How I saved $100

Ok - so, I mentioned that I need to be able to save $30K a year in order to quit my job. Today I began my quest of cutting spending. I normally shop at Safeway (Safeway - how I love thee) but it's expensive. However, the produce and meats are fresh and excellent and everyone there is so friendly and I can get in and out in no time (I never have to wait in line.)

Today, I went the 3 extra miles to a Super Walmart (Walmart with a grocery store.) Well, it was packed to the gills and I almost had a panic attack in produce (I'm not super with major crowds.) I had to push my cart through people and swerve around little kids. I had to listen to children crying (at full volume) and screaming (at louder than full volume) and whining (not because I hit them with my cart though.) But, everything was cheaper. EV.ER.Y.THING. Cheap. However, the meats and produce were fresh because they were flying off the shelves and were being restocked immediately. I had to wait in line for almost 10 minutes to check out. It took me about 45 minutes longer to shop at Walmart. But, my regular $200-$250 a week shopping bill was $115 and that included shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and two toothpastes. It was cheap. If I wasn't working, I could go at like 8am in the morning on Wednesday when there are no crowds.

Now, some people think that Walmart is the devil - pushing out all the "little" businesses. This is certainly true. But, Walmart also makes things affordable for everyone. I normally will NOT shop at Walmart (because I just don't like the crowds, noise, wait and general atmosphere.) I'm pretty much a Target / Safeway kind of gal. But, if I save $100ish a week - dang, that's almost $5 grand a year. That is significant. And it gets me closer to not needing to work.

As a side note - the wine place I found yesterday, called TOTAL WINE (spm!!) is also less expensive. So, I'd save money there. I picked up this $5 a bottle Italian wine (I fell in love with Italian wine when I was in Milan last October for business) and it's SO GOOD. When I was in Italy - I noticed that wine was dirt cheap. Even the most expensive bottles were $7. So, it makes sense that I can get a good Italian wine for cheap. So, I did buy some of my more expensive brands, and there were $5 cheaper at Total Wine. But, maybe I can cut my wine costs by $25 a week as well? That would be another $1,200. Little by little - (and I wouldn't even need to give up wine - SQUEE!!)

Maybe if I become a proficient seamstress - I can make ice skating, gymnastics and baton costumes. The mark up on those puppies is incredible (a normal costume will cost anywhere from $125 to $400 - I can make one for about $25 total.) So, if I made for a team for 2 routines, I could easily make $2000. After this entire post, I only need ~$22K now!!! :D