My favorite frugality tip? Well - BUY IN BULK. Why is that?
Four points:
* you will save some money- items packed in bulk are often cheaper (per unit)
* you will go to market less often and thus your spendings on gasoline will reduce
* you will save environment (you know that CO2 pollution that melts the glaciers)
* you will save your time - remember: your time is your money!
so remember the BIN rule: Buy In Bulk ;)
The government will certainly leave interest rates low through the next election, to buy the votes necessary to keep the Dems in power. (not that the Republicans would have done differently). Alas, I can see political parties buying elections for the forseeable future, until the U.S.A. goes the way of the Roman empire. I'll vote Libertarian until then, thank you. I never thought I'd see the story of 'The Little Red Hen' come true....
My favorite frugal tip is don't spend money on anything you don't need for a month. Eat out of your pantry and freezer as much as you can so you'll spend less. No magazines at the checkout, anything. After a month you will hate the feeling of money leaving your hand because you've become used to not giving it up. I know we have some needs but we also know what are wants disguised as needs. When you first spend on wants after that month you'll really dislike the feeling.
Before buying anything, consider whether there is something you already have that could fill the need, and before deciding a frugal idea is not worth the time, multiply out the savings per hour.
I try to be thoughtful about about my spending and consumption and buy used, borrow from the library, or make it myself whenever possible. I'm always surprised how many things I can do myself or wait just a little bit for.
Use human-powered gardening tools and properly maintain them. Who needs a gym when you have a people - powered reel mower, edger, hedge clippers and aerator? No gas to buy and they last forever if you clean and oil them. Plus, it is nice to do yard work and still hear the birds chirping and people talking. This is a free stress reliever and stress relief=health care savings.
Eat at home! We eat so well at home and don't spend more than $75 a week. We eat out once a week and rarely even buy things like coffee outside of the house.
We are cautious spenders, and currently smart revolvers out of necessity after a recent move to a new city. We are in the process of paying down debt in general, and are thus hyper aware of the intricacies of credit/finance, but had an unexpected delay in my husband's employment in our new city.
We talk nearly daily about our excitement to pay down our 0% credit cards that we had to use to cover living expenses for a few months, and it feels like we are walking on the edge of a knife. No interest if we pay them off in time, but the uncertainty and risk are such a weight... it is not a healthy way to live! :( I HATE debt!!! Can't wait to breathe that huge sigh of relief that will come once all the cards are paid off and we are once again paying cash for all bills/purchases. Looking forward to then tackling student loans so we can develop a hefty savings account... all in due time!
Coupons! Be on the lookout everywhere for coupons - your grocery store, newspaper, your email, online - you can almost always find a way to save on your purchases and experiences with a discount. Never pay full price!
This is so thought provoking and so true. Marketing is a powerful influencer on our purchases. Just think about all those people driving BMW's to get from point A to point B when the bus or train or any cheap car can do the same. We think we are being rational with our purchases but they got us before our mind could even process the decision
My favorite frugal tip is to bring flats everywhere (in DC). I end up walking or biking lots more as opposed to taking cabs and I don't look ridiculous wearing heels, waking super slow on the metro!
For those who have a sweet tooth, boil a little water, add some honey, let cool, add some apple cider vinigar. Make enough of a potion to use for next time too! Keep in fridge. If you take a couple of teaspons before food, this works wonders. You won't get heartburn! Been using it for 10 years now!
Honestly, my tip is pausing. I just make myself pause, take a few breaths, and allow myself that moment to question whether I need to make a particular purchase. That pause has saved me quite a few pennies.
Wear clothing at least twice before washing. Not only does this cut down on detergent and water, but also on wear and tear of both the clothes and the washer. Since I am able to hang my stuff outside to dry, I don't have to worry about dryer costs. Also keep in mind that if you have a water softener, using the washer also requires more frequent cycling of the water softener which uses both water and softener salt.
I always have snacks and drinks in the car for the kids even on short trips. They always get hungry and stopping at a convenient mart is time consuming and too expensive.
Don't mindlessly buy one particular brand of a product just because that's the brand you always use. You can save tons if you'll buy whatever brand is on sale or the store brand. (One thing that is great about the store brand products is that I don't have to spend time clipping coupons to get the low price - it's just that low price all the time.)
I think one thing that consumers were taught during the Coke and Pepsi 'wars' of the '80s is that we're supposed to pick a brand for something and stick with it no matter what. This is just a marketing thing. In almost all cases, I find that it's not worth it to pay twice as much - or more - for one particular brand of things. It just doesn't matter, and the differences are insignificant.
I agree with these tips 100%. Budgeting is the hardest for me, as probably for most. The other two I liked were using up old ingredients and inviting friends over. I can relate from experience with those two methods!
My favorite frugality tip? Well - BUY IN BULK. Why is that?
Four points:
* you will save some money- items packed in bulk are often cheaper (per unit)
* you will go to market less often and thus your spendings on gasoline will reduce
* you will save environment (you know that CO2 pollution that melts the glaciers)
* you will save your time - remember: your time is your money!
so remember the BIN rule: Buy In Bulk ;)
Nice blog BTW :)
I sure didn't think that rates would get LOWER for the next 5 years.....
There IS a war on savers and productive people.
The government will certainly leave interest rates low through the next election, to buy the votes necessary to keep the Dems in power. (not that the Republicans would have done differently). Alas, I can see political parties buying elections for the forseeable future, until the U.S.A. goes the way of the Roman empire. I'll vote Libertarian until then, thank you. I never thought I'd see the story of 'The Little Red Hen' come true....
My favorite frugal tip is don't spend money on anything you don't need for a month. Eat out of your pantry and freezer as much as you can so you'll spend less. No magazines at the checkout, anything. After a month you will hate the feeling of money leaving your hand because you've become used to not giving it up. I know we have some needs but we also know what are wants disguised as needs. When you first spend on wants after that month you'll really dislike the feeling.
My favorite frugal tip is to pay with cash, meaning save for purchases so you don' have to borrow on credit.
Before buying anything, consider whether there is something you already have that could fill the need, and before deciding a frugal idea is not worth the time, multiply out the savings per hour.
I try to be thoughtful about about my spending and consumption and buy used, borrow from the library, or make it myself whenever possible. I'm always surprised how many things I can do myself or wait just a little bit for.
shop at the thrift store during the 50% off sell
Use human-powered gardening tools and properly maintain them. Who needs a gym when you have a people - powered reel mower, edger, hedge clippers and aerator? No gas to buy and they last forever if you clean and oil them. Plus, it is nice to do yard work and still hear the birds chirping and people talking. This is a free stress reliever and stress relief=health care savings.
Eat at home! We eat so well at home and don't spend more than $75 a week. We eat out once a week and rarely even buy things like coffee outside of the house.
We are cautious spenders, and currently smart revolvers out of necessity after a recent move to a new city. We are in the process of paying down debt in general, and are thus hyper aware of the intricacies of credit/finance, but had an unexpected delay in my husband's employment in our new city.
We talk nearly daily about our excitement to pay down our 0% credit cards that we had to use to cover living expenses for a few months, and it feels like we are walking on the edge of a knife. No interest if we pay them off in time, but the uncertainty and risk are such a weight... it is not a healthy way to live! :( I HATE debt!!! Can't wait to breathe that huge sigh of relief that will come once all the cards are paid off and we are once again paying cash for all bills/purchases. Looking forward to then tackling student loans so we can develop a hefty savings account... all in due time!
Don't eat out.
I totally agree, as both a recipient and a giver!
I make my own detergent and dry my clothes on a close line
Coupons! Be on the lookout everywhere for coupons - your grocery store, newspaper, your email, online - you can almost always find a way to save on your purchases and experiences with a discount. Never pay full price!
This is so thought provoking and so true. Marketing is a powerful influencer on our purchases. Just think about all those people driving BMW's to get from point A to point B when the bus or train or any cheap car can do the same. We think we are being rational with our purchases but they got us before our mind could even process the decision
My favorite frugal tip is to bring flats everywhere (in DC). I end up walking or biking lots more as opposed to taking cabs and I don't look ridiculous wearing heels, waking super slow on the metro!
For those who have a sweet tooth, boil a little water, add some honey, let cool, add some apple cider vinigar. Make enough of a potion to use for next time too! Keep in fridge. If you take a couple of teaspons before food, this works wonders. You won't get heartburn! Been using it for 10 years now!
Honestly, my tip is pausing. I just make myself pause, take a few breaths, and allow myself that moment to question whether I need to make a particular purchase. That pause has saved me quite a few pennies.
Wear clothing at least twice before washing. Not only does this cut down on detergent and water, but also on wear and tear of both the clothes and the washer. Since I am able to hang my stuff outside to dry, I don't have to worry about dryer costs. Also keep in mind that if you have a water softener, using the washer also requires more frequent cycling of the water softener which uses both water and softener salt.
I always have snacks and drinks in the car for the kids even on short trips. They always get hungry and stopping at a convenient mart is time consuming and too expensive.
Don't mindlessly buy one particular brand of a product just because that's the brand you always use. You can save tons if you'll buy whatever brand is on sale or the store brand. (One thing that is great about the store brand products is that I don't have to spend time clipping coupons to get the low price - it's just that low price all the time.)
I think one thing that consumers were taught during the Coke and Pepsi 'wars' of the '80s is that we're supposed to pick a brand for something and stick with it no matter what. This is just a marketing thing. In almost all cases, I find that it's not worth it to pay twice as much - or more - for one particular brand of things. It just doesn't matter, and the differences are insignificant.
I agree with these tips 100%. Budgeting is the hardest for me, as probably for most. The other two I liked were using up old ingredients and inviting friends over. I can relate from experience with those two methods!
Great info!
Budget...it's a lifesaver!
Buy the things you need when they are on sale. If you wait until the need is urgent, you'll pay full price and you won't have a choice.