Personal Saving Stories – Tips and Tricks on Saving Money from Readers Around the Globe

Last year I asked you to send in pictures of your pantries, and those pictures blew me away. While those pictures are still welcome, I have a fun new idea that I think you guys are going to love. Well, I’m certainly going to love it!

This year on the blog, it’s all about saving money.  I’ve come up quite a few ways we can save money at our house and I’ll be sharing my savings tricks, tips, and plans with you all year long, but thought it might be kind of fun to share some of yours as well.

Believe me when I say, over the years, I have learned A LOT MORE FROM YOU than you have from me.  I am lucky enough to attract some of the most frugal, clever readers/cooks/gardeners out there.  Seriously.

If you want to show me how you and your family save money, I would love to feature it on the blog.  Just answer 5-7 {or all if you really want to} of the following questions {details help!} and submit 3-5 QUALITY photos to go along with them.  Include a blurb about each of the photos, if they don’t directly relate to the questions.  Sharing is the name of the game here.  The more tips, the easier we can all create quality lives on less money.

It’s not about being cheap, it’s about being smart with your hard-earned dough.

1. How do you keep your food budget in check?
2. Any tips on saving for saving entertainment costs?  Preferably ones that don’t require you to sit at home alone like a shut-in…
3. How do you stretch your dollar when clothes shopping?
4. Where’s the biggest area you over-spend?  Or would like to save more?
5. What are your tips for being a gracious host to family and friends without breaking the bank?
6.  To vacation or not to vacation?  That is the question.
7. Pets cost a surprising amount of money, from food to vet bills.  How do you keep costs low?
8. EVERYTHING requires an education, even if it is just staying current in your field.  How do you pay for continuing education {for yourself or family members}?
9. At last count, it costs an estimated $245,340 to raise ONE child from birth to 18.  Any tips for trimming the fat off of that number without robbing little Timmy of a happy childhood?
10. Goods and services drive our economy, but do you have a list of services you simply won’t pay for?  What are your DIY tips for those services?
11. List the top 5 things you can do without, WITHOUT sacrificing quality of life.
12. A good percentage of homes have both parents working.  If you are one of them, how do you balance your limited time with not over-spending on convenience?

Send submissions via email to onehundreddollarsamonth @ gmail.com {remove the spaces} and be sure and put Personal Saving Stories in the subject line.

If I feature your pictures and the stories behind them on One Hundred Dollars a Month, I will send you a $20 gift card to the greatest store in the world: Amazon.com {take some deep breaths and contain your excitement}.

It’s savings show and tell time…

~Mavis