whip Salad Dressing, not the Hellman's Mayonnaise.
Being homemade it won't last as long as the purchased stuff though.