Tilted Frugality - Page 3 - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Tully Mars · 12-13-2008, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

with regards to rewards programs... pay attention to the VALUE of what it is that you are saving up for... Sony Points are wonderful, but if the redemption of things isn't what you want... well it doesn't have any value.

We use frequent flyer miles for our rewards, we have enough FF miles for 4 round trip tickets to the Pacific Rim/Asia, approximate value is $10,000 each seat. There's no way that we'd get that same value with Discover card cash back or Starwood points.

want to know how much something adds up from day to day buying like lunch instead of bringing your own?

Lunch Savings - Financial Calculators from Dinkytown.net

Starwood points suck in my experience. I saved some up and twice used them to upgrade a room. Both times I found my room to be no different then those in my group that didn't "upgrade." Maybe I just got screwed a couple of times, don't know. But stuff like that keeps me from using or staying at properties that use that system. Given the option to earn Starwood points or air mile I'll take the air miles.

Lindy · 12-19-2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

with regards to rewards programs... pay attention to the VALUE of what it is that you are saving up for... Sony Points are wonderful, but if the redemption of things isn't what you want... well it doesn't have any value.

We use frequent flyer miles for our rewards, we have enough FF miles for 4 round trip tickets to the Pacific Rim/Asia, approximate value is $10,000 each seat.

Right. I hate to fly, and will do so only in an emergency. So FF rewards are of no value to me. I like my AmEx rewards program because I can use the points for hotels, or even just general shopping. When I drove from Boston to Kansas last month, I used AmEx Rewards points to stay in a Hampton Inn in Illinois, and a Hilton in Omaha, saving about $300 total.

Eating/cooking at home can sure be a big saver. My housemate ordered a not very big everything pizza and breadsticks. She ate 5 pieces, and the rest will sit in the fridge til it gets thrown out. The bill was about $28 and she probably tipped the driver. That's about what I paid (on sale) for a package of six eight ounce ribeyes. So I can eat six steak dinners at home for a week for the price of one delivered pizza meal.

Lindy

ASU2003 · 01-23-2009, 05:23 PM

I thought of some more simple things to do to conserve energy and save money.

1. Put plastic film over windows in the fall through the spring.

2. Collect snow and fill containers (reuse clean glass or plastic bottles), put these in your refrigerator and freezer. It will take up space, you won't lose as much cold air when you open the door, and nature cooled the snow for free so it will save you energy. If you live in a warm climate, just put water bottles (or fill it with food) in your freezer and keep your refrigerator organized so you can find stuff quickly.

3. Change light bulbs to energy efficient ones. Use sunlight instead of electric light.

4. Look into building a solar thermal heater. It won't work too well here from Dec-Feb because of the clouds, but I still might try to build a solar greenhouse that it's only job is to create heat from IR and UV rays that would have hit my yard. I priced the materials for this at $150, but unless it is damaged, it is a one-time cost.

5. Add more insulation. You get a tax rebate this year of 10%. I would like to see how long it would take for me to recoup this cost though. If I spend $180 to put in additional insulation, it might take 5-10 winters to come out ahead.

6. Wear more clothes in the winter, wear less in the summer (or nothing

). Keep your thermostat low in the winter and delay your use of AC in the summer.

7. Hotel rewards points and fuel cards are great if you stay in hotels for business a lot or buy gasoline. I'm a fan of Priority Club and Speedway.

8. Close off rooms that don't get used in the winter or don't need to be heated (no pipes in the walls).

9. Wash your own car.

10. Mow your own lawn.

11. Recycle aluminum cans and a few other items. If enough people do it, the raw material cost will fall.

12. Buy drink mixes that you have to add your own water to instead of buying drinks that pre-mixed the water for you (and charged you for shipping the water).

13. Use Blockposters.com and Kinkos to decorate your house. http://www.blockposters.com/gallery.aspx

14. Buy flashlights that you shake to generate power instead of having to buy batteries all the time.

15. Use rechargeable batteries for devices that can use them.

16. Use the internet to watch the Daily Show, C-Span, the weather channel, CNN, Fox News, and a bunch of other sites if you have high speed internet or go to a mall, coffee shop or airport with free wifi.

Dammitall · 01-28-2009, 11:37 AM

Ladies, if you're up for it and don't mind the potential "ick" factor, use reusable menstrual supplies instead of disposable tampons and pads. There's already an open thread about these in the Ladies' Lounge, where many common questions have been addressed. I personally converted to the Keeper seven years ago and, hundreds of dollars in savings later, I haven't looked back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASU2003

15. Use rechargeable batteries for devices that can use them.

Of course larger retailers are in the business of making money on selling disposable goods that need to be replenished over and over again, but it bothers me that rechargeable batteries aren't made available more prominently and in larger quantity containers in these stores. Whenever I am in places like Best Buy, Target and Home Depot, I'll pass shelf displays of disposable batteries in huge packages, but the rechargeables are almost never more than four per package, many of which include the charger. I have the charger, I just want more batteries!

Anybody have suggestions on the best place to find these? I've seen them available for ordering online but wasn't sure if there were other, more cost-effective options.

Cynthetiq · 01-28-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinelust

Of course larger retailers are in the business of making money on selling disposable goods that need to be replenished over and over again, but it bothers me that rechargeable batteries aren't made available more prominently and in larger quantity containers in these stores. Whenever I am in places like Best Buy, Target and Home Depot, I'll pass shelf displays of disposable batteries in huge packages, but the rechargeables are almost never more than four per package, many of which include the charger. I have the charger, I just want more batteries!

Anybody have suggestions on the best place to find these? I've seen them available for ordering online but wasn't sure if there were other, more cost-effective options.

ebay. I buy my rechargables in bulk. they are generally sold by All-Battery.com - Rechargeable batteries & Chargers and sometimes i get them cheaper than what is listed in the website.

BUT... I've leared that there are some batteries that are better being disposable versus rechargable. Ex. remote controls... they last years as disposable, but with rechargables I have to recharge them every few months.

Cynthetiq · 02-18-2009, 08:33 AM

the freezing credit cards works for many people I know.

again, look at your spending habits and see just what is a habit and how you can diminish that. Remember it isn't as much about making more but about keeping more.

Quote:

View: Small fixes add up to big savings for Bronx nonprofit manager
Source: Nydailynews
posted with the TFP thread generator

Small fixes add up to big savings for Bronx nonprofit manager
Small fixes add up to big savings for Bronx nonprofit manager

BY Lore Croghan
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, February 17th 2009, 9:59 PM
Alvarez for News

Adelina Perez, at home in the Bronx, smiles after finding out she can save more than $3,000 a year by making small changes that will allow her to travel abroad.
Certified financial planner Clare Stenstrom Roberts for News

Certified financial planner Clare Stenstrom
Related News
Articles

* Part I: Whiz lends hand to Queens mom
* Part II: Small steps a big help for saving money

Adelina Perez is going to dip her credit cards in water and stow them in the freezer.

Should she decide to go shopping, they'll need a day to thaw - no more impulse buying. She can't speed things up by putting them in boiling water or the microwave. They'd be ruined.

"If you want something, save for it," said certified financial planner Clare Stenstrom, who taught Perez the frozen card trick.

During a counseling session arranged by the Daily News, Stenstrom came up with ways for Perez to save $3,315 a year and urged her to use some of that money to wipe out the card balances ASAP.

Until their meeting in Stenstrom's Penn Plaza office, the debt that most worried Perez was $14,000 in student loans.

"It's such a big number," said Perez, 29, who lives in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx. "I don't want it hanging over my head."

As long as you make monthly payments on time, student loans improve your credit rating, Stenstrom explained.

"Student loans are good debt," she said.

Also, employees at some nonprofits are eligible to have their student loan balances wiped out after 10 years' work, Stenstrom said.

Perez, a case manager at a nonprofit with a branch in a Manhattan hospital, plans to find out if the place she works is on the list of qualified employers for this program.

Perez has some savings strategies of her own. She brings a mat and water bottle to avoid $4 in extra charges at the $5 yoga class she takes. She gets tips on finding free or low-cost entertainment from a book called "The Cheap Bastard's Guide to New York City."

Stenstrom found other fixes, such as asking Perez's cell phone company to send a free text message alert that warns when her minutes run out. Perez's cell bill hit $375 a month when she went over her minutes. Tweaks to her cell plan - such as a cheaper texting option - and laying off the music downloads can save $462 a year.

Perez can lower her $80 monthly winter electric bill by making sure a meter reader comes to her apartment. Bills are higher when they're based on estimated power use, Stenstrom said.

Last summer, the tab was $200 a month because her air conditioner was a freebie - an old power-guzzler. She can cut the summer bill in half by measuring her apartment and finding an energy-efficient machine whose output matches the size of her home.

She can save $1,800 a year on food by sharpening her supermarket shopping skills and remembering to take her coffee mug and brown-bag lunches with her in the morning.

"When it comes to work, I'm superorganized," she said.

At home, sometimes, there's room for improvement. Making a list of what to take with her and tying it to her front door knob can help, Stenstrom said. And she should paper-clip a list of her financial goals to her wallet to remind her of the rewards for spending carefully.

Perez wants to use her extra greenbacks for a vacation. She'd like to spend a week in Spain one year and go to Italy and France in other years.

Long-term, "I want to move out of the Bronx to somewhere quieter," she said.

genuinegirly · 02-18-2009, 08:42 AM

Those are some great tips, Cyn!

My sister told me about her "Coupon Club" the other day. Seemed like a great idea to share.

She has a group of friends that each hunt for coupons. They gather them from websites, newspapers, magazines, cereal boxes - wherever they happen to find them. Now comes the club. They have an envelope that they pass along from one person to the next. As each person gets their turn with the envelope, they:
1) throw out any expired coupons
2) take out coupons they will use
3) add their unused or unwanted coupons to the envelope
4) pass it along to the next person
You'll be shocked at the treasures you'll find when the envelope comes your way!

Cynthetiq · 02-21-2009, 06:26 PM

coupon club! Great idea... I remember our Ralph's used to have a coupon bin in the front of the store, people looked for coupons that they needed, and left ones that they didn't.

This article tells of some hardcore things like reusing bathwater for laundry... But the most important thing that I do from the whole thing is wait for things to get cheaper. Yes, things get cheaper because there are sales, that's when I buy things, especially things that don't spoil. Canned goods, why pay full price when from time to time canned tomato sauce or other canned items go for 25% - 50% cheaper???

Also, buy only what you need. Do you really need to be a small warehouse of goods? This makes sense if going to the market is on the way home. Europeans go the market regularly, like every other day.

Quote:

View: When Consumers Cut Back: A Lesson From Japan
Source: Nytimes
posted with the TFP thread generator

When Consumers Cut Back: A Lesson From Japan
February 22, 2009
When Consumers Cut Back: A Lesson From Japan
By HIROKO TABUCHI

TOKYO — As recession-wary Americans adapt to a new frugality, Japan offers a peek at how thrift can take lasting hold of a consumer society, to disastrous effect.

The economic malaise that plagued Japan from the 1990s until the early 2000s brought stunted wages and depressed stock prices, turning free-spending consumers into misers and making them dead weight on Japan’s economy.

Today, years after the recovery, even well-off Japanese households use old bath water to do laundry, a popular way to save on utility bills. Sales of whiskey, the favorite drink among moneyed Tokyoites in the booming ’80s, have fallen to a fifth of their peak. And the nation is losing interest in cars; sales have fallen by half since 1990.

The Takigasaki family in the Tokyo suburb of Nakano goes further to save a yen or two. Although the family has a comfortable nest egg, Hiroko Takigasaki carefully rations her vegetables. When she goes through too many in a given week, she reverts to her cost-saving standby: cabbage stew.

“You can make almost anything with some cabbage, and perhaps some potato,” says Mrs. Takigasaki, 49, who works part time at a home for people with disabilities.

Her husband has a well-paying job with the electronics giant Fujitsu, but “I don’t know when the ax will drop,” she says. “Really, we need to save much, much more.”

Japan eventually pulled itself out of the Lost Decade of the 1990s, thanks in part to a boom in exports to the United States and China. But even as the economy expanded, shell-shocked consumers refused to spend. Between 2001 and 2007, per-capita consumer spending rose only 0.2 percent.

Now, as exports dry up amid a worldwide collapse in demand, Japan’s economy is in free-fall because it cannot rely on domestic consumption to pick up the slack.

In the last three months of 2008, Japan’s economy shrank at an annualized rate of 12.7 percent, the sharpest decline since the oil shocks of the 1970s.

“Japan is so dependent on exports that when overseas markets slow down, Japan’s economy teeters on collapse,” said Hideo Kumano, an economist at the Dai-chi Life Research Institute. “On the surface, Japan looked like it had recovered from its Lost Decade of the 1990s. But Japan in fact entered a second Lost Decade — that of lost consumption.”

The Japanese have had some good reasons to scale back spending.

Perhaps most important, the average worker’s paycheck has shrunk in recent years, even after companies rebounded and bolstered their profits.

That discrepancy is the result of aggressive cost-cutting on the part of Japanese exporters like Toyota and Sony. They, like American companies now, have sought to fend off cutthroat competition from companies in emerging economies like South Korea and Taiwan, where labor costs are low.

To better compete, companies slashed jobs and wages, replacing much of their work force with temporary workers who had no job security and fewer benefits. Nontraditional workers now make up more than a third of Japan’s labor force.

Younger people are feeling the brunt of that shift. Some 48 percent of workers age 24 or younger are temps. These workers, who came of age during a tough job market, tend to shun conspicuous consumption.

They tend to be uninterested in cars; a survey last year by the business daily Nikkei found that only 25 percent of Japanese men in their 20s wanted a car, down from 48 percent in 2000, contributing to the slump in sales.

Young Japanese women even seem to be losing their once- insatiable thirst for foreign fashion. Louis Vuitton, for example, reported a 10 percent drop in its sales in Japan in 2008.

“I’m not interested in big spending,” says Risa Masaki, 20, a college student in Tokyo and a neighbor of the Takigasakis. “I just want a humble life.”

Japan’s aging population is not helping consumption. Businesses had hoped that baby boomers — the generation that reaped the benefits of Japan’s postwar breakneck economic growth — would splurge their lifetime savings upon retirement, which began en masse in 2007. But that has not happened at the scale that companies had hoped.

Economists blame this slow spending on widespread distrust of Japan’s pension system, which is buckling under the weight of one of the world’s most rapidly aging societies. That could serve as a warning for the United States, where workers’ 401(k)’s have been ravaged by declining stocks, pensions are disappearing, and the long-term solvency of the Social Security system is in question.

“My husband is retiring in five years, and I’m very concerned,” says Ms. Masaki’s mother, Naoko, 52. She says it is no relief that her husband, a public servant, can expect a hefty retirement package; pension payments could fall, and she has two unmarried children to worry about.

“I want him to find another job, and work as long as he’s able,” Mrs. Masaki says. “We must be ready to fend for ourselves.”

Economic stimulus programs like the one President Obama signed into law last week have been hampered in Japan by deflation, the downward spiral of prices and wages that occurs when consumers hold down spending — in part because they expect goods to be cheaper in the future.

Economists say deflation could interfere with the two trillion yen ($21 billion) in cash handouts that the Japanese government is planning, because consumers might save the extra money on the hunch that it will be more valuable in the future than it is now.

The same fear grips many economists and policymakers in the United States. “Deflation is a real risk facing the economy,” President Obama’s chief economic adviser, Lawrence H. Summers, told reporters this month.

Hiromi Kobayashi, 38, a Tokyo homemaker, has taken to sewing children’s ballet clothes at home to supplement income from her husband’s job at a movie distribution company. The family has not gone on vacation in two years and still watches a cathode-ray tube TV. Mrs. Kobayashi has her eye on a flat-panel TV but is holding off.

“I’m going to find a bargain, then wait until it gets even cheaper,” she says.

---------- Post added at 09:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:14 PM ----------

also from WWII or the Great Depression era

"Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do" (1941-1945)

There's lots of times we don't use things up to the fullest, it sounds silly but I can squeeze at least 1 week extra out of a toothpaste tube. A couple extra servings of sauce from just pouring some water into the jar to get it all off the sides and boiling off the water when cooking.

I recently had to buy 2 new computer monitors. I literally was hoping each and every day that I turned them on for almost 1 month that they not die as I waited for the delivery from Dell to arrive with the new ones.

A friend of mine recently got an iphone because he said he needed to get a new phone, yet his old phone? It worked fine, he just wanted a new phone and found every way to rationalize it. I can actually count how many cellphones I've owned on one hand in the past 12 years, and I still have fingers to go. Skogafoss kept her old cellphone until the company forced her to upgrade because they stopped with the old cell towers.

Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Do without!

Finally, there's things that I flat out want, but I just do without. Not because I can't afford them, but because I can do without them. I'd love to have an Xbox360 or PS3. In fact I didn't even get a PS2. I had at one point all the consoles of all the major manufacturers in the mid90's. But by doing without, I've saved a bundle of cash, and I don't feel like I've really missed anything.

snowy · 02-21-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

But the most important thing that I do from the whole thing is wait for things to get cheaper. Yes, things get cheaper because there are sales, that's when I buy things, especially things that don't spoil. Canned goods, why pay full price when from time to time canned tomato sauce or other canned items go for 25% - 50% cheaper???

Also, buy only what you need. Do you really need to be a small warehouse of goods? This makes sense if going to the market is on the way home. Europeans go the market regularly, like every other day.

We split up our grocery shopping into a couple different types of trips, to different venues that sell different things. Once a month we go to the big warehouse grocery store (Winco) to stock up our pantry, twice a month in the winter we go to the indoor farmer's market, and every couple of days we buy what refrigerated staples we need from the local hippie food co-op (milk, eggs, yogurt, etc) as well as our coffee. Now and again we troll the local Grocery Outlet. We buy a lot of bulk foods--both Winco and the hippie food co-op have enormous bulk sections. Buying in bulk and then storing the food in reusable containers at home is much cheaper. Shopping for produce at the farmer's market forces us to buy what's in season--and what's in season is often cheaper.

This spring we'll be signing up for a CSA box. For about $19/week, we'll get a box of produce from a local organic farm that comes with guaranteed staples and salad mix every week, in addition to a variety of seasonal items. I'm pretty stoked!

Cynthetiq · 02-26-2009, 07:49 AM

Join AAA or AARP.
Even if you don't have a car, AAA has membership benefits that pay for themselves very quickly. Discounts on airfare, rental cars, hotels are just the tip of the iceberg. I compare AAA to Expedia, Travelocity, etc. and sometimes I can get an upgraded high mileage AAA rental car for the same price as the cheaper lower model. There are discounts for FTD, all major theme parks, Lenscrafters, and many other places. You also can get free maps, tour books and other extras.

Ask for discounts.
Flat out ask for them. Ask for Student discounts. Ask for AAA discounts, even if you aren't a member, they may still give you the discount. Ask sales associates if there are upcoming sales. This may mean the difference of waiting a few days or week, a savings for you and maybe even a bigger commission for the salesperson. We got our luggage for travel this way, it gave us 1 free piece of luggage which was valued at $250. A nice tidy savings just because we waited one extra week.

hunnychile · 02-26-2009, 03:11 PM

In regard to bikes, it would be cool if Berkley and other campuses do like the do in Amsterdam: The free local "White Bike". Everyone there rides bikes and at several corners are free, unlocked city owned and lent white bikes that locals use to get from place to place and leave for the next person to "borrow". Isn't that extremely cool? I think so...when I've been there I always smile when I saw someone riding the free white bike! You gotta admit it's just so liberal and commie and wonderful!!!!

genuinegirly · 02-27-2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

In regard to bikes, it would be cool if Berkley and other campuses do like the do in Amsterdam: The free local "White Bike".

Wait a second... what in the world... have you spent any real time in Berkeley? There's a reason why they don't have free bikes sitting around. Have you seen the bicycle skeletons littered around campus? Free bikes would be picked for parts, stolen, or destroyed. There's little respect for public property in that city.

Cynthetiq · 02-27-2009, 02:35 PM

Time Out NYC just posted 769 Cheap Things To Do

Your 2009 stimulus plan - Time Out New York

genuinegirly · 03-02-2009, 04:57 AM

Wow! That's really neat, Cyn. Thanks for sharing!

NoSoup · 03-02-2009, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cynthetiq

Join AAA or AARP.
Even if you don't have a car, AAA has membership benefits that pay for themselves very quickly. Discounts on airfare, rental cars, hotels are just the tip of the iceberg. I compare AAA to Expedia, Travelocity, etc. and sometimes I can get an upgraded high mileage AAA rental car for the same price as the cheaper lower model. There are discounts for FTD, all major theme parks, Lenscrafters, and many other places. You also can get free maps, tour books and other extras.

Ask for discounts.
Flat out ask for them. Ask for Student discounts. Ask for AAA discounts, even if you aren't a member, they may still give you the discount. Ask sales associates if there are upcoming sales. This may mean the difference of waiting a few days or week, a savings for you and maybe even a bigger commission for the salesperson. We got our luggage for travel this way, it gave us 1 free piece of luggage which was valued at $250. A nice tidy savings just because we waited one extra week.

In the same line with the AAA discount - one thing you may want to check on, especially those of you with AAA insurance, is whether or not you receive a discount on insurance with the membership.

I had my autos and homeowners on one policy, and AAA was offering a similiar rate. However, if I joined the actual AAA program (like $60/year) it would then get me a discount that added up to like $300/year on autos and home combined. As a result, I pay less for insurance and have AAA.

braisler · 03-04-2009, 07:23 AM

I love Frugal Living. A lot of what I would contribute has already been said in one form or another. The biggest thing for me to live frugally and well is to not view consumables as a one-way transaction. If you buy a video game, a DVD movie, or clothing, then decide you don't want it anymore, don't let it sit in your closet. Sell it! Ebay, Craigslist, classified ads have already been mentioned. It is simply stunning to me how many people neglect this because it is 'too much bother', then lament their lack of money in the next breath.

If you want to take this to the next level, keep an eye out at garage sales and on Craigslist for items that you know are worth more than the asking price. Buy it, clean it if it is dirty, fix it if it is broken, and re-sell it for what it is actually worth. This was part of the way that my mom made ends meet with raising my brother and myself on $600/month child support with a $500 mortgage. I learned from her example. When I was 14, I bought my first car (though I couldn't drive it) at a garage sale that a neighbor was selling for $200. I paid for it with money I had saved up from birthdays and Christmas gifts and mowing lawns. It was a 1974 Oldsmobile. It ran, but it was dirty and dusty. I spent a weekend washing it inside and out and cleaning it up thoroughly. I sold it the next week for $500. When I was in college, I saw a pretty new looking dryer sitting on the curb down the block. I asked the people living there if they were throwing it out. Yeah, it quit working, we got a new one was the reply. I took it home knowing if I couldn't fix it, I could always just throw it out myself. It turned out that someone had mis-wired the 220 cord and burnt out the connector. I bought a new cord from Lowe's for $6 and sold the dryer for $150. The same principle could apply to used bikes, furniture refinishing... take whatever you are good at and make it work for you.

On rechargeable batteries: take the next step and buy a reliable solar battery charger. They aren't fast, but if you are like me, you can just put a couple of batteries in it and leave it in a sunny corner of your room. Every 2-4 days, you'll have fully charged AA or AAA batteries that you can take out and put the next set in. Unless you are running through batteries like mad, this should keep you set for a while.

Oh, and this is my most recent favorite. Ditch the store bought microwave popcorn. Buy a large bottle of popcorn kernels, a stash of brown paper lunch bags, and do it yourself. Just pour a single layer of kernels onto the bottom of an opened brown bag. Fold over the top twice. Microwave for 1:30 or so until the kernels stop popping actively. Add butter, salt, or leave plain and enjoy. You get great tasting popcorn, for less money, and you get to know exactly what is going onto your popcorn, or not.

genuinegirly · 03-04-2009, 07:34 AM

Neat ideas, braisler. It's amazing the quality junk that people throw away.

braisler · 03-04-2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Painted

Threadjack: I bought one of these: Windsor Bikes - The Hour from bikesdirect.com last Thursday. They shipped it same day I ordered it, and apparently they sent me something, because they sent a tracking number that shows my address. A friend used them and said they work, so they're probably okay.

I know that this was posted a while ago, but I just had to chime in on your bike. Sweet deal, but a FIXED gear!!

I hope you know what you are doing with that bike. I've been riding for 20 years, raced collegiate road and off-road for 3 seasons, raced amateur off-road for 7 years, done several centuries, and the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia.. and fixies still scare the crap out of me.

/threadjack

Cynthetiq · 03-04-2009, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by braisler

I love Frugal Living. A lot of what I would contribute has already been said in one form or another. The biggest thing for me to live frugally and well is to not view consumables as a one-way transaction. If you buy a video game, a DVD movie, or clothing, then decide you don't want it anymore, don't let it sit in your closet. Sell it! Ebay, Craigslist, classified ads have already been mentioned. It is simply stunning to me how many people neglect this because it is 'too much bother', then lament their lack of money in the next breath.

If you want to take this to the next level, keep an eye out at garage sales and on Craigslist for items that you know are worth more than the asking price. Buy it, clean it if it is dirty, fix it if it is broken, and re-sell it for what it is actually worth. This was part of the way that my mom made ends meet with raising my brother and myself on $600/month child support with a $500 mortgage. I learned from her example. When I was 14, I bought my first car (though I couldn't drive it) at a garage sale that a neighbor was selling for $200. I paid for it with money I had saved up from birthdays and Christmas gifts and mowing lawns. It was a 1974 Oldsmobile. It ran, but it was dirty and dusty. I spent a weekend washing it inside and out and cleaning it up thoroughly. I sold it the next week for $500. When I was in college, I saw a pretty new looking dryer sitting on the curb down the block. I asked the people living there if they were throwing it out. Yeah, it quit working, we got a new one was the reply. I took it home knowing if I couldn't fix it, I could always just throw it out myself. It turned out that someone had mis-wired the 220 cord and burnt out the connector. I bought a new cord from Lowe's for $6 and sold the dryer for $150. The same principle could apply to used bikes, furniture refinishing... take whatever you are good at and make it work for you.

On rechargeable batteries: take the next step and buy a reliable solar battery charger. They aren't fast, but if you are like me, you can just put a couple of batteries in it and leave it in a sunny corner of your room. Every 2-4 days, you'll have fully charged AA or AAA batteries that you can take out and put the next set in. Unless you are running through batteries like mad, this should keep you set for a while.

Oh, and this is my most recent favorite. Ditch the store bought microwave popcorn. Buy a large bottle of popcorn kernels, a stash of brown paper lunch bags, and do it yourself. Just pour a single layer of kernels onto the bottom of an opened brown bag. Fold over the top twice. Microwave for 1:30 or so until the kernels stop popping actively. Add butter, salt, or leave plain and enjoy. You get great tasting popcorn, for less money, and you get to know exactly what is going onto your popcorn, or not.

thanks!

I wish I had the fortitude to do the reselling of things. I just don't have it in me at the moment. I can't sell my things for some reason, but I'm happy to give them away to someone who needs them. I'll have to work on that.

Popcorn, I make mine on the stove. Good to know I can make them in the microwave in a simple fashion. I'll have to sample it.

Cynthetiq · 03-06-2009, 05:35 AM

There's probably some repetition here, but use them as some important reminders...

I do always forget to walk through the thrift stores. I used to do it on a regular basis when I was younger and needed office clothes. Blazers and button down shirts are cheap and usually have little wear and tear on them.

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View: Frugal Living: 25 Small Ways to Help Lower Your Expenses
Source: Associatedcontent
posted with the TFP thread generator

Frugal Living: 25 Small Ways to Help Lower Your Expenses
ind Out How to Really Stretch a Dollar
The cost of living is rising all over America, and minimum wage unfortunately isn't keeping up. It is tough to survive in today's economy, especially for a single income family in this double income world. Unfortunately, there are some expenses you can avoid without going without. And
sometimes, going without isn't as bad as it seems. Learn how and when to go without--and how to save money without neglecting your needs and desires. Here are some tips, in no particular order!

1. Don't buy what you don't need if you don't really have the extra money. That cute sweater on sale may be a steal, but if you've already got enough sweaters, and your account balance is dwindling, you should pass.

2. Don't buy name brand, unless you know the off brand is terrible. Compare the ingredients in the two different brands, as well as the amount in each container. Most of the time, the cheaper brand is the better buy and works just as well.

3. Buy thrift whenever you can. Find out when stores like Goodwill and Arc have their discount sales, and make it a point to go when you need something. Check Freecycle and Craigslist, too, before buying something new.

4. If you have an air conditioner, don't use it unless you must. Dress for the weather even indoors. If it gets so hot you're sweating in your underwear, or so cold that you're shivering in your sweatpants, then turn the air conditioner on.

5. Don't buy expensive things. Have a price limit--for everything. I, for one, never spend more than $10 on a shirt or pair of pants unless we have plenty of extra money (if we've received birthday money, for example). When it comes to meat, a $2 pack of hamburger meat fills my families belly as well as $6 steaks, and a $1 pack of chicken drumsticks is as satisfying as filet mignon. A $10 bag of shrimp is a rare luxury.

6. Collect, sell, trade, and use coupons. It can save you money. But, remember that sometimes the name brand is less expensive even when you have a coupon.
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7. If you qualify for government programs like WIC or food stamps, use them. The government funds those programs adequately enough that if every single person who qualified used them, there would be enough money. If the people who qualify don't use them, that doesn't mean more is left for others who need it. They'll get no more. It also doesn't mean less will be set aside next year. The money won't be recycled back into the system. It will just go unused, sitting there, waiting for someone to use it. If you are doing well enough that an extra $75 wouldn't make a bit of difference for you, or you feel that you should forego it on principal because you can manage without it, that's fine--but it's not benefiting anyone. The taxpayers will pay the same amount regardless, because the amount isn't calculated based on how many use it but on how many qualify.

8. If you must borrow money, borrow from friends and family. Pay them back. If you have to borrow from somewhere else, chose a bank over a credit card or instant cash company. You will get a much lower interest rate.

9. In fact, avoid borrowing if at all possible. In America we want instant gratification. Where we once saved up for that new washing machine, now we just charge it--and pay a high interest rate. Take a lesson from the past: save for those big purchases that you want. Before purchasing anything on credit, ask if you really NEED it NOW, or is there is a way you can manage to wait until you can save it up.

10. Wait for something to go on sale before you buy it. If it's summer, and you want to buy a new camera, buy it around Father's Day. If it's winter, and you need a new desktop computer, buy it during the Christmas shopping frenzy. You may have to spend more time in line, but you can save up to a few hundred dollars.

11. Find extra sources of income that require little effort or financial backing. You can make money by babysitting, dog walking, using GPT sites on the internet, or having a garage sale. If you're a writer, try sending a few pieces off to magazines and internet websites.

12. Don't throw something away that can be reused. Rinse zip lock baggies. Save your grocery bags for trash bags.

13. Save your left-overs for breakfast or lunch. Additionally, try not to frequently prepare food that you know will have left-overs that cannot be reused.

14. Don't drive somewhere when you can walk or ride your bike. This is healthy and will save you not only on gas, but on oil changes, tire replacements, etc.

15. Avoid temptation. When you go to a store, have a list, and don't buy anything that isn't on it. Don't go to areas of the store unless you need something from them. Don't go to stores where you have a tendency to overspend.

16. Find cheaper ways to entertain yourself. Rent movies for $5 a piece instead of going to the movies and spending five or six times that. A $300 above-ground pool will amuse your family just as much as an expensive day at the water park--and last longer.

17. Make sure you are paying the least for quality service as possible. Do you have cable? See if DirecTV is cheaper. Have you compared your insurance company's rates with those of other companies? Have you thought about switching from a regular phone company to a voice-over-IP system like Vonage? What about your cell phone plan? Are you getting the most minutes for the least amount of money? Some companies will allow you to bundle services like your ground line, house phone, and satellite TV for additional savings.

18. Refinance your auto loans, mortgages, and other debts ~~every 6 months to a year.~~ You can lower your interest rate, as your credit improves, and your monthly payment, as your balance decreases. You save money this way, and you spend money for a shorter period of time. The key, however, is to keep making the same monthly payment even if it decreases along with your interest rate. That will help you pay your vehicle off even faster and help you save quite a bit more money.

19. Consider buying the less expensive term life insurance, and investing a little for your retirement, rather than paying for whole life insurance, which can be more costly.

20. Change your diet. Cut out those expensive, salty, fatty foods, and stock up on seasonal fruits and vegetables as snacks instead. Drink water instead of cola.

21. If there is a small package, and a big package, the big one is probably a better buy. Buying in bulk saves you per unit. Just make sure you don't get so much that you won't use it before it expires!

22. Frozen juices run you about $1 a can, which yield 48 oz. Juices that are old in jugs are usually $2.50 for the same amount. If you want a small package of juice for when you're on-the-go, instead of paying too much for too little, make the juice, and then pour it into a special drinking container of your own, like a mug.

23. Don't buy convenience foods because of their packaging, like soups that come in a mug. They are priced higher and don't usually taste as good in my experience. If you must have soup in a mug, buy a regular can. Pour it into a regular mug, and then heat it up in the microwave.

24. Make one trip to the store a week, when you have a list of things you truly need, rather than frequent trips because you ran out of this or that and "need" it. Chances are you can do without that 1/2 gallon of milk or that tub of butter for a few days, until you have a few more things on the list. This will mean less chances for overspending, as well as savings on gas, oil changes, and other auto-related expenses. It also makes it easier to keep track of your spending.

25. Have a budget every month, and stick to it. Pay your bills. Then buy necessities. Then save what you can, and if you really, truly want something, buy it if you can. If not, wait.

Hopefully some or most of these techniques will work for you. Personally, I'm not into coupons, and while I qualify for WIC, I'm not interested in having yet another set of doctors tell me how to parent and comment on my child's development all the time. I have, however, saved quite a bit by shopping thrift, sticking to a budget, and bundling my services. Comparison shopping has saved me a lot--and not just in the grocery store. One of the best ways to be frugal is to talk to others about how they save money. These are only a few ways that I and others I know manage to make ends meet. There are a variety of other creative ideas out there that may benefit you and your family. You just have to seek them out and listen to what others have to say.

genuinegirly · 03-06-2009, 06:53 AM

It's fun living walking-distance from a thrift store. In Berkeley we lived less than a block away from a Goodwill - I'd frequently walk through on the way home from classes.

If you're not horrified at Wal-Mart, or just like free things... Wal-Mart online has free samples of select items. You get to pick out what samples you want and order them specifically. The freebies change periodically. Here's a link:
Walmart.com - Free Samples & Trials: Free Samples

braisler · 03-06-2009, 07:41 AM

Quote:

17. Make sure you are paying the least for quality service as possible. Do you have cable? See if DirecTV is cheaper. Have you compared your insurance company's rates with those of other companies? Have you thought about switching from a regular phone company to a voice-over-IP system like Vonage? What about your cell phone plan?

That one tweaked my brain cells on the issue of phones. I'll add a bit to the content. Not only did we switch to Vonage a few years ago, but we 'downgraded' within their service as well. They don't advertise it as much, but they have a cheaper 500 minutes per month plan for $15 instead of their unlimited $25/month plan. We started out with the unlimited, but monitored our usage for 3-4 months. I found out that the highest that we went during that time was 300 minutes or so. Switching to the 500 minutes plan immediately saved $120/year.

We aren't heavy cell phone users, so we each (wife and I) got a phone and account through Virgin. No contract, pay for minutes as you go with no expiration. The minimum is paying up for $15 worth of minutes every 3 months if you set it up on an automated plan. Neither of us ever burns through all of our minutes since the phones are mostly for quick convenience calls when we are away from the house. So that is $60 per YEAR for cell phone service for each phone. I know lots and lots of people who pay more than $60 per month for cell phone service. Even if you cut one of your cell phones (assuming you are in a couple) down to a pay as you go plan, the savings can add up.

phathom · 03-07-2009, 01:53 AM

This is really great advice, I already do most of this stuff, but it opened my eyes to a few more I could do.

Here's a couple that should be added too.

# Spend a couple extra $ and switch to CCFL (energy saving) light bulbs for the lights in the house you use most, these put out the same, if not brighter light and take a fraction of the energy. The extra $2-3 per bulb you buy will easily pay for itself within the first month, if not the first couple months of use and save you money after that, they last longer too, which means less replacements.

# Choose the stores you go to, around here stores like Whole Foods, Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC, and New Seasons are prominent, however shopping at stores like Winco or Wal-Mart even when buying name brand foods will save you up to 20-30% on your grocery bill every trip that can add up pretty quickly. They even did a news story on it a couple years ago that proved it while purchasing identical items. You get even better deals when you purchase generic brands at these stores versus their name brand equivalents. For a quick example I took a shopping trip today and the name brand of green beans was $1.17 a can, the OTHER brand was a $0.85 a can, and the GENERIC brand was $.055 a can, over a 50% savings on the exact same vegetable prepared the exact same way. Also Dollar Stores are great for most products, get familiar with your local dollar store and learn what you can get there for cheaper than the discount stores and make 2 trips instead of one, it will be well worth it. Just in hand sanitizer alone for the 3 bottles of it alone saves us $10/month by buying from the dollar store at $1/bottle to $4/bottle at the discount store.

Cynthetiq · 03-08-2009, 09:21 AM

I have found that CCFLs have not lasted any longer than regular incandescent bulbs. As far as energy usage, that's a bit more up in the air.

something that came across my monitors this morning

Quote:

View: Five Frugality Hacks Straight Out of the Great Depression
Source: wisebread
posted with the TFP thread generator

Five Frugality Hacks Straight Out of the Great Depression
Posted January 8, 2009 - 09:33 by Thursday Bram

Filed Under: Frugal Living
FDR Memorial

During the Great Depression, simple frugality was the only way to get by. There was a saying that everyone lived by: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." There's a lot we can learn about frugality just by looking at how folks managed during the Great Depression — and those old-fashioned ways are starting to come in handy again as we all face this financial crisis.

1. Go In Together: If you can pool your money with someone else, you have more buying power. In many cases, that means you can get something cheaper. For instance if you can buy food in bulk, it's less expensive. If you need a tool or something else that you won't need every day, you can often go in together with someone else that needs the same thing, effectively halving the cost.

2. Do It Yourself: Pretty much anything is cheaper if you do it yourself, from home repair to cooking meals. Of course, the trade off is time, but if you have the time, it's worthwhile to learn to do as much as you can for yourself. I've been working on this one myself — I still probably shouldn't be trusted with any car repairs, but I no longer have to call someone in to do some of my minor home repairs.

3. Barter: Just because you don't have cash for a certain expense doesn't mean that you can't cover that cost. Instead, you can barter. Trade your skills for someone else's — maybe you need a babysitter and your favorite babysitter needs a professional haircut (or whatever your specialty happens to be). You can work out a deal where you both get you want without having to bring cash into the matter.

4. Go to the Source: Buying anything from its source is cheaper — food is especially so. If you can purchase from a farmer or through a farmer's market, you often pay less for your food because there is no middle man getting a cut of the cost. Prices are even better if you can become your own source — if you grow your own garden, the cost of your food can be minimal.

5. Reuse: We're used to throwing away all sorts of things that can be easily reused. From packaging materials to broken items, there's almost always some way that you can repair, reuse or repurpose anything that you're planning on sending to the dumpster. Clothing is a key example — it can often be repaired, handed down, altered, made into a quilt or even used as rags. There's rarely clothing that really ought to be thrown away.

There are far more approaches to frugality that were crucial not so long ago. There's plenty of room in the comments if you'd like to add your own.

NoSoup · 03-08-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

18. Refinance your auto loans, mortgages, and other debts every 6 months to a year. You can lower your interest rate, as your credit improves, and your monthly payment, as your balance decreases. You save money this way, and you spend money for a shorter period of time. The key, however, is to keep making the same monthly payment even if it decreases along with your interest rate. That will help you pay your vehicle off even faster and help you save quite a bit more money.

I would actually recommend NOT doing this. There are significant costs associated with refinancing your home - even your automobile. I'm not trying to give the impression that you shouldn't refinance if there is a significant drop in rate, but make sure it is going to be worth the costs associated with refinancing.... Paying $3,000 in closing costs to refinance your house every six months to a year won't get you very far...

Tully Mars · 03-08-2009, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoSoup

I would actually recommend NOT doing this. There are significant costs associated with refinancing your home - even your automobile. I'm not trying to give the impression that you shouldn't refinance if there is a significant drop in rate, but make sure it is going to be worth the costs associated with refinancing.... Paying $3,000 in closing costs to refinance your house every six months to a year won't get you very far...

I agree I would never do any of this. I'd say drive a vehicle you can buy outright or take public transits until you can pay cash. Loans and leases are a suckers bet usually. As for the mortgage, you're right closing costs make it a bad deal unless the interest drops several points. Doing it every six month is freaking insane. What's it going to do? Pay you interest at some point?

Cynthetiq · 03-08-2009, 06:06 PM

oddly enough this is back from Feb 2007.... I didn't realize that there was something about refinancing, but that was a point of saving money back in those days. Though you are right refi can be costly. I honestly hate the roll up into the mortgage because well people think it's "free"

ngdawg · 03-08-2009, 06:47 PM

That's the boat we're in now-bank wants 9.5%, raising our ARM $300 a month at the same time I lost my job, so in essence, we lost $1500 a month but our mortgage is $2100. Refinancing would have upped the loan amount, although we would have dropped 4 points, bringing the payments to under $1800; problem is, adding closing costs to the balance made our loan to value ratio too close and we ended up being denied by the underwriters after being approved by the lender.

We all know how I feel about CFL bulbs...

I recently got a different phone plan that dropped the monthly bill at least $50. Verizon doesn't advertise it, but they have a family plan that is all inclusive for $99.99 for the first two cell phones, $9.99 each after that. Unlimited texting in and out of network, which is where the savings are when you have teenagers.

hunnychile · 03-09-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genuinegirly

Wait a second... what in the world... have you spent any real time in Berkeley? There's a reason why they don't have free bikes sitting around. Have you seen the bicycle skeletons littered around campus? Free bikes would be picked for parts, stolen, or destroyed. There's little respect for public property in that city.

When did Berkeley become such an ugly uncommitted cesspool?

Free bikes "Bikes To Share" could be a great way to heal & promote the whole Berkeley vibe - in a big positive way, if someone wanted to launch a Better & Greener Berkeley! I find your response is true but just so flipping sad that I can hardly BELIEVE it!

C'mon people, are you (or rather others around you) so stuck in the shadows & muck that no one around there could launch a movement like the one I've proposed?? Shocking on so many levels... Meanwhile I'm in NE Ohio trying to create jobs with insurance for hundreds of the unemployed uneducated laborors. Could you or Anyone else try to save CAL Berkeley by sharing this international idea around CAL Berk and maybe see if people might try to turn on to it?
Guess I've dropped the "glove" in a way... Hey, when did CAL Berkeley get so flipping COLD and uncosmic and uncaring???

/still in shock!!!!?/ OMG... this is so freakin' unreal.....Someone Needs To Do It. Forward this or find some Bike Shop that will help. Please, for the sake of our future in this 2009 World.

Cynthetiq · 03-11-2009, 05:24 AM

hunnychile, maybe you should start it. why wait for someone else to make the world the way you want it to be?

Today's item is really interesting... It's VERY frugal and very much the tightest articleI've seen. The article says one thing that has always been a part of my modes, you can't make more money but you can spend less money which is just like making more money.

So this week, I want to go to the movies. It really pisses me off to pay $12 to go to the movies in Manhattan, so I rarely go to paid movies. I get free screenings all the time but that's another story. So instead of ADDing to my outgo of cash, I've made food for most of the week, and thus removed a couple nights out of dinner. I'm also taking those left overs for lunch. Net effect, the cost of going to the movies will be offset by not spending on going out. This normally is the way that one can apply savings as the person in the article.

Quote:

View: Extreme cheapskates: Tightwads revel in frugality
Source: AP
posted with the TFP thread generator

Extreme cheapskates: Tightwads revel in frugality
Mar 10, 4:46 PM EDT

Extreme cheapskates: Tightwads revel in frugality

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO
AP Retail Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Amy VanDeventer has always been a cheapskate. The recession is taking her to new extremes.

Before the economy tanked, she was still wearing maternity clothes from her last pregnancy, clipping coupons and using hand-me-downs to dress her daughters, ages 2 and 3. Now, she's salvaging bagel scraps left on their plates for pizza toppings and cutting lotion bottles in half so she can scrape out the last drops.

"I was already cheap," said VanDeventer, a 36-year-old mortgage loan underwriter from Broomfield, Colo. "Now I am neurotic about it."

If you thought those cheapskate friends and relatives couldn't pinch pennies any tighter, think again. The recession is making tightwads like VanDeventer cut back even more. They're going way beyond sharpening their coupon scissors, replacing already cheap store-brand fabric softener with vinegar and even making their own detergent. VanDeventer was drying her hair in front of a fan after her portable hair dryer broke - until her friends bought her a new one.

The recession is radically changing behavior among many different types of people, from the Wall Street bankers who are now waltzing into Wal-Mart for the first time to buy their groceries to teens who are now thumbing through the piles of status jeans at secondhand shops to save money. And experts say that such behavior could linger long after the economy recovers.

What surprises frugality bloggers is that many cheapskates such as VanDeventer haven't lost their jobs and are not in danger of losing their homes. Many have stashed a good chunk of cash away. But the economic uncertainty is catapulting them to new levels of thriftiness.

"I do it out of fear because I would rather put that money in the bank or purchase something we really need," said VanDeventer, who now saves about 50 percent of her take-home pay, up from 25 percent before the recession began more than a year ago.

The trend is disturbing for merchants, who are already reeling from the sharp pullback by spenders. Such extreme miserly behavior could only worsen the decline in consumer spending.

"Frugal people are now looking at more ways not to spend money," said Lynnae McCoy, who runs a blog called beingfrugal.net, which attracts seasoned penny pinchers. In January, her site received 110,000 hits, up 30 percent from a year ago. What intrigued McCoy was the interest among frugal folks to save even more money by making their own detergent and other household goods.

Elizabeth Schomburg, a credit counselor from Roscoe, Ill., is now replacing store brand softener with vinegar in her laundry. The 31-year-old, who used to comb the 80 percent off sales racks, said she has stopped doing any "recreational buying."

"I am questioning every single purchase," she said.

She's also not stockpiling discounted groceries because she wants to limit how much money she puts out for each trip to the supermarket. That kind of behavior is showing up in fourth-quarter results at companies including foodmaker H.J. Heinz Co., whose sales suffered as consumers are cleaning out their cupboards before buying new items.

Jeff Yeager, author of The Ultimate Cheapskate's Roadmap to True Riches, sees a silver lining to the economic downturn.

"Whatever you do to simplify your life is a good thing," Yeager said. A self-proclaimed cheapskate, he has spent no more than $100 over the past five years on clothing for himself and won't throw anything out until it literally falls apart.

But he's found ways to cut back even more now, such as eating more lentils - which are cheap and nutritious - and biking more to save gasoline. His mantra for buying food? Buy not what you want, but what's affordable at the time.

Unlike many big spenders during the boom years, he says he and other cheapskates are "sleeping easy" these days.

They're also getting some respect from the spenders, who even just a few months ago mocked their thrifty ways.

"My friends used to laugh at me," said Jodi Furman, referring to her obsession with 70 percent off sales and her knack for saving money with coupons.

They're not laughing now. The mother of three from Lake Worth, Fla., parlayed her knowledge into a blog called neverpayretailagain.net last fall. The blog helps shoppers save money on fashionable clothing and healthy food.

"If you can't make more money, then you can spend less - and that's the equivalent of making more money," Furman said.

While she doesn't scrape pizza crumbs or make her own detergent, Furman said she's "laser-focused" when it comes to saving on groceries. She's saving 60 percent to 70 percent off her grocery bills. On a recent trip to Winn-Dixie, she scooped up $63.50 worth of groceries for $16.45. She picked up a box of TLC Cereal bars, regularly priced at $3.99, for $1 - it was on sale for $3 but she used a $2 coupon. She got a $3.99 package of Equal sweetener for free - combining a coupon with the sale price.

Many people are embracing the new challenge of squeezing the most value out of every last penny. Who knew you could make household products such as detergent? McCoy says it's not hard: mix Borax with a half bar of soap, baking soda and its relative washing soda, which cuts grease and can be found in the laundry areas of many supermarkets.

"If you have vinegar, Dawn soap and baking soda, you can pretty much make any cleaning product," McCoy said.

ngdawg · 03-11-2009, 07:42 AM

I have always been a coupon clipper; I've had my little box of coupons with me for 20 years. I get kinda disappointed if I don't see at least 20% off the bill and I always try to stay under $100-I go about once every 10 days. I found that while one store was giving 2c for every bag you bring and use, another was giving 5c. I bring 4 large bags with me all the time and the store that gives 5c per bag also has better prices overall, so instead of going around the corner, I drive the 5 miles. So far it's paying off in lower grocery bills.
Both my spouse and I are curb hunters. He picks up discarded wood for projects and I look for furniture or things for the house. Yesterday I picked up over 60 bricks that someone had listed in Craigslist so that we can put in our sidewalk-it will be entirely made up of used brick. Some of my curb finds are shelving, a desk (friend found it next to a dumpster and it's gorgeous), we've had lawnmowers as well that the spouse took and fixed; we have an industrial air compressor, a drum sander, a serving platter and an old wire egg basket and an oak and iron park bench , all curbside specials. The spouse makes mirrors out of old windows-all found on curbs or in dumpsters. With about $10 in wood and mirrors and about 5 hours worth of work, we sell them for at least $75 each. We have 3 boxes of wood flooring he picked up-don't know what we're going to do with it but it was free!

snowy · 03-11-2009, 07:59 AM

I actually really want to make my own laundry detergent. I'm ashamed to say I got a recipe for it off of the Duggar family's website. The Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family

One thing I've learned to do cheaply in the last year is clean. You can clean almost anything with boiling water, concentrated dish soap, baking soda, and elbow grease. Bleach, Borax, and washing soda are all cheap to have on hand for cleaning various things--bleach for the toilet, Borax as a laundry booster and carpet freshener (don't use around pets, though it is also good for getting fleas out of carpet), and washing soda for removing limescale and soap scum. Use worn-out shirts and cut up old towels for rags. One thing to splash out on is gloves--the Playtex gloves last a lot longer than any store brand I've come across.

Manufacturers' websites with tips on how to use Super Washing Soda, Borax, and Arm and Hammer Baking Soda:

Usage Tips Super Washing Soda
http://www.dialcorp.com/documents/borax.pdf
ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda - Tour Our House

Cynthetiq · 03-11-2009, 08:10 AM

One of my girlfriends used to make her own cleaners, I had forgotten about that. They made homemade soap, windex, laundry detergent.

Yes, most of the time it's about elbow grease and not the solvent.

genuinegirly · 03-17-2009, 08:19 AM

Here's an applicable story!

Quote:

Cheapskate has tips for saving $20,000 a year
(CNN) -- Jeff Yeager says the economic downturn is an opportunity for people to simplify their lives and be content with less.

The author of "The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches" has some ideas for saving $20,000 to $30,000 a year. The savings don't necessarily require sacrifices, he says, but rather choices that can lead to greater happiness.

Yeager talked with Heidi Collins on Tuesday on "CNN Newsroom." A transcript of their conversation follows.

Heidi Collins: How did you become a cheapskate, if you will?

Jeff Yeager: Well, you know, I'm about 50 years old. I grew up in the Midwest, and back then, spending money was really a last resort. We led sort of a simpler life, and I think, in a lot of ways, happier, Heidi. And that's really what I write about is, maybe there's a silver lining to this economic downturn. Maybe we can simplify our lives, be content with less and actually enjoy life more.

Collins: All right. As a fellow Midwesterner, I share your cheapskate thoughts already.

Yeager: You are a sister of the cheaphood. I knew it, Heidi.

Collins: Well, hey. I do wonder, though, as you've gone through this process, if you will, if you become the ultimate cheapskate, are you noticing now a lot more people kind of joining your club?

Yeager: You know, they are. And again, I don't really talk about a life of sacrifice. I talk about a life of choices and how, in many instances, less can be more.

You know, in this economy, we hear a lot of stories about how to get more stuff for 20 percent less. I'm not saying that's unimportant. But maybe we're missing the real point. The secret to the time is being content with less.

Collins: OK. Wow. I like the way you talk. All right, so let's get to these five things, because that's what everybody really wants to hear about. Specifically, what they can do. And again, this is in order to save 20,000 to $30,000 a year. Really?

Yeager: If these things apply to your family.

Collins: OK.

Yeager: And they are -- let me say in advance -- these are some fairly radical changes. But, again, it's probably not about sacrifice. It's about changing your life and maybe in the end being happier.

Collins: OK. Well, very good. First thing you say, give up your cell phone.

Yeager: Give up the cellulite life. I will use myself as a poster child. You know, I have a fairly successful career, a very happy life. I've never owned a cell phone, and nothing awful has ever happened.

Collins: Now, wait a minute. I've got to push back for a second, because a lot of people will tell you you can be happier with a cell phone because you're out of the office and you're with your family more, still able to still do business.

Yeager: We can debate all that, but 10 or 15 years ago, none of us had it, and nothing awful happened. It seemed to me we were really quite happy. Average cell phone plan costs about $100 a month. There's an interesting article in the recent Christian Science Monitor that shows the actual cost of using a cell phone could be more than $3 a minute by time you factor in unused minutes and so on.

Collins: Wow. All right. You say you might not need that second car and certainly not the third?

Yeager: Americans own about 2½ cars per family. Can you give up one? The Auto Club says it costs about, on average, $1 a mile to drive a car by the time you factor in the cost of the car, depreciation and so on. So, you could easily be talking about $5,000 to $10,000 savings by sharing the remaining car that you have, using public transportation and so on.

Collins: OK. Give up meals prepared outside your home. Quit going out for meals no matter what, if it's just a salad or a fancy fancy dinner?

Yeager: More than 40 percent of the average American family household food budget is spent on meals prepared outside the home. You can cut that by 80 percent by cooking those same meals at home and you know, maybe recapture some family time around the dinner table.

Collins: Yes, there would be people who would argue with you about that, though, too, because our culture is just so socially oriented to food. Every dinner, every business meeting, every lunch.

Yeager: We're too busy to cook because we're too busy earning the money to spend it by dining out.

Collins: Yes, yes. All right, you also say quit shopping for new clothes.

Yeager: Yes. Here again, it's what's good for your pocketbook and good for the environment. Less than 2 percent of clothes that we throw away in America are worn out. The average family spends about $1,800 on clothing. Certainly most of us have more than enough stuff in our closet that we could go six months, even a year without buying new clothes.

Collins: Yes, and then maybe just get it tailored or updated or something. Accessorize, I don't know, right?

Yeager: And again, less than 2 percent of the clothes we throw away are worn out. That's a waste of the Earth's resources.

Collins: All right. And finally, give up college room and board. You want the kids to live at home forever?

Yeager: This is a big one, you know? Back in my day, if you have a child in school, consider having them live at home while they go to school. It's been a huge generational shift.

Back in my days, lots of people, including myself, lived at home when we went to college. Therefore, we didn't take out any college student loans. Now, of course, most kids go away to school, take out student loans. When they graduate, what do they do? They move back home with mom and dad! Let's skip the money step!

Cynthetiq · 03-17-2009, 08:35 AM

Wonderful!!!!

I'm not replacing my t-shirts until they are so threadbare that they literally fall apart. Now I don't wear those shirts outside of the house. They make adequate house shirts for just slumming around the house. I haven't bought new ones since 1997 and the shirts I have slated for replacing them are $5 from Uniqlo. I had largely paid nothing for most of those shirts since they were corporate swag. The ones that I did buy were about $6. Figure the cost of owning over the time was pennies.

the idea of ditching the cellphone is so radical, but I'd consider it if we're rather crunched. I'd rather have my land line than a cellphone.

genuinegirly · 03-17-2009, 11:05 AM

Do you have perfectly good clothes that are just sitting around? Why don't you plan a new-to-you clothing swap? Clothing swaps are a pleasant alternative to purchasing new. Get a bunch of friends together. Have each person bring a bag of clothes their family has outgrown. Sort them by size and type. Have fun! Whatever remains at the end of the evening, you can either choose to bring to the next clothing swap or donate to your local thrift store. It's incredibly rewarding and fun to put together new, cute, fun outfits from a bunch of castoffs.

braisler · 03-17-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Collins: All right. And finally, give up college room and board. You want the kids to live at home forever?

Yeager: This is a big one, you know? Back in my day, if you have a child in school, consider having them live at home while they go to school. It's been a huge generational shift.

Back in my days, lots of people, including myself, lived at home when we went to college. Therefore, we didn't take out any college student loans. Now, of course, most kids go away to school, take out student loans. When they graduate, what do they do? They move back home with mom and dad! Let's skip the money step!

This interview section assumes that the family already lives in a college town, or that the student is attending a school that is nearby to the family home. Not everyone can live at home.. but everyone does have a choice about how they live at college. This article got me thinking about how I started out in college a few years ago. I'll be the first to admit that my solution may not work for everyone, but it certainly worked for me.

I bought my own house when I was 19 and in college. I knew that I was going to be there for a minimum of 3 years, maybe as much as 7 with professional school, so the timing was right to figure on an increase in property value. But even without that, I knew that I was looking at paying $250-$350 for a bedroom in a rental unit. I figured that if I could get a 3 bedroom or larger house with a mortgage under $1000, then I'd be in good shape renting the other bedrooms out to other students and paying the difference myself. Building equity, plus property value, even if I didn't have the place fully rented all the time.

I ended up buying a 4/2 1900 s.f. house 3 miles from campus in a residential/student neighborhood. I bought it at $67k. I did borrow $3700 from my mom for the closing costs, and my stepdad co-signed the loan for me since banks, even back then, didn't want to write a mortgage for an unemployed college student (Yes, I recognize that not everyone has this option). My monthly PITI was $700 or so. I immediately found 2 renters, a third followed after 4 months. For most of the time that I lived in that house, I had more money coming in each month from rent than was going out for the mortgage.

I did set aside money for home repairs. I learned a lot about how to do things for myself. Basic electric and plumbing to start, tile laying, landscape, minor remodeling by the time I was done. The time there was not without difficulties. I had to act as a live-in landlord to kids that were my own age. I even had to evict one of them (though thankfully not through legal channels).

I ended up staying in that house after I graduated with my B.S., through 3 years of work for the University, and another 4 years of graduate school as well. All told, I was there for 11 years, which was considerably longer than I thought that I would be. We ended up selling that house for $169k and walked away with over $100k in profit. My renters had helped me pay down my principal on the house to under $60k at that point.

Looking back, the decision to buy that house was one of the most significant financial and personal growth events that shaped my life as it is today. I advocate that any student who knows that they are going to be in a college town for at least a 4 year college stint at least consider the advantages of owning a house or townhome.

genuinegirly · 03-17-2009, 04:30 PM

Now there's an incredible way to build credit and make money while getting through school. Crazy personal growth you must have experienced during that time. Thank you for sharing this tip!

Cynthetiq · 03-17-2009, 07:12 PM

Watch the video: Family of five thrives on $35k 3:37
The Economides family shares how they make ends meet on $35,000 a year.

this is an important thing... listen to what these people say.

Quote:

View: One Frugal Family
Source: Homeeconomiser
posted with the TFP thread generator

One Frugal Family
Good Morning America
April 27, 2004

This was our first national interview. It was a wonderful experience for the kids - four of them came with us (John - our eldest had to work).

Charlie Gibson conducted the interview, Claire Alpert was our wonderful hostess /producer and Mary Pflum produced the video segment.

Below is the article that appeared on ABC's website - we've edited it to correct some minor inaccuracies and mis-spellings.

One Frugal Family

How the Cheapest Family in America Saves Cash

Economides family Annette Steve Roy Joseph Abbey Becky the cheapest family in americaWith gas and grocery prices soaring, Americans could learn from one Arizona family that has been beating the high cost of living for years.

Rising gas prices have been all over the news, but you might not know that your groceries are getting much more expensive as well, with the cost of staples such as milk, butter and eggs skyrocketing. In March, a gallon of milk cost $2.79 on average, compared with $2.66 last March. Butter averaged $3.47 a pound, compared with $3 last year. And, this year, eggs will set you back $1.63 for a dozen, compared with $1.21 last year.

Annette and Steve Economides, and their five children, ages 10 to 21, have mastered the art of living on the cheap. Their mission: to maintain a reputation they've proudly earned — or maybe saved — the old-fashioned way. The Arizona clan says it's proud to be one of America's cheapest family.

"We started out our marriage with so little money that we decided we were going to live within our means," said Annette Economides. "From day one, we were not going to accrue any kind of debt, of any kind."

The Economides say careful planning allowed them to pay off their first house in just nine years, even though their family income averaged just $33,000 a year. Their second home is nearly paid off as well.

Steve Economides, who calls himself the family's "cheap economizing officer," is a freelance graphic artist. He and his wife runs the family business, HomeEconomiser, a Web site and newsletter dedicated to helping people live within their means.

The Economides spend $350 a month on food and cleaning products, feeding seven mouths for 30 days.

Careful Planning How do they do it?

Step one: Careful planning. The Economides make a grocery list and check it three times before heading to the store.

"These women that are at the grocery store every day, three times a week, are spending gobs of money on food that they don't need to be spending," said Annette Economides.

"It takes a little bit of time to sit down and plan a menu. But you eat better, you save more money, and it creates less stress in your life."

Step two, they say, is using coupons, and having them clipped, filed and ready for action when they arrive at the store.

The family goes to the store with walkie-talkies and scours for bargains. On one recent trip, Steve asked his wife over the walkie-talkie: "Vidalia or yellow onions?"

"Oh, get the vidalia," came the reply.

Step three is a carefully coordinated in-store check for last-minute deals on the shelves.

"Buy one, get two free," Annette said, reading from a coupon for brownie mix. "So you now have three boxes. And I have a coupon for another dollar off. All three for $1.19!"

Step four of the family's money-saving plan involves having a lot of freezer space. Whatever the family cannot consume right away can be purchased and saved for a later day.

"One day a month the family all cooks meals," Annette said. "And we put away anywhere from 13 to 17 meals in a freezer."

No Plastic

Step five is to avoid credit cards — and their costly interest payments. The couple has never used a credit card in 22 years of marriage.

Their advice to other families, which they offer both in seminars and on their Web site, is make a plan and stick to it. First, figure out how much you need to pay your monthly expenses.

Right now, we take anything that we earn over and above what our monthly budget (to us, budget means what we set aside in advance for every anticipated expense - in 19 various subcategories in our checkbook - see our June 04 issue for a detailed article describing our budgeting process) and split it into three. One third goes into a house fund, to cover any house emergencies. One third goes into a 'fun' account, for vacations, and one third for our family goes to charity, but for other families can go to mutual funds or other kinds of savings."

I'm going to say one simple simple thing to those that are trying to live frugally. You won't do it right away. This like anything takes time and practice. Be patient. Keep working at it. Little by little, you'll get there.

ngdawg · 03-18-2009, 08:14 AM

Interesting coincidence that their last name is Economides....

Sounds like the name of the god of frugality.

Except for credit cards, we do what they say they're doing. My monthly bill for groceries is under $300 for the four of us. I clip coupons, buy only what's on sale and always check the damaged goods shelf.
I pay the mortgage rounding the figure up either to the next dollar or the next $10, depending on our situation. I use water and utilities sparingly-not flushing every pee time, washing dishes with the water off, only running full loads of wash. We hang our clothes to dry, not use the dryer except to fluff, our thermostat is at a constant 61 and the only things that use electricity constantly are the clocks, the fridge and freezer. Computers, lights, even chargers are all off when not in use.

I buy my clothes off clearance racks and my jeans are Walmart brand-the only reason I've even bought any clothes at all is weight gain, otherwise I'm still wearing stuff that's years old (not using a dryer on them keeps them new looking).
I cut my kids' hair-if they want a pro to do it, they have to pay for it. I get a haircut maybe 3 times a year.

Problem is, we live in New Jersey......making $60k a year for a family of four is like making $25k a year in Kentucky. Insurances and taxes eat up everything; 15% of the spouse's weekly pay is for health insurance; our car insurance, which is the cheapest in the state, runs $1400+ a year(kids don't drive yet); our property taxes are 1/10 of our annual income and we get a break there.

We just had a family birthday party for the twins and I managed to get all the food for under $60, including having to make the cake myself. The kids were shocked and thrilled that we gave them each $40 as their gifts-I took it out of our savings.

I would dare that family to come to the east coast and still live on $35k a year. I also would ask if that's before or after taxes, because that $60k we have is before-when we file income tax, our taxable income falls to about half and I'm amazed we haven't lost our house on that. ( I just decided I'm going to say we live on $30k a year now, not $60k)

01-23-2009, 05:23 PM	#83 (permalink)
ASU2003 immoral minority Location: Back in Ohio	I thought of some more simple things to do to conserve energy and save money. 1. Put plastic film over windows in the fall through the spring. 2. Collect snow and fill containers (reuse clean glass or plastic bottles), put these in your refrigerator and freezer. It will take up space, you won't lose as much cold air when you open the door, and nature cooled the snow for free so it will save you energy. If you live in a warm climate, just put water bottles (or fill it with food) in your freezer and keep your refrigerator organized so you can find stuff quickly. 3. Change light bulbs to energy efficient ones. Use sunlight instead of electric light. 4. Look into building a solar thermal heater. It won't work too well here from Dec-Feb because of the clouds, but I still might try to build a solar greenhouse that it's only job is to create heat from IR and UV rays that would have hit my yard. I priced the materials for this at $150, but unless it is damaged, it is a one-time cost. 5. Add more insulation. You get a tax rebate this year of 10%. I would like to see how long it would take for me to recoup this cost though. If I spend $180 to put in additional insulation, it might take 5-10 winters to come out ahead. 6. Wear more clothes in the winter, wear less in the summer (or nothing ). Keep your thermostat low in the winter and delay your use of AC in the summer. 7. Hotel rewards points and fuel cards are great if you stay in hotels for business a lot or buy gasoline. I'm a fan of Priority Club and Speedway. 8. Close off rooms that don't get used in the winter or don't need to be heated (no pipes in the walls). 9. Wash your own car. 10. Mow your own lawn. 11. Recycle aluminum cans and a few other items. If enough people do it, the raw material cost will fall. 12. Buy drink mixes that you have to add your own water to instead of buying drinks that pre-mixed the water for you (and charged you for shipping the water). 13. Use Blockposters.com and Kinkos to decorate your house. http://www.blockposters.com/gallery.aspx 14. Buy flashlights that you shake to generate power instead of having to buy batteries all the time. 15. Use rechargeable batteries for devices that can use them. 16. Use the internet to watch the Daily Show, C-Span, the weather channel, CNN, Fox News, and a bunch of other sites if you have high speed internet or go to a mall, coffee shop or airport with free wifi. Last edited by ASU2003; 01-23-2009 at 06:03 PM..

02-18-2009, 08:42 AM	#87 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Those are some great tips, Cyn! My sister told me about her "Coupon Club" the other day. Seemed like a great idea to share. She has a group of friends that each hunt for coupons. They gather them from websites, newspapers, magazines, cereal boxes - wherever they happen to find them. Now comes the club. They have an envelope that they pass along from one person to the next. As each person gets their turn with the envelope, they: 1) throw out any expired coupons 2) take out coupons they will use 3) add their unused or unwanted coupons to the envelope 4) pass it along to the next person You'll be shocked at the treasures you'll find when the envelope comes your way! __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

02-26-2009, 07:49 AM	#90 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	Join AAA or AARP. Even if you don't have a car, AAA has membership benefits that pay for themselves very quickly. Discounts on airfare, rental cars, hotels are just the tip of the iceberg. I compare AAA to Expedia, Travelocity, etc. and sometimes I can get an upgraded high mileage AAA rental car for the same price as the cheaper lower model. There are discounts for FTD, all major theme parks, Lenscrafters, and many other places. You also can get free maps, tour books and other extras. Ask for discounts. Flat out ask for them. Ask for Student discounts. Ask for AAA discounts, even if you aren't a member, they may still give you the discount. Ask sales associates if there are upcoming sales. This may mean the difference of waiting a few days or week, a savings for you and maybe even a bigger commission for the salesperson. We got our luggage for travel this way, it gave us 1 free piece of luggage which was valued at $250. A nice tidy savings just because we waited one extra week. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

02-26-2009, 03:11 PM	#91 (permalink)
hunnychile Alien Anthropologist Location: Between Boredom and Nirvana	In regard to bikes, it would be cool if Berkley and other campuses do like the do in Amsterdam: The free local "White Bike". Everyone there rides bikes and at several corners are free, unlocked city owned and lent white bikes that locals use to get from place to place and leave for the next person to "borrow". Isn't that extremely cool? I think so...when I've been there I always smile when I saw someone riding the free white bike! You gotta admit it's just so liberal and commie and wonderful!!!! __________________ "I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

02-27-2009, 02:35 PM	#93 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	Time Out NYC just posted 769 Cheap Things To Do Your 2009 stimulus plan - Time Out New York __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

03-02-2009, 04:57 AM	#94 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Wow! That's really neat, Cyn. Thanks for sharing! __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

03-04-2009, 07:23 AM	#96 (permalink)
braisler Addict Location: Midway, KY	I love Frugal Living. A lot of what I would contribute has already been said in one form or another. The biggest thing for me to live frugally and well is to not view consumables as a one-way transaction. If you buy a video game, a DVD movie, or clothing, then decide you don't want it anymore, don't let it sit in your closet. Sell it! Ebay, Craigslist, classified ads have already been mentioned. It is simply stunning to me how many people neglect this because it is 'too much bother', then lament their lack of money in the next breath. If you want to take this to the next level, keep an eye out at garage sales and on Craigslist for items that you know are worth more than the asking price. Buy it, clean it if it is dirty, fix it if it is broken, and re-sell it for what it is actually worth. This was part of the way that my mom made ends meet with raising my brother and myself on $600/month child support with a $500 mortgage. I learned from her example. When I was 14, I bought my first car (though I couldn't drive it) at a garage sale that a neighbor was selling for $200. I paid for it with money I had saved up from birthdays and Christmas gifts and mowing lawns. It was a 1974 Oldsmobile. It ran, but it was dirty and dusty. I spent a weekend washing it inside and out and cleaning it up thoroughly. I sold it the next week for $500. When I was in college, I saw a pretty new looking dryer sitting on the curb down the block. I asked the people living there if they were throwing it out. Yeah, it quit working, we got a new one was the reply. I took it home knowing if I couldn't fix it, I could always just throw it out myself. It turned out that someone had mis-wired the 220 cord and burnt out the connector. I bought a new cord from Lowe's for $6 and sold the dryer for $150. The same principle could apply to used bikes, furniture refinishing... take whatever you are good at and make it work for you. On rechargeable batteries: take the next step and buy a reliable solar battery charger. They aren't fast, but if you are like me, you can just put a couple of batteries in it and leave it in a sunny corner of your room. Every 2-4 days, you'll have fully charged AA or AAA batteries that you can take out and put the next set in. Unless you are running through batteries like mad, this should keep you set for a while. Oh, and this is my most recent favorite. Ditch the store bought microwave popcorn. Buy a large bottle of popcorn kernels, a stash of brown paper lunch bags, and do it yourself. Just pour a single layer of kernels onto the bottom of an opened brown bag. Fold over the top twice. Microwave for 1:30 or so until the kernels stop popping actively. Add butter, salt, or leave plain and enjoy. You get great tasting popcorn, for less money, and you get to know exactly what is going onto your popcorn, or not.

03-04-2009, 07:34 AM	#97 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Neat ideas, braisler. It's amazing the quality junk that people throw away. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

03-06-2009, 06:53 AM	#101 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	It's fun living walking-distance from a thrift store. In Berkeley we lived less than a block away from a Goodwill - I'd frequently walk through on the way home from classes. If you're not horrified at Wal-Mart, or just like free things... Wal-Mart online has free samples of select items. You get to pick out what samples you want and order them specifically. The freebies change periodically. Here's a link: Walmart.com - Free Samples & Trials: Free Samples __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

03-07-2009, 01:53 AM	#103 (permalink)
phathom Crazy	This is really great advice, I already do most of this stuff, but it opened my eyes to a few more I could do. Here's a couple that should be added too. # Spend a couple extra $ and switch to CCFL (energy saving) light bulbs for the lights in the house you use most, these put out the same, if not brighter light and take a fraction of the energy. The extra $2-3 per bulb you buy will easily pay for itself within the first month, if not the first couple months of use and save you money after that, they last longer too, which means less replacements. # Choose the stores you go to, around here stores like Whole Foods, Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC, and New Seasons are prominent, however shopping at stores like Winco or Wal-Mart even when buying name brand foods will save you up to 20-30% on your grocery bill every trip that can add up pretty quickly. They even did a news story on it a couple years ago that proved it while purchasing identical items. You get even better deals when you purchase generic brands at these stores versus their name brand equivalents. For a quick example I took a shopping trip today and the name brand of green beans was $1.17 a can, the OTHER brand was a $0.85 a can, and the GENERIC brand was $.055 a can, over a 50% savings on the exact same vegetable prepared the exact same way. Also Dollar Stores are great for most products, get familiar with your local dollar store and learn what you can get there for cheaper than the discount stores and make 2 trips instead of one, it will be well worth it. Just in hand sanitizer alone for the 3 bottles of it alone saves us $10/month by buying from the dollar store at $1/bottle to $4/bottle at the discount store. __________________ -snooch to the nooch

03-08-2009, 06:06 PM	#107 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	oddly enough this is back from Feb 2007.... I didn't realize that there was something about refinancing, but that was a point of saving money back in those days. Though you are right refi can be costly. I honestly hate the roll up into the mortgage because well people think it's "free" __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

03-08-2009, 06:47 PM	#108 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	That's the boat we're in now-bank wants 9.5%, raising our ARM $300 a month at the same time I lost my job, so in essence, we lost $1500 a month but our mortgage is $2100. Refinancing would have upped the loan amount, although we would have dropped 4 points, bringing the payments to under $1800; problem is, adding closing costs to the balance made our loan to value ratio too close and we ended up being denied by the underwriters after being approved by the lender. We all know how I feel about CFL bulbs... I recently got a different phone plan that dropped the monthly bill at least $50. Verizon doesn't advertise it, but they have a family plan that is all inclusive for $99.99 for the first two cell phones, $9.99 each after that. Unlimited texting in and out of network, which is where the savings are when you have teenagers. __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

03-11-2009, 07:42 AM	#111 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	I have always been a coupon clipper; I've had my little box of coupons with me for 20 years. I get kinda disappointed if I don't see at least 20% off the bill and I always try to stay under $100-I go about once every 10 days. I found that while one store was giving 2c for every bag you bring and use, another was giving 5c. I bring 4 large bags with me all the time and the store that gives 5c per bag also has better prices overall, so instead of going around the corner, I drive the 5 miles. So far it's paying off in lower grocery bills. Both my spouse and I are curb hunters. He picks up discarded wood for projects and I look for furniture or things for the house. Yesterday I picked up over 60 bricks that someone had listed in Craigslist so that we can put in our sidewalk-it will be entirely made up of used brick. Some of my curb finds are shelving, a desk (friend found it next to a dumpster and it's gorgeous), we've had lawnmowers as well that the spouse took and fixed; we have an industrial air compressor, a drum sander, a serving platter and an old wire egg basket and an oak and iron park bench , all curbside specials. The spouse makes mirrors out of old windows-all found on curbs or in dumpsters. With about $10 in wood and mirrors and about 5 hours worth of work, we sell them for at least $75 each. We have 3 boxes of wood flooring he picked up-don't know what we're going to do with it but it was free! __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

03-11-2009, 07:59 AM	#112 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	I actually really want to make my own laundry detergent. I'm ashamed to say I got a recipe for it off of the Duggar family's website. The Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar Family One thing I've learned to do cheaply in the last year is clean. You can clean almost anything with boiling water, concentrated dish soap, baking soda, and elbow grease. Bleach, Borax, and washing soda are all cheap to have on hand for cleaning various things--bleach for the toilet, Borax as a laundry booster and carpet freshener (don't use around pets, though it is also good for getting fleas out of carpet), and washing soda for removing limescale and soap scum. Use worn-out shirts and cut up old towels for rags. One thing to splash out on is gloves--the Playtex gloves last a lot longer than any store brand I've come across. Manufacturers' websites with tips on how to use Super Washing Soda, Borax, and Arm and Hammer Baking Soda: Usage Tips Super Washing Soda http://www.dialcorp.com/documents/borax.pdf ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda - Tour Our House __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

03-11-2009, 08:10 AM	#113 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	One of my girlfriends used to make her own cleaners, I had forgotten about that. They made homemade soap, windex, laundry detergent. Yes, most of the time it's about elbow grease and not the solvent. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

03-17-2009, 08:35 AM	#115 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	Wonderful!!!! I'm not replacing my t-shirts until they are so threadbare that they literally fall apart. Now I don't wear those shirts outside of the house. They make adequate house shirts for just slumming around the house. I haven't bought new ones since 1997 and the shirts I have slated for replacing them are $5 from Uniqlo. I had largely paid nothing for most of those shirts since they were corporate swag. The ones that I did buy were about $6. Figure the cost of owning over the time was pennies. the idea of ditching the cellphone is so radical, but I'd consider it if we're rather crunched. I'd rather have my land line than a cellphone. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

03-17-2009, 11:05 AM	#116 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Do you have perfectly good clothes that are just sitting around? Why don't you plan a new-to-you clothing swap? Clothing swaps are a pleasant alternative to purchasing new. Get a bunch of friends together. Have each person bring a bag of clothes their family has outgrown. Sort them by size and type. Have fun! Whatever remains at the end of the evening, you can either choose to bring to the next clothing swap or donate to your local thrift store. It's incredibly rewarding and fun to put together new, cute, fun outfits from a bunch of castoffs. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

03-17-2009, 04:30 PM	#118 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Now there's an incredible way to build credit and make money while getting through school. Crazy personal growth you must have experienced during that time. Thank you for sharing this tip! __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

03-18-2009, 08:14 AM	#120 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	Interesting coincidence that their last name is Economides.... Sounds like the name of the god of frugality. Except for credit cards, we do what they say they're doing. My monthly bill for groceries is under $300 for the four of us. I clip coupons, buy only what's on sale and always check the damaged goods shelf. I pay the mortgage rounding the figure up either to the next dollar or the next $10, depending on our situation. I use water and utilities sparingly-not flushing every pee time, washing dishes with the water off, only running full loads of wash. We hang our clothes to dry, not use the dryer except to fluff, our thermostat is at a constant 61 and the only things that use electricity constantly are the clocks, the fridge and freezer. Computers, lights, even chargers are all off when not in use. I buy my clothes off clearance racks and my jeans are Walmart brand-the only reason I've even bought any clothes at all is weight gain, otherwise I'm still wearing stuff that's years old (not using a dryer on them keeps them new looking). I cut my kids' hair-if they want a pro to do it, they have to pay for it. I get a haircut maybe 3 times a year. Problem is, we live in New Jersey......making $60k a year for a family of four is like making $25k a year in Kentucky. Insurances and taxes eat up everything; 15% of the spouse's weekly pay is for health insurance; our car insurance, which is the cheapest in the state, runs $1400+ a year(kids don't drive yet); our property taxes are 1/10 of our annual income and we get a break there. We just had a family birthday party for the twins and I managed to get all the food for under $60, including having to make the cake myself. The kids were shocked and thrilled that we gave them each $40 as their gifts-I took it out of our savings. I would dare that family to come to the east coast and still live on $35k a year. I also would ask if that's before or after taxes, because that $60k we have is before-when we file income tax, our taxable income falls to about half and I'm amazed we haven't lost our house on that. ( I just decided I'm going to say we live on $30k a year now, not $60k) __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.