Our family is no exception.  Dadisodes and I had a good cry last week, post 401K check in.  I am also updating my resume, just.in.case.  As our family buckles down to do a bit of belt-tightening, I figured why not share some of the ways we’re doing it here and get feedback.

13 Ways to Pinch a Penny While Feeling the Pinch

1) Eat out less and cook more meals at home.

2) Give meals longevity by preparing larger portions to save energy or gas, and leftovers can be spread out to other meals.

3) Starbucks (Starcrack).  Make it at home, or opt for the regular brew.   Having a regular $4.50 cup of Joe adds up to $90/month, and over $1000 per year.  A cup of the regular stuff is usually about half the price of the fru-fru brews.

4) Drink more water.  Alcohol, coffee, and juice can really add up.

5) Ride a bike or walk.

6) Purchase store brand versus name brand (example: We love the cushiony clouds of Charmin, but buying the store brand can sometimes cut the cost of bathroom tissue in half).

7) Shop second hand/thrift stores and garage sales.

8 ) Make fewer trips- Plan an itinerary ahead of time to prevent leaving the house for multiple trips.  I’m also purchasing many items I would normally buy at Target at my grocery store.  Not only does it save gas, it also keeps me away from Target, where I tend to spend an extra $50 bucks on stuff I never intended to buy.

9) Vacation delay- The cost of a vacation can be a heavyweight on any budget.  Until the economy mellows out, and job security is more certain, we’re holding off on any extravagant vacations.

10) Do-it-yourself toys and gifts.

11) Library- Rather than purchasing books, check out local libraries for titles (even new releases).  Most libraries have on-line systems where you can search for and reserve books, CD’s and DVD’s from home.

12) Hold off on big purchases or investments. Dadisodes and I share a small car and recently moved into a home.  Although we could certainly use another vehicle and furniture, we’re keeping our coins in the bank for now.

13) Stay home.  It seems every time we leave the house, we spend money.  So we’re spending more quality time at home listening to music, reading, or playing our 5,230th game of Candy Land.

How about you?  Are you and your family taking measures to pull back on spending? Do you have any tips to share?  Please share them in the comments below.

Throughout my life, one rule has seeped deeply into the nooks and crannies of my brain (mainly by my mother)- never borrow money from someone else. In her mid 20’s, my mom had the financial burden of a hefty home mortgage, 2 children, 2 car payments, and 2 non-English speaking elderly parents. My father also contributed his share to the mile high bills, but the breadwinner was often my mother offering a steady salary and benefits. She never asked for help from anyone. Until this day, every conscious decision in my mother’s life revolves around the question, “is it financially sound?”

Over time my mother’s financial threads helped me to weave my own monetary fibers. I learned the value of saving at an early age. Despite years of begging for Guess jeans, ID shirts, and Nike shoes, she eventually taught me the true value of things (translation- I never owned designer anything). I never borrowed a penny from anyone until college and needed a student loan to pay for tuition. Six days after I wore my cap and gown I began work in a hospital. I worked the graveyard shift in the worst hospital setting of my career. 50 hours a week for a year, just to pay back my loan in full. Since then I traveled across the country, purchased a car and a house on my own. No help from anyone.

Then…I got married, and a joint account emerged.

Five weeks after the birth of Babisodes, I immediately returned to work. Since the age of 16, I’ve had a paycheck. If there was rent to pay, I worked and paid for it. If I needed comfortable work shoes that cost a fortune, I worked overtime and paid for it. However, now I’m a stay-at-home mom. There is no timesheet to fill out or time clock to punch out with. I don’t get a mandatory 15-minute break, or have someone to fill-in while I pee. Most importantly, there is no paycheck.

Now before everyone goes waving their arms in the air about how being a mom is the hardest job in the world, and if moms were paid they would make “X” amount of dollars…I know. It’s just that those monetary fibers have been so tightly bound within me that it’s hard to undo or see through them anymore. Dadisodes has never mentioned a word about my spending. It’s all me. My underlying instincts to only spend what I have. And what’s in my own bank account has dwindled down to nothing. I merely hold onto it because of my mom’s voice echoing in my mind. Since I don’t contribute a dime to my joint account with Dadisodes, I don’t feel entitled to use it unless I’m spending for our house or child.

I have not seen my name on a real paycheck in over a year. Since then, I cannot recall myself purchasing anything for myself without feeling a suffocating level of guilt. So after a year of credit card purchases (thank you ridiculous gas prices) I managed to accumulate a decent size cash-back bonus check. I used all of it to buy Dadisodes’ father’s day gift last week.

He is a big, fat coffee snob loves espresso, and buys it nearly everyday. Now he can make some at home! When shopping for his gift, I couldn’t help but peruse the other shiny items that I would personally love to have. But I won’t buy them…because of that whole paycheck thing.

Instead, I made sure Dadisodes’ espresso machine came with a steam wand. That way he can make me some damn cappuccinos.