Garden .
$23.80.
$293.59.
$605.28.
$1,660.53.
$3,900.33.
$10,996.57.
Total .
$190.14.
$2,345.48.
$4,835.63.
$13,226.07.
$31,160.02.
$87,852.46.
You won"t get rich-slowly or otherwise-by simply cutting your cable bill or growing your own tomatoes. But as this chart shows, when you make small changes part of an ongoing campaign of saving and investing, they can lead to a very large change indeed.
Frugal Tactics Anyone Can Use Every year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics looks at data about millions of households to create a profile of the average American consumer. In 2008, the typical U.S. family spent the following amounts each month: - $1,747.83 on housing, including $372.08 on utilities.
- $954.17 on transportation.
- $687.92 on food.
- $332.00 on healthcare.
- $316.50 on entertainment.
Your Money And Your Life: It Never Hurts to AskA willingness to ask questions is one of the best weapons you can add to your financial a.r.s.enal. If you"re able to overcome a little shyness, you can ask your bank to waive overdraft charges, your landlord to give you a break on the rent (see Tips for Renters Tips for Renters), the cable company to lower your monthly fee, and your employer for a pay raise.If you ask, you might be able to save money on almost anything. Be careful, though: It"s not your right right to get a better price-only to ask for it. For best results, arm yourself with information (like a compet.i.tor"s ad showing a sale price) and be polite. to get a better price-only to ask for it. For best results, arm yourself with information (like a compet.i.tor"s ad showing a sale price) and be polite.One reader at Get Rich Slowly sits down once a year to call all of his service providers to ask if he can save money. He simply calls the customer service line and asks about specials and promotions. This only takes a few minutes, but yields repeated savings. For more on this tactic, check out Ramit Sethi"s post about asking to have bank fees removed: Chapter9 Chapter9 and and Chapter10 Chapter10 discuss ways to spend less on housing and big purchases, but there are plenty of opportunities to cut spending on smaller stuff, too. The next few sections cover the best techniques for saving on four large chunks of your family"s budget: food, utilities, healthcare, and entertainment. discuss ways to spend less on housing and big purchases, but there are plenty of opportunities to cut spending on smaller stuff, too. The next few sections cover the best techniques for saving on four large chunks of your family"s budget: food, utilities, healthcare, and entertainment.
NoteIt"s impossible to list all the great ways to save on small stuff here, so think of what follows as a sort of "greatest hits" collection. You can find tons more money-saving tips at www.getrichslowly.org.
Eat Well for Less If you work at it, you can probably save $80 or $100 or more on food every month. The four keys to fighting food costs are saving at the supermarket, making your own meals, dining out sensibly, and growing what you can. Since this isn"t a cookbook, you won"t find any make-at-home recipes here. But the following sections elaborate on each of the other three strategies with specific tips to inspire you.
Supermarket savings The easiest place to trim your food budget is at the grocery store. Because you spend so many of your food dollars on groceries, you have lots of opportunities to save. You can find whole books devoted to supermarket savings, but here are some top tips: NoteFor the most part, smart grocery shopping hasn"t changed in decades-your grandmother could have written most of these tips. For a fun look at the shopping advice of yesteryear, watch this 1950 film about buying food: Make a list-and stick to it. This is the cardinal rule of shopping. Your list should include only the stuff you really need: staples you"re out of and ingredients for upcoming meals. This will help you avoid buying on impulse-which is how shopping trips get out of control.
- Compare unit pricing. An item"s unit price tells you the cost for each unit of measurement. For example, the unit price of a box of cereal tells you how much you"re paying for each ounce. If you"re lucky, your grocery store already posts unit pricing for most items, which makes comparing them easy. If not, carry a calculator.NoteThe biggest package isn"t always the most cost-effective. Stores know that people want to buy in bulk, so sometimes they actually make the larger package"s unit price higher than the smaller package"s.
- Choose a store and learn its prices. Because supermarkets monkey with prices, you can"t be sure a deal is really a deal unless you know what the store usually charges. Use a price book (see the box on the next page) to uncover regular and sale prices. Once you know one store"s prices, you can save even more by learning another store"s prices and comparing them to the first store"s.
- Buy only what you can carry. If you"re dashing into a store to pick up milk and bread, don"t use a basket-it"ll just tempt you to buy more. Similarly, try walking, biking, or taking the bus to the store. When you"re limited to what you can actually carry, you"re more likely to avoid impulse buys.
- Discard brand loyalties. You may have a favorite brand of diced tomatoes, but does it really matter? Buy whatever has the lowest unit price, even if that means getting the store brand or a generic. You may find you like the less-expensive product just as well. (The box on Supermarket savings Supermarket savings has more on generics.) has more on generics.)Your Money And Your Life: The Power of the Price BookIn The Complete Tightwad Gazette The Complete Tightwad Gazette (Villard, 1998), Amy Dacyczyn advocates using a (Villard, 1998), Amy Dacyczyn advocates using a price book price book to save big bucks at the supermarket. A price book is an ongoing list of the items you buy most often, where and when you buy them, and how much you pay. That info can help you figure out sales cycles, spot bargains, and plan your shopping trips for maximum savings. You also learn which stores offer the best prices on which items. to save big bucks at the supermarket. A price book is an ongoing list of the items you buy most often, where and when you buy them, and how much you pay. That info can help you figure out sales cycles, spot bargains, and plan your shopping trips for maximum savings. You also learn which stores offer the best prices on which items."At first you may think this is too much work and the idea of shopping at so many stores will be inconceivable. It will pay off," Dacyczyn writes. "The keeping of a price book revolutionized our shopping strategy more than anything else we did. For the first time we had a feeling of control over our food budget."By keeping a price book, you"ll learn the strike point for your favorite items-the price that"s low enough to let you snap up a supply until the next time the strike-point price rolls around.
- Shop less. Studies show that when people shop more often, they buy more stuff. (Shocking, huh?) Every time you enter the grocery store is another chance to spend. Fewer trips mean you"ll avoid temptation and and save time and gas. save time and gas.TipSteve and Annette Economides, authors of America"s Cheapest Family America"s Cheapest Family (Three Rivers Press, 2007), are extreme non-shoppers: They"ve been making just one grocery shopping trip per month since 1984-and they have five kids! (Three Rivers Press, 2007), are extreme non-shoppers: They"ve been making just one grocery shopping trip per month since 1984-and they have five kids!
- Use coupons wisely. Coupons get a bad rap, but they really can save you money. Clip coupons only for products you"ll use or for stuff you"d like to try. And if your store lets you, combine coupons with sales.
- Take advantage of special offers. You may not need two pot roasts, but it"s the same as getting one for half price if you can find somebody to share the deal with. And if your store offers a "get $10 if you spend $50" deal, use it.
- Buy in bulk-when it makes sense. For example, check your calendar to see if you"ve got any upcoming events that you"ll need lots of food for. But don"t go for bulk items if the larger package has a higher unit price, you don"t have room to store it, or you won"t use the product before it spoils. (n.o.body likes stale Lucky Charms.)TipIf you eat a lot of meat and have the storage s.p.a.ce, buying beef in bulk can be an excellent value. The price is generally about the same as in the supermarket, but the quality is much better. Pool your resources with other families and buy from a local rancher or butcher. For more info, read this article about buying and freezing beef: Check your receipt. At the register, make sure your items and coupons scan correctly. Sale items, especially, have a tendency to ring up wrong, yet few people notice. You don"t need to hold up the line: If you suspect an error, step to the side and check the receipt as the clerk begins the next order. If there"s a problem, politely point it out. It"s your money-ask for it.
- Buy from produce stands and farmers markets. During the summer months, produce stands and farmers markets offer fresh, local food at excellent prices. Even better, these kinds of places usually don"t have a lot of impulse items to tempt you. Also look at community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, which let you "subscribe" to fresh produce from a local farm (see www.localharvest.org for more info). for more info).
- Waste not. One of the best ways to save money on food is to not let it go to waste. According to various estimates, Americans throw away 1225% of their food. So if you spend $400 on groceries every month, you may be able to save $50 to $100 simply by never throwing food away. (Here"s a New York Times article on the subject: Frequently Asked Question: How Good Are Store Brands Really?You used to have to sacrifice quality when choosing store brands, but not anymore. The October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports Consumer Reports compared 29 name-brand foods to their store-brand counterparts in blind taste tests. The store brands offered roughly the same quality as national brands, but at much lower prices. compared 29 name-brand foods to their store-brand counterparts in blind taste tests. The store brands offered roughly the same quality as national brands, but at much lower prices.The magazine found that the store brands they tested cost an average of 27% less than the name brands. In my own research of 25 store-brand products ( I found I could save 22% at one nearby store and 36% at another.Many store brands are actually made by the same companies that make their name-brand compet.i.tion, which means you may be getting a nearly identical product for much less. So why do name brands cost more? Marketing: You recognize name brands because of the money companies spend promoting them.A few other notes about store brands: - Many stores offer a money-back guarantee on their house-brand products, so if you don"t like something, ask for a refund.
- Store brands aren"t always always a bargain; be sure to compare prices. Sometimes the name brand is actually a better deal, especially if it"s on sale. a bargain; be sure to compare prices. Sometimes the name brand is actually a better deal, especially if it"s on sale.
- Some stores have a wider selection of generics than others. Most will carry staple items-beans, rice, toilet paper, tomato sauce, and so on-but some markets have a better selection.
If you decide to give store brands a try, take it slow: Buy a small amount of the product to see if you like it before buying more. If you"re satisfied, make the switch. If you hate it, lesson learned. And if you"re undecided, then keep using it until you make up your mind. (Remember: Most tastes are acquired-you may need time to get used to a new product.)TipIf your family throws away a lot of spoiled food, create a leftover list and post it on the fridge. Every time you store leftovers, note the date, the name of the dish, and how many servings are left. When you"re hungry, check the list!
Dining out More than a third of U.S. food spending happens outside the home, and dining out can be costly. But you can enjoy a nice restaurant meal without blowing your monthly food budget-you just have to practice a little conscious spending (Understand your goals and values). Here are a few tips: - Eat a healthy snack before you go. Grab a banana or some carrot sticks to take the edge off your hunger so you won"t be tempted to order too much when you look at the menu.
- Order appetizers as your meal. At many eateries, appetizers are a cheap and tasty alternative to ordering a main dish, and they"re often plenty big to fill you up.
- Share food. Portion sizes in American restaurants have grown enormous over the past few decades, so try splitting an entree. Many restaurants charge a few bucks extra for this, but it"s much less than paying for a second main dish.
- Watch what you drink. Restaurants make a big profit on soft drinks and alcohol (meaning they"re a bad deal for customers), so if you"re looking to save money, skip the drink order. Water may be boring, but it"s cheap and good for you.
- Order in sequence. When you order everything at once, it"s easy to end up with too much food. If the restaurant lets you, order and eat your appetizer before you order your main dish. That way you can plan the rest of our meal based on how hungry you are. (If you order this way, be sure to leave a bigger tip.) - Take food home. One excellent way to stretch your food dollars is to plan to take leftovers home. (Some people ask for a box when their meal arrives so they can divide the portions immediately.) A $12 enchilada plate only costs $6 per meal if you also have it for lunch the next day.
- Eat lunch, not dinner. If it fits your schedule, enjoy your meals out in the afternoon instead of evening-you"ll often pay much less for the exact same food.
- Skip (or share) dessert. If you crave just a bite or two of something sweet after a meal, try splitting a dessert. Or some people keep a bar of chocolate (or other sweet treat) in their purses or cars for such occasions.
Greens from the garden Once you begin to master your grocery shopping, you"ll find that you sometimes want more than the supermarket can provide, like fresh herbs at a moment"s notice or strawberries that don"t cost $3 per pound.
Food fresh from your yard is convenient and generally tastes better than what you find in the supermarket. If you have a suitable spot for a garden, growing your own food is a fun and rewarding way to save money. Here are some pointers for starting your own vegetable patch: - Plan ahead. Decide what you"d like to grow and figure out how much time and s.p.a.ce you"re willing to devote to the project. A container garden ( might be a good place to start. Or try square-foot gardening ( which lets you maximize food production in a small s.p.a.ce.TipYour public library probably has lots of great gardening books, including some tailored to where you live. Two excellent ones are Square-Foot Gardening (Cool Springs Press, 2006) by Mel Bartholomew and The Bountiful Container (Workman Publishing, 2002) by McGee and Stuckey. You might also want to check out You Grow Girl (www.yougrowgirl.com), a blog about gardening.
- Start small. When planning your garden, don"t be overly ambitious. If you want to test the waters, try herbs, which are easy to manage and much cheaper to grow than buy.
- Choose productive plants. It"s frustrating to plant a bunch of seeds that don"t yield anything. If you want a rewarding and productive garden, do some research to find out what grows well in your area. One excellent resource is your state"s extension office (www.nifa.usda.gov/Extension/), or ask your friends and neighbors for advice.
- Share with others. When you buy a packet of seeds, you"ll generally get more than you need. It"s fun and frugal to split the costs with others. Same goes for equipment: You may own a rototiller while your neighbor has a trailer for hauling manure; share them to save money.
- Buy quality tools. When you buy garden tools, it pays to get top-quality items. Thrift and frugality are about getting value for your dollar-not just paying the lowest price. Find garden tools that"ll last and be a pleasure to use for years.
- Have fun. Don"t make gardening more work than it has to be. Your garden doesn"t need to be perfect: Pick a favorite fruit or vegetable, plant a few seeds, and have fun watching them grow. If you have kids, get them involved, too.
With a little effort, your yard can produce food that tastes great and saves you money!
Frequently Asked Question: How Much Can a Garden Save Me?Many prominent penny pinchers claim that gardening is a great way to save money: Mich.e.l.le Obama is growing vegetables at the White House, and the Burpee seed company boasts that $50 in seeds and fertilizer will yield $1,250 in produce ( Burpee CEO George Ball told the Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal that $1 in seeds will produce $75 worth of beans. that $1 in seeds will produce $75 worth of beans.But how much does a garden really save? My wife and I set out to answer that question in 2008. For 12 months, we tracked the costs of seeds, fertilizer, water, and electricity. We carefully weighed every fruit and vegetable we harvested, comparing costs with local supermarkets and produce stands. We also logged the time we spent working in the garden.At the end of the year, we tallied the results. We"d spent 60 hours working on our crops and $318.43 on seeds and supplies. We harvested $606.97 worth of food, including $225.74 in berries, $294.59 in vegetables, $66.63 in fruit, and $20.10 in herbs.We repeated the experiment in 2009. This time, we spent $351.37 (and 63.5 hours) and harvested $809.74 worth of food. So we didn"t get the kinds of results Mr. Ball claims, but we doubled our investment in just a year. That"s a better return than mutual funds-and tastier, too. For more about the Get Rich Slowly garden project, check out: on food is always a popular topic at Get Rich Slowly. If you crave more tips, here"s 3 years" worth of articles on the subject: Less for Power The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average family spent $372.08 per month on utilities in 2008. You can"t do without light and heat, but as the following sections explain, you can cut utility costs, adding more money to your cash flow.
The electric company Michael Bluejay has a great website about saving electricity ( where he describes how electricity works and, more importantly, gives real-world examples of how you can use less energy (and thereby save money). The best tactic, he says, is "dealing with the biggest electricity-guzzlers rather than worrying about items that don"t use much electricity." This chart from the Department of Energy shows how the average American household used electricity in 2005: [image]
Source: www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/home_energy.html Because heating and cooling use the most energy, they also offer the best opportunities for saving. Bluejay estimates that the typical family can save about: - $1,200 a year by using s.p.a.ce heaters instead of central heating. (And you can save even more with a heat pump-after you recoup the installation costs.) - $600 a year by using fans instead of AC.
- $150 a year by drying clothes on a line instead of in a dryer.
- $150 a year by washing laundry in cold water instead of hot.
- $100 a year by replacing regular light bulbs with compact fluorescents.
- $75 a year by getting rid of your TV.
- $60 a year by putting your computer in sleep mode when you"re not using it.
TipA programmable thermostat is an easy way to reduce utility bills. It lets you turn off the furnace automatically when you"re asleep or not home. The government estimates the average homeowner could save $180 per year by installing an Energy Star programmable thermostat (see you"re gung-ho about cutting your power bill, Bluejay recommends the Kill-a-Watt electricity meter ( which measures how much energy an item is using so you can identify your home"s power hogs.
TipLiving Green: The Missing Manual has a whole chapter about saving energy. has a whole chapter about saving energy.On The Money: Level Payment PlansUtility bills can make it hard to budget: You might pay $250 for natural gas in December but only $50 in July. Fortunately, many utility companies now offer level payment plans level payment plans.When you sign up for such a plan, the company looks at how much energy you used over the past year and divides the total amount by 11 to get a fixed monthly payment. You pay this fixed amount for 11 months, and in the twelfth month you settle up, either paying more (if you used more energy) or getting a refund or credit (if you used less). At the end of each year, your monthly payment rises or falls based on recent usage patterns. (Some utility companies make adjustments more than once per year, but the same principle applies.)To make budgeting really easy, sign up for a level payment plan and and automated billing. Then you only have to deal with your utility bill once a year; the rest of the time, it"s paid automatically. automated billing. Then you only have to deal with your utility bill once a year; the rest of the time, it"s paid automatically.
If you"re in the market for a new dishwasher, clothes dryer, or other major appliance, be sure to visit the Energy Star website (www.energystar.gov). (Energy Star is a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy; its goal is to "help us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.") The website has lots of useful resources, including a list of Energy Starqualified products, home improvement tips, and info about home energy audits.
TipMany areas have nonprofit organizations that provide in-home energy audits, which can help you improve your home"s energy efficiency and turn you on to available tax credits. (They might even give you free compact fluorescent bulbs along with the audit!) Contact your power company and ask for a referral.
The phone company If your family has a home phone line in addition to a cellphone or two, you"re paying too much. Choose one or the other. More and more people are ditching landlines and discovering they don"t miss "em.
Most major cellphone companies give discounts to employees of specific companies and students of specific schools. To see if your school or company qualifies, visit: - Alltel: - AT&T: - Sprint: - T-Mobile: - Verizon: A quick check of these discount programs could save you 20% or more on your phone plan; plus, you might be able to score a great deal on a new phone.
But that"s not the only way to save on phone service. When was the last time you checked to be sure your monthly plan matches your usage? If your plan doesn"t have enough minutes, you can get hit with exorbitant fees; if your plan has too many minutes, you"re paying for something you never use. Either way, it"s time to change plans.
And be sure to check out prepaid phones from providers like Tracfone (www.tracfone.com), NET10 (www.net10.com), T-Mobile ( and Virgin Mobile ( prepaid wireless, you can buy an older, name-brand phone for 10 or 20 bucks. You then pay in advance for as many minutes as you want. When you use them all, you simply "top off" as needed. Light phone users (fewer than 200 minutes per month) will almost certainly save by giving up a monthly contract. Even if you use 400 minutes or more each month, there"s a chance that prepaid could cut your costs. (If you need a phone with the latest features, prepaid wireless probably isn"t your best bet, but don"t rule it out.) TipFor more on prepaid phones, check out this article from The Red Tape Chronicles The Red Tape Chronicles ( ( and this one from Greg Karp"s "Spending Smart" column ( The Money: Slashing Recurring ExpensesSaving money on one-time purchases is great, but if you really want to boost your cash flow, try cutting costs on things you pay for every month.For many services-cellphones, fitness clubs-you pay a flat fee that grants you a certain amount of use (or in some cases, as with cable TV, unlimited use). This means you often pay for things you never use, like extra cellphone minutes, cable channels you never watch, and days you don"t go to the gym.You may be able to save money by paying only for what you use instead of sh.e.l.ling out a recurring fee. Each situation is different, but it"s not hard to run the numbers.For example, pull out your most recent cellphone bill. Divide the total amount by the number of minutes you used to find out your per-minute cost. Then visit a prepaid wireless company"s website and see what it would cost you to pay as you go. You may be able to save a lot of money.If you don"t actually use the service you"re paying for, it"s easy to make the call. Don"t go to the gym? Cancel your membership. Only read the newspaper once a week? Stop getting it delivered every day. Cutting a recurring expense is a one-time task, but it pays you back with improved cash flow every single month. Plus it"s one less thing to worry about.
The cable company The Internet may just kill cable television. Not only can you get amateur (and some professional) content on YouTube, you can also watch network programming for free or cheap-often from the networks" own sites. Three great alternatives to cable are: - The iTunes Store, where you can buy episodes of your favorite programs or subscribe to whole seasons. If you miss Mad Men and just have to see it, this is a great choice.
- Hulu.com offers a variety of current TV shows, like 30 Rock and Family Guy, as well as a growing library of cla.s.sic programs from years gone by. This is the place to go if you want to watch Adam-12 or The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Hulu also has a limited library of movies.
- Netflix isn"t just a DVD-by-mail company anymore. They also let members watch old movies and TV shows directly in a web browser.
In early 2007, I dropped my cable from a $65.82 deluxe monthly package to a plain-vanilla basic rate of $12.01 per month. To make up for some of what got cut, I started buying some shows through the iTunes Store and watching others on various websites. Since making the switch, I"ve paid an average of $27.90 per month for TV shows (including basic cable), a savings of $37.92 per month-that"s more than $450 a year!
Cutting cable isn"t for everyone. If you"re a big sports fan, for example, it may be hard to find the games you want online. But slashing-or cancelling-your cable plan is a great way to save money.
TipIf you want to explore the world of web-based TV, check out this amazing list of online options: (It even includes sources for sports.) Doctors and Drugs Few things can blow a budget like unexpected medical bills. Even if you save and invest, unforeseen health problems can smash your financial plans to bits. And a medical crisis can be devastating for those who don"t have their finances in order.
If you have health insurance, here are three steps you can take to make sure you"re not paying more than you have to: - Understand your policy. Insurance rules can be confusing. Take the time to read your policy to be sure you grasp the basics. At the very least, know how your plan works in the case of emergencies. Any time you have a concern about coverage, call your insurer and ask questions.
- Read your bill. Don"t a.s.sume your medical bills are accurate. Take time to read them, and ask about anything that seems wrong. n.o.body cares more about your money than you do, so take charge of the situation.
- Strike a deal. Always ask for a discount. Some places will offer them and some won"t, but it never hurts to ask (see the box on Frugal Tactics Anyone Can Use Frugal Tactics Anyone Can Use). You may be able to save big bucks by picking up the phone and negotiating with your provider. (For more on negotiating, see Why Frugality Matters Why Frugality Matters.) If they do agree to reduce your bill, be sure to get the details in writing.
NoteIf you don"t have health insurance, your situation is more complicated, and sadly there"s no such thing as Buying Health Insurance: The Missing Manual Buying Health Insurance: The Missing Manual. These three articles are a good place to start: and great place to save is at the pharmacy. Here are some ways to cut costs on medications: - Use older remedies. Don"t let ads for new drugs fool you: In many cases, the most effective choice is a tried-and-trued medication that"s been on the market for years. The drug companies want to sell you the new stuff because they make more money off it.
- Buy generic. When a drug"s patent expires, other companies can make similar products to compete with the original manufacturer. This increases compet.i.tion and drives prices down.NoteGeneric drugs are just as good as their name-brand counterparts. The FDA requires that all generics have the same dosage, safety, strength, quality, and performance as the "real thing". You can read more about generics at Shop around. Don"t a.s.sume that a given drug will cost the same at different stores. At the Freakonomics blog ( Stephen Dubner reports that price differences can be extreme. He cites one case where Walgreens was charging $117 for 90 tablets of generic Prozac while Costco was charging $12.