How We Do It: Think Outside The Box

photo credit: Robert S. Donovan

One of the biggest ways we make ends meet is by thinking outside the box. There are so many things you can reuse or use in a different way then it was originally intended that helps to stretch your money further.

A few of the things we do in our home to starch our budget are:

• dryer balls made out of wool to soften clothes in the dryer instead of dryer sheets.
• Using vinegar for cleaning
• Cloth diapers
• Trading clothing for kids with those around you
• If we use dryer sheets, we cut them in 1/2 and use them twice before throwing them away.

There are also a lot of things you can do to make items you have to buy last longer. Some of these are:

• Go without something or use less of what you need; this could be less dish soap or laundry soap or using a different item in cooking rather then buying an item you don’t have
• Make what you have work. This could mean putting a trim around pants that are just a bit to short to make them last longer.
• Learn basic sewing skills to help stretch your clothing by mending them or sewing some of your clothing yourself.
• Make your own items rather then buying them. I recently make cloth swifter pads for our swifter mop and will be using vinegar and water to clean with instead of buying new swiffer cloths.
• Seek out if there are options for pregnancy or other specialty health care plans that you can only pay for during the time you need them
• constantly be aware of the best price for insurance and other payments you may have to make.

Thinking outside the box can help you to constantly be living on the least amount possible.

What are ways you think outside of the box?