Dieters are often encouraged to practice “conscious eating”. Eating is done sitting down, generally with a plate and silverware, and without the distractions of television, work, or reading material. In this way the diner is aware of every bite, preventing the mindless wolfing down of food that happens so easily at the desk or on the couch.
There are many tips and tricks for reducing expenses and saving money, but one of the most important things may be to practice conscious spending, where you are fully aware of where your money goes.
One aspect of this is knowing what things cost. Just by paying attention on the drive to work, we know which of the five gas stations on the way charges the least. Granted, saving the fourteen cents per gallon only saves about a dollar on a typical visit (assuming that you do not foolishly let your tank get close to empty), but consider how many times you get gas in a year.
Sometimes more aggressive research is advisable. One sister recently lost her insurance coverage, so needed to pay for her prescription out of pocket. The price at Rite-Aid was going to be $120.00, $80.00 at Target, and $8.00 at Costco. The crazy thing is, Rite-Aid agreed to price match, so she is paying $8.00 there. You won’t always be able to save $112.00 a month just by asking, but it certainly makes asking seem worthwhile.
For more basic, less dramatic comparisons, I visited seven area stores, as seen below.*
Now, this should in no way be taken as an endorsement of any particular store. Even within a chain, prices can vary by location, and it does not cover meat and produce, where you may see a wider difference in price and quality. However, if you know what a normal price is for an item, you are then able to recognize a good price. One nice thing about accumulating food storage is that if the extra keeps you from running out, you can wait for sales and never have to pay full price on some items.
The key is making sure your choices are not mindless. There are areas where you will not want to reduce, and that is fine if it works within the confines of your budget. Just be sure to actually make a choice instead of just letting things happen. I have one friend who saves a lot by getting second-hand clothing. Many people would not be happy with that, but it works for her.
An excellent way to start spending less is to assess what you are spending now. What amount is going to rent, food, transportation, clothing, education, entertainment, gifts, and utilities, and what are the line items?
Looking over this list, ask yourself what is necessary. Are the prices reasonable? Is rent more than thirty percent of your income? (It shouldn’t be.) What can be cut? What can be kept but for less money?
I would never expect a budget to work that did not allow for tithes and offerings. If those are missing, add them, even if it seems counterintuitive. For other areas, here are some general tips.
Transportation: Riding Tri-met? You should definitely not be paying as you board. Even if you are not riding often enough to justify a pass, getting tickets will save money, especially if you stay primarily within one zone. Driving? Some stations charge less if you pay cash, and for more efficient gas consumption, see http://www.howtoadvice.com/SavingGas.
Utilities: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use less energy and last longer. (Switch one light at a time to find the type you like, and look for the phrase “warm light”.) Company web sites may have more tips, like https://www.nwnatural.com/content_yourhome.asp?id=227 or
http://www.portlandgeneral.com/home/energy_savings/ways_save/tips/default.asp.
Clothes: Most stores want to move the merchandise out within four weeks, so after that you can expect to see markdowns, especially after 6-8 weeks.
Books: There are a lot of books you will only read once, and libraries are free. If you do need it though, you can find used copies through the major book sites and half.com.
Groceries: In addition to the information in the chart, consider outlet stores. You should not drive miles to save pennies, but we have a Resers and a Franz nearby, and that could work for you. Also, consider Amazon grocery. They tend to sell only in bulk, but there are some good prices and you can usually get free shipping.
Online bill payment: The savings in stamps and checks will probably be minimal—I primarily did it to reduce the risk of identity theft—but my cable company started taking $5.00 off my monthly bill after I made the change, and others might do so as well.
Banking: Free checking may be available, but not automatic, so verify your status. If you cannot avoid ATM fees, at least try and plan ahead for cash needs so that the number of ATM visits can be reduced.
Credit cards: Debt reduction is a separate topic, but while you have the card you may be able to obtain a lower interest rate by switching providers. Going through your bank or credit union will often secure the best deal, but keep an eye out for annual fees or transaction fees as well. These are very easy to lose track of because you are concentrating on the purchases, and then just paying a portion, but it all adds up.
* The original newsletter had a table inserted, but I could not make it carry over, so I am reproducing the information differently. The shopping list at each store was a gallon of milk; one dozen eggs; a five pound bag of flour and one of sugar; one jar each of peanut butter and applesauce; single cans of carrots, green beans, ravioli, and chili; a pack of hot dogs; a bag of rice, packs of spaghetti and macaroni noodles; and one pack of ramen. Same brands and sizes were used, though store brands were used for the eggs, milk, and vegetables. I only listed regular prices, not sale prices.
I am going to list each store, the total, and then the prices of the individual items in the order above. If anyone wants a copy of the letter sent (which will be more legible), just let me know.
Winco (in Beaverton): $24.62 (2.68, 1.46, 1.48, 2.38, 2.58, 1.88, .63, 1.08, .88, 1.33, 2.38, 2.67, 1.55, 1.55, .09)
Fred Meyer (on Walker Road): $32.12 (2.69, 2.19, 2.29, 2.99, 4.19, 2.99, .85, 1.29, .99, 1.69, 2.99, 2.99, 1.09, 2.69, .20)
Safeway (Tanasbourne): $35.45 (2.99, 2.59, 2.29, 3.66, 4.29, 2.99, 1.29, 1.49, 1.59, 1.89, 3.19, 3.14, 1.89, 1.89, .27)
Haggens (Tanasbourne): $36.21 (2.69, 2.29, 2.29, 2.99, 4.49, 3.29, .99, 1.49, 1.59, 1.99, 4.69, 2.99, 2.09, 2.09, .25)
Thriftway (Farmington): $37.47 (2.99, 2.49, 2.29, 3.59, 4.39, 3.15, 1.39, 1.39, 1.65, 1.95, 4.69, 3.35, 1.95, 1.95, .25)
Albertsons (Farmington): $39.66 (3.65, 2.99, 2.69, 3.49, 4.29, 3.69, .99, .89, 1.79, 2.19, 3.99, 4.19, 2.19, 2.38, .25)
QFC (Bethany): $41.81 (2.99, 3.79, 2.49, 3.69, 4.59, 3.49, 1.49, 1.59, 1.59, 1.89, 3.49, 3.89, 3.29, 3.29, .25)
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