As I type this at 10:25am it is already 88 degrees here in Raleigh. And that's an improvement over the triple digits we've seen over the past few days. Instead of drving to lunch most days I walk to nearby restaurants. But now, it's too dog gone hot!!! Plus, it costs too much to eat out every single day.
So what's a girl to do? Most people say "bring your lunch", but I can stand only so many turkey sandwiches. Leftovers? But I ate that last night. It wasn't *that* good!
So what are a few realistic things you can do to stretch your dollar without feeling the pain?
1 - Consolidate trips. My motto is, "when I'm home, I'm home". There's no more running out to grab something I forgot earlier. Unless it's life or death, it can wait until I have to go out to do something else.
2 - Park the thirsty vehicles. I LOVE my 4Runner. And compared to many SUVs it's great on gas. But when it's just me, my little old Camry will do. On $45 I can ride for almost two weeks. I save the truck for when it's absolutely necessary, and going to a doctor's appointment and getting a loaf of bread doesn't quite qualify.
3 - Lower your thermostat. It really works. At home we've bumped our thermostats to 77 and started using the ceiling fans. We also keep the blinds closed and only run the clothes dryer at night. The only difference we've noticed is a decrease in the electric bill.
4 - Fire up the grill. It keeps your home cooler, and there's nothing like the smell of charcoal in the air.
5 - Shop in bulk. The best purchase I've made in recent months is a chest freezer. Whenever I find things on sale that my family enjoys, I stock up! It's perfect this time of year when crab legs, steaks, ribs, chicken, pork chops, etc. are often on sale. Depending on the size of your family it might be worth it to get a membership to Sam's Club, BJ's, etc. If you have kids it's a good place for diapers, wipes, formula, juice boxes, chips, etc. And while we're talking about grocery shopping...
6 - Use coupons. My friends initially laughed my 3-ring binder filled with coupons and organized by aisle. Now they ask me for tips! Those are little pieces of paper are gold if used correctly. Here in the triangle, Lowe's Foods and Harris Teeter double, and sometimes triple, the face value of coupons. When used wisely with those frequent shopper cards you can save a ton and sometimes get things free!
Most importantly...
7 - Spend quality time with the family. Now that school's ending your kids will quickly become bored, especially if summer camp was one thing you had to eliminate from your budget this summer. You can do lots of things for free, or nearly free, to keep your kids entertained. Game night. Movie night. An ocassional trip to Chuck E Cheese (have pizza while you're there to kill two birds with one stone). Play dates. Sleep overs. Trips to the museum. Crafts. Making dinner together (my three year old enjoyed helping me make burgers last night). Look into programs at the Y or through your local Parks and Recreation program too.
There are lots you can do with with an open mind and a little creativity to beat the heat and rising costs!
Thanks for reading!
Tracy
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