How we are dealing with the economy

Well that title should really be how "I" am dealing with it since my hubby apparently knows of a never ending money tree that he has not decided to share with me. Last week after spending $200 at Wal-Mart (that included $40 worth of fall clothes for Em) we took out $20 from the ATM and gave each of us $10. Well lo and behold at the end of the week I still had $4, he had none and had spent $35 in two days by using the debit card. Now my husband didn't come from a family made of money so I don't quite know where he gets this idea that he can just spend on a whim and not think of the repurcussions (namely me when he gets home). I have created for him what I call my reality check budget that he is going to have to adhere to especially with a new baby on the way, me not working for 3 months, and increased daycare expense. When I told him that it is possible to go 5 days on ten dollars and have money left over he looked at me like he though I had lost my mind. So I'm writing this to show him how I did it.

Starting with:
Breakfast. Since I take Em to daycare everyday at 6:30 it leaves little time to eat breakfast so I've started taking instant flavored oatmeal to work with me.

Lunch:
I bring my lunch everyday. Most of the time I bring whatever leftovers we had for dinner the night before. That way I get to eat and I never really waste anything by losing it in the fridge. We also don't buy food storage containers. What we do is when we order chinese food (about once a month and that counts as dining out for us but it's amazing what $20 will get you at the Chinese place) we keep the containers that they send the food in. They're nice containers and can take a few rolls through the dishwasher.





Drinks:
I buy a one liter bottle of water every 2-3 weeks and just keep refilling it with either tap water or filtered water that came from the tap. I'm pregnant so not having coffee is really not a problem.

In my household all loose change is put into various piggy banks throughout the house and then put into a savings account once a month. It's not the world's best savings program but it works for us.

How are you pinching pennies?