frugality tips

[Pete]

I love stretching a dollar! I use old mail, newspapers and magazines to wipe out greasy pans- and save on paper towels. Dried beans, oatmeal, and chicken thighs are absolute bargains. How do you save money? Don't say geico

[BuffaloBud]

Have a simple cell phone with minimum minutes. No bells, no whistles, 4G, internet, GPS, texting.

 

Riding a 30 year old Fuji bike for my 100 mile ride in August.

 

Grow some veg in the garden. Barter with some of the neighbors for some of theirs and with my yoga instructor for class discount.

 

When we lived in NC, I saved the string from the pine straw bales for other uses. I had 2 grocery bags at one time.

 

Back in NC again. After a couple of hurricanes, went around to co-workers and neighbors and got the trees that had fallen and were cut up. Hauled them home and split them by hand (5 pound maul and 2 wedges) - didn't have to buy firewood for years.

[Fezmid]

Canceled my landline and use only my (company paid) cell phone.

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com/index.php?showtopic=94606

 

Use a programmable thermostat to reduce the temperature when we're at work and sleeping (some people here seem to think it's ridiculous; I don't understand why you would pay to heat a house at times when nobody is there to care...). Increase the temperature during summer to avoid AC use.

 

Watch movies in my home theater instead of at a movie theater -- tickets/popcorn are too expensive!

 

Not sure if this is "frugal," but I frequently ask for discounts from service providers and even stores. No harm in asking - worst they'll say is no, but you'd be surprised how often you'll get lower prices (for example, see the DirecTV Sunday ticket thread).

[stuckincincy]

I love stretching a dollar! I use old mail, newspapers and magazines to wipe out greasy pans- and save on paper towels. Dried beans, oatmeal, and chicken thighs are absolute bargains. How do you save money? Don't say geico

 

Buy the Sunday papers to get the coupons and scour the store specials and stock up. The grocery store I shop at on Sunday routinely has buy 10 for a dollar and get one free promotion, and they take any coupon under a dollar and run them up to a dollar off. They have their own coupon printing devices. Example: for the last 3 weeks, I've had a half-gallon of Smart Balance milk ($3.99 retail) for free.

 

Stocking up when the price is good is key. I currently have 5 boxes of dishwash soap, 7 bottles of laundry detergent, five 75 ft rolls of aluminum foil, tons of paper towels and toilet paper, canned goods, flour, you name it - all purchased on special and most all with coupons. This Saturday, I'm hitting a store that has rump roast for $1.89/lb. I'll buy 10 or so pounds, butcher it into portions, wrap it well and put it into the freezer.

 

 

I also purchase other things like motor oil, HVAC filters etc. when the price is right. By the simple expedient of keeping a peeled eye, I know(I keep records) that my consumables are at least 25% less than spot buying.

 

Tip for storing breadstuffs - slice a loaf, wrap rolls with a paper towel, then put into a freezer bag. The towel wrap keeps them well, and when you take them out and shake off any crumbs and let the moisture dry, they are there to use. The freezer bag can be re-used.

[Hossage]

The price of staples such as milk and bread is cheaper in the hood than in the suburbs at the same chain grocery stores. At least that applies for Buffalo and Orchard Park.

[plenzmd1]

I save money by being married and not having to go on dates to get some

[Fezmid]

I save money by being married and not having to go on dates to get some

 

Dates are MUCH cheaper than being married...

[KD in CA]

Tip #1: Don't get married!

 

I save money by being married and not having to go on dates to get some

At least when you're dating you control the outlfow of your cash and you generally get a direct reward for it.

 

 

Tip #2: Do as much of your own car maintenance as you are comfortable handling. At minimum, stuff like wiper blade, air filter, etc. are easy and cheap if you buy them yourself.

[erynthered]

Tip #1: Don't get married!

 

 

.

 

 

Never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Corp000085]

Tip #1: Don't get married!

 

 

At least when you're dating you control the outlfow of your cash and you generally get a direct reward for it.

 

 

Tip #2: Do as much of your own car maintenance as you are comfortable handling. At minimum, stuff like wiper blade, air filter, etc. are easy and cheap if you buy them yourself.

 

 

To do a synthetic oil change for my wife's car was $72 at the local place. I can do it myself for $25 plus my own time. I can go on a rant about the cost difference that places charge for a conventional oil vs. synthetic oil change, but that's for another thread.

 

Do the simple car maintenance stuff yourself. Hell, my neighbor has an impact wrench. I have the air compressor. I rotate tires too. The cost to me is time, but the savings over the lifetime of the car can go as high as $1000+.

[KD in CA]

Never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

The max is 3 times or 20 years, whichever comes first!

[Fezmid]

To do a synthetic oil change for my wife's car was $72 at the local place.

 

Geez... My local mechanic does it for around $40.

 

Of course he also installs wind shield wipers for me for free if I provide them... And has replaced a headlight for free too, if I provide the bulb. So I always go to him.

[RayFinkle]

I only download free porn.

[Chef Jim]

To do a synthetic oil change for my wife's car was $72 at the local place. I can do it myself for $25 plus my own time. I can go on a rant about the cost difference that places charge for a conventional oil vs. synthetic oil change, but that's for another thread.

 

Do the simple car maintenance stuff yourself. Hell, my neighbor has an impact wrench. I have the air compressor. I rotate tires too. The cost to me is time, but the savings over the lifetime of the car can go as high as $1000+.

 

My time is worth a hell of a lot more than that.

 

BTW I save money by making my own clothes.

[dib]

I reuse toilet paper.

[LeviF]

I only download free porn.

Geez. I keep telling the kids whose computers I fix at school, "You can stream porn for free now. Quit downloading it."

[stuckincincy]

Tip #1: Don't get married!

 

 

At least when you're dating you control the outlfow of your cash and you generally get a direct reward for it.

 

 

Tip #2: Do as much of your own car maintenance as you are comfortable handling. At minimum, stuff like wiper blade, air filter, etc. are easy and cheap if you buy them yourself.

 

Yep. I replaced the 4 shocks on my simple 1998 S-10. It was a struggle, because of 10 years of corrosion. After a week of spraying with WD-40, I sawed off the top bolts, which I have learned is commonplace. The part price for the 4 shocks were about 70 bucks. Same as the shop I deal with, but to them, replacement of shocks is the same as replacement of struts (flat rate), so they quoted a labor cost of $102 front and $85 rear. I also knew I needed a new battery. Their replacement battery suggestion was a bit high, but not excessive. But they wanted 15 bucks to perform a job that takes 5 minutes - tops.

 

 

I had to replace the neg. cable end a few years back. It was a 3 dollar part. They recommended replacing that, with a ten buck part price and a 16 dollar labor charge. I removed the current item and serviced it.

 

They wanted to charge $80 for a diff lube change - no drain plug on the diff, so the way it is done is with a vacuum tube to suck out the old through the filler port. I had that done elsewhere at one of the oil change shops for 41 bucks. That shop wanted $50 to replace a fuel filter, telling me tales of danger. I read up about the procedure, bought a new filter for $7, and live to tell about it - neither me, my vehicle or my my home was burnt down.

 

Never- never fail to go to the repair shops for your wife, your mom, your sisters, your nieces, your daughters. They will be financially raped.

[/dev/null]

If you buy something with a credit card, be sure you have money in the bank to pay your next credit card bill in full.

Don't carry credit card balances.

 

If you want to buy something like an iPhone, Playstation, TV, home theater, or other shiny new toy, wait at least a week. Then do comparison shopping. After you find a price you like, remind yourself that you have survived this long without that new shiny thing and decide if you really do want it after all

[stuckincincy]

If you buy something with a credit card, be sure you have money in the bank to pay your next credit card bill in full.

Don't carry credit card balances.

 

If you want to buy something like an iPhone, Playstation, TV, home theater, or other shiny new toy, wait at least a week. Then do comparison shopping. After you find a price you like, remind yourself that you have survived this long without that new shiny thing and decide if you really do want it after all

 

 

Excellent advice.

[MattyT]

If you buy something with a credit card, be sure you have money in the bank to pay your next credit card bill in full.

Don't carry credit card balances.

I'm pretty good with this one

 

If you want to buy something like an iPhone, Playstation, TV, home theater, or other shiny new toy, wait at least a week. Then do comparison shopping. After you find a price you like, remind yourself that you have survived this long without that new shiny thing and decide if you really do want it after all

...but I totally fail on this one. When I get a case of "I gotta have it!"-itis then there isn't much stopping me. Sometimes my wife is able to intervene but not usually.