<p>The local credit union has a coin counting machine that charges about 4%. The ones in the grocery store charge about 8%.</p>
<p>Garland, what bank does it for free?</p>
<p>I must say, CC folks can be awesomely frugal!!</p>
<p>One thing that I could do is to shop for the day’s evening meal, like an earlier poster does. I can’t tell you how many times I buy all the fixings for a meal and then forget to make it.</p>
<p>Our grocery store has a coin machine that charges for getting cash back but does gift cards for free. I am thinking the kids may get some Gift cards for Christmas!</p>
<p>The number one way i save money is staying home and out of the stores and mall</p>
<p>Number 2 makes number one easy…my husband doesn’t give me any money!!!</p>
<p>(not really- but he sure does NAG about every dime…which takes all the fun out of it)</p>
<p>TJ Max sale rack is always a good savings as well.</p>
<p>ellemenope, I do not know if there is one in our area, but Commerce Bank has not charged us for bringing in unwrapped coins.</p>
<p>Additional ways we save: Years ago we cut down on gardening costs. We unfortunately cannot handle our lawn and garden care ourselves, but we do as much as we can to cut those expenses. I do 90% of the pruning. There is a bit of pruning that either my H has to do, or I do need the landscaper to do. My H fertilizes and puts down weed killer himself. We have the landscaper mow the lawn, but when the grass grows slowly in August, we cut back on the number of cuts.</p>
<p>We shovel our own driveway and walkways with a snow blower that bought years ago, and we split the cost with our neighbor. The neighbors moved out years ago to a warmer climate where they no longer had use for the snow blower, so its ours. At least 50% of the people around us pay a snow removal service. We have never used one.</p>
<p>H never buys a tie anywhere but a favorite discount store. Why pay $50+ for a silk tie, when you can pay $8-10 for a silk tie?</p>
<p>Stocked up on my winter hand/skin lotions last July. Instead of paying $15-20 for some of these, everything was under $4 on clearance. </p>
<p>I don’t do this, but my mother find the following a good way to save. She wears glasses, and she does not want to pay $100+ for eyeglass frames, especially when they are not great quality. She goes to high end stores, buys sunglass frames on sale (designer frames), and then she takes them to an optometrist and asks them to put her Rx. She saves the receipt and does not cut off the ticket until she knows this can be done. She says that the eyeglass stores make a face to indicate that they are not thrilled to do this, but they do it and she claims she saves money.</p>
<p>I also do much better with grocery shopping if I have a list. What works best (though I am not organized enough to do it every week) is make up a week’s menu and then shop for all the ingredients once a week. Sometimes something comes up and I don’t make a dish, but can usually just move it ahead in the schedule or freeze the meat until the next week.</p>
<p>Ellemenope–It’s a local savings bank. They still believe in old-fashioned service. I switched to it when my Big Bank turned itself into a “finance center” and kept trying to sell me stuff, when all I wanted was to deposit my check.</p>
<p>It still has lots of real-life tellers, so you never wait in line long if you go in person ( offers online, too), and does not charge for using other banks’ ATMs.</p>
<p>they are a huge community presence too, helping support the library, Little League, etc. Ya know, how local businesses used to be. (Some still are, of course, but you dn’t see it much with banks.)</p>
<p>As far as coins, you hand them the bag and a deposit slip; they count them in the machine, then deposit it (the one caveat is they don’t give you the cash back–I can live with that.) No charge at all.</p>
<p>I see movies for free, as I write up a short 10 minute report on movie theater employees after the movie. If anyone is interested, here is the company’s web site: </p>
<p>[tns</a> media intelligence / tes](<a href=“http://www.tnsmi-tes.com/]tns”>http://www.tnsmi-tes.com/)</p>
<p>mkm56 - would you please pm me with info on the surveys too ? :)</p>
<p>our family…to save money …</p>
<p>buying more grocery items at aldi’s
clipping coupons
buying less meat and cheese
try to do errands on the far side of town on the same day
use programmable thermostats
will burn wood in our fireplace insert to supplement the heat (therefore, keeping the thermostat heat setting down)
turning lights out when not in the rooms
going to fewer movies out…instead, more dvd’s at home instead, going to library for books and dvd’s
definitely not eating out (sit down dining) as much…instead, cooking many more meals at home
definitely staying closer to home, less travel (not driving to one nearby city as often as we would have in the past)
staying home more and out of the stores
for entertainment, staying home more and outdoor recreation nearby
do look for cheaper gas prices around town</p>
<p>Thank you toledo! I just signed up.</p>
<p>I forgot one that was a real leap of faith at first- I get my hair cut for $8.00 at the local beauty school. I hold out as long as I can for pedicures, but when I do get one, I pay $12.00.</p>
<p>I order eyeglasses from zennioptical.com Paid $70 for frameless no-line bifocals.</p>
<p>–bought flannel sheets for the beds
–we keep the thermostat low–62-65 degrees
–cash in our coin more often
–only charge on the credit card if we know we can pay in full when the bill comes
–here’s the big one ladies—letting my hair go gray–so now I only pay for haircuts rather
than haircut and color. Saving money was a bonus. I really decided to do this because
I didn’t like the idea of putting those chemicals in my hair every 6-8wks.<br>
–haven’t gone on a vacation in over 5 years</p>
<p>vderon - beauty school…me too…not for haircuts…but for pedicures, manicures, and highlighting.</p>
<p>shop tj maxx too.</p>
<p>nysmile–I agree with the gray–I am happily heading there, never have dyed it–I also don’t like the idea of the chemicals or the expense. I also have never gotten a manicure.</p>
<p>I cut my H’s hair,and was cuttiing S’s, till he started growing it lonnnggg. I get mine cut by a neighbor who does it in her basement.</p>
<p>Years ago, when a former neighbor moved out of state, he offered us his woodstove - we took it and it has been in our barn ever since! Now, like condor, we are converting one of our ornamental gas fired fireplaces and inserting the woodstove in time to heat with that this winter.</p>
<p>I got a nice, BIG toaster oven at a church sale that I use quite a bit nowadays instead of firing up the big gas stove (who would have thought that would ever be cheaper in high-electricity cost NY, but now it is!). Might have to do all the holiday baking in the church kitchen with the ladies!!</p>
<p>The old toaster oven, crockpot and used coffeemaker are now in the office - our group rotates bringing in a healthy lunch for everyone and we make our own coffee, sure beats the $4.00 Starbucks and $8.00 sandwiches, and we don’t have to go out into the snow (yes, it did snow here last night - didn’t stick though, but its coming!)</p>
<p>nysmile - I am considering going “au naturale” myself with regards to the hair, but I think I will shock too many people - they will probably just think it was a reaction to the first tuition bill!!</p>
<p>Snow??? AHHHHH. (sorry, just not ready to hear that yet.)</p>
<p>After to close to 4 years of tuition payments, I have actually decided it is time to spend some money. By my normally cheap standards, I have spent a lot of money on photography equipment. If you are considering any major purchases in the next couple of years, now might be the best time. There are a lot of really good bargains available.</p>
<p>Oh, and after the clocks change (easier to train my body to wake up earlier) - I’ll be taking the bus to work - $1.00 each way, you can’t go wrong, I have that new Wally Lamb book to read!</p>
<p>I went au naturale with the hair ( actually an expensive process as I had it foiled back to my natural color a couple years ago), except I hated it- so I still do it myself- but with henna.</p>
<p>It does take all morning- but it lasts almost a month and doesn’t hurt the hair.
[Henna</a> for Hair](<a href=“http://www.hennaforhair.com/]Henna”>http://www.hennaforhair.com/)</p>
<p>rachacha - you’ll love the wood stove ! warning - you’ll find yourselves taking many naps in such a warm, cozy room. my family loves it ! and the dog too !</p>
<p>Ways I saved money</p>
<p>I don’t have cable
If we are going somewhere less than 15 blocks we walk.
I use the rain water to water my plants ( it’s better too for them).
I don’t buy any trendy clothes.
I don’t go to the beauty parlor. I get my hair cut at the barber shop.
I don’t like Hollywood made movies but my H take the kids usually in the middle of the week when it’s cheaper.
I don’t go to fast food places.
We eat out once a week.
I usually keep the thermostat at 65.
I grocery shop everyday (I grew up like that). I don’t believe in bulk shopping. I think it will make my kids overweight.
I prefer oatmeal over most of the cereals on the market today.
I cook everyday.
I don’t pay for college visit unless if it’s a train ride away.</p>