Part 7 (1/2)

Garden .

$23.80.

$293.59.

$605.28.

$1,660.53.

$3,900.33.

$10,996.57.

Total .

$190.14.

$2,345.48.

$4,835.63.

$13,226.07.

$31,160.02.

$87,852.46.

You won't get rich-slowly or otherwise-by simply cutting your cable bill or growing your own tomatoes. But as this chart shows, when you make small changes part of an ongoing campaign of saving and investing, they can lead to a very large change indeed.

Frugal Tactics Anyone Can Use Every year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics looks at data about millions of households to create a profile of the average American consumer. In 2008, the typical U.S. family spent the following amounts each month: - $1,747.83 on housing, including $372.08 on utilities.

- $954.17 on transportation.

- $687.92 on food.

- $332.00 on healthcare.

- $316.50 on entertainment.

Your Money And Your Life: It Never Hurts to AskA willingness to ask questions is one of the best weapons you can add to your financial a.r.s.enal. If you're able to overcome a little shyness, you can ask your bank to waive overdraft charges, your landlord to give you a break on the rent (see Tips for Renters Tips for Renters), the cable company to lower your monthly fee, and your employer for a pay raise.If you ask, you might be able to save money on almost anything. Be careful, though: It's not your right right to get a better price-only to ask for it. For best results, arm yourself with information (like a compet.i.tor's ad showing a sale price) and be polite. to get a better price-only to ask for it. For best results, arm yourself with information (like a compet.i.tor's ad showing a sale price) and be polite.One reader at Get Rich Slowly sits down once a year to call all of his service providers to ask if he can save money. He simply calls the customer service line and asks about specials and promotions. This only takes a few minutes, but yields repeated savings. For more on this tactic, check out Ramit Sethi's post about asking to have bank fees removed: tinyurl.com/RAMITnofees.

Chapters Chapter9 Chapter9 and and Chapter10 Chapter10 discuss ways to spend less on housing and big purchases, but there are plenty of opportunities to cut spending on smaller stuff, too. The next few sections cover the best techniques for saving on four large chunks of your family's budget: food, utilities, healthcare, and entertainment. discuss ways to spend less on housing and big purchases, but there are plenty of opportunities to cut spending on smaller stuff, too. The next few sections cover the best techniques for saving on four large chunks of your family's budget: food, utilities, healthcare, and entertainment.

NoteIt's impossible to list all the great ways to save on small stuff here, so think of what follows as a sort of ”greatest hits” collection. You can find tons more money-saving tips at /1950shopping.

- Make a list-and stick to it. This is the cardinal rule of shopping. Your list should include only the stuff you really need: staples you're out of and ingredients for upcoming meals. This will help you avoid buying on impulse-which is how shopping trips get out of control.

- Compare unit pricing. An item's unit price tells you the cost for each unit of measurement. For example, the unit price of a box of cereal tells you how much you're paying for each ounce. If you're lucky, your grocery store already posts unit pricing for most items, which makes comparing them easy. If not, carry a calculator.NoteThe biggest package isn't always the most cost-effective. Stores know that people want to buy in bulk, so sometimes they actually make the larger package's unit price higher than the smaller package's.

- Choose a store and learn its prices. Because supermarkets monkey with prices, you can't be sure a deal is really a deal unless you know what the store usually charges. Use a price book (see the box on the next page) to uncover regular and sale prices. Once you know one store's prices, you can save even more by learning another store's prices and comparing them to the first store's.

- Buy only what you can carry. If you're das.h.i.+ng into a store to pick up milk and bread, don't use a basket-it'll just tempt you to buy more. Similarly, try walking, biking, or taking the bus to the store. When you're limited to what you can actually carry, you're more likely to avoid impulse buys.

- Discard brand loyalties. You may have a favorite brand of diced tomatoes, but does it really matter? Buy whatever has the lowest unit price, even if that means getting the store brand or a generic. You may find you like the less-expensive product just as well. (The box on Supermarket savings Supermarket savings has more on generics.) has more on generics.)Your Money And Your Life: The Power of the Price BookIn The Complete Tightwad Gazette The Complete Tightwad Gazette (Villard, 1998), Amy Dacyczyn advocates using a (Villard, 1998), Amy Dacyczyn advocates using a price book price book to save big bucks at the supermarket. A price book is an ongoing list of the items you buy most often, where and when you buy them, and how much you pay. That info can help you figure out sales cycles, spot bargains, and plan your shopping trips for maximum savings. You also learn which stores offer the best prices on which items. to save big bucks at the supermarket. A price book is an ongoing list of the items you buy most often, where and when you buy them, and how much you pay. That info can help you figure out sales cycles, spot bargains, and plan your shopping trips for maximum savings. You also learn which stores offer the best prices on which items.”At first you may think this is too much work and the idea of shopping at so many stores will be inconceivable. It will pay off,” Dacyczyn writes. ”The keeping of a price book revolutionized our shopping strategy more than anything else we did. For the first time we had a feeling of control over our food budget.”By keeping a price book, you'll learn the strike point for your favorite items-the price that's low enough to let you snap up a supply until the next time the strike-point price rolls around.

- Shop less. Studies show that when people shop more often, they buy more stuff. (Shocking, huh?) Every time you enter the grocery store is another chance to spend. Fewer trips mean you'll avoid temptation and and save time and gas. save time and gas.TipSteve and Annette Economides, authors of America's Cheapest Family America's Cheapest Family (Three Rivers Press, 2007), are extreme non-shoppers: They've been making just one grocery shopping trip per month since 1984-and they have five kids! (Three Rivers Press, 2007), are extreme non-shoppers: They've been making just one grocery shopping trip per month since 1984-and they have five kids!

- Use coupons wisely. Coupons get a bad rap, but they really can save you money. Clip coupons only for products you'll use or for stuff you'd like to try. And if your store lets you, combine coupons with sales.

- Take advantage of special offers. You may not need two pot roasts, but it's the same as getting one for half price if you can find somebody to share the deal with. And if your store offers a ”get $10 if you spend $50” deal, use it.

- Buy in bulk-when it makes sense. For example, check your calendar to see if you've got any upcoming events that you'll need lots of food for. But don't go for bulk items if the larger package has a higher unit price, you don't have room to store it, or you won't use the product before it spoils. (n.o.body likes stale Lucky Charms.)TipIf you eat a lot of meat and have the storage s.p.a.ce, buying beef in bulk can be an excellent value. The price is generally about the same as in the supermarket, but the quality is much better. Pool your resources with other families and buy from a local rancher or butcher. For more info, read this article about buying and freezing beef: tinyurl.com/buyingbeef.

- Check your receipt. At the register, make sure your items and coupons scan correctly. Sale items, especially, have a tendency to ring up wrong, yet few people notice. You don't need to hold up the line: If you suspect an error, step to the side and check the receipt as the clerk begins the next order. If there's a problem, politely point it out. It's your money-ask for it.

- Buy from produce stands and farmers markets. During the summer months, produce stands and farmers markets offer fresh, local food at excellent prices. Even better, these kinds of places usually don't have a lot of impulse items to tempt you. Also look at community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, which let you ”subscribe” to fresh produce from a local farm (see /fwaste.) Frequently Asked Question: How Good Are Store Brands Really?You used to have to sacrifice quality when choosing store brands, but not anymore. The October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports Consumer Reports compared 29 name-brand foods to their store-brand counterparts in blind taste tests. The store brands offered roughly the same quality as national brands, but at much lower prices. compared 29 name-brand foods to their store-brand counterparts in blind taste tests. The store brands offered roughly the same quality as national brands, but at much lower prices.The magazine found that the store brands they tested cost an average of 27% less than the name brands. In my own research of 25 store-brand products (tinyurl.com/store-brands), I found I could save 22% at one nearby store and 36% at another.Many store brands are actually made by the same companies that make their name-brand compet.i.tion, which means you may be getting a nearly identical product for much less. So why do name brands cost more? Marketing: You recognize name brands because of the money companies spend promoting them.A few other notes about store brands: - Many stores offer a money-back guarantee on their house-brand products, so if you don't like something, ask for a refund.

- Store brands aren't always always a bargain; be sure to compare prices. Sometimes the name brand is actually a better deal, especially if it's on sale. a bargain; be sure to compare prices. Sometimes the name brand is actually a better deal, especially if it's on sale.

- Some stores have a wider selection of generics than others. Most will carry staple items-beans, rice, toilet paper, tomato sauce, and so on-but some markets have a better selection.

If you decide to give store brands a try, take it slow: Buy a small amount of the product to see if you like it before buying more. If you're satisfied, make the switch. If you hate it, lesson learned. And if you're undecided, then keep using it until you make up your mind. (Remember: Most tastes are acquired-you may need time to get used to a new product.)TipIf your family throws away a lot of spoiled food, create a leftover list and post it on the fridge. Every time you store leftovers, note the date, the name of the dish, and how many servings are left. When you're hungry, check the list!

Dining out More than a third of U.S. food spending happens outside the home, and dining out can be costly. But you can enjoy a nice restaurant meal without blowing your monthly food budget-you just have to practice a little conscious spending (Understand your goals and values). Here are a few tips: - Eat a healthy snack before you go. Grab a banana or some carrot sticks to take the edge off your hunger so you won't be tempted to order too much when you look at the menu.