August paycheck- $35.10
So I've moved into a new apartment with two other girls. Things are going great so far. Getting everything set up can be quite a pain though. Cable, internet, phone, water, electric.... and so many of them want you to put a deposit or pay a month up front! And then there's the apartment security deposit, and the pet deposit, and the fee to get a key for the clubhouse, and the groceries and startup costs... it's a lot more expensive than most people think!
I've managed to cut costs a bit by just watching my spending. I take my lunch to work with me, it's cheaper to make a sandwich at home than to buy one from work. When I grocery shop I make a list and stick to it. Dollar General, while it sounds like a good store to save money at.... actually is more expensive than Wal-Mart for some things, like bread. I got a loaf for .98 at Wal-Mart; Dollar General was asking 2.50! Shopping around has definitely helped me stretch my dollar.
CVS is great for some deal, especially when it comes to their CVS bucks. Those print out at the bottom of your receipt and can be used for future purchases. For example...
I bought some Aussie shampoo, and a bottle of Aussie conditioner, on sale. They were 1.50 a piece, I believe. They also each came with 2 CVS bucks. So, at the bottom of my receipt, a coupon for four dollars printed out. I then turned around and used that to buy a bottle of 3.50 face wash. So, I turned my 6.50 purchase into a three dollar purchase. Now, I've talked to people who have done much better than that. CVS has great clearance stuff. I got two boxes of Zicam "You chose the flavor" cold medicine for .89 a piece. With fall and winter coming up, I KNOW those will come in handy. I also got a large container of ground nutmeg, and a container of ground ginger for .25 a piece. Those have to be some of my favorite spices, and I use them in a lot.
Another good tip is to only buy what you need. Yes, in the long run, it may be less expensive to buy the ten pound bag of Cheerios. But are you really going to eat them all before they go bad? A fifty pound bag of kitty litter is a good investment. You know you're going to use that (and if you have a cat, you know it will probably go too fast.) A fifty pound can of beans? Not so much. Toilet paper? Good to stock up on. Bread? Obviously not. Meat? Not unless you have a chest freezer.
Cutting frills helps a lot. I don't need brand name things to get me through my week. I will drink Wal-Mart's Mountain Lightning over Mountain Dew, seeing as Mountain Dew is almost four dollars for a 12 pack while Mountain Lightning is 2.88. The taste is only minimally different, with Mountain Lightning being a tiny bit more citrusy. Doesn't bother me one bit and I'm still getting my caffeine fix :)
Well, I'm off for now. Drop me a line and tell me what you think :)