Where and how do you cut things from your budget?

[deedsker]

I'm not giving up my beer or wine.

 

I cut costs by cooking at home. I cook about as well as most restaurants, and the cost is SO MUCH LESS, so why eat out? And on those nights when I'm just tired and don't want to cook, I inevitably find myself hating the meal at the restaurant because it's crap and it cost about as much as my weekly grocery spending.

This

 

Plus I love cooking; I'm a science guy and cooking is essentially science. I'm getting to the point where I can make just about anything at near restaurant quality with good groceries, or make something pretty damn good out of really cheap stuff

 

If I'm cutting on booze it means I'm buying natty and evan williams instead of microbrew and scotch.

 

No microbrews? No scotch?

 

[carlfense]

On a more serious note, for anyone with a smartphone I highly recommend the Mint apps.

https://www.mint.com...works/anywhere/

 

Video of how it works:

 

You can link up your credit cards, bank accounts, etc. and easily set up specific budgetary goals. It's fantastic for tracking (and changing) spending habits. It's also good if you are somewhat paranoid and check your accounts constantly for suspicious activity. Not that I would do that . . .

[B.B. Hemingway]

I'm not giving up my beer or wine.

 

I cut costs by cooking at home. I cook about as well as most restaurants, and the cost is SO MUCH LESS, so why eat out? And on those nights when I'm just tired and don't want to cook, I inevitably find myself hating the meal at the restaurant because it's crap and it cost about as much as my weekly grocery spending.

 

I guess my question is, how much money do you spend on booze in a week or a month or whatever? I mean, my wife isn't much of a drinker I will drink 2-3 beers a night, occasionally a whiskey and diet coke and maybe a pitcher of Margaritas about 4x a year. I spend maybe 100.00 bucks a month on booze for my home and that is on the high end.

I think $100 sounds about right. I mostly drink wine, but most of the wine I drink is Two-Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's, so three or four bottles a week is my normal purchase. Then a case of MGD for grilling, and semi-monthly some vodka for my bloody mary and that about covers it.

 

I suppose I could cut alcohol out of my life entirely but where's the fun in that? The wine I drink goes into many of the things I cook, and when you're out in front of a hot grill on a hot day, you need a beer. Or three.

Ever try Marco Negri?

[knapplc]

Never heard of it. Is it pretty good? Do they sell it in Nebraska?

[Junior]

Strippers get $5s instead of $20s.

 

Singles. Always give them the singles.

[Stumpy1]

My wife is a real budget freak. She wrote everything down and then went and cut out things that were not really needed. We were paying $200/month for Direct and she went and got rid of it and signed a contract with Dish for the same programs for $90/month. We have cut back on eating out also by only going on Sundays after church and that is it unless for a special occasion. the one place we could cut back is booze, I will buy a case or 2 of beer a week no matter what, don't want to run out.

[carlfense]

Strippers get $5s instead of $20s.

 

Singles. Always give them the singles.

I'm frustrated by the establishments that give you your change in $2 bills instead of singles. Clever. But frustrating.

[GM_Tood]

Strippers get $5s instead of $20s.

 

Singles. Always give them the singles.

I'm frustrated by the establishments that give you your change in $2 bills instead of singles. Clever. But frustrating.

^^This

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Strippers get $5s instead of $20s.

 

Singles. Always give them the singles.

I'm frustrated by the establishments that give you your change in $2 bills instead of singles. Clever. But frustrating.

tear it in half. Works for me

[The Dude]

I started stealing things as opposed to buying them.

 

Saved a bundle so far.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Stopped purchasing birth control of any kind. Found other avenues if ya know what I mean.

[NUance]

Stopped purchasing birth control of any kind. Found other avenues if ya know what I mean.

Don't the pages get sticky?

[B.B. Hemingway]

Never heard of it. Is it pretty good? Do they sell it in Nebraska?

I buy it at Wal-Mart, so I would imagine it could be found in Nebraska. It's a moscato, and although I'm not a "huge" wine drink, it is the best I've tasted.... Runs about $15 or so....

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Stopped purchasing birth control of any kind. Found other avenues if ya know what I mean.

Don't the pages get sticky?

ive got a thumbnail pic of Hskerpids wife! It gets me home!

[deedsker]

I started stealing things as opposed to buying them.

 

Saved a bundle so far.

You have got to teach me this one.