Budgets!

We love this subject. Money.
As a soon-to-be college grad with no actual guarantee of a full-time job (yet...ahem.) I've already been thinking of ways to cut back when those student loan bills come rolling in.
Money isn't a subject I'm fantastic in- I recently looked at a pay stub and said...I made THAT? Where'd it go?! And that was my realization that I needed to make cuts...somewhere. Or at least be able to say exactly where my hard earned paychecks are going.

I won't break down my own personal budget, but I do have some great tips and tricks that I've come across that hopefully someone will find helpful!

Out with the old, in with the cash.

-This can be a tricky one if you don't have much time- but bear with me. If there are things of even slight value that you don't use any more, or don't need/want/etc., sell them! Clothes? Consignment shops. Craigslist, I've found, is a pretty good place as well. (Fair warning to Craigslisters: Don't meet anyone by yourself to exchange money or goods. Go with someone else, and better yet, work through the mail. It may be a little more expensive but always remember first priority is not money, but safety!) I've also found that a yard sale can REALLY add up!

Don't grocery shop when you're hungry. Oh, and make a LIST.

-This is a big one. I find that when I go grocery shopping before a meal or if I don't have a list, I spend WAY more than I would normally. However, (and one of these days I'll prove it...) on a normal week I'm able to keep our bill down to about $50 a week or so. KNOW what you're buying, and stick to it.

Prepare your meals in advance.

This is a biggie. You know why? If you don't have a plan, you're most likely going to do what Chad and I like to do- "Well, let's just order out." We think ordering out is a better option because you don't end up paying the 20% tip...but...in reality, it's not THAT much better like we tend to act like it is :)

Stay local.

With gas prices being set to reach almost $5 soon, it's important to have a car that is good on miles and to have a job close by. I'm working on this one. My car is good on gas- which is important because my current commute is 45 miles round trip- to both school AND work. And to see my horse is about 30 miles round trip. So I don't do much driving other than those places. Granted, school will be over soon and I'm looking for jobs closer to home, and if we decide to buy a house, Callie will come closer..but...ahh. You can understand why I'm on this certain soapbox.

Keep it simple.

Know what money you make. Budget it, and if you only have $50 of "play" money...don't spend $80.

Start a savings account!

Putting $10 a week away is better than nothing, and if an emergency comes up where you're faced with a big bill, having it in the bank and being able to pay it right away because of your "emergency fund" is WAY better than having an emergency credit card and paying 15% or more of interest. (Hey, even putting HALF on a credit card is better than all of it...but you get my point.)

Thrift Stores.

There is a lovely thrift store up the street from my parent's house, and Wednesdays and Saturdays I go in with a coffee and visit my grandmother. Once in a while, I'll see her and she'll have a bag for me. Maybe with never-worn expensive shoes. Or a Coach bag in great shape. Or she'll show me the designer sweaters that just need to be run through the wash. Her most recent find?
(This was exciting.)
I had told her a few weeks back that I saw an electric kettle for sale. I was ecstatic over it, because I don't have a kettle (yes, I know electricity is not a money saver, but hear me out for a second.) but I didn't have the money. Well, my grandmother must have remembered because she showed up with the kettle. She said she hadn't looked inside of it. Well, when I opened it, it was new in the package. Nothing was even cut open. So I got a $50 tea kettle for free (and, she spent $5 on it.)
Just does to show you can get a great deal and find something new-to-you, or just plain new, for almost no money!

DIY.

Yes, folks, do it yourself. I'm lucky to have a fantastic carpenter for a boyfriend for the big stuff, (like Carson's new bed!) but I'm also talking about the little things. If you're feeling really earthy, try making your own shampoo like this fellow blogger.I enjoy making my own body scrubs and I'm interested to see if my face will tolerate thesenatural facewash ideas...

Obviously, these are just a few ideas on how to save money! What do you do to pinch pennies?