I had to retire early due to health issues and because, although wanting to work temp, no one wants someone 60+ with a cane. So on my budget of $1024 a month, I found buying generic toilet tissue (stronger ply) is just as good if not better than the leading brands. This is also so for cooking oils, canned chicken (which I'm trying to stop buying) - use whole chicken breasts on sale instead, buy store brand sugar, flour, so many little things that you still need but shopping wisely, save money. I don't eat out any, but stopped that years ago to lose weight. And losing weight can be done without denying yourself anything, simply by eating HALF of what you normally ate. Lost 60 lbs doing that. Once your stomach shrinks (takes about 1 week) you can't eat as much as you did and you get to where you don't want to eat some things you did before. I did not officially exercise on the weight loss program. Just find a fun way to elevate your heart rate and that will help.
Oh, the difference in buying make-up that is less expensive AND does the same job the "pricey" brands do, sometimes even better. I have found a foundation that cost $10 to $12 does the same job as the ones that cost $30 and more. The make-up sponges are very wasteful. Buying a foundation brush is A LOT better. You throw the sponges in the trash, go buy more and repeat again and again. The money spent is literally going in the garbage. The foundation brushes can (and should be washed) after one or two uses and they last forever! Buying simple baby oil to remove waterproof mascara is A LOT cheaper than buying all of the fancy removal pads. If you have a dog or cat, stop buying the junk food that makes your dog or cat require a trip to the vet because of digestive upsets. Spend a little more on quality dog or cat food and you will save a fortune on vet bills AND your dog or cat will thank you by being a lot healthier! Prevention saves a fortune!
Dryer sheets are not just for the dryer-- I use them when packing away clothes, linens, even shoes - anything organic, or that can absorb an odor or could be subject to infiltration by insects, like a box of toys or empty dresser drawers. Useful for the second home, or the attic. When I unpack for the next season -- nice! Place inside a clear plastic bag and then a black plastic bag to kill anything living that might get inside. The dryer sheets can be used again and again, but I prefer at least a few new ones each year. One tip is to re-use them with a drop of new product. One woman has been using the same bottle of softener for five years. Sheets are also useful under a hat to keep bugs away from your face when outdoors. But any softener on any fabric will do -- but sometimes you don't want to add water.
Shaving cream: I gave my husband a gift of a shaving set that uses good old fashioned shave soap and a brush. We will NEVER buy shave cream again! Beware, there are expensive soaps and cheap. We have bought a cheap brand and love it. Ladies, try shaving your legs with it, it's awesome!
Detergent: Did you know you can make your own for just a fraction of the price? Super super easy! I've been doing it for about 15 years now...lots of savings!
Baby gear: Most of it, maybe 80% or more, is totally unnecessary. Just go take a look at what's for sale for babies at the thrift store, consignment shops or garage sales. It's all new and nice because it wasn't used!!!
Pancake mix (baking mix): Check the ingredients, it's almost entirely FLOUR! Buy flour, it's cheap, and make your own. As previously said about muffins, it only takes a few minutes to whip it up from scratch if you have the ingredients!
Cinnamon Sugar (a personal pet peeve!): It's cinnamon and sugar. Put some sugar in a jar, add some cinnamon, mix. Why buy it premade at an astronomical mark up?
Financial success means not having to worry about money. If the car needs new tires, you have the funds to buy them. An emergency fund would cover the unexpected problems.
Hello everyone...I am just beginning to get into the concept of Frugal Living. It is very interesting and I am very excited to try this new adventure for myself. I have brought nearly every thing I have wanted in the past years and have gotten rid of most of the "stuff" I no longer need. This is all new to me and I am trying to take in all that I can. I am newly retired (I'm free...) and living happily at the moment. I am looking forward to this new way of living, it may be hard at first, I understand that, but I'm seriously considering the challenge. Thanks....
Hello everyone...I am just beginning to get into the concept of Frugal Living. It is very interesting and I am very excited to try this new adventure for myself. I have brought nearly every thing I have wanted in the past years and have gotten rid of most of the "stuff" I no longer need. This is all new to me and I am trying to take in all that I can. I am newly retired (I'm free...) and living happily at the moment. I am looking forward to this new way of living, it may be hard at first, I understand that, but I'm seriously considering the challenge. Thanks....
As for stashing your money in a safe spot. There is no safe spot. As for a thief you think like a thief. Time is the only enemy to a thief. My stash is going be in a very inconvenient place. Meaning I have to use tools to get to my stash. Many steps to get to my stash. Not a very easy accessible place even for me the stasher.
When we traveled we made an experience hit list and planned for all our meals etc on the way. Food is easily the best way to blow monet but it's also half the experience of travelling. So we had pizza in new York, pizza in Chicago, 1 x lobster meal (unattainable at home due to exorbitant pricing), and X amount of money for food carts etc. The rest if the time we had snacks and water in our bag so we would only be tempted to buy food somewhere where we truly wanted it for the experience, not just because we were hungry.
Where I do struggle with miserly-ness is in buying things for myself. I'll often put off buying tools that would really help my quality of life and when I finally cave I'm always like "why did I not do this month's ago??" Example: I used to hammer flat pack furniture together with a platform shoe. Wasn't until I got married I actually had a hammer...
I also found myself not buying clothes that I desperately needed because "$4 is WAY too much for an item of clothing!!" All my clothes are really stretched out from pregnancy, and in the end my husband had to order me clothes on the sly because I didn't want to buy anything incase I found something for $2... or $1... I don't know where my sense of reality has gone haha
I quit using horribly poisonous, incredibly caustic and environmentally devastating TOILET BOWL CLEANER! Why are we ruining our water supply with that stuff--it takes at least a thousand years (if ever) for the earth to filter out the chemical components in toilet bowl cleaners (and chlorine bleach, too) from the water it's mixed with. I mean c'mon! What!? Are you serving SOUP or conducting surgery outta that commode? Geez...baking soda, vinegar, a little ammonia, scrubscrubscrub, and voila! Fresh-as-a-daisy toilet! Even better is 50 Mule Train Borax. IMHO it's a better scrubber than baking soda. And NOT poisonous!
...And alcohol in lip balm? Not that I've ever seen. Dr. Bronner's lip balm is tha' lip BOMB. Inexpensive, no yukky unpleasant aftertaste and keeps my lips moisturized for a long time. I'm a lip-licking mouth-breather (sinuses) living in Phoenix and it's the only lip balm I've found that within minutes heals my painfuly bone dry, split-open and bleeding lips and protects them afterward. It's very soft, not hard like Chapstick, b/c it doesn't have a high wax content, so it can get a bit squishy when it's warm, but that's why I like it so much. It instantly melts into my lips; I keep applying lightly until it starts staying on the surface and not being absorbed.
Moisture-wicking fabrics are very popular for a reason. Especially in cold temperatures. Cotton kills.
Thanks for the good advice on everything else!
You can find banks in Yemen that give 10% for local currency and i think 3% for dollars. What's attractive is that inflation has been steady for last few years before 2011. but now it's risky to put money there, as anything could happen during war and economic instability.
I've found that I'm fine in something smaller (500-1,000 sq ft), but I grew up in a 5,000 sq ft home. Now when looking at my needs for the future, and what my family members have in their homes, I find that 2,000-2,500 sq ft with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms is what I'm shooting for when I have my own family and house.
I know I will be in an area where most of my family will have to come and stay, and with my parents being older already, I will probably have a small guest apartment over the garage for their visits so they are not overrun by children constantly, but will be able to stay within a close distance of those they come to visit. The advantage to this is I will not have to pay to heat or cool the extra space when it's not needed, but is available when it is needed.
This might seem excessive to have the garage apartment, but my mom's older brother classifies himself as a "3 day grandpa", and lives within a few hours drive of his kids and their families. Knowing I will be living a 1/2 day's travel by plane away, I realize the private space will go along way toward better visits with the older family members, especially a few who refuse to stay in the house but will stay in other on-site accommodations (i.e. a RV in the drive when staying with their uncle one year).
Had magic jack for one year and it worked pretty well.I probably used it 20 times.Bought a $35 reup card and the pin number was invalid so I'm out $35.I couldn't imagine what I'd have to go through to recover my money so I'm not going to bother.I suppose magic jack depends on people like me to make money.
wow Yvonne, you are a little uptight about the whole humanizing objects thing. The article made no assumptions aboout what pets are thinking. The article plainly states that by observation of her pets the author learned a few lessons about finance. Clearly she had to have finance on her mind to begin with because when I observe my animals I learn completely different lessons. But perhaps I needed to learn how to smile more easily anyway. That thought might have been on this author's mind also. It is blatantly obvious the author is not beating us over the head with dry historical statistics about retirement income or mind numbing "keep your pants on" rants about panic and overzealousouness as comparative strategies to buying and selling stock portfolios. Relax. Open you mind and be entertained while the author reminds you of things you should have learned in high school.
I had to retire early due to health issues and because, although wanting to work temp, no one wants someone 60+ with a cane. So on my budget of $1024 a month, I found buying generic toilet tissue (stronger ply) is just as good if not better than the leading brands. This is also so for cooking oils, canned chicken (which I'm trying to stop buying) - use whole chicken breasts on sale instead, buy store brand sugar, flour, so many little things that you still need but shopping wisely, save money. I don't eat out any, but stopped that years ago to lose weight. And losing weight can be done without denying yourself anything, simply by eating HALF of what you normally ate. Lost 60 lbs doing that. Once your stomach shrinks (takes about 1 week) you can't eat as much as you did and you get to where you don't want to eat some things you did before. I did not officially exercise on the weight loss program. Just find a fun way to elevate your heart rate and that will help.
Oh, the difference in buying make-up that is less expensive AND does the same job the "pricey" brands do, sometimes even better. I have found a foundation that cost $10 to $12 does the same job as the ones that cost $30 and more. The make-up sponges are very wasteful. Buying a foundation brush is A LOT better. You throw the sponges in the trash, go buy more and repeat again and again. The money spent is literally going in the garbage. The foundation brushes can (and should be washed) after one or two uses and they last forever! Buying simple baby oil to remove waterproof mascara is A LOT cheaper than buying all of the fancy removal pads. If you have a dog or cat, stop buying the junk food that makes your dog or cat require a trip to the vet because of digestive upsets. Spend a little more on quality dog or cat food and you will save a fortune on vet bills AND your dog or cat will thank you by being a lot healthier! Prevention saves a fortune!
Dryer sheets are not just for the dryer-- I use them when packing away clothes, linens, even shoes - anything organic, or that can absorb an odor or could be subject to infiltration by insects, like a box of toys or empty dresser drawers. Useful for the second home, or the attic. When I unpack for the next season -- nice! Place inside a clear plastic bag and then a black plastic bag to kill anything living that might get inside. The dryer sheets can be used again and again, but I prefer at least a few new ones each year. One tip is to re-use them with a drop of new product. One woman has been using the same bottle of softener for five years. Sheets are also useful under a hat to keep bugs away from your face when outdoors. But any softener on any fabric will do -- but sometimes you don't want to add water.
for better health, and reducing costs:
1)blood pressure- 3 stalks of celery, juiced,
2)blood thinner- plant-based omega-3 fatty acids (fruit,avacado),
3)hot cereal- oats, with honey, stevia,
4)soda replacement- seltzer water and stevia,
5)natural sweeteners- prunes, raisins, apples, honey,
6)sleep helpers- 1,2 hard,boiled eggs, w/ iodized salt,
Shaving cream: I gave my husband a gift of a shaving set that uses good old fashioned shave soap and a brush. We will NEVER buy shave cream again! Beware, there are expensive soaps and cheap. We have bought a cheap brand and love it. Ladies, try shaving your legs with it, it's awesome!
Detergent: Did you know you can make your own for just a fraction of the price? Super super easy! I've been doing it for about 15 years now...lots of savings!
Baby gear: Most of it, maybe 80% or more, is totally unnecessary. Just go take a look at what's for sale for babies at the thrift store, consignment shops or garage sales. It's all new and nice because it wasn't used!!!
Pancake mix (baking mix): Check the ingredients, it's almost entirely FLOUR! Buy flour, it's cheap, and make your own. As previously said about muffins, it only takes a few minutes to whip it up from scratch if you have the ingredients!
Cinnamon Sugar (a personal pet peeve!): It's cinnamon and sugar. Put some sugar in a jar, add some cinnamon, mix. Why buy it premade at an astronomical mark up?
Financial success means not having to worry about money. If the car needs new tires, you have the funds to buy them. An emergency fund would cover the unexpected problems.
Pay your bills, not carry debt, and save for the future.
Hello everyone...I am just beginning to get into the concept of Frugal Living. It is very interesting and I am very excited to try this new adventure for myself. I have brought nearly every thing I have wanted in the past years and have gotten rid of most of the "stuff" I no longer need. This is all new to me and I am trying to take in all that I can. I am newly retired (I'm free...) and living happily at the moment. I am looking forward to this new way of living, it may be hard at first, I understand that, but I'm seriously considering the challenge. Thanks....
Hello everyone...I am just beginning to get into the concept of Frugal Living. It is very interesting and I am very excited to try this new adventure for myself. I have brought nearly every thing I have wanted in the past years and have gotten rid of most of the "stuff" I no longer need. This is all new to me and I am trying to take in all that I can. I am newly retired (I'm free...) and living happily at the moment. I am looking forward to this new way of living, it may be hard at first, I understand that, but I'm seriously considering the challenge. Thanks....
Financial success means being able to afford to pay for my children's college, cars and other expenses without having to worry.
Being able to retire early!
As for stashing your money in a safe spot. There is no safe spot. As for a thief you think like a thief. Time is the only enemy to a thief. My stash is going be in a very inconvenient place. Meaning I have to use tools to get to my stash. Many steps to get to my stash. Not a very easy accessible place even for me the stasher.
When we traveled we made an experience hit list and planned for all our meals etc on the way. Food is easily the best way to blow monet but it's also half the experience of travelling. So we had pizza in new York, pizza in Chicago, 1 x lobster meal (unattainable at home due to exorbitant pricing), and X amount of money for food carts etc. The rest if the time we had snacks and water in our bag so we would only be tempted to buy food somewhere where we truly wanted it for the experience, not just because we were hungry.
Where I do struggle with miserly-ness is in buying things for myself. I'll often put off buying tools that would really help my quality of life and when I finally cave I'm always like "why did I not do this month's ago??" Example: I used to hammer flat pack furniture together with a platform shoe. Wasn't until I got married I actually had a hammer...
I also found myself not buying clothes that I desperately needed because "$4 is WAY too much for an item of clothing!!" All my clothes are really stretched out from pregnancy, and in the end my husband had to order me clothes on the sly because I didn't want to buy anything incase I found something for $2... or $1... I don't know where my sense of reality has gone haha
I quit using horribly poisonous, incredibly caustic and environmentally devastating TOILET BOWL CLEANER! Why are we ruining our water supply with that stuff--it takes at least a thousand years (if ever) for the earth to filter out the chemical components in toilet bowl cleaners (and chlorine bleach, too) from the water it's mixed with. I mean c'mon! What!? Are you serving SOUP or conducting surgery outta that commode? Geez...baking soda, vinegar, a little ammonia, scrubscrubscrub, and voila! Fresh-as-a-daisy toilet! Even better is 50 Mule Train Borax. IMHO it's a better scrubber than baking soda. And NOT poisonous!
...And alcohol in lip balm? Not that I've ever seen. Dr. Bronner's lip balm is tha' lip BOMB. Inexpensive, no yukky unpleasant aftertaste and keeps my lips moisturized for a long time. I'm a lip-licking mouth-breather (sinuses) living in Phoenix and it's the only lip balm I've found that within minutes heals my painfuly bone dry, split-open and bleeding lips and protects them afterward. It's very soft, not hard like Chapstick, b/c it doesn't have a high wax content, so it can get a bit squishy when it's warm, but that's why I like it so much. It instantly melts into my lips; I keep applying lightly until it starts staying on the surface and not being absorbed.
Moisture-wicking fabrics are very popular for a reason. Especially in cold temperatures. Cotton kills.
Thanks for the good advice on everything else!
You can find banks in Yemen that give 10% for local currency and i think 3% for dollars. What's attractive is that inflation has been steady for last few years before 2011. but now it's risky to put money there, as anything could happen during war and economic instability.
Thanks for the help & guidelines. Although I have a very long experience but such above questions really need pre-preparations.
Financial success is being able to travel, enjoy good food and basically just enjoy all life has to offer without having to worry about money!
Oh my god. Who wrote this? You're a genius. Had me laughing for hours. Bravo.
It means being able to buy the things that I want without having to put it on my credit card and make payments on it.
I've found that I'm fine in something smaller (500-1,000 sq ft), but I grew up in a 5,000 sq ft home. Now when looking at my needs for the future, and what my family members have in their homes, I find that 2,000-2,500 sq ft with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms is what I'm shooting for when I have my own family and house.
I know I will be in an area where most of my family will have to come and stay, and with my parents being older already, I will probably have a small guest apartment over the garage for their visits so they are not overrun by children constantly, but will be able to stay within a close distance of those they come to visit. The advantage to this is I will not have to pay to heat or cool the extra space when it's not needed, but is available when it is needed.
This might seem excessive to have the garage apartment, but my mom's older brother classifies himself as a "3 day grandpa", and lives within a few hours drive of his kids and their families. Knowing I will be living a 1/2 day's travel by plane away, I realize the private space will go along way toward better visits with the older family members, especially a few who refuse to stay in the house but will stay in other on-site accommodations (i.e. a RV in the drive when staying with their uncle one year).
A different cat, no problem, but not that one.
Yikes! That sounds like quite an ordeal. I can't say I've ever had a pet sitting job like that. Hopefully it won't deter you from trying again!
Had magic jack for one year and it worked pretty well.I probably used it 20 times.Bought a $35 reup card and the pin number was invalid so I'm out $35.I couldn't imagine what I'd have to go through to recover my money so I'm not going to bother.I suppose magic jack depends on people like me to make money.
Having enough money in the bank for a rainy day.
wow Yvonne, you are a little uptight about the whole humanizing objects thing. The article made no assumptions aboout what pets are thinking. The article plainly states that by observation of her pets the author learned a few lessons about finance. Clearly she had to have finance on her mind to begin with because when I observe my animals I learn completely different lessons. But perhaps I needed to learn how to smile more easily anyway. That thought might have been on this author's mind also. It is blatantly obvious the author is not beating us over the head with dry historical statistics about retirement income or mind numbing "keep your pants on" rants about panic and overzealousouness as comparative strategies to buying and selling stock portfolios. Relax. Open you mind and be entertained while the author reminds you of things you should have learned in high school.