168 Frugal Living Tips to Help You Spend Less Money
A few weeks ago I was lamenting about the high prices on everything lately. Recession or not, it’s getting harder to afford the increased cost of living. I asked Being Frugal readers for help, and the readers came through in a big way!
This post is a compilation of comments and emails I received when I asked my readers how they deal with high prices and what things they do to make their money stretch further.
I’ve separated the tips into categories to make it easier to find what you’re looking for. I’ve credited each reader once throughout the article, though many submitted ideas in multiple categories.
Please consider visiting the websites of those who contributed to this project! They gave great advice here, and I’m sure they each have a lot more to offer on their individual blogs!
Now…what you’ve been waiting for. How to save money on just about everything.
Save Money Grocery Shopping
Including tips from Diana, Emily, FrugalWannabe, LJ, Allison, JenMarie, and several more.
- Shop for produce at a local farm stand.
- Never buy coffee, soda, or other drinks or snacks out.
- Always grocery shop with a list.
- Take advantage of sales on items that you would normally buy.
- Only shop once a month.
- Keep a price book and track prices by unit cost.
- Stockpile staples when prices are low.
- Buy generic items.
- Use the Grocery Game.
- Plan meals according to what is on sale that week.
- Take advantage of rainchecks if the store doesn’t have a sale item that you need.
- Take advantage of rebates at Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid…but only if you’ll use the item and will follow through on the rebate.
- Buy enough of a sale item to last 12 weeks. That’s about how long sales take to cycle.
- Shop at discount marts: Grocery Outlet, The Dollar Store, etc.
- Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Many stores offer a small discount per bag.
- Take advantage of stores that double coupons.
- Watch out for deals on things that your friends need, and have them do the same for you.
Save Money on Cooking and Eating
Including tips from Bellen, Lisa, David, Paidtwice, Boomeyers, Jackie Star, Georgia Hawkins, Lisa K, fathersez, MoneyBlogga, Sarah, and several more.
- Eat less meat.
- Become a vegetarian.
- Eat leftovers.
- Cook large amounts and freeze extra for busy nights.
- Scrape out food jars to use the last little bit.
- Cook from scratch.
- Never eat out.
- Eat from your stocked pantry.
- Bring lunch from home (it’s worth it to invest in proper containers).
- Eat less. The average American eats too much.
- Don’t use the vending machines at work.
- Always have a meal plan. Always.
- Use the Once a Month Cooking system.
- Keep soup starter jars in the freezer. A little leftover this, a little leftover that. Nothing is wasted.
- Get creative with leftovers. Concoct new recipes, so nothing is wasted.
- Base most of your meals on rice or beans to cut down on meat consumption.
- Look for events that entertain and feed you at the same time. Church socials, shopping at Sam’s (think about those free samples)…
- Don’t drink soda. Drink water!
- Make your own jello cups (or applesauce cups, or pudding cups) for lunches and snacks.
- If your kids complain about generic cereal, put the generic in a name-brand box. They’ll never know the difference!
- Rear your own chickens.
- Join a freezer club. Get together with like-minded people to exchange meals for your freezers. It’s cheaper to prepare a lot of one meal and split it up, than to prepare a bunch of different meals.
- Make your own baby food.
- Always take a snack and bottle of water wherever you go. You won’t be tempted to stop for expensive fast food or drinks.
- Grow your own produce. No room? Try a square foot garden! Or use pots on the patio.
- Freeze, can, or dehydrate your produce.
- Cook with the crockpot to avoid using the oven, which warms up the house.
- Use a convection oven to accomplish the same purpose.
Save Money on Cars and Gas
Including tips from Alicia, Heather, Bibi, Working Rachel, Christian PF, Rob Madrid, Mark, and several more.
- Run errands once a week and use the most efficient route.
- Walk as much as you can.
- Stay home as often as possible.
- Keep tires filled to their proper pressure.
- Don’t suddenly stop or accelerate.
- Carpool.
- Bum a ride with friends and chip in for gas.
- Ride your bike.
- Use a diesel car if you have one.
- Coast when you see a red light ahead, instead of hitting the brakes.
- Use public transportation.
- Try to get by with one car if you have two.
- If you have one car that you only drive a couple of times a week, consider getting rid of it and using cabs.
- Drive your car until it’s old. This works really well when you buy a car that will run for 200,000 miles.
- Keep up on your car’s maintenance.
- Turn your car off at lights.
- Coast when you can.
- Limit city driving.
- Turn off the engine and coast to a stop. (Only do this if you know your car and know what you’re doing. It could be unsafe, depending on the car)
- On a long trip, keep a steady foot.
- Make it a challenge to see how far you can go on a tank of gas.
- Use a discount card to buy gas. (Many grocery stores offer them, as well as Costco).
- Fill up early in the morning when the air is cool, and the gas is dense. You’ll get more gas and less air.
- Fill up when your tank is half empty.
- Shop around for insurance. The rates can vary a lot!
- Use gasbuddy.com to find the lowest price on gas.
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Author
By Lynnae McCoy, on Apr 3, 2008
I'm Lynnae, wife of one and stay-at-home mom of two. I'm committed to getting out of debt by being frugal with my choices in life.
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I'm just an average mom, trying to live a frugal life and get out of debt. I write about things that have (and haven't) worked to improve my family's financial situation. What works for me may or may not work for you, and you should always consult a financial advisor before making important financial decisions.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, I state that I have a financial relationship with companies mentioned in this website. This may include receiving access to free products and services for product and service reviews and giveaways.
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Wow, Lynnae! That’s absolutely fantastic. :)
You cheated! There’s only 167 great tips here.
These two should only count as 1:
– Eat less meat.
– Become a vegetarian.
Shame on you! :)
“Turn off the engine and coast to a stop.”
I would remove this – depending on the car this may not be safe.
Great list–thank you for putting it together.
Wow!! What an exhaustive list! Thanks so much for putting this together…
I do have an honest question, though. I don’t understand this one: “Use a diesel car if you have one.” Diesel is priced higher at the pumps these days … does a diesel car run that much more efficiently?
“Use a diesel car if you have one.” Diesel is priced higher at the pumps these days … does a diesel car run that much more efficiently?”
Diesels are much more efficient than regular gas engines – plus you can convert them to run on veggie oil, which is free if you go around picking it up. I plan on converting a pickup truck to run on it when we get to New Mexico…
Holy smokes! That’s a HUGE list! Excellent work.
Thanks for including me, Lynnae. :-)
Awesome list! (Thanks for mentioning me too)
There are a few on here that are totally new to me…I will be trying them out for sure.
Great job putting all these tips together
Take Care
LJ
Wow, Lynnae! This is an awesome list! I read through it all and saw many of my suggestions pop up throughout :D Thank you! This is a great idea, and I’m excited to be included!
Great, great list Lynnae :) I’m so pleased to be included
That’s a good long list. I wouldn’t live without a crockpot in the house ;)
Fantastic list! Thanks for putting it together and including me.
Learn to live. Money is for using. Sure eliminate what is not necessary or not fun. But don’t fill your head up with negative stuff. Plan what you are going to do with you money to have a really great life.
Learn to cook. Learn to make your house nice. Only eat food out if the food and occasion is really great. Walk because it is more fun. Etc etc. And help each other. Eating together. Playing together. Fixing things together is cheaper and fun.
I love your positive attitude. Yes, many of us forget in this recession to have fun, and it is so important that we stay balanced, focused and positive. For us younger generations this is particularly vital. What if all I focused on was that I had less money, education and opportunity and more worry and higher cost if living than my parents? I would be in a bad place indeed! But I don’t. I look at things as different, not better ir worse. Instead I embrace the opportunity I have been given to learn how to live a more sustainable life. I value the chance to be creative and resourceful and to focus on my friends, family and others who are in greater need than I. These are the real gifts in life.
wow, you were not kidding. this is some list. I like how you have it sorted too. thanks for taking the time to post this.
Excellent tips! Thanks for doing this, Lynnae!
I appreciate the mention too! :)
Really, you all should be patting yourselves on the back. I did the easy part of compiling the list. You all came up with the brilliant ideas!
@Lev – I will put a disclaimer on that idea. Thanks for bringing it up.
@David – Thanks for explaining about diesel engines. I sure didn’t know anything about them! :)
Some new tips there I had not seen before, I would like to add, smoke lawn grass, and not the illegal kind, that would save money, i guess
What a great list! Thanks for including me.
Some great tips from start to finish. I was under the misconception that local farm stands would be more expensive than Wal-Mart or the big grocery stores, but after my first visit I found that they were not only cheaper but also offered a much better product. As a plus, they are better for the environment because much less energy is used to transport the goods to market.
Wow – very impressive list Lynnae! And it reminds me that I need to go put some beans in the crock pot…
Great list. I have to say though that most of these are things we should be doing when times are good as well as rough. Better for the wallet and the environment.
Lynnae!! Great list!! I will be bookmarking!!
Furgal? Some of the suggestions indicate a level of mis-fortune and poverty. “dumpster-dive” get a life or better yet a second job!
Of course, if going vegetarian means you’re sicker later in life, it isn’t going to do you much good now either.
You eat food for two reasons, biologically: (1) to get energy, and (2) to get nutrients. Your two main sources of energy are glucose and fat. Now, you can get fats as an energy source on a vegetarian diet, but there are fewer foods with enough fat in them in the plant kingdom than there are in the animal. So most people who go vegetarian get their energy from carbs.
And that’s the problem. Those of us with a strong family history of type 2 diabetes can’t just dump the meat and eat only plants. Everybody needs more veggies in their diets whether they are vegetarian or omnivorous, but you can’t get by only eating veggies if you’re vegetarian. You need something more calorie-dense to get enough calories to survive and thrive.
And if people with a propensity for type 2 get their energy largely from carbs, that’s a straight path to diabetes. It’s been documented over and over and over again in the medical literature although, oddly, government and university “experts” in human dietary needs tend to ignore the data. But it does explain why, for instance, Native Americans are going diabetic in such alarming numbers now, and it surely explains why so many poor people are fat–fatness being an intermediary step between normal glucose metabolism and diabetes in the vast majority of cases.
I gained most of my last seventy extra pounds while on a vegetarian and sometimes vegan diet, for what it’s worth. Somehow I don’t think this is going to save me money in the long run, or save the insurance companies money, or save the government money either.
If you’re going to cut spending, don’t do it at the expense of nutrition.
You are absolutely correct, and not just regarding diabetes or other health challenges. Animal fat from naturally raised livestock is the most nutrient and calorie -dense food on the planet. Our grocery bills went down, WAY down, when we started eating a low-carb high-fat unprocessed diet. We eat two small meals a day. No need for elaborate spices, condiments, sauces, recipes, food processing equipment, or snack foods. We are healthy and full eating only eggs, butter, cream, cheese, meat, and some vegetables/fruits. Each of these foods costs a lot more per item but I’ve calculated that per day it is less than a typical frugal carbohydrate-based diet of pasta, salads, casseroles, etc.
Most important from the frugal angle is that, once adapted to a very low carb high fat diet, dental cleanings are practically unnecessary. We kept going (we have dental insurance) but there was never anything to clean. The hygienists and dentists kept asking and commenting “were we just here for a cleaning” (we were not, it was over a year) and “have we been to another dentist in the past few months” (no). We brush with baking soda and a drop of essential oil and haven’t been to the dentist in a few years now. Our diet keeps our saliva healthy, which keeps our teeth healthy.
I could not agree more. People have no idea how dangerous it is to mess with nutrition in the name of spending less. A few years back things got very difficult for me financially and was thus forced to survive off my local (undersupplied) food bank. Whithin months of consuming practically nothing but the low quality nutritionless grains supplied to me I had lost over 30lbs leaving me at 79lbs at 5’6. My intestines are so wrecked now I have had 3 surgeries in the past year, to remove one blockage and two dead sections and I will never be able to eat wheat or dairy again. I still weigh 80lbs and I still visit my foodbank for some items but I cringe now when I hear a volunteer make a snide remark about ‘how I can’t just eat the expensive stuff’. GRAINS ARE NIT AND SHOULD NIT BE A FOOD GROUP. PERIOD.
Under “Saving Money on Cooking and Eating”
Is rearing your own chickens cheaper than just buying a whole chicken at the store? Seriously, I’m considering a “gentleman’s farm”. Chickens and Ducks would be a top priority. Thoughts?
BTW, child is allergic to egg, so those wouldn’t be considered in the equation.
This is a great list, but I have to second Lev’s concern about turning off the engine while stopping.
The “power” for the power brakes in nearly all passenger cars comes from the vacuum generated by the running engine. With the engine off you lose the hydraulic advantage, and you’ll have to push a lot harder to get less stopping power. Think “Model T” brakes, except that your car weighs 3 times more than a Model T. To make matters worse it may work like normal at first and then trail off in the middle of the braking.
This is a real recipe for causing an accident. I don’t think that’s a good exchange for saving 3 seconds of engine idling.
The “early morning gas” and “fill you tank when half empty” advice doesn’t make sense to me, is there a longer explanation somewhere of how these work?
Otherwise this is a great resource, thanks for putting this together.
The problem is, that this all contradicts the nationally mandated religion of consumerism. We are commanded to get out there and spend spend spend.. and buy buy buy no matter the cost.. Now, go be a good american and buy some more useless crap so this crazy wheel we’re on keeps spinning..
well, what are you waiting for GO! GO I SAID GO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Lynnae,
I found your site today from My debt blog. Wow, is that a great list! I just made my own list yesterday and thought it was the best out there but that was before I found yours. Yours is by far the best out there it it should help a lot of people.
I appreciate the time you and those that contributed put into the work. I’ve linked to your site and will be back often.
Close doors through out the house, saves heat and lets go of stress of issues.
I have another really kind of embarrassing tip or two- I have everyone potty at church, or in stores before coming home. It started as a way to get little ones home but saves our TP and water. Work out first thing in the morning and shower at the gym.
I would remove a few things, first coasting to a stop isnt a bad idea, but if you are coasting then pushing on the gas it wastes a lot of extra gas. Never turn your car off at a light, not only is it unsafe your car actualls uses a bit more gas on the start-up and it hurts the enviorment more if you do this. Anything involving turning off your car while moving, or while on any public street is a bad idea. Play driving smart and safe, its better than saving 30 cents for a fillup.
I’m not sure about where you live, but here in the Boston area, shopping at a local farm stand is MUCH more expensive than going to the supermarket. Everything is organic and commands a hefty price point for it. I’ll stick to my pesticide-laden foods and buy stuff on sale….
Frank – I’m sure you intended your comment to be somewhat humorous (and it was), but I’d argue that buying “cheaper” pesticide-laden foods is much more expensive in the long run.
That’s because “cheap” food is mostly artificial, genetically modified crap that will destroy your body over time.
You might save a couple hundred bucks a year buying “cheap” food, but you’ll end up paying a fortune in medical bills down the road when you’re diagnosed with colon cancer or some other life-threatening disease.
Great list!
One other thing that I thought about as I read it was to take advantage of museum passes offered through libraries.
Our local library has a variety of day passes for loan to area attractions such as State Parks, musuems, and tourist spots. It is a great resource!! We went to many places last summer that we could not have otherwise done.
This is a seriously useful post.
It would be great if this could be made into an ebook.
Thanks for sharing.
My tip would be to never buy meat or poultry cut up, but instead buy whole/roasts and cut them yourself. I usually buy a roast to cook one night, then divide the cooked meat into meal-sized portions and freeze. This goes for beef or pork.
Chicken is very easy to learn how to cut apart with one sharp knife or even some kitchen shears. I can cut apart a whole chicken now in 10 minutes at most, and debone the breasts in 5. With whole chicken at 99 cents per pound compared to $3 per pound cut you can save a lot of money.
I always look for the ‘manager special’ coupons that typically give you $1 off or more per package. These usually mean the exp date is coming up and they want to get rid of it – I just bring them home and freeze them. I bought a bone-in ham once that was on sale and had a $3 coupon attatched – it was practically free by the end.
If you make soups, bone-in meats and poultry are your best friends! Freeze the bone and make your own broth or stock – freeze the stock and you always have a fresh supply of soup makings!
I also suggest freezing various veggie peelings – carrots that are too soft to eat, celery that’s gone limp, bits of leftover veggies and onions, etc. Toss those in with your bones for yummy nutritious stock! I always say that buying stock from the store is like buying air – why buy when you can get it for nothing?
Clever tips. Some interesting – some odd – some insightful.
I particularly liked the Entertainment tips.
Not all the tips were relevant to people outside the United States – but that’s OK, there were plenty to make up for it.
I wonder about some of the tips – whether the cost saving would be higher/lower than the hourly rate the person who was doing the saving could earn working. A lot of (most?) couples have dual incomes – could the time be better spent elsewhere.
I digress – great list and thanks to all the contributors.
Regarding entertainment tips, check with your local public library to see if they have free passes to museums, etc. Ours does. All you need to do is reserve them and then pick them upt. It’s a great service.
A good deal of your tips are very useful to those who want to pinch a few pennies to save. But you have to keep in mind that you are saving for something which your article doesn’t indicate. I agree with a comment from earlier that some of these tips might be helpful for those on the verge of poverty but those same tips are also dangerous and/or unhygienic. I also saw someone mention the “filling up in the morning tip” and I thought I could clear up some confusion for everyone. Gas is NOT dense, milk is denser than gasoline. Gas today is measured by a flow meter that measures gas into your tank NOT air, and it is sufficiently pressurized. Filling up your car will not pull air because it sucks from the bottom of the tank.
While I appreciate that the list is useful, and there were a few things that had not occured to me before, I find it kind of sad that so many people have posted ultra positive comments when the vast majority of the tips are plain common sense. Whatever happened to the American pioneer spirit? Have you all become such selfish users that you’ve forgotten your heritage?
The list was cool, reading the comments was depressing.
GEEZ. Don’t try to save nickels and dimes. My roommate does it and he has made himself believe he is poorer than he is because he does like that whole list. He forgets to live because he is so worried bout wasting money. If you are that worried about wasting money. Don’t be a cheap ass. Get a better job, or another one, or work more hours. Trust me there are plenty of odd high paying jobs out there that are part time. I have a few.
mike said: He forgets to live because he is so worried bout wasting money. and then : Get a better job, or another one, or work more hours.
That’s not exactly enjoying life, either!
W.O.W. all of these Frugal Tips and I hardly know where to begin,I have begun reading them and some I have already put in force, how-ever I have too disagree with Heathers’ comment on april 23,as she has probably not read the news paper that stated that when the pump handle is pressed the money wheels starts before the fuel starts flowing so you are not getting the amount of fuel that you are paying for.A special note for mike,have you thought about running you autos on water perferably called (HH0)? If you are the least bit intrested then send me a note and I will explain the principal to you ok? Uncle Bill
Dana, your post about meat/diabetes and vegetarianism is the dumbest post I have read in weeks…what a bunch of midwest, whitetrash, trailor park, slaughterhouse worker, hogwash I have ever read!! I am in medical school and your information is so filled with false information that it almost made me cry. Yes, my english is not the best but I do know bulls*it when I read it and this is the worst to date!!
Doesn’t it take more gas to turn on a car though?
Thank you for these tips. :)
Great Tips!
Diesels are the great unsung heroes in the U.S.A., even with the current high prices. My diesel bug gets 43-45 mpg, more that making up for the high cost of fuel. If your willing to mess with biofuel production, I’m not, you can save even more.
Although I would strongly recommend removing the tip about turning off the car. “Depending on the type of car this might not be safe” doesn’t begin to cover it. There is NO mass produced car made in the last 15-20 years where this is safe! In addition to the dangerous loss of brake boost, you also have to worry about the fact that turning the key to the full off position will lock your steering wheel. This is not just an unsafe recommendation it is also recklessly dangerous!
Once we get past that, it also adds wear to the starter (check to see how much it is to replace one, even if you do it yourself), and uses more fuel.
Guys, guys, guys.
Buy a new Korean car with a 5 year warranty. You will get 50 miles to the gallon plus, with petrol. And not pollute the place. Will you pay less road tax and insurance over the pond too? And buy it outright. Save yourself the headache of bills.
Move close to work and walk. It is more fun.
Cook your own food because cooking is cool to do with you loved one. You can talk and cherish each other.
Take a sandwich to work and walk in the park at lunchtime with someone who is funny or sad, depending on who needs cheering up. Or go the local restaurant with your mates (tell the boss he has two choices – come with you, or open the shop after lunch because you will all be late back)
And give all the money you save to the poor.
Remember lifestyles can contract indefinitely. There really isn’t a bottom limit. Some people like contraction – go for it – personally I can’t stand being tight. I also can’t be bothered with bills and things that need to be looked after. So I keep it simple. I buy on two principles – it is beautiful and I look after. It is disposable. Use it and lose it. I drive slowly because I enjoy the scenery and I pull over and let the tail gaters pass. I talk to people on trains. I go to one good restaurant occasionally rather than several horrible ones offen.
For cooks, the best source is still The Frugal Gourmet. He teaches you to cook. I could even get my father to eat vegetables when I cooked them the Frugal Gourmet way.
Enjoy guys, enjoy. Really. Don’t ask how you can keep a dollar. Ask what is the best thing you can do with your dollar. Aim to spend it all. Enjoyable. Some will be spent on your house and your pension. That is all enjoyable.
Yes this is great site, I Stumbled on it, and this has many useful hints. My only problem is the flushing the toilet every 2-3 uses. I see a sanitary and health issue with this, not to mention a smell problem. Not only that but I have a cat and a 6 month old puppy that get into everything and I would rather flush every time then risk one of them getting into the toilet and getting rather sick.
What a great list! Thanks for taking the time to compile this. There is something here for everyone.
Regarding the flushing issue: We place buckets in the shower while warming the water and use this water to flush (everytime!) To flush a fairly new toilet in the US uses 3-5 gallons of water. When poured directly into the bowl, the toilet will flush with 1/2 gallon. It’s also much friendlier on your septic system.
Great post. The thing that sticks out most for me is the advice to turn off the TV. For me this has got to be the number one contributing factor to people’s misery when it comes to their finances. How often are we bombarded with images of wealth and luxury on tv and made to feel like we are not living our lives until we have the latest top of the range SUV?
I’m posting this on my refrigerator! Great list!
Lisa
I do most of this stuff already and it’s almost all good. Instead of turning off the car and coasting..(not a good idea), I’d say take your foot off the gas when you can and not accelerate when there is no point to, or use the brake so much. (I notice people running up to stop signs and lights with their foot still seemingly on the pedal..or sometimes when one needs to slow down, but not in a hurry, they brake…just let up on the gas!). I have one other tip, when looking for things in a store that might be in other departments, check out the other departments and compare prices before buying…believe it or not some things can cost more on one department than another in the same store(ex: glue, twine: hobby section, auto department and office supplies), etc.
Oh, one other thing–if you have a habit which costs a lot of money, i.e. smoking, drinking too much and of course drugs…give that up. I think people would be shocked at the amount of $$ spent on cigarettes in the course of a life time, $50 or $60K, not to mention the costs of being sick more, ruining clothes and furniture, taking a chance on expensive illnesses, etc.
you forgot a few frugal tips..
wash your car in the rain
re-use napkins,diapers,tampons,toilet paper.ect..
check out your local food bank
ask your neighbor if you can pick fruit from his tree
collect cans and bottles
enter contests and sweepstakes
use pizza boxes for yard sale sign
make bugs and rodents for pets (they eat less)
bake a home-made cake for all birthdays
invest in a tent and backpack
collect freeway hubcaps,scraps
only attend celebrations that provide food
make home-made shoes
shop in the low income areas for better deals
watch a movie from your neighbors window
wash your clothes every other week in your bath tub
inform your family and friends to only send money and giftcards as gifts
rent a room from your house
rent your couch out
rent your garage out
rent your backyard out as storage space
go to the beach
collect upc
donate blood
donate sperm or eggs
read your favorite magazine while your in check out line
jeremiah, let’s NOT re-use tampons and condoms, toilet paper and such. me thinks you are being sarcastic? :)
Thanks for the helpful tips and I’d like to remind all it’s better to use sanitary methods of frugalness then to wind up sick or dead trying to save a buck.
Thanks again
Nancy
Just stumbled on your website noodling around the “frugal” sites! Great info and great fun. I will be checking in often. P.S….my husband told me that when I have to sit at a traffic light in the car, shift into neutral while idling as it saves gas. Also make right turns instead of waiting interminably to make lefts saves gas!! Cheaper to go round the block I guess than to sit idling waiting for a decent interval to pull out!! Another big saver for me, is my bread maker ..I make a couple of loaves a week with whole grains and it only costs pennies …good bread is a fortune these days! I also make my hamburger buns/sandwich rolls in it …they are delicious and if anyone wants the recipe, just e-mail me!!
What’s money-saving about using a dishwasher, even if you air-dry the dishes? Wash up by hand!
Actually, you should embrace your dishwasher. It uses up to 70% less water than if you did your dishes by hand.
Are you kidding me? I would never let my kids see me naked. (see Saving Money on Utilities, letting small children shower or bathe with you instead of separate baths)
I don’t care if I have to do without a bath to save the money, but my children will have a warm bath before bed, with NO ADULTS IN THE TUB WITH THEM!!!!!
@Barbara – I was referring to children under the age of two…children who very well might be breastfeeding anyway. I certainly don’t recommend bathing with children much older than that!
try to gwow as much fruit and vedge as you can,no space well go out find disused land plant it up goverment owned land that is not in use, plant it up,any space you can find in town or out use it,get your friends and the comunity involved in this,we do in england.
Awesome! I am both inspired and amused. I’ll do Jeremiah one better: We draw one bath, and the person who can stand the hottest water (Mama) goes first, then little brother, then big sister. Three baths in less water than one long shower (I measured). Also, towels are laundry hogs; those used to dry fresh clean bodies do not need laundering every time. Hang them up (if you’re squeamish, get your own color). Hang ALL of your laundry, even in winter. If you eat meat, buy half an animal and split it with another family (even better if you know the farmer). Invest in a good freezer. BARTER! We barter tutoring, babysitting, computer work, holiday baking and sewing for haircuts, music lessons – anything! Catch the water from the laundry rinse cycle in a 3-gallon bucket instead of letting it go down the utility sink, and add it to the dehumidifier water for the next load’s wash cycle – it’s clean water, after all, with some soap already in it (six gallons reclaimed per load!) Multi-task your oven: if you are roasting something, bake something at the same time (potatoes? dessert? squash for soup? tomorrow’s meatloaf?). And finally, hang out with cheap people.
Riding your bike will save you so much money!
Great list – thank you so much.
I would like to add using coupons when you do go out to eat once a month. Or, use the discounted gift certificates from restaurant.com.
And, I always do a lot of research before any purchase online, looking for coupon codes, free shipping, comparing with eBay, etc. Never pay full price.
Thanks again for the great list, I’ve thumbed it up and bookmarked it to come back to again and again.
Blessings,
RH
More suggestions:
Cloth diapers and cloth wipes
Cloth menstrual pads
Menstrual Cup (such as Diva Cup)
Excellent list, and i actually follow most of them. But i agree with a few of the comments about using the car
Turn your car off at lights. (the only thing you will be saving is a bit of carbon emissions. This doesn’t save on gas)
Turn off the engine and coast to a stop. (Only do this if you know your car and know what you’re doing. It could be unsafe, depending on the car) – NEVER EVER DO THIS – IF YOU SHUT YOUR CAR OFF THE STEARING WHEEL CAN LOCK
One thing to try when you are in traffic is to maintain a steady speed and distance of the car in front of you. This will use less gas, and ease up on wear and tear.
just wanted to tell the person that saves the water from waiting for the shower to get hot, to flush the toilet.. i told this to my husband, a plumber, he said it causes plug up, because it dosen’t give enough pressure to push it on through
opps.. it dosnt give enough water to push it through
“Store batteries in the refrigerator. They last longer.”
There is no chemical basis on this, it is an old wive’s tale. All you end up doing is introducing another warm object into the fridge which in turn costs energy to cool down.
“Turn your car off at lights.”
This is good for nothing more than turning on the auto choke, which in turn burns far more fuel than you would simply idling. If you want to burn less fuel while idling then clean your EGR to allow more air through, creating a less rich fuel/air mixture.
Many of these “tips” are quite inane. Does this morning team not research what they recommend to others? Especially when many people mindlessly follow celebrity’s(local or not) advice.
My girlfriend and I save a lot of money by following some of the car tips listed above. We only have one car, it’s an older car, we walk and take public transport to work. We mainly use the car in the weekend.
Walking is great exercise too, so we also save money by avoiding alternative exercise expenses.
Paul – you’re going to need that all purpose cleaner if you only flush the toilet every 3-4 times :-)
Only flush your toilet after urinating three-four times. You’ll be saving a lot of water!
Make your own all purpose cleaner cleaner:
1/2 cup of ammonia to a gallon of water.
“make bugs and rodents for pets (they eat less)”
funniest thing I’ve heard today!!
It’s pretty difficult to draw the line between wasting away your life not spending money and trying to be free. And living in Las Vegas where people spend money like nothing doesnt help sometimes. We try to have simple fun that doesn’t require much money and (try to) ride bikes when we can. Our old roomate had this HUGE vintage Tv that I swore ate up a lot of energy, but no one believed me. Now that the TV is gone, the bill isnt as expensive. Upgrade to a mid sized newer TV. Or better yet, dont watch tv at all.
I work at the library and havent gone to the movies since January. Nor bought a cd or dvd. We have all the latest dvds and most new music (that I like). Current magazines. Books galore (same stuff that Barnes and noble has). Its really a resource that people should take more advantage of.
Turning off the thermostat and lighting enough candles to sufficiently raise the temperature [presumably with closed windows to keep the heat in] sounds like a good way to asphyxiate.
As many posters have already said, GET A (BETTER) JOB. It feels far more rewarding to work hard at a decent job than to scrimp and pinch to this degree.
Modern studies on the world economy have also shown that, in contrast to the past, households that spend appropriately and don’t cut out all “luxuries” (toilet-flushing??) now end up earning more, saving more, and having a better quality of life overall than old-fashioned penny-pinchers.
Some of the auto tips are examples of what economic externalities. They attempt to maximize personal benefits at the expense of those around you, and would cease to be beneficial if they were put into widespread useage. Case in point-”don’t suddenly stop or accelerate” makes no sense. Although you may save some gas by not rapidly accelerating, if everyone pulls away from lights slowly, fewer cars will make it through any given light. More cars will thus spend more time idling at lights, which in turn means that more people will use more gas waiting at lights.
Go to thrift stores and yard sales,its a great way to save.
Hello Lynnae – Today is the first time I visited your website (12/23, 8:30 PM). Wow, you commented about this evening ! That comment about the “adult” thing, convinced me you truly enjoyed our outing-I’m glad.
While I was scanning your various comments and topics in your blog, I saw what you were referring to at our house, re. the snowflakes.
There was another coincidence, but I can’t recall that at the moment.
I commend you on several excellent traits, in doing what you’re doing.
One is your bravery, in putting yourself ‘out there’ for criticism, etc.
I like that you printed the bad as well as the good (don’t know if I could say that I would be open enough to do that !).
Also, you have more than knowledge – and that’s excellent ‘good sense’ (notice I didn’t say common sense, because I don’t believe it’s common).
That comment from Dana, in April, had a lot of mis-information in it.
Makes me wonder how many people out there put out false ‘facts’, and how many people believe that stuff. She seemed to know just enough to make it look credible. Her comments about carbs leading to Type 2 (diabetes) might be true – if a person had a ‘vegetarian’ diet in which they ate mainly junk food such as chips, soda, and pastries, etc.!
Despite the occasiional negative or crazy comments, it looks like you have many ‘fans’, friends, admirers, and supporters out there.
CONGRATULATIONS ! I’ll try to check in on your blog regularly now.
about 90% of the tips are good. it’s obvious that someone was trying to fill up their webpage with a bunch of bad ideas…lol
1) candles to warm up your home?…dumbass!
2) go vegetarian?…it’s cheaper to be meat eater….my $1 taco bell bean burrito costs $6 in cooking materials if i buy it at the grocery store
3)flush the toilet after 2-3 times?…hells no!, i’ll be spending more in cleaning supplies cleaning a shit stained toilet
4)wtf is rearing a chicken!?!
Great List!!! Can I add?? Stop using paper products like paper plates, cups, plasticware too. Just wash the dishes. Also, if you have cloth napkins, use them… you wash towels and other linens anyway, right?
I agree with Scott, I see this post as something akin to brainstorming, anything goes, just shoot those ideas out.
I also think it would have taken a lot of work to collate all the tips. Well done there.
Wow, I just read some of the sarcastic posts… geeze people, have you nothing better to do? Take what you like and leave the rest, without your negative input.
I don’t mean to sound preachy-BUT
This is the second time I have visited your site and I was delighted to see the article on you in the Mail Tribune.
I am both inspired by some of the suggestions (many of them I have implemented for years) AND appalled by some of the comments. Being frugal should be daily common sense living.
In some ways, I feel that the ecomonic crisis our country is in can be a good thing. It should and could provide a much needed “reality check” to bring all of us back to good old “common sense” living. Dare I say, “to a degree those of us who have been living on credit and far beyond our means for years, are getting what we deserve and unfortunately are taking the rest of the country down with us.
For those of us who have always lived within our means, many of us will survive the economic crisis in tact, but we will feel the sting and we too will be impacted right along with everyone else until we get through.”
While it is great to find new ways to cut the cost of living, anything taken to extremes can also potentially become a “bad, unhealthy or dangerous thing” like some of the car driving suggestions.
We need to support each other financially with our shopping and spending habits. The responsible use of our money, to purchase goods and services along with giving of our time and our individual talents is good for everyone, and is what keeps us in jobs and keeps money flowing to benefit everyone in the community we live in.
If every person used common sense in the way they live day in and day out, our economy wouldn’t be in the mess it is currently in. Credit became “King” and the “Kingdom” is now crumbling around us.
As a society, we have lived far too long with a “gotta have it now at whatever it may cost” mindset without regard to what the “total cost” is emotionally, physically, financially, environementally, and communally and we are all paying dearly for it now with home foreclosures, bancruptsy, businesses going under resulting in further job losses which results in more of the same.
It is my hope that as a Nation we will have learned something from all of that has come to pass in 2008 and learn to live within our means with more thought given to how we spend, use, and dispose of our resources.
When we put frugality into daily practice it eventualy becomes the “norm” and it becomes a “win” for everyone.
WOW this is a huge list of tips for saving money. Making that dollar stretch as far as possible is what learning to survive tough times is all about.
“If every person used common sense in the way they live day in and day out, our economy wouldn’t be in the mess it is currently in. Credit became “King” and the “Kingdom” is now crumbling around us.”
That is such a true statement.
We live in a rural area of Southeast Kansas, and use propane to heat. One winter my propane tank was empty and in order to keep warm I went into the sunniest room in the house, opened the curtains to allow the warm sunshine in and lit a candle. With the room door closed, to hold in the heat, the room was plenty warm. We had to borrow and use a portable electric heater at night, but we were able to weather the cold until the propane company came to fill us up. NOw-a-days there is a fee if you let the tank run dry, we purchased a larger storage tank a few years back, so fortunately this has never happened to us again. Still, a candle and some sunshine CAN heat a room. Of course not everyone can use the idea, it would (obviously) depend on the room. NEVER leave a burning candle unattended (sleeping is not being in attendance) and always use common sense with an open flame.
Another thing I do is open the curtains/drapes on the sunny side of the house during the daytime and close them on the shaded side(in the summer I reverse that). This works very well on sunny, non-windy days. This allows me to use natural light as well. I do not like plastic on my windows, but have had times in the past where this was effective, particularly on the north facing windows.
We also hang a heavy quilt or drape over the inside of the unused entry to our home (we have a front and back door and never use the front entry). I only tack this down at the top, at the bottom we use baffles (draft-sealers or “snakes”) to hold the covering tight, this way we are not completely sealing off the route (in case of emergency). We check the caulk around all the windows at the start of cooler weather and seal up drafts.
I had a friend I helped move several times at semester end back when he was a dorm student. Students toss out a riduculous amount at the end of a semester when they have to clear out of the dorms. I have several “like new” items salvaged from such, towels, desk chairs and area rugs being a few of the items discovered. Apparently foreign students or those flying to a new destination can’t take many things along, and (hate to say it but…) our young adults are often exceptionally wasteful. If you’re opposed, don’t engage in this form of salvage, but to those of you who aren’t …check that out. Old clothing and protective gloves recommended for obvious reasons.
Sure, we have a recession, but doing THIS????? It’s simply ridiculous! This is not living, this is …. just surviving…inhumanly so. No Thank you!
inhuman? hahah. are you referencing some of the more tongue in cheek ideas?
Perhaps if we citizens had stayed resourceful and less wasteful, we would not be in such a pretty pickle. inhuman to not flush for 3 voids? I’ve often wondered why we would flush our refuse into the water system anyway. Water has a finite ability to wash away our degradations.
inhuman to salvage usable items from some wasteful persons refuse? please. your sensibilities have become like blinders.
It’s so savage to light a candle or close a curtain?
If we are humane, we judge less, have compassion and comprehension. We let go of the blinders and perhaps take on some of the responsibility.
Life is what it is and that may vary greatly for individuals. I’ve been poor. Even with the loss of my measly retirement, in the form of 401k managed stock options, this is the best year I’ve ever had financially. I work in healthcare, I’m not eating out of dumpsters yet, but if some dumb kid is going to toss out a $40 sweater…I’m on it. If someone sets a set of tv trays on the curb and I’ve been wanting some…I’ll load ‘em up. why should they go to a landfill when someone can use them?
As for those of you tossing out stuff that others can use…bless your neighbors and donate. There are people really hurting in this world for a few measly possessions, there are people hungry. consider what you are doing…do not waste. Donate. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
I don’t think you understand my full meaning Tammy. I do not mean WASTING and THROWING AWAY things that are still useful! I don’t mean not donating to charities! Nor do I mean ENCOURAGING MASS CONSUMPTION!!! What I mean is, during a time of recession, HIDDING your money in your shoes does not help the economy in anyway; in fact, it is HARMFUL because it further PROLONGS RECESSION! Moreover, posts like this SPREADS UNNECESSARY FEAR amongst the popular, which is ONLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE!
“Turn off the engine and coast to a stop.”…YEA, REALLY…THIS IS SO INTELLIGENT! It is hazardous! “Flush the toilet only after you use it 2-3 times.” That is absolutely unsanitary! GET A WATER-SAVING TOILET INSTEAD???!!?!
Absolutely, some of the advices here are good, if not common sense, such as use a kitchen towel instead of paper towel, eat out only once a month, or eat leftover! But others are just simply RIDICULOUS and spreads endless panic!
After reading this list, I am wishing that farm stands were cheaper here 50 miles outside of NYC. I went to the farmer’s market this summer and am still gauffing at the $6.00 cost for a dozen eggs and $40 per pound of organic steak! BUT, Angel Food Ministries has saved me THOUSANDS of dollars per month b/c I have 4 very hungry teenagers. I spend $200 and save $1500 a month! Whoo hoo!
Great list! If everyone live according to half the tips, the state of the natural environment would be much better, and less people would suffer from chagrin.
Living in the Netherlands, I would add “sell your car, buy a bicycle instead”. This saves taxes, petrol, insurance and helps to improve or maintain your physical condition. It also saves me lots of time, living in a congested city.
I didn’t see anyone mention Angel Food Ministries…..they are operating in almost every state…..
I am grateful for these tips. I have been doing many of them for over 15 years. I did not realize how they had really impacted my family’s life until my sister-in-law called us up lamenting the general state of her husband’s retirement (through one of the bailed-out car manufacturers). They lost over $30,000 in retirement just during 2008. That’s more then we see in a year. Just when we were ready to feel sorry for her huge loss, she asked us how we had managed all these years on the little we get (we are a family of six with three members who have varing degrees of disabilities-I am the caregiver). The solution to us was simple. We became frugalites back before it was common to be. Yes, we too, are dealing with debt of our own making. However, we have learned over the years what is important for us and what we are able to live without.
I have read all the comments. I am disappointed in the selfish mentality of some of the commenters. We each have our own sense of what will work for us. We should keep in mind that no one is holding a gun to our heads to ‘make’ us do this. This is a very nicely compiled list of suggestions. That is all it is. Suggestions. We each take what we can use from the list and leave the rest.
By the way, I, too, do not flush the toilet all the time. I live with a septic system and a disabled adult child who constantly flushes the toilet even when it isn’t necessary. We turn off the water to the toilets during the day and turn them back on when it is necessary to flush them. Every other day I will dump a soup can of white vinegar in the toilet bowl. It helps to cut down on the smell and keeps the bowl from staining. We don’t seem to have trouble with our septic system as a result of using the vinegar.
I use Ole Roy dinner rolld dog food for treats for the dogs. A huge bag is like $10, and it lasts for months and months
That’s a very exhaustive list. I like the “no spend weekend” challenge. It’s great to make cutting back something to strive for and see as an accomplishment instead of deprivation. Great work!
My wife and I agree with the having a list when grocery shopping. We also go through our cart and periodically add up what is in it to make sure we’re not overspending. It is very easy to add things you don’t need. ~Phil
I would not cancel my landline phone. When we had a 6.8 Earthquake back in 2001, the cell phones did not work for hours, but the landlines did. So I would cancel my cellphone and get an answering machine.
Wow! This list is long. I think if I do a quarter of this stuff I’ll survive a recession.
Save Money on Utilities
Here are some things that even renters can do to save energy in the home during the heating season. Close heat registers and close doors in unused rooms over the winter.Just beware of the possibility of frozen water pipes during subzero temperatures if pipes run through unheated areas. If the room doesn’t have a door that can be closed, purchase clear vinyl film (Wal-mart sells this on a roll)and hang it over the entrance. If your kitchen has an outside wall and can be closed off, do this to your kitchen too when not in use, it will reduce your refrigerator’s electricity use substantially. Build insider storms for your windows using clear vinyl film attached to a thin wood frame that you custom build to fit the inside of your windows. Attach a rubber or foam seal around the outer edges of the wood frame to tightly seal against the window frame. A double layer of vinyl film (with a one inch dead space between layers) is better than one layer, but follows the law of diminishing returns. Simply remove the insider storm when sun is available to increase radiant heating into the room. I’ve saved 30% on my natural gas and 25% on my electric so far this winter using these techniques.
There is no way I could become a vegetarian. Beans and grains have too many carbs and don’t provide enough protein for me. I have discovered that the local meat market sells beef hearts for $0.99/lb. The heart is very low in fat once the fat is cut off and is tender if you prepare it correctly. I usually simmer or grill it. Tongue and liver are also good alternatives to more expensive cuts. Pork is much cheaper than beef or even chicken if you like it. I guess cooking offal has become a lost art or maybe people are too squeamish to try it. I like to look in old recipie books that are posted online (gutenburg.org has several) or may be available in libaries. They usually have some very good recipies that use cheaper ingredients but they do often take a little more time in the kitchen.
Don’t forget about breastfeeding if you can. Even the cost of generic formula can be about 30 dollars a week.
Crap people!!! Flush the toilet when you use it.. That’s just nasty when you have dogs, cats, guests or what have you. When pee sits in there, you need to clean the bowl more often and the stains are more difficult. More chemicals too!
I got a nice 1.6 gallon toilet with a Sink-positive that we installed. This sink on top runs when you flush so that you can wash your hands with the clean water than fills the bowl. People often use as much water washing hands.
This will keep kids from playing too long in the regular sink. You’ll hear em if they keep flushing the bowl! he he he!
It’s automatically “on” when it’s flushed so your hands aren’t nasty from someone gross touching the bathroom faucets. If you have a leak, the faucet will be where you see the leak so no more “secret leaks.”
If you don’t wash your hands after every use, then shame on you. Gentle reminder for the old man and the kids and guests. And, like a fountain, it’s also clean enough to drink from… I know that’s probably too weird for most people.
I can stillhear my grandfather telling me ” use it up, wear it out, make do or do without”. This saying has saved me a bundle over the years. I’m one of those who recycled before it was the in thing to do. It’s gotten my family through some very tight times.
jacpinemagnolia/Pat Johnson
I grew up on a ranch with a septic. We flushed at # 2, but not #1 (or the men went outside). The vinagar at the end of the day kept the toilet clean.
My kids are all in their early 20′s. They grew up with hand-me-downs, leftovers etc. They all love board and card games. They are well-rounded, responsible, educated, and healthy young adults. It’s about relationships, not ‘things’ that bring happiness.
The person who said” become a vegetarian and eat less meat should be one” is wrong! I like meat and am not interested in eating just veggies. You may get your protein from soy-based items but I get it from meat. It depends on the cuts of meat you use and how you marinate it. The two are VERY separate items.
A couple more entertainment tips:
Instead of spending money to entertain yourselves, go for a hike or bike ride. Also, go outside and play some catch. A game of frisbee is fun too! Even if you don’t have kids you will be surprised how much free fun you can have when you play your old childhood games.
No one can argue that any of this is bad for you health. Fresh air is cheap and healthy!!
Excuse my grammar, I’m still learning English…
Great tips there. The bottom line is learning to manage your spending before it’s going out of control. My hubby and I both have decent job making a decent living. If we make less money in a giving month, we spend less, but we would still contribute a fixed amount to a saving account every month.
Here’s how we have been saving:
We eat out once a week, but mostly during lunchtime when the menu prices are cheaper than during dinner time. We only ask for water.
At home, we tear napkins in half so two persons will use only 1 napkin.
Once in a while when we go out for a movie, we would sneak in snacks and water so we’d only have to pay for the tickets. We choose showtimes before 6pm, when the price is slighty less than peak time.
We rent newly released movies at redbox, where it only costs $1/night. Rarely do we keep a movie for more than 1 night.
We check store circulars to see what’s on sale. We clip coupons and use them on sale items to save more. We buy “generics” whenever we can.
We swap/share things with family and friends so we don’t have to buy everything.
We have a vegetable garden.
We shop at thrift stores/garage sales. We buy seasonal items when it’s out-season and save them for the following year when it’s in-season.
Our list can go on and on. What is important is trying to turn money-saving techniques into habits, and you’ll realize how much you can save each month!
HELLOOOO, MIKE. People maybe need to save because they do NOT find a job – or they are underpaid.
I think this is a great list.
I think that a lot of people really appreciate this information including me and the rude posts are from peope who shouldn’t be reading the tips anyway.
My husband has a good job and I am a stay at home mom.
Our income is in the top 20% in our area but like many Young married folks we have a lot of debt, mostly from fertility procedures which did not work. I feel like any money I can save by being frugal is money gained for our family. I also would rather save on what we need to buy or pay for what we want. Such as deals on cleaning supplies= extra money for clothes,vacation, etc.
Also,
Be frugal by adopting. Fertiity, cost $$$,$$$.$$ results nothingbut debt.
Local Children Service Adoption, cost lawyer fees..results The most wonderful boys in the world.(at least in our case).
The money we could have saved had we adopted without the fertility treatments would pay for their college educations.
And don’t tel me to get a job, My job is raising my family like the Bible says and The only things that matter to me are My Faith, My Family, And my Friends. Oh, and it kills me that my baby is starting school this year I will miss him sooooooo much.
Dear Lynnae and Readers,
Use a Solar Cooker to prepare your food. The library and websites have information on how to make one or where to buy Solar Cookers. There are even recipes and baking in a solar oven is possible, I’ve read. I hope to learn how to bake in one this year.
Juanita
Here you go http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/CooKit
Google solar cooking Zimbabwe. It is widespread there. Basically you are slow cooking. Start everything off then put in a pot that has sun light focused on it. Depending on the sun, it may boil very hard and fast so it is good for beans.
You might also want a “hay box”. Just start off your casserole and put it in a box surrounded by non inflammable insulation (search maybe and as a rule of thumb use nothing “modern”). Leave it and come back in the evening. Done. You can also do porridge overnight.
Or just invest in a slow cooker and a simple rice cooker. You have power and you should remember all the hassle of cleaning up might cost you more. Solar power is good in countries like Zimbabwe where the the power supply has become erratic.
Equally, as you have fridges and freezers, just cook one big casserole and freeze portions. I only cook once a week in the Uk and I know many people without children who do the same. I know some people who have grown children who still host a family dinner weekly then send their adult children off with sufficient cooked food to last the week.
Don’t make your lives hard! You should be enjoying your infrastructure and using it wisely!
After doing all of these tips for years and still having trouble making the ends meet, buy a black market counterfeiting machine and make your own money. Much simpler, and your social life will improve.
Why don’t people just bury yourselves in the ground now and be done with it. Tips such as ‘don’t go’ out are great money savers, great for the planet, not so great for having fun. Don’t forget to have a life! :)
Lynnae, I think your website is great, it offers awesome tips on saving which work well when you have a family to feed and buy clothes for. I am single, working with no children and I find that gives no reason to go out and squander money. I noticed a comment from Ellen Moans who obviously doesn’t have children to look out for. Ellen dear, its not always about sacrificing or doing without, its about being able to do the same things you are doing now for less. Its about shopping smart and finding bargains for everything you buy.
You should probably remove “turn car off at lights”: starting a car requires far more energy than the minute or so of idling at a light. Otherwise, what an awesome list!
Awesome list. I am a sahm, homeschooler, student and wife. With one income the budget can get tight at times. These are some great tips.
One thing our family does, is turn something old into something new. We take old t- shirts and make reuseable grocery bags. With old jeans- we make purses (and sell),reusable grocery bags and jean skirts.
Personaly- I am enjoying the recession. As a buddhist living in american society I am glad to see many more going to more simple ways of living. Life should be about great conversation, friends, family, memories.Not so much about materialist things.
Really wonderful post Lynnae – such useful information!
Buy condiments and oils in bulk as well. A tiny jar of olive oil is pricey but a big jug – while maybe not quite as special – is much cheaper. You can keep the tiny jar for entertaining and appetizers.
Thank you.
If your doctor wants to write you a prescription, even better than using generics is using free samples that your doctor has. Just ask if he/she has any samples. Doctors get them from pharmaceutical sales reps.
Oh, and be sure to understand your medical benefits. For instance, if you have managed care (and most of us do), make sure to go to an in-network provider.
Well, the cultural differences between my Chinese wife and I seem to extend into the shower.
I like to use a soap with a pleasant fragrance to it. However my wife and her mother insist on a cake of soap with an odour resembling some kind of harsh industrialised detergent.
I don’t know where they find this soap, but it certainly wouldn’t sell in a Coles or a Woolworths.
Every time I get near it I get an idea of what life would have been like in those concentration camps in China during the cultural revolution. This is really harsh soap that leaves one feeling that their body has been stripped of all vital moisture. It is certainly not a luxury item.
In any case, its always there in the shower, whether I like it or not.
In order to get around this, I recently purchased a bottle of body shampoo, as something that I could use and at least feel like I had a real showever.
The day after I purchased it, the bottle went missing.
When I asked my wife what happened to it, she quickly ran to the bathroom. She returned with an old handwash bottle.
She then proudly stated that her mother diluted the contents of my bottle, and got to fill four old handwash bottles.
When I told her that it was for me to use in the shower, she looked at me strangely and said, “why would you use that in the shower? We already have soap!”
Awesome tips. Will definitely share this on my fb wall. If you get the chance, feel free to visit my site for helpful finance tips.
Our local tip gives away free mulch if you’re prepared to shove it. They also have a trash and tresure section which is great, I just got a bunch of free pavers for my vege garden from there.
if truly desperate for frugality, ditch your internets…. or not. *blinks. anyone else around in california in the 70′s? if it’s yellow, let it mellow..
I find that when I’m planning meals for the week I’m less likely to buy on impulse at the grocery store. I usually eat the same thing for lunch every day (boring i know) but dinners are where we get creative. We know exactly what we need for each night, talk about a stress reliever. When you’re scrambling at the last minute to make dinner that’s when things get unhealthy.
I happen to agree with your suggestion of buying generic items particularly with food and drug products. As someone who worked in a big pharma company for many years, I can attest that generic and branded products have the same effect on human body. Otherwise, US FDA or equivalent regulatory agencies in other countries will not allow marketing of these products.
The only difference is price and that what matters most in this bad economy.
This article is amazing! After all, the typical ‘millionaire’ is the everyday person who is smart with his money, lives below his means and focuses on savings first!
I just reupholstered two armless sofas with a couple of red twin bed sheets sets and a staple gun. They look great!
Nice List you’ve put together…
Go to auctions to buy lawn mowers or even cars…. Also if u smoke…invest in a cigarette machine …you’ll pay about 60 cents a pack that way. I drive a Cadillac that had under a 100,000 miles on it for $1200.
Turning you car off at a stop light to save gas only works if the car has a carburetor and if the light is going to be really long. This wont save you gas if you have a fuel injected car. When you turn it off and then back on the ecu floods more gas into the cylinders on initial start up then if you were to leave it running.
Ok, here are some things I didn’t see:
Buy whole chicken instead of pieces and then after you use the meat, make your own chicken stock. Great for soups, dumplings, casseroles, etc.
Only do laundry and dishes when there’s a full load. You waste water by doing partial loads, and soap too.
Have a capsule wardrobe. You don’t need so many clothes that your closet is bursting at the seams.
Combine all your errands into one trip, starting with the farthest away.
Learn how to use coupons with sales, and shopper rewards, all at the same time.
Reinvent leftovers : roasted chicken becomes chicken nachos, leftover chili tops hot dogs, mashed potatoes become potato cakes, etc.
If you don’t need it (need vs want) don’t buy it.
Fix it instead of buying a new one.
Shop for food that’s in season. It’s generally cheaper than out of season foods.
Overall, these were very good time tested suggestions. However, chickens have been cheaper when purchased at the grocery store in bulk frozen sacks than raising your own in the back yard since 1954. My father stopped having a cow around 1942 for that reason. Stopped raising chickens when it cost him money to do so. He continued having 3 gardens a year until he could not even give the produce away unless he shelled the peas and beans and shucked the corn first. Also, could not give the fish he caught away unless he had cleaned them. Also, today’s woman likely does not know how to cook dried beans or use a pressure cooker. Maybe her mother does not know how either.