Help with Cost Cutting

iceclone · 02-04-2008, 08:52 PM

I was tracking all my expenses and I have changed all my bills/utilities/services to just the basic plan (from phone, internet, cable, etc). My bills showed a significant drop and I'm very proud of myself for doing so. But now I want to take it up a notch and I'm considering eliminating some of the bills I have, but I'm still undecided.

One of these is the Pest Control that I have scheduled quarterly. It's actually pretty cheap, I only pay $65 and it's good for three months. It's a good service. But I also have noticed that bugs here in my area are not that much of a concern. I only see most of them during the summer. So anyway, I'm thinking of cancelling the service but I'm afraid that my place will be bug-infested after months. My question is: Is there an effective alternative to Pest Control? Is there any homemade concoction I can just use? I need tips and recommendations. Thanks.

kav122 · 02-05-2008, 05:00 AM

I would say one thing that is frugal--actually free--is to make sure that your house is not a good home to bugs. That means, clean and dry! Take out trash quickly, and wipe up syrupy spills in the kitchen. Don't store stuff in cardboard boxes, as bugs love cardboard. Make sure that your bathroom is dry, especially under your sink. I wipe down my shower, because bugs love wetness. Vacuum your entire house at least once a month. That means, inside closet corners, in the basement up near the ceiling, behind appliances, etc, where bugs could be hanging. Make sure that you fill in cracks outside and around your windows and doors so they can't get in.

I feel your pain with the pest control, because you don't want to be so cheap that you cut out "necessary maintenance" or things that could cost you more in the end, but I don't think that you will have a MAJOR infestation if you follow some of those guidelines and/or keep an eye on things. Remember, if all of a sudden you feel like you have a bug problem, you could always have them come out and spray. AND one bug doesn't mean that you have a PROBLEM. My husband freaked because he saw one bug.

Big deal! I say, I would be worried if it was a problem, but I try to remember that there is going to be the occasional stray that gets in

Also I had this list saved on my computer, because after I had my son, I didn't want to use harsh chemicals inside or outside our house, if at all possible.

* Get rid of slugs and snails by spreading crushed eggshells where they are prone to travel. They won't travel over the rough surface and if they do, it's good-bye slug.

* You can also get rid of snails and slugs with yucky, cheap beer. Just fill a jar lid with beer and place it where snails and slugs like to hang out. It's best to get it as flush with the ground as possible, so you may have to dig a little indention in the dirt.

* Want one more slug remedy? Coffee is a great fix as well. Spread your used coffee grounds around slug or snail infested areas.

* Ants are no fun. To get rid of them, make a bait of 99% sugar and 1% boric acid. Remember to keep the mixture away from kids and pets.

* Ladybugs eat aphids, and in the words of the all powerful Martha, that's a good thing. Most experts agree that purchased lady bugs are not always the best for controlling aphids and that it's better to attract them naturally. You can do that by planting: parsley, wild buckwheat, white sweet clover, tansy, sweet fennel, sweet alyssum, spearmint, Queen Anne's lace, hairy vetch, flowering buckwheat, crimson clover, cowpeas, common knotweed, caraway and black locust.

* Make your own "insecticide" using only three simple and non-toxic ingredients. Take a bar of Ivory Soap and drop it in two cups of water. Allow it to sit overnight. You want much of it to dissolve. The next morning, remove what has not dissolved and put the mixture in a spray bottle along with 1/4 cup corn oil. Shake well. Spray on infested plants, both the top and bottom of the leaves.

* Remember that many pests really don't like certain plants such as mint, marigolds, garlic and basil. Try mingling some of these with other plants or flowers to ward off unwanted insects.

* Flies are not necessarily a garden pest, but they most definitely qualify as unwanted pests. You can help keep them out of your house by keeping potted basil around as well as citrus peel pomanders.

* I love to look at deer, but if they are eating your garden away, there are some natural remedies. Mix one TBSP liquid dish detergent with one ounce hot sauce into one liter of water and spray plants that deer have been eating.

* If you have a large area you need to make less attractive to hungry deer, try this mixture: 1 cup milk, 2 TBSP cooking oil, 2 gallons of water, 2 TBSP liquid detergent and 2 whole eggs. Mix it up and pour it into a spray bottle. The eggs will help it stick to plants through a light rain, but will have to be reapplied after a heavy rain.

Kathryn · 02-05-2008, 05:24 AM

I would say that if you have problems with termites in your area, termite control may be a wise investment (effective termite-control products are not available for sale to the public). But if it's just ants and roaches and the like, you could probably be just as effective with a DIY solution unless you're battling a major infestation.

Megan · 02-05-2008, 06:00 AM

What kind of costs are you looking at if you cancel the service and then later decide that you absolutely want it back? Might be worth a shot to just try out DIY pest control.

But I agree with the comment about termites - that is a worthwhile investment.

iceclone · 02-05-2008, 08:35 PM

Hi. Thanks for all the inputs, it's fun reading them. I think I'll do some of those DIY insecticides. My house is just a year old and I don't think termites are a problem here.

Thanks again and feel free to share your own ways in reducing your bills. I'm actually considering removing my basic cable and just use rabbit ears... but I think that's too big a step for now. I'll give some more time...

gt0163c · 02-06-2008, 09:32 AM

Another option for cutting costs on services is to see if the "basic" services really are the cheapest. My local phone service costs less than the standard "basic" service. It does have a limited number of outgoing calls I can make a month. I don't remember the number, but I do know that with charges for going over, I would hit the breakeven point at something like 75 outgoing calls a month. Since I don't make a lot of calls, this works well for me. When I was setting up my phone service, I had to ask the representative "is there something cheaper?" multiple times before he finally offered up this package. He was definitely very hesitant to do so. And I have never seen a package like this advertised. Other services might have similar options.

As for cutting back to just broadcast television, how easy it is to do probably depends on what you watch and how you watch television. I do not channel surf. If I am going to watch something, I almost always tape it (yes, I still use a VCR) and watch it later or watch it on the internet. Even if the programs that you are interested in watching are not available for free on the web, if you only watch a few that are on cable, it may be cheaper to either wait for these shows to come out on DVD and watch them then or pay for them through a service such as iTunes or Amazon Unboxed. Generally DVD series run about $40 on first release and are down to around $20 (on sale) after a few months/a year. Season passes on iTunes are around $40 for the season or episodes are $1.99 each. Amazon seems to have a similar pricing structure.

02-04-2008, 08:52 PM	#1
iceclone Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 11 Reputation: (10)	Help with Cost Cutting I was tracking all my expenses and I have changed all my bills/utilities/services to just the basic plan (from phone, internet, cable, etc). My bills showed a significant drop and I'm very proud of myself for doing so. But now I want to take it up a notch and I'm considering eliminating some of the bills I have, but I'm still undecided. One of these is the Pest Control that I have scheduled quarterly. It's actually pretty cheap, I only pay $65 and it's good for three months. It's a good service. But I also have noticed that bugs here in my area are not that much of a concern. I only see most of them during the summer. So anyway, I'm thinking of cancelling the service but I'm afraid that my place will be bug-infested after months. My question is: Is there an effective alternative to Pest Control? Is there any homemade concoction I can just use? I need tips and recommendations. Thanks.

02-05-2008, 06:00 AM	#4
Megan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 271 Reputation: (39)	What kind of costs are you looking at if you cancel the service and then later decide that you absolutely want it back? Might be worth a shot to just try out DIY pest control. But I agree with the comment about termites - that is a worthwhile investment. __________________ A Dollar a Day

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02-05-2008, 05:00 AM	#2
kav122 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 391 Reputation: (146)	I would say one thing that is frugal--actually free--is to make sure that your house is not a good home to bugs. That means, clean and dry! Take out trash quickly, and wipe up syrupy spills in the kitchen. Don't store stuff in cardboard boxes, as bugs love cardboard. Make sure that your bathroom is dry, especially under your sink. I wipe down my shower, because bugs love wetness. Vacuum your entire house at least once a month. That means, inside closet corners, in the basement up near the ceiling, behind appliances, etc, where bugs could be hanging. Make sure that you fill in cracks outside and around your windows and doors so they can't get in. I feel your pain with the pest control, because you don't want to be so cheap that you cut out "necessary maintenance" or things that could cost you more in the end, but I don't think that you will have a MAJOR infestation if you follow some of those guidelines and/or keep an eye on things. Remember, if all of a sudden you feel like you have a bug problem, you could always have them come out and spray. AND one bug doesn't mean that you have a PROBLEM. My husband freaked because he saw one bug. Big deal! I say, I would be worried if it was a problem, but I try to remember that there is going to be the occasional stray that gets in Also I had this list saved on my computer, because after I had my son, I didn't want to use harsh chemicals inside or outside our house, if at all possible. * Get rid of slugs and snails by spreading crushed eggshells where they are prone to travel. They won't travel over the rough surface and if they do, it's good-bye slug. * You can also get rid of snails and slugs with yucky, cheap beer. Just fill a jar lid with beer and place it where snails and slugs like to hang out. It's best to get it as flush with the ground as possible, so you may have to dig a little indention in the dirt. * Want one more slug remedy? Coffee is a great fix as well. Spread your used coffee grounds around slug or snail infested areas. * Ants are no fun. To get rid of them, make a bait of 99% sugar and 1% boric acid. Remember to keep the mixture away from kids and pets. * Ladybugs eat aphids, and in the words of the all powerful Martha, that's a good thing. Most experts agree that purchased lady bugs are not always the best for controlling aphids and that it's better to attract them naturally. You can do that by planting: parsley, wild buckwheat, white sweet clover, tansy, sweet fennel, sweet alyssum, spearmint, Queen Anne's lace, hairy vetch, flowering buckwheat, crimson clover, cowpeas, common knotweed, caraway and black locust. * Make your own "insecticide" using only three simple and non-toxic ingredients. Take a bar of Ivory Soap and drop it in two cups of water. Allow it to sit overnight. You want much of it to dissolve. The next morning, remove what has not dissolved and put the mixture in a spray bottle along with 1/4 cup corn oil. Shake well. Spray on infested plants, both the top and bottom of the leaves. * Remember that many pests really don't like certain plants such as mint, marigolds, garlic and basil. Try mingling some of these with other plants or flowers to ward off unwanted insects. * Flies are not necessarily a garden pest, but they most definitely qualify as unwanted pests. You can help keep them out of your house by keeping potted basil around as well as citrus peel pomanders. * I love to look at deer, but if they are eating your garden away, there are some natural remedies. Mix one TBSP liquid dish detergent with one ounce hot sauce into one liter of water and spray plants that deer have been eating. * If you have a large area you need to make less attractive to hungry deer, try this mixture: 1 cup milk, 2 TBSP cooking oil, 2 gallons of water, 2 TBSP liquid detergent and 2 whole eggs. Mix it up and pour it into a spray bottle. The eggs will help it stick to plants through a light rain, but will have to be reapplied after a heavy rain.

02-05-2008, 05:24 AM	#3
Kathryn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 103 Reputation: (17)	I would say that if you have problems with termites in your area, termite control may be a wise investment (effective termite-control products are not available for sale to the public). But if it's just ants and roaches and the like, you could probably be just as effective with a DIY solution unless you're battling a major infestation.

02-05-2008, 08:35 PM	#5
iceclone Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 11 Reputation: (10)	Hi. Thanks for all the inputs, it's fun reading them. I think I'll do some of those DIY insecticides. My house is just a year old and I don't think termites are a problem here. Thanks again and feel free to share your own ways in reducing your bills. I'm actually considering removing my basic cable and just use rabbit ears... but I think that's too big a step for now. I'll give some more time...

02-06-2008, 09:32 AM	#6
gt0163c Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 178 Reputation: (33)	Another option for cutting costs on services is to see if the "basic" services really are the cheapest. My local phone service costs less than the standard "basic" service. It does have a limited number of outgoing calls I can make a month. I don't remember the number, but I do know that with charges for going over, I would hit the breakeven point at something like 75 outgoing calls a month. Since I don't make a lot of calls, this works well for me. When I was setting up my phone service, I had to ask the representative "is there something cheaper?" multiple times before he finally offered up this package. He was definitely very hesitant to do so. And I have never seen a package like this advertised. Other services might have similar options. As for cutting back to just broadcast television, how easy it is to do probably depends on what you watch and how you watch television. I do not channel surf. If I am going to watch something, I almost always tape it (yes, I still use a VCR) and watch it later or watch it on the internet. Even if the programs that you are interested in watching are not available for free on the web, if you only watch a few that are on cable, it may be cheaper to either wait for these shows to come out on DVD and watch them then or pay for them through a service such as iTunes or Amazon Unboxed. Generally DVD series run about $40 on first release and are down to around $20 (on sale) after a few months/a year. Season passes on iTunes are around $40 for the season or episodes are $1.99 each. Amazon seems to have a similar pricing structure.