Friday, July 18, 2008

Frugal Living - Where To Cut Costs

In my quest to find ways to lower our bills, I found this neat blog: Days To Come... she has written about a number of interesting ideas.

With FPL (our electric company) receiving the okay to raise our rates I think it will be our biggest problem area... Our last bill was $208.00 (I really tried to conserve too). In Aug. they will be raising the rates, Plus our usage has gone WAY UP it has been so darn hot here that the aircondtioner has been purring pretty much day and night. I was thinking if we keep taking dips into the pool to cool off maybe we wouldn't have to use the AC as much (but for sure it will be very hot for the dogs...). I have really curbed my use of the dryer, Kelly & I reuse clothes if they are not to dirty so I haven't had to run the washer or dryer very much just for my husbands & sons clothes.

We don't have cell phones (my husband does have one of those pre-paid ones he uses once in awhile) so we don't have that bill.

Our Phone/Cable/Internet is on one bill $148.00 a month, As I have said in the past I think I really could do without these three things but my husband & son need the phone for work calls, My daughter would just melt if she didn't have her internet, The cable well my husband & son do watch it.

Food - Now that seems to be an area that just keeps going up and up and we keep getting less and less : ( I have been shopping at the Dollar General store but I have found Walmart to be cheaper. It is farther away for me but I am thinking if I food shop & go to the library for our school books on the same day it might be okay. Of course I have all my animals to feed also - I have been letting the goats/chickens/turkeys out to get grass ect. in the early evening to help cut the pellet usage. The horses are using hay & pellets - Hard to say how much we spend weekly because I use both things also for the goats. The dogs get a huge 50 lb. bag a week & the cats get some cans from the dollar store.

Car Insurance - Our car insurance is with Geico, We pay something like $74.00 a month (that's with having my 19 yr. old son on the policy and 2 older model cars). I don't think we could go any lower there.

Cars - We have a Jeep Cherokee & a 15 passenger van. We bought the van for my dog business & evacuating in case of hurricanes here in Florida. Right now my husband is riding with a guy who lives out by us, He drives over to his house and they go from there. He pays him roughly $30.00 a week towards his gas to take him.

That's roughly all our bills at this time.

If you get a chance also take a peek at Frugal Abundance some great ideas there too!

1 comment:

Rhonda said...

We have also been cutting costs here, especially our grocery bill. Seems like I buy less and less each time I shop. I just do not like paying those high prices anymore. Thanks for the links. I will be sure to visit them.