Picking Low Hanging Fruit on the Money Tree

2017 will be a memory in just 8 weeks. I had zealous financial savings goals-stretch goals that were as stretchy as silly putty. While I won't get there in full, I know the goal helped me focus better before whipping out the plastic or swinging into the drive up ATM line at the bank. The goal pushed me to think about when spending money was necessary, and if not necessary, would the purchase or use improve the quality of life. Did I always successfully use that lens? Absolutely not.Credit card receipts showing fast food meals, Target sprees with bits of nonsense (because of those darn clearance racks and shelves that lure me in) and some months too much eating out is evidence of that.

Still, like just about anything in life, I succeeded with the 80-20 rule. 80% of the time I made good financial decisions; room to improve is in the 20%. A few changes made this last year have been ingrained now in my habits. None have decreased my quality of life. Some are old habits I did when we first were married and the kids were young out of financial necessity. Left by the wayside when money was more at hand, I've picked up again these good for my wallet habits in order to deploy more funds elsewhere.There is no such thing as a money tree, but, there are some areas of savings that have been low hanging fruit.

• Checking thrift stores for needed items such as replacement work clothes. Since I have been working on losing weight, it doesn't make sense to spend gads of money on new clothes that hopefully will just be a stop gap. Plus, I've found some really terrific basic pieces that even with my minimal sewing skills, I can take in a bit if I am so fortunate to drop another size and wear even longer.
• Decreasing my grocery shopping budget on pantry basics, primarily by switching to more regular shopping at Aldi's. Basic long grain rice is rice, the kids at the lake don't devour bags and boxes of $4.00 Dorito's and name brand cereal any slower than store brands. Canned goods such as vegetables, tomatoes, and beans are almost always 30-50% less and no one has pointed out any difference to me.
• Increased non-meat based meals. Meatless chili, vegetable pasta's and soups, and spicy curries are part of the regular meal rotation and make large quantities for perfect leftover lunches.
• Using a gas coupon or membership card discount when filling up. In my family, a 5 cents per gallon, which is a low coupon amount, saves $60 a year. Not astronomical, but would a person burn three twenty dollar bills?
• Delicate wash and hang/line dry clothes labeled as dry clean. With the exception of coats, I don't recall the last item I had dry cleaned. Even hubs suits, worn perhaps twice a year, are cleaned this way and he looked pretty spiffy.
• Packing snacks and filling our own water bottles for car trips. So basic it is dumb that I got out of this habit.
• Making do without-particularly anything gadgety. I have several one use Charlie things-sandwich and omelette makers, melon ballers, cheese knifes, mostly given as gifts over the years. Mostly these items go unused, so for sure I am not going to put any money towards something if I already have items that will give me the same or near results.
• Taking advantage of community events and spaces for low cost or free entertainment such as movies in the park, school plays and concerts, community theater, and state and regional parks. Our favorite Friday night activity this summer was long walks on the river front. Tonight for the princely sum of $8.00, we'll buy two tickets for the high school play, and DD2 is not even in it. 

I'm going to set aggressive goals for 2018 as well in the savings department. We have a trip of a lifetime to plan and pay for. College applications and testing do not come cheap. Mid term, college, and long term, retirement, piggy's need to be fed. In many ways, as we are both probably in our last decade of earning, DH closer than me, it is as important now as when we were just starting out to always pick the low hanging fruit. What recent changes to your spending patterns have you made that have had no impact on your life quality? Who has ideas on where else I can chisel away at our spending without impacting the good things?