I often find myself lamenting that living is so expensive. Even a gallon of milk is almost $4 around here. However, there isn’t much I can do about the cost of items and the cost of living. With raises few and far between these days, it involves a lot of creative thinking and doing to make what income we do have stretch far enough to cover all our expenses.
There is one major thing that helps stretch that budget for me: time. Saving money by using your time is a great frugal living strategy. This can play out in many different ways. Here are a few ways that I use time to save money.
Cutting coupons/checking for deals
On a good week where I am really on top of things, I spend maybe a total of 1-1.5 hours looking for coupons and sales. This isn’t all at one time, it is spread out over the week. Some weeks this time spent equals $50 or more, other weeks it is less than $20. Some of it depends on what I am buying. If I need something big like tires or car repairs or a new appliance, my time can easily save me over $100.
Doing manual labor/repairs
You’d be amazed how much money you can save by doing your own minor repairs, painting, etc. I have an advantage in that my father and grandfather owned a carpentry/remodeling business when I was a kid. I have the knowledge in how to do a fair amount. What I can’t do, my husband usually can. We very rarely hire anyone to do anything. Sure, it would be easier to have someone else do stuff but that is something you pay for. Sure, when something breaks, you can just replace it, but that is often a lot more money than fixing it. Recently my daughter’s toy shelf broke. It is one of those shelves that has baskets and the shelves are fabric. The fabric ripped. I could have paid $20-30 for a new toy shelf…but instead I took some fabric I already had and about 30 minutes and replaced the fabric.
Cooking from scratch
Not only is cooking from scratch a lot healthier for you, it can be a lot cheaper. Prepared and prepackaged foods, at least for us, don’t feed all of us. I cook for 4-5 every night and there are rarely leftovers after we eat and I put aside some for Matt’s lunch. Even with things like cookies and muffins. It is cheaper to make them myself than to purchase them. Yes, these all take some time. It takes more time to make dinner than just open a few bags of things and put them on to baking sheets. Yes, baking cookies is a lot more time consuming than just opening a package.
Make it yourself
This goes beyond the kitchen. Cleaning products, gifts, curtains, etc. These are all things that can be made at home to save some money. But, they do all take some time. I confess. Sometimes I buy these things. Sometimes with coupons and sales you can find many things for free or cheap. For those times you can’t, taking the time to make them yourself can really save quite a bit of money.
How about you? How do you save money by using your time?
Linda says
Throughout the week I cook supper each night from scratch. I take leftovers for my lunch the next day.. I use reward cards faithfully. I filled up my gas tank this week and had enough points to receive 50 cents off a gallon of gas at one fill up. Finally with Christmas just around the corner my sewing machine is in for a real workout. I make the majority of my gifts. Time to use that time to work on gifts.
Julie says
I try to make most of our gifts too. It does take time but it does save a fair amount of money for sure. Plus, just more personal. 🙂
Kristy as Giftie Etcetera says
I save so much by cooking at home. And we’ve started to like the food better than anything we can order.
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Julie says
We rarely go out to eat. Typically only if we have to (on the road, etc.). Absolutely on the taste thing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ordered something at a restaurant and decided I like the way I like it better. 🙂
Kadie @ 12 twenty 8 says
I also cook at home from scratch. Which, like you mentioned, saves money and is healthier. I also pack lunches for my husband and daughter. We do our own repairs, as well. I also have girlfriends over for tea or whatnot instead of meeting at restaurants for meals. And I can give them the best gift, which is time with no deadlines. 🙂
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Brooke @thevinepress.org says
Thanks for these tips! I realized after living in East Asia for awhile that so often what I would toss out, they would mend or fix. It made me see how wasteful I have been! Thanks for sharing your insight.
Julie says
It’s interesting how different cultures value different things like that. Thanks for sharing that!