Five Fun Ways to Spend Less This Summer

With my recent transition from the corporate world to the world of entrepreneurship, I’m trying to be a bit more….mindful of my spending.

Never one to succeed at keeping a budget and always one to estimate the amount of money in my checking account, I know that I need to keep things simple and enjoyable if I’m going to attempt to modify my habits a bit.

I’m certainly not an expert on this topic and very much consider myself in learning and exploration mode, but these discoveries have been fun enough that they seemed worth sharing.

Number One: Commute via Bike.

We all know it’s healthier to hit the trails instead of the beltline. What I didn’t realize, though, is just how much money I save by biking to work each day, and how much I enjoy what’s become my daily 45-minute pedaling meditation.

When I bike downtown, saving gas and parking fees, I save about $14 per day. This is $70 per week – enough for a week of groceries!

In addition to the cost savings, I get to soak in some morning sunshine, interact with other friendly bikers on the trail, and think/feel/reflect in silence, with the wind in my face and little animals scurrying along the trails on my side. There isn’t a better way to start the day.

Number Two: Avoid “That Store.”

You know the store I’m talking about. That store where you walk in, buy a couple of things, and somehow, miraculously and shockingly, every time, a large sum of money seems to vanish before your eyes.

In my case there are a couple, with fond nicknames such as “The $100 store” and “Whole Paycheck.” I love each of these stores and all of the gems I find inside. However, I also know that the probability of me entering one of them and spending less than $100 is very slim. As a result, on my new quest toward frugality, I simply avoid them.

A surprising benefit to this new strategy is that it also saves time; I no longer spend an hour wandering around looking at all the beautiful things I might want to buy. This opens up more time for the good (and real) stuff – being outside, spending time with people I love, working on my business, and allowing space for reflection and creativity.

Number Three: Buy Fresh Stuff Locally; Shop Sales for the Rest.

In Madison, like in many cities, there’s a farmers’ market every day of the week. This means that it’s easy to find what’s in season – and what’s in season is typically least expensive. In addition to walking home with a huge bag of veggies for $10, it’s a great way to talk to the farmers about where the food comes from, how to prepare it, and what will be ready for picking next week. 

With fresh produce in hand from the farmers’ market, I’ve started shopping sales and comparing prices a bit on the other stuff. I haven’t yet purchased one of those weird accordion coupon organizers, but who knows, maybe that’ll be next….

For me, this has meant a weekly trip to our brand new Hyvee. I initially turned up my nose when my friend Rebecca started telling me about Hyvee; I had a vision in my head of a bunch of weird, off-brand products dispersed among a huge, unorganized store (vision in my head: combination of Woodmans and Kohls department store with random boxes of crackers strewn about everywhere). What I found instead was a brightly lit, sparkly clean grocery store with a big organic section, impressive selection of pretty much everything, and really low prices. I’ve started stocking up on cheese, crackers, doggie supplies, and other essentials each week at Hyvee and so far I save about $40 per trip (seriously).

Number Four: Sell Stuff You Don’t Wear.

I’ve always frequented St. Vinnie’s and Goodwill to drop off bags of clothes that no longer deserve a place in my closet. What I didn’t know about, though, was the concept of selling these clothes in exchange for either cash or the opportunity to bring home something that I like much better in return.

I had to visit a couple different resale stores before I found one that a) seemed to find “my style” purchasable, b) seemed appropriate for the 30-ish crowd, c)didn’t make me feel like an idiot by taking exactly zero out of 52 items that I tried to sell, and d) didn’t feel like an 18+ dance club within a clothing store. After striking out a few times, I found ReThreads, where the people are friendly, the styles are a bit more moderate, and I’ve had some luck selling those shirts that just stare at me, unworn, from within my closet.

I’ve become almost a bit obsessed with figuring out which of my clothes are sellable, which for me has been a great lesson in nonattachment as I force myself to look at each and every item in my closet, think about if I like wearing it and if it’s comfortable, and consider if I wear it enough to outweigh the couple dollars I could get from selling it.

So far this has been great motivation for me to do a monthly closet cleaning, and a fun way to get rid of stuff I no longer wear or want.

Number Five: Have a “Really Random Dinner Night” and Use the Freezer.

I like to think I won over my boyfriend with the really random, absurd pasta dish I made him during one of our early dates. It involved taking every perishable item from my fridge and combining it with some pasta and a bit of cheese, and throwing a fried egg on top. The result? A Brussels Sprout, kale, pine nut, pesto, cheese, egg, and other-really-random-vegetable pasta.

My point is not to convince you to test the palettes (and patience) of your loved ones with dishes such as this, but rather to get creative with all of the stuff with a limited shelf life in the fridge. A few specific ideas:

1.    Find more ways to use lettuce. Of all things perishable, lettuce seems to go the fastest. I’ve started trying to accompany morning eggs with a handful of greens dressed in vinaigrette, add a few extra lettuce leaves to sandwiches, use it as garnish on fruit and veggie platters, and serve big salads with even vegetable-based dinners. My friend George has started making Mason Jar salads – a great, portable, and beautiful way to eat a salad, since almost everything is more fun to consume from a Mason Jar.

2.    Make an “everything pasta.” You don’t have to get as weird as I did with the Brussels Sprouts and pesto, but combining a bunch of veggies, nuts, and even a fried egg or some tuna into a bowl of pasta with a sprinkling of cheese makes an easy, filling, and often colorful evening dish.

3.    Create smaller portions of the stuff you never finish and freeze it. For me, it’s almond milk. I love it and consume it in some fashion on most days, but I never seem to finish the entire carton before the suggested 7-10 day period runs out. I’ve started freezing small portions to throw in smoothies or iced coffee to avoid throwing out the last third of the container.