Thrifty Thursday-Things I Want to Spend Less On

I'm trying to be thrifty. I've had only a few wins this past week which prompted me to think differently about thrift and economy and figuring out how to maximize the budget. I know there are a lot of holes in my budget that if I could plug, would really help take some of the pressure off when we go to pay for big ticket items. I'm not even talking about occasional splurges or purchases that make me or a family member happy, because while I want to be economical, I still want to live life. As I look over receipts, examine the credit card statement, and just review where I have spent cash, I'm finding way to many impulse purchases and dumb uses of money. Some admittedly is in the name of convenience, which I take advantage of perhaps a bit too often, and other spending is absentmindedness or quite frankly laziness. 

I keep making monthly goal lists that I do not accomplish, but as July ends, I feel like I should at least put down in words so targeted spending cuts or reductions are on my brain. Nothing here is life changing and some of you may do the palm to the forehead and sigh action when you read my woeful list. These are holes I found that need to be plugged.

• Late fees for library materials. I feel like in a years time I am contributing to buying at least two items for circulation at the rate I've had late fees. 
• Dollar store laundry soap. Yes, it's only a $1.00 but I find myself using a bit more and compared to my usual brand, the cost per ounce is higher. 
• Clearance item doo dads for potential gifts. This might be arguable, but if I don't want to have extra doo dads in my house, why am I buying something for someone in the future that maybe might like it? I bought a two piece casserole set after Christmas 2017. I still have it sitting on a shelf, gift not given to anyone. It is nice piece, but everyone I know has casserole dishes. Maybe it might be part of a future wedding shower gift, but in the interim, it is taking up space.
• Bottle water, paper plates, plastic straws, napkins, paper towels and other one- time use throw-aways. Sure on occasion I might have more people than I have plates to serve, but not buying these on a regular basis are good for my budget and the environment. Funny how this works so often and vice verse. As I purge, I can cut up non-donation worthy stuff into rags. I can use my supply of real plates and the time to wash up is hardly more than the time to bundle plates and take to the garbage. 
• Convenience store treats such as coffee (in non-recyclable cups) and breakfast sandwiches. As an occasional splurge, I like to meet a friend or colleague for morning breakfast. But from the C-store? I tend to regret this very quickly after the first couple sips of caffeine enter my system. Yesterday morning I made a ½ pot of  coffee and an egg burrito in the time it would take to walk from pump to store and wait in line to pay. I don’t buy coffee and breakfast with every fill up, but even if I stopped the 2-3 times a month I do this, the rewards to my pocket book would have to be well over $100 per year. Let’s face it, a reheated and then left under a warming lamp  croissant sandwich? Have some standards lady!  

A couple wins this week, and I'll struggle to get to five are

• We talked ourselves out of going to the next lake over to a pub for happy hour. Instead, we stayed at our lake place on Saturday and had our own. 
• I filled up my tank for $0.06 less per gallon thanks to grocery points. It was very low so I really stretched the pennies. 
• Made brownies at home for a work event instead of stopping on route to  pick them up, despite being too tired to make the night before. I popped them in the oven while I showered and got dressed. 
• DD2 ate lunch at home and brought her own water for the amusement park on Tuesday. 
• I did the math on long term benefit and ended up deferring small annuity rather than the cash out option. This was from two very old jobs decades ago, but the tiny amount had grown to over $8,000. We were offered a one time lump sum, or we could defer. It won't be a huge amount, but an extra $100 a month once I turn 65 and guaranteed for life. Who knows how those little funds will be needed. We had to make the choice by July 31 as the management is changing companies. 

That's all I got this week. From here on out, I think our savings will be more about what we don't do rather than big savings. Please share your wins or any ideas you have for where you're plugging your budget leaks.