Great ideas all, but what about the families that already have cut every corner they can, and it's still not enough?

I'm sorry, but I just don't find these suggestions original. Not accusing Ms. Smith Fleszar of plagiarism, not at all. But these ideas are out there. For example, my parents did the units thing when the economy was good, and both mom and dad worked FT. How about some for those working on a negative budget?

Impressive indeed. "sew my own maxi pads" I thought my mom's generation
does that back in china. Not in america.

I beleive the point of the article is that "consumption" used to be thought of as a bad thing; it meant a person had cancer. But if you look back on the Bush years in particular, we were all encouraged that it was patriotic to spend on things you did not even need. One of my favorite of those who are against the cash for clunkers program is that I remember when Congress gave incentives for individuals to purchase gas guzzling Hummers, and gave tax write-offs. It was ridiculous.

Here are some more tips:
1) If you are still having trouble with utility bills call them up and let them know you can't afford it and have them put you on the budget plan (You don’t have to show proof.) Yes, you will pay more during the summer (it’s a set amount every month. No more no less.) But if you pay more than they project you will (which is what usually happens for us) there will be a month or two where you won't have to pay anything. (This is truer for the gas bill then electric bill but it still helps.)
2) If you need a cell phone get a pay as you go cell phone. We have Virgin Mobile and we only have to pay $20 worth of minutes every three months to keep it activated. If you still have minutes you still have pay the $20 every three months but your minutes will then be added on to.
3) For a land line we got the Magic Jack. It is only $20 a year. True it doesn't always work the best but since my husband has lost his job over a year ago and right now he’s only working seasonally for a lot less money we aren’t too picky. These are just a few things that have helped us save some money. I hope this helps others too.

I think the suggestions and examples Candice gave here are a tip of the iceberg when it comes to being frugal....in regards to clothing, I truly believe those that don't "believe in garage sales" are those that waste the most money on household and clothing items. Especially for teens and children. And when it comes to purchasing furniture and yes even Bridal Gowns. I used to own a bridal consignment shoppe and those young brides that thought they needed to spend $1,000 of dollars on a dress for only 4 hours is such a waste! Rethink your priorities and buying gently used is definitely a great way to save and work within a budget!

One thing our kiddos started years ago was giving something of theirs to another sibling for a birthday/Christmas/Easter/Baptism feast day, etc. Some toys have made the rounds several times. They know it is special and the other child would like it! Last Christmas, our then 3yr old gave puzzle pieces, a coin, and lego to each person and wrapped it in one of his drawings. Our favorite was when R gave C a book that already belonged to C! The recipient learns to accept graciously. Sometimes it is harder to part with something you enjoy than buying something new.... hmmmmm go figure!

My mom brought us kids shopping and had us do the unit calculations, and then determine which was the better deal. A good way to teach some basic math skills, although I am sure this was a very slow way to do the grocery shopping.

Don't forget these too:

Bring your lunch to work/school;
Don't buy clothing that requires dry cleaning;
Cook most meals at home;
Stay out of the junk food aisles in the grocery stores - you'll save time, money and calories;
Take public transportation or walk wherever you can to save on gas/parking fees;
d

Thank you for the Magic Jack tip, #5.

#8 - Bringing lunch indeed saves hundreds of dollars a year. I stopped doing the dry cleaning thing years ago, for convenience. Now I keep that up because of the saving. Good idea, #8.

One thing I can't do, which was suggested in that "Cheapo" newsletter, is to recycle dental floss. Ick! Also, the idea that sewing your own clothing saves money is bogus. Fabric is just too expensive today. I do love thrift shops, always have. A hint I learned from my mom: go to thrift shops in a neighborhood where you think people have completely different tastes than you do - then you'll get the good stuff.

I regularly save water and soap by running two loads of modestly soiled clothes through just the wash portion of the cycle, all of which use cold water. It's simple to do if you have other things to do around the house, especially relatively near the laundry room. I load and wash the first batch up through the wash portion of the cycle, where I stop the washing machine and transfer the clothes to a hamper that can drip into a large sink next to the washer. Next I load the second batch of clothes and let them run the full cycle. After hanging the second load onto the clothes lines in the laundry room, the first load is returned to the machine and put through a quick spin to remove excess wash water, then they are run through just the rinse cycle. The biggest drawback is that here in Boston, cold water is really cold in the winter.

I once read the vast majority of the Tightwad Gazette compilations, and although they looked into pretty much every trick out there (making your own household cleansers, whether dented vegetable cans are cheaper than bulk sale items) didn't find much that would work for me, besides what I was already doing.

Regarding sewing... yes, fabric is very pricey -- and some of the best suppliers of clothing fabric have closed in the last year. However.. once you have access to a machine, and put in a bunch of time to develop the skills, I believe it becomes a natural complement to economical clothing sources. Mending, letting seams in and out, re-trimming, making curtains/tablecloths/slipcovers out of bed linens purchased economically and maybe dyed... I personally have had the machine for a few years now and have a few basic skills... thread costs money too. Some of this can be done by hand....

Regarding negative income...I saw a headline recently about how it's more expensive to be poor -- which is true. For example, suppose you just don't have the cash for the large, economy-sized package. Or preventive actions like changing motor oil. Using time-sucking public transportation, or costly payday loans.... it's just hard...

I save money by using every bit of food that I cook.. as leftovers for another meal or for a lunch (sometimes everyone in the family has a different leftover for dinner that night), or in desserts., Example: If I have leftover rice, I make a stovetop rice pudding. If I have leftover pasta I can mix it into scrambled eggs for a more casserole type of dish, or with in a canned soup to beef it up.
We use a lot of canned beans now.. all kinds. We often eat blackbeans over rice with chopped onion and tomatoes and shredded cheese. Even the kids love this. And we also have a lot of fun trying out new kinds of vegetables that may be cheaper to buy at certain times of the year.

Please - Don't ditch the credit cards!

If you do, it will reflect negatively on your credit report b/c doing so erases your credit history with respect to that particular card. You should use the card once in a while by buying only what you can pay off when the bill is due. Watch out for credit card companies changing their rules - some credit cards are going to start charging customers who don't use their cards.

Craig's List is a great place to get Toys and kid stuff. I got my son's desk and bed on Craig's list, solid wood, great quality and for only a few hundred dollars. I also picked up a Barbie Dream House. I didn't want to buy a big plastic ugly piece of junk, but my girls had their heart set on. So I ended up paying $20 for it., which is about what it is worth new.

Don't pitch the credit cards. Spend only what you pay off every month. You can get cash back and discounts by using them instead of cash. I get no annual fee cards and never keep a balance.

Also, most grocery stores, at least the ones I go to here, show unit costs so you probably don't need your calculator.

I would suggest sending the older children to public school instead of homeschooling and running a home day care to make some money. Then when the kids are all old enough for public school you can find a paying job.

DON'T use the freecycle pages for mattresses, cushions, etc. The risk for bedbugs and scabies is too great, and you'll spend time cursing and itching - not to mention the harsh treatment for it (low-dose insecticide in a petroleum base), and time in the ER.

Elizabeth - Good thoughts you posted on negative income folks.

Ooo, ick, good tip! Thanks! - EN