The photo is of a person buying a car, and in that context, I'd recommend that you NOT bring cash and make it clear that once you agree on a price, you'll trade the title and bill of sale for cash at the nearest branch of your bank. This is because some people listing cars on places like Craigslist are really setting people up to rob. It's not common, but it happens, and it's best to be safe.
1.) Get a 1.7kw Solar System
2.) Continue and expand my vegatable and fruit garden with compost & reclaimed materials
3.) Have my HVAC system cleaned for better efficiency
4.) Get an efficient fireplace insert
5.) Purchase a WVO vehicle using waste vegetable oil for fuel from local restaurants
6.) Get a used bicycle to run errands in town
7.) Become completely vegetarian (90% there already)
8.) Air dry all laundry
9.) Cut all energy use by 10%
10.) Stop buying new or online
A couple of years ago I started the hourly wage thing myself...I started thinking about how much things were really costing me! How long would it take me to buy something in terms of the time I was spending at work to earn it. It's a great exercise to determine how bad I really need/want something!
Ground turnip and hot pepper for prepared horseradish. Ginger ale for white wine. Applesauce (or homemade pear sauce) for half the fat in a cake recipe. Green onion tops for fresh chives, though frankly, they're not quite as good. Crushed Vitamin C pills for Fruit Fresh. Sunflower seeds and a dash of Chinese sesame oil for tahini in hummus. Orange juice for vinegar in salad dressing.
While shopping at Costco, they were sampling clam chowder. My older daughter loved it, so I went back to get the younger one a sample, and they had finished serving. In the garbage, next to the sample table was an unopened bag of chowder, sitting on the top of the garbage. I grabbed it, wiped it off, and stuck it into my purse. The girls enjoyed it for two days.
I don't think I could eat unwrapped things out of the garbage, but I would happily take packaged items home with me if they were still good. I love the comment about the toiletry items found in the trash.
Ride my bike to work - it far but one of these days I'm going to do it. Oh, and convince management to let me tele-commute one day a week. The second one's more of a pipe dream but a gal can try.
I would love to have our recycling picked up at our curb, but I don't see that happening very soon. Right now, I have to drive my plastics, glass, tin, and newspapers to a recycling place a half our away, and our cardboard 45 minutes away. I am also going through all of our commercial cleaners so that I can switch over to all green products.
I love Montreal and lived there for two years. I would suggest the drumming on Mont Royal in the summer and make sure you visit the universities for free events and lectures such as cinema politica. Also lots of cheap eats around, look out for the lunch specials!
I like the idea of putting the big plates in the basement and using smaller plates. We don't have a huge grocery budget but we also watch how much we eat which can easily affect the budget. When there is a bigger plate we tend to heap on the food but with smaller plates not so much. Smart idea if you ask me.
Although interesting, I feel the 'spend only cash' point falls short of using a credit card for purchases. One of the great things about the digital age is being able to track your life in various fashions online. My wife and I use (1) credit card for 90% of purchases (outside of monthly rent/bills). We use Mint / CC website to categorize our spending habits and set digital budgets for analysis. This has provided immense data in reeling in our spending habits and setting goals. We also rack up numerous points and by the end of the year have attained enough to cover our entire Christmas budget. I understand your point is just another unique option and that unfortunately some people are not responsible enough to use a credit card.
Morgan:
That's a great way to kick-start being frugal. I'm going to give that a try and see how much I can hold on to by end of summer. Thanks for the great tip!
My New Years Resolution for this year was to not spend any $5 bills that come into my possession, it sounds crazy but it was a great way to get me to start saving and it makes you realize how much you really spend! I've saved almost $300 already from doing nothing!
Thanks for the comment, Kelly. I think the common theme is to stop spending money, or at least not as much money, and I don't think people realize how much money they spend on eating out, a night out or an impulse buy of new clothing until they add it up for a month.
Keeping track of such expenses can really open your eyes.
The photo is of a person buying a car, and in that context, I'd recommend that you NOT bring cash and make it clear that once you agree on a price, you'll trade the title and bill of sale for cash at the nearest branch of your bank. This is because some people listing cars on places like Craigslist are really setting people up to rob. It's not common, but it happens, and it's best to be safe.
I got hired following these tips
dont knock it until you try it :)
1.) Get a 1.7kw Solar System
2.) Continue and expand my vegatable and fruit garden with compost & reclaimed materials
3.) Have my HVAC system cleaned for better efficiency
4.) Get an efficient fireplace insert
5.) Purchase a WVO vehicle using waste vegetable oil for fuel from local restaurants
6.) Get a used bicycle to run errands in town
7.) Become completely vegetarian (90% there already)
8.) Air dry all laundry
9.) Cut all energy use by 10%
10.) Stop buying new or online
Nice one. I think the interet rates are determined by the current interest rate and the banking operations thus making them low.
A couple of years ago I started the hourly wage thing myself...I started thinking about how much things were really costing me! How long would it take me to buy something in terms of the time I was spending at work to earn it. It's a great exercise to determine how bad I really need/want something!
Can coke cook a raw piece of meat?
This may sound a little odd, but I shower every other day (except in the summer) and don't miss daily showering.
Correction, being a spendthrift is NOT a virtue.
Ground turnip and hot pepper for prepared horseradish. Ginger ale for white wine. Applesauce (or homemade pear sauce) for half the fat in a cake recipe. Green onion tops for fresh chives, though frankly, they're not quite as good. Crushed Vitamin C pills for Fruit Fresh. Sunflower seeds and a dash of Chinese sesame oil for tahini in hummus. Orange juice for vinegar in salad dressing.
While shopping at Costco, they were sampling clam chowder. My older daughter loved it, so I went back to get the younger one a sample, and they had finished serving. In the garbage, next to the sample table was an unopened bag of chowder, sitting on the top of the garbage. I grabbed it, wiped it off, and stuck it into my purse. The girls enjoyed it for two days.
I don't think I could eat unwrapped things out of the garbage, but I would happily take packaged items home with me if they were still good. I love the comment about the toiletry items found in the trash.
and remember that Staying Healthy is very Frugal Living!
Ride my bike to work - it far but one of these days I'm going to do it. Oh, and convince management to let me tele-commute one day a week. The second one's more of a pipe dream but a gal can try.
I would love to have our recycling picked up at our curb, but I don't see that happening very soon. Right now, I have to drive my plastics, glass, tin, and newspapers to a recycling place a half our away, and our cardboard 45 minutes away. I am also going through all of our commercial cleaners so that I can switch over to all green products.
I love Montreal and lived there for two years. I would suggest the drumming on Mont Royal in the summer and make sure you visit the universities for free events and lectures such as cinema politica. Also lots of cheap eats around, look out for the lunch specials!
I like the idea of putting the big plates in the basement and using smaller plates. We don't have a huge grocery budget but we also watch how much we eat which can easily affect the budget. When there is a bigger plate we tend to heap on the food but with smaller plates not so much. Smart idea if you ask me.
cheapness is not a virtue
live in a tent? i mean, c'mon....
Although interesting, I feel the 'spend only cash' point falls short of using a credit card for purchases. One of the great things about the digital age is being able to track your life in various fashions online. My wife and I use (1) credit card for 90% of purchases (outside of monthly rent/bills). We use Mint / CC website to categorize our spending habits and set digital budgets for analysis. This has provided immense data in reeling in our spending habits and setting goals. We also rack up numerous points and by the end of the year have attained enough to cover our entire Christmas budget. I understand your point is just another unique option and that unfortunately some people are not responsible enough to use a credit card.
At the risk of sounding heretical, I don't have any green goals. I do enough already.
Number 10 is a great way to think about your spending. It really puts things into perspective when you take that approach.
Morgan:
That's a great way to kick-start being frugal. I'm going to give that a try and see how much I can hold on to by end of summer. Thanks for the great tip!
I always get cold sores after dentist visits. It's making me not want to go back because I'm a model and I kind of need my face :(
My New Years Resolution for this year was to not spend any $5 bills that come into my possession, it sounds crazy but it was a great way to get me to start saving and it makes you realize how much you really spend! I've saved almost $300 already from doing nothing!
Thanks for the comment, Kelly. I think the common theme is to stop spending money, or at least not as much money, and I don't think people realize how much money they spend on eating out, a night out or an impulse buy of new clothing until they add it up for a month.
Keeping track of such expenses can really open your eyes.