How To Save $1000 This Year!

So how do you save $1000 in a year? Simply by doing 10 things that will save you 2 dollars a week each. Easy right? Here's my list, I'd love to hear any of your suggestions as well.

1) Make my own Gluten free bread, my recipe costs less than a $1 a loaf (really good by gf standards). GF bread at our supermarket costs $4 so this will save me $3 a week or $156 a year saved!

2)Use my cloth diapers, I may wait to start this one until after my family get's moved, I haven't been using them much lately because having 2 under 2 and trying to move has been needless to say, tricky. But, let's say I even use cloth diapers half the time so I'd save $4 a week, or $208 a year! (Alright just typing that number makes me want to use them now, I think I will.....)

3) Dry my laundry outside, this one will have to wait until we move. I've not run the numbers myself but supposedly this will save, $100 dollars a year easily.

4) Have leftover night once a week instead of making a new meal, or stretch protein by using more rice or beans (just try to eliminate food waste in general). I'll figure conservatively this one will save my family $5 a week, or $260 a year.

5) Plan better for snacks on the road, no more dollar menu stops! I confess this takes at least $3 a week from our income, if not more. Figuring conservatively this will save $156 a year.

6) Use my Swagbucks gift certificates to buy GF flour from amazon. For this I would need to buy 8 packs of flour for $30 so I don't have to pay shipping. This works out to be a two month supply in that time I typically earn $10 worth of gift certificates from Swagbucks, making each bag $2.50 a piece or $1.50 cheaper than buying it from my grocery store. This will be a savings of $78 a year.

7) Stop buying a new Goodwill toy for my kids every week : ) They certainly have enough already and extended family tend to spoil them as much as I do. This will save at least $52 a year.

If I implement these seven simple things my family will have save $1002 in just one year!!


I think I'll be copying the list and hanging it on my refrigerator to keep me motivated. Any other ideas for this penny pinching Mamma?

By the way if you haven't tried Swagbucks yet, I've seriously made over $25 in gift cards this year without much effort.