Ms. Obvious's money saving tips

I don't seem to be that great at saving money.  Try as I might, I just really really like to give in to consumerism, ESPECIALLY when it comes to my kids.  For myself I will buy clothes at Goodwill, only shop for clearance makeup...  OK, I have my weaknesses too, I guess.  I like good quality coffee.  I like Coke Zero.  I like candy (a cheap indulgence, but one that adds up calorically AND financially).  But for my kids I am a sucker.  They want a new t-shirt with their latest cartoon character?  Well, OK, it's only $7 and they COULD use clothes for the new season.  The latest Disney movie on DVD?  Well, I'm sure that's a necessary indulgence.  After all, I grew up with a massive collection of Disney movies...  See?  Any waste of money for my kids can be justified.  I'm trying to tell myself that they are kids, they don't REALLY care about all that crap, and whatever it is they will lose it, break it, or stain it, so there is no point in spending the money.  But here are some areas that it IS fairly easy and, to me at least, obvious to save money.  Yet somehow they are often overlooked.

Cable television.  I have read so many budgeting articles and books that tell you to write out your fixed expenses and include cable on that.  Guys, you don't need cable.  I know many of us grew up on cable.  I sure did!  I was born the same year as MTV, so to me cable is like my favorite sibling.  I LOVE the freedom of turning on the television and finding someone to watch at any hour of the day.  There are channels that play nothing but music videos, nothing but cartoons, nothing but soap operas and game shows!  It's AMAZING!  ...but it is not necessary.  If you are looking to save money, this is a good place to do it.  Thanks to the wonders of the internet you can watch just about anything you want on Hulu.  And any show worth watching (that isn't on network television, which you can get without cable- duh) will wind up on DVD and you can borrow it from the library.  OK, I know, not all libraries are as great as mine and you might not have that option.  Netflix is an option that is still technically a luxury but is a lot cheaper per month than any cable you can get.

Movies.  Occasionally I go to a movie with a friend.  It's a good way to get out of the house and it makes me feel like a kid again, when I went to the movies every single weekend.  It's a nice splurge, but again, not necessary.  The DVD comes out within three or four months.  Few movies are worth watching on the "big screen."  Wait for the DVD and have a nice night in.  All the free popcorn you can eat and none of the cell phones.  Oh, and you save a buttload of money.  Cheap DVD options include your library, Netflix, or the newest option, Redbox.  At $1 a night Redbox is awesome (as long as you remember to take it back), and you are more likely to get the newest releases than at the library.

Generics vs Name Brands.  There are certain brands I'm partial to.  Like I said before, I LOVE Coke Zero.  I often buy the name brand on that one because there aren't too may generic sodas that I think taste as good.  But keep an open mind on generics.  I always try generics, but I've learned not to waste the money on a cheaper inferior product.  That being said, a lot of generics are as good as national brands, if not better.  I LOVE Target's store brand diapers.  I didn't discover these until my youngest was about 18 months old, and I could just kick myself for the years I spent buying name brands.  I could have been putting that extra money in my kids' college funds instead of on their bottoms (of course, on the diaper issue, cloth diapers will save you the most and be the most eco friendly, but I was never brave enough to try it).  We buy tons of store brand products, but I also shop with coupons.  I buy whatever will be the best deal for me, and whatever tastes the best.  Did you know a lot of stores are coming out with organic and "all natural" lines of their own brand too?  How great is that??  Finding affordable, healthy food is one of my favorite things!

These are just the money savers off the top of my head.  There are obviously other things like, you don't ever need to eat out, and you don't need to buy books or music (again, that's what the library is for!).  I'll share more with you as I think of them.  Until then, happy budgeting!