28 Ways to Budget and Save

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28 Ways to Budget and Save

Submitted by: anonymous 12/23/2008 10:57 AM

1. We've done quite a bit over the past 3-4 years and it all started when we switched all of our lightbulbs to CFL's and realized how much money we saved each month just doing that.

2. Instead of just hanging to dry the clothes we didn't want going into the dryer, we started drying all of our clothes on racks and hangers/clothesline in the basement year round - we just put each load into the dryer on air dry to fluff them for 10 minutes before hanging up and this works great. I wash each type of load on a particular day of the week, so we get full loads and are able to rotate the clothes that have dried to make room for newly washed ones. We use only 1/2 to 3/4 scoop of clothes detergent (Sears brand) and sometimes even make our own detergent. I add baking soda to our Sam's Club brand dishwasher detergent (half and half) to make it last longer and we can't tell the difference - also use vinegar in rinse agent dispenser.

3. Use baking soda and vinegar in place of most cleaning supplies.

4. My husband had some kind of addiction to paper plates and paper towels - I sort of hid them from him and convinced him to only use them to drain greasy food when he's cooking.

5. We installed a programmable thermostat and in the winter we have it set at 69 for a high and 61 for a low - we wear fleece jackets and extra socks to keep warm and extra blankets on the bed at night. Our house is very well insulated with new windows, so that helps a lot too.

6. We cut back our cable to the lower tier.

7. We got Skype for long distance and plan to get Ooma VOiP when their phone numbers are available in our area - then we'll drop our landline phone.

8. We have Tracfones for cell phone service and since we don't live on them, it only costs us $11 month (about 9/10 cents per minute) for 3 cell phones - we get the year service card and double minutes for the life of the phones.

9. We haven't been to a movie theatre in about 4 years and only occasionally purchase the pay-per-view movies on cable.

10. We VERY rarely eat out anymore.

11. My husband and I are fortunate enough to be able to carpool together to work and we also take our lunches to work. Since the candy machine was removed from our lobby at work, I also save about $5 a week there too!

12. We buy and sell on ebay - clothes, electronics, you name it! We buy clothes at thrift stores too - if you mix and match with sale items, regular purchases and even a couple of really good quality pieces, no one can tell!

13. We no longer waste food! We eat several meals a week either with no meat or just breakfast-type food and stretch leftovers with fillers for about 3-5 meals a week.

14. My husband & I are both quite handy, so we are able to do most things ourselves - remodeling, most car repairs, sewing/mending, making gifts or bartering items, etc.

15. We make sure everything that can be turned off and unplugged is every night (TV, computers, digital picture frame, etc.) We switched to LED nightlights and have them in several locations in the house - we don't need to turn on the bathroom or hallway light everytime we go in now or during the night.

16. We recycle anything that we can and rather than hang onto things we no longer use, we sell them or give them away - no more hoarding things - I love not feeling overwhelmed by "stuff."

17. We cut way back on Christmas and we enjoy it so much more. Our child gets plenty, but we don't exchange gifts with each other anymore. Both extended families have fortunately cut back also and now we are doing what Christmas is really all about - enjoying each other and good food, and not stressing over buying the perfect gift for so many people.

18. For birthdays, we give each other a small gift and then we put $100 away to save for bigger purchases - TV or computer upgrades or whatever is needed.

19. We drive used cars paid for with cash and don't have credit card debt.

20. We raised the deductibles on our car and home insurance.

21. We plant a small garden.

22. When our bathtowels get thin I cut them into 4ths and then serge stitch the edges and we use them as kitchen and all purpose hand towels. We also use small hand towels in place of napkins at the table - we each get a particular color and then use that towel all week or until it is soiled. We also each have our own bath towel that we reuse for the week, just hanging it to dry over the shower curtain.

23. I also reuse dental floss - just wipe it dry and fold up into a snack sized zip lock bag - can use it 3-4 times before it frays out.

24. I also brush my teeth with baking soda for whitening and then just use a dab of regular minty paste for freshness.

25. We just finished a kitchen remodel project which we did ourselves and saved a ton of money - we had someone make us new cupboard doors and we were able to refinish the rest to match. We did have to purchase a new fridge, but we save quite a bit each month now because it's so much more energy efficient than the old one that we sold. The rest of the appliances were new within the past 5 years, so we're cut down about as low as we can go for electricity use.

26. We buy all of our regular grocery purchases that we can at Sam's Club and save a bundle doing that. For instance we buy 5 lb. bags of shredded cheese and 5 lb tubs of margarine that we keep in the freezer. We freeze many different things to make convenience foods for ourselves when we don't have time or don't feel like spending time cooking. We even make homemade pizzas and freeze them for later use.

27. We go to Wal-Mart much less often. We make a list and try as hard as we can to stick to it when we do go and can't believe how much money we save and we aren't missing anything!

28. I plan to utilize the library more for books, magazines and movies.

Everytime I think my list is done, I think of something else...hope this helps someone else!!

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Comments:

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another group advised me that the homemade laundry soaps work well in dishwasher; wow! sounds like you guys are cooking with gas in saving! hat's off to you!

Posted by MzScarlett on December 23, 2008 1:04 PM

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wow u go girl amazing savings for u ...u should be very proud of yourself for such discipline..

Posted by natalya on December 23, 2008 5:01 PM

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I thinks the dental floss thing is not such a good idea, it's used to remove food and bacteria infested plaque. Even if you wipe it off it still harbor bacteria and the point is to remove bacteria that's why you move down the string as you go. The bacteria from your mouth is associated with heart disease, diabetes, inflamation. It may be pennywise, but could be pound foolish to your long term well being.

Posted by Nurse Janna on December 26, 2008 1:25 PM

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We are all re-learning the things our parents and grandparents knew! If we can teach them to our children and grandchildren maybe there will be some long-term solutions to our culture of consumerism. Thanks for the great tips.

Posted by Judith on December 26, 2008 1:35 PM

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I've been living a frugal lifestyle for many years now and haven't missed a thing. In fact, as I continue to purge myself of all the stuff that I accumulated over the years, I become happier and freer.

Happy New Year

Posted by Candee Lynn Wilson, aka The Saving Lady on December 26, 2008 3:31 PM

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I was so amazed after reading this, what a way to spend your life, reusing dental floss, you have to be kidding. Life is too short to live like this.

Posted by Kate Gallagher on December 26, 2008 4:01 PM

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You should not reuse dental floss as bacteria grows on it.

Posted by anonymous on December 26, 2008 5:26 PM

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I use the dental floss on the picks, then put them in the dish washer to reuse.

Posted by mildred lane on December 26, 2008 7:04 PM

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I am a really frugal person too. But to reuse dental floss! No, too much bacteria. It can be bought for about a buck if you get store brand. Just don't use a really long string, shorten what you use, don't reuse something like that. If you talk to your dentist, they will tell you the same thing too. Like the reader mentioned above, save now but problems later from reusing.

Posted by Jody on December 26, 2008 9:08 PM

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Hello, You sound very thrifty. We also do many of the things that you do. However, I draw the line at reusing dental floss. The theory may be sound, but the bacteria may cost you more in the long run than you save in the short term. Anyway, thanks for the great info.

Posted by Sarah Ann Martinoni on December 26, 2008 10:10 PM

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This is more of a queston than comment.

TV keeps talking about saving 50-90% on everything. But the few things I need like toner are 30% higher than last year. I like to look at the ads on greatrentals.com for vacation places and they seem to be double what they were last year. Airlines still charge a fuel surcharge as do cruise ships. The list goes on.

The question is, are prices a lot higher than they were? Probably higher because there are fewer sales.

See if you can strike up a relationship with someone at Best Buy outside the store. It seems like 1/2 the kids work there. You can haggle prices there too. They can buy stuff for you at 5% over cost. I got a keyboard with buttons I will never use for $8.35.

For DVDs, I go to the library. I get a whole season of shows like Boston Legal for free. Also, documentaries are free. Movies are a buck.

DVDs and books can be reserved and renewed online with the library. My card allows me access to 200 libraries.

I forget the URL, but it is easy to find (search free redbox rental). I get a free DVD rental from redbox every Mon. For the holidays I get a free rental on Sun. as well. All free and no spam.

Go to otrcat.com. There you can listen to old time radio for free in hopes you will buy the MP3 CD. There are hundreds of shows there.

I buy the old time radio CDs in MP3 format (play time 40 hours, each for $5). Great for the commute or when I paint the house. Music does not do it for me. Also great for fishing and sitting out watching nature in my backyard at night.

In the winter, I vent the dryer inside the house. I put a nylon over the exhaust tube.

You say you make your own detergent. I tested it and mine (from this site) is equal to or better at 1/2 the cost. 1 bar felds-napta soap grated (let the bar dry out for a week so it grates to dust), 1 cup washing soda, 1 cup borax. 3 tablespoons do the biggest load.

Put 6 tennis balls in the dryer if you can stand the noise. That will speed up drying time. They also plump up the down comforters and jackets I wash.

We go out to eat now and again. I notice a heavy feeling in my stomach and much prefer to eat at home. They must do something to the food to give it a longer shelf life, but restaurant food does not agree with me anymore. Even a Kiddy Meal from McDonalds lays heavy.

Pack away any clothing by packing everyting in a plastic garbage bag and sucking the air out with any vaccuum. Wrap with duct tape because one pin hole and they will balloon out. Be sure to lable them. Also great for moving and traveling by car.

Posted by Living Large on Little on December 26, 2008 10:50 PM

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Hats off to you!!!!!!!! Great saving tips idea, but I do have to agree with the others on reusing dental floss, a penny saved yes, but a life time of health no. Thanks for the tips.

Posted by sassycrafter on December 26, 2008 11:06 PM

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the dental floss re-use is over the top. I would prefer to save on something else that cost more money to buy in the first place. Sounds yucky to me.

Posted by dotty on December 26, 2008 11:46 PM

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Sorry...the dental floss reuse is gross. however everything else is great and I will be changing alot of my ways due to your advice

Posted by anonymous on December 27, 2008 8:42 AM

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In defense of the floss lady... You use your toothbrush more than once, don't you?

Posted by Ann on December 27, 2008 3:13 PM

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Man, you guys are really excited about the dental floss thing!! LOL I am excited about Coupons.. I have learned how to save a lot of money on food and household items by using coupons at Double Coupon stores... Shopping CVS for extra care bucks... go to couponmom.com to get more information. There are coupon groups you can join too.. or start one in your own area...Enjoy!!
Merry Christmas

Posted by joan curtis on December 27, 2008 3:48 PM

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Hey, thanks for pointing out the error of my ways with the dental floss - I promise I will only use it once from now on! The cheap stuff frays out on 1st use and is a pain because then I get it stuck in my teeth...Being frugal is fun - the money I save I can spend on things that are important to me or I save it up to fatten up my savings account or just pay bills now that everything costs more. I've had many years of pretty free spending and after a while it didn't make me feel good anymore - just stressed out over how much stuff I had accumulated that really meant nothing to me, and had to wade through to get what I was looking for.

I don't do anything that takes away from my enjoyment of life, so the "life's too short" comment is kind of silly - it's just as easy to reuse something as it is to take something new from a package. Everyone does things that would gross out some other person, and really, I've seen a lot grosser than reusing dental floss (but I won't do it anymore for the health reasons pointed out)!

Posted by anonymous on December 27, 2008 7:35 PM

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Wow, so much excitement over dental floss! Can you use any of the other ideas and just skip the floss? Can you believe people used to use HANKIES - personally what is grosser than that??? I think we all get that we probably shouldn't reuse dental floss and just move on...

Posted by anonymous on December 28, 2008 1:14 AM

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Reusing dental floss is bad for your health. It can cause infection, which can lead to COSTLY dental bills. Frugal is one thing...

Posted by Rushmore on December 28, 2008 12:08 PM

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Not to beat the dental floss topic to death... but my dentist GIVES ME FLOSS SAMPLES free every 6 months at my checkups/cleanings; along with a new toothbrush. If money is sooo tight perhaps you could ask your dentist for an extra sample or two... i bet he'd oblige.

I am going to try vinegar in our dish washer rinse agent, sounds promising.

Posted by Heather on December 28, 2008 2:24 PM

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Hey look, this was my post originally and I already posted again that I promise I won't reuse dental floss! It really wasn't that big of a deal to me in the first place, just something that popped into my head one day about reusing whatever we can & I haven't even done it that long. Think environmental, not just about saving money. Why in the world are some of you so freaked out over this? Big deal, just move on already! Why do 14 more people have to say exactly the same thing? I never said we were destitute or couldn't AFFORD dental floss...I'm doing good, but I'm a bit worried about some of you - ha ha! Now, is there ANYTHING else on the list you can use? If not, just close the link and please resist the urge to comment on the floss AGAIN because I'm quite informed now on the grossness, ick factor, disease and germ spreading, save a penny now and pay lots later tips! Now, for something of value. We didn't one day just decide to do all of these things at once, they came about in stages. We've tried all kinds of things that either didn't work out for us, didn't really save enough money to make it worthwhile, we just got bored with or just out of habit went back to the way we did things before. Please, just think of the whole floss deal as poor judgement, which I've already asked devine forgiveness for, and perhaps we can save twenty-five cents a week somewhere else...hey, I've got it, we'll wash dishes in the TOILET BOWL...the water looks clean!

Posted by anonymous on December 28, 2008 8:15 PM

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To Living Large on Little, what is Washing Soda that you use to make your detergent? Thanks!

Posted by anonymous on December 28, 2008 10:19 PM

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Be careful with the baking soda. It could be too abrasive. Check with your dentist first.

Posted by Robert on December 28, 2008 10:45 PM

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In the interest of truly saving, why pay for the service of having the cheese grated prior to purchasing it? I find that I can cut blocks of cheese into sizes appropriate for my family's use and freeze them. They will crumble upon thawing so I still don't need to grate the cheese.

Posted by anonymous on December 29, 2008 1:34 AM

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I think these are great tips! I think what I see as the problem here is that people forget that she didn't set out to write what WE can do, she's just saying what SHE does and the EDITOR's were impressed with what she posted and made it into a page. We buy Sam's grated cheese too and I figured out the savings of buying a block of cheese rather than buying the grated. It's 50 cents! Sometimes people who save money also need to save time somewhere (and the cost of bandaids when I knick my fingers!).

Posted by anonymous on December 29, 2008 7:48 AM

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Well said to anonymous, Tip Hero is a great source of information but it's just regular people sharing what works for them and wanting to pass on their knowledge rather than hourding it to themselves to be better than someone else. we aren't paid for writing these things. I think this is weird how people just can't get past the whole floss thing!

I've tried the homemade soap too and it's works ok as long as the clothes aren't too dirty. My whites got a little dingy after many washings too. Washing Soda can be purchased in grocery stores or Walmart in the detergent section. It's pretty cheap and don't confuse it with baking soda. Baking soda is not an abrasive and it's what people used to use to brush their teeth before tooth paste was around, so I doubt its to abrasive to use on teeth now.

thanks for mentioning raising insurance deductables, I had not thought of that.

We use our cell phones and just dropped our home phone and have not missed it yet.

Thanks for sharing what works for you and I agree with the person who said we are all RElearning what those before us did - what a great way to get back to basics and get off these vicious cycles we have been on for too long. Goodbye credit card debt and brand new cars that no one else will acknowledge anyway because they are too wrapped up in their own new stuff.

Posted by anonymous on December 29, 2008 11:56 AM

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Wanted to pass this on to all of you who were so concerned about reusing dental floss. I just got off the phone with my dental hygenist. She said some people DO reuse it and don't have any trouble, but she wouldn't recommend it. She was NOT grossed out by it and HAS heard of it before. She said if you really want to, you could wet it down and nuke it in the microwave to kill the nasties. That's too much trouble for me to do, but wanted to pass it on. Also, I asked about using baking soda for whitening. She said no problem whatsoever to use regularly, as long as you also use a regular paste for flouride, etc. Thank goodness this has been resolved and we can all rest a little easier now!

Posted by anonymous on December 29, 2008 12:20 PM

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Hi! Thanks for sharing your ideas.

We used to eat out at least twice a week and it was fun, but it was one of the first things to go when we started cutting back and we don't miss it at all! Now when we do eat out it really is a treat for us and we enjoy it more.

We hardly ever go to movies anymore either because movies come out on DVD or rental so quickly now and we aren't the type who has to be the first to see new releases anyway. Even the kids could care less about that, and besides we own probably at least a hundred movies so there's always something to watch here.

I think people sometimes forget that being frugal nowadays is way different from what our grandparents did. Now it means cutting back in areas that have little or no meaning to us, don't cause hardship, and is more pick and choose. We save in areas that make sense for us so we can afford a nice vacation and the kids can do various activities that are important for them. So a little bit of frugality here means more happiness there. It no longer means we have to be so tight in every aspect that we squeak when we walk!

If I save even $1 in 5 different areas a week, thats $20 a month. If you put that $20 a month into savings, pretty soon it's $100 and so on, so don't let anyone make you think it's stupid to save a mere $1 because it does add up! Think about it, even if something doesn't cost that much to buy if you can stretch it further, you are saving money, no matter how little at a time, and it can be used in a way that matters to YOU. Like paying an extra 50 cents to buy grated cheese for a bit of convenience when making meals, I can save 50 cents somewhere else that has no significance to me. Save here to spend there.

I hope more people share even small savings ideas with us because it will add up and someone else may not have thought of it!

Posted by anonymous on December 29, 2008 6:43 PM

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Interesting. When you click on Kate Gallagher's name link above ("I was so amazed after reading this, what a way to spend your life, reusing dental floss, you have to be kidding. Life is too short to live like this.") takes you to marketing website. Why would a person in marketing even be interested in checking out ways to save money except perhaps to disuade people from saving their money!

Marketing research = figure out how to get people to spend their money. There are some great ideas here. I hope more people contribute what they are doing too!

Maybe if we can convince the government to make some changes so businesses no longer manufacture overseas, more people will have jobs, and then more people can spend money more freely. There are a lot of people who just plain don't have money any more and many more who are sure their own job is no longer secure.

What better time is there than right now to save whatever you can for the bad days ahead.

Posted by anonymous on December 29, 2008 7:25 PM

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You have some great ideas here, thank you for sharing them! We use coupons only occasionally if it's something we would buy anyway. The problem is that most coupons are for name brands and we can get most things in store brand for a lot less than the coupon savings. We reuse ziplock bags and use rechargeable batteries. I have a group of friends that swap magazines and books. We also participate in our local Freecycle.

Posted by anonymous on December 30, 2008 12:11 AM

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I so agree with everyone above; I used to go out to dinner once a month with my kids and would spend a fortune. Of course, we have stopped that but the one thing I do that is essentially a waste of money is going to the movies. You see, I am a single mom of three and work two to three jobs. I come home, cook, clean, and am always so busy with house/kid responsibilities. I have rented movies; however, I found that I never sit and watch the movie with my kids because I always think of some reason to clean or get some kind of project done while I am "watching" the movie. I realized that even though we are "together", I am not really there with my kids.

They are only young once. I do take them to the movies once or twice a month so that I can actually sit and be with them and spend quality time with them. I actually get the tickets at the movie theater as gift certificates; a four dollar savings on four ticket purchases or we go to the matinee; our snacks are slipped in (I know, I am being a little risky) but sleeves hide small snacks and in the winter bottled waters can be hidden in the pockets.

I do what I can to be there for my kids; going to all their games, activities, but that alone time in the theater is worth the small amount of frivolity I allow myself.

Posted by anonymous on December 30, 2008 8:53 AM

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Wow, good for you anonymous (posted on 12-30-08)! This IS what frugality today is about! This is not a frivolity, for you this is a necessity and it's made possible by being frugal in other areas. I know what you mean about being with them, but not really being with them because you are doing two things at once.

Posted by anonymous on December 30, 2008 10:16 AM

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Lots of good ideas here. Some I never would have thought of! I like the idea of cutting old towels into hand towels. I don't know what serge stitch means but I have a sewing machine and I could zigzag the edges so it doesn't fray out. I like the idea of getting rid of stuff we don't use anymore. I keep buying more and more storage totes but I find we never go into them anyway so why not just get rid of the stuff that we'll never use again. One thing we did/do is I made rice bags which are long narrow tubes filled with dried rice. You heat them in the microwave for a couple of minutes and you can put them around your neck or on your lap to keep warm when watching TV in the evening. The kids love them and then they don't complain about it being too cold. I think I will try Living Large on LIttle's suggestion of red box rental, I had never heard of that before.

Posted by anonymous on December 30, 2008 9:37 PM

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My brother and sister in law travel all the time.

They stay at hotels with his flight miles and after eating their continental breakfast, make pb&j sandwiches, and add other breakfast items like fruit or granola to plastic containers and they have their lunch on the go.

For dinner, he and his wife stop at IKEA or a place where meals are more like home cooking at a low cost.

I've found hospitals have really good evening meals at reasonable prices.
Our church and many local places have meals for seniors and others at low cost once a week.

You can really cut back on your grocery shopping if you keep breakfast supplies, soups for lunch, and only buy meat in bags to put in the freezer. Grow your own veggies, buy your fruits at weekend farmer markets. We buy the juice that combines fruit with veggie juice. It's more expensive but gives quality for the price.

I would rather buy better foods and few processed foods. Also skimp on quality of paper towels and things disposable. I got used to cheap toilet paper at the school where I taught and now the thick brands that cost more seem excessive.

Our son's family rents movies and will copy any that we want to see. I love watching PBS now as they have a station that shows so many cooking shows, etc.

Our son is also a great cook and gets most of his recipes off of Kraft.com for free.

As for time mgmt.--- I wash the toilet and sink after every shower using clorox spray for bathrooms. I also use a cleaning towel over the cupboard doors. Then once a week I only have to clean the tub and floor. Easy bathroom cleaning and I'm never embarrassed if someone uses our bathroom.

Posted by Marilyn on December 31, 2008 1:43 AM

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Great tip on using vinegar instead of rinse aid! Thank you for sharing.

We've also stopped going out to eat.

Also, I found a meat market close to our house and we buy lots of meats there for much lower prices than at the grocery store. For example, yesterday I bought ground chuck for $1.49/lb (my local grocery store charges $3.19/lb).

Last summer I purchased a freezer which already paid for itself. I try to spend one weekend every couple of months cooking several dishes that can be frozen and reheated thus saving us time and money. Lasagna, chicken, rice freeze the best. I look up a ton of recipes on www.recipezaar.com for free. This website also has a freezer-friendly / OAMC (once-a-month cooking) section.

I take breakfast, lunch, drink and snacks with me to work every day. Not trips to vending machines either.

I clip grocery coupons and when the items are also on sale, the brand name things end up being even less expensive than the store brand.

I stick to my grocery list which I make based on what we're going to eat for the next couple of weeks and what's on sale (check the grocery store sale add online) and take my calculator to the store to be sure I'm getting the best deal per lb/oz (my grocery store sometimes will put per oz price on one item and per unit prices on the item besides it making it more tricky to compare the true price without a calculator).

I check out cookbooks at the local library (makes me feel much better when my property tax bill arrives because I feel like I've gotten my money's worth at the library, LOL).

I have an executive membership at Costco and thanks to the 2% rebate my membership is now free. I've also learned to stock up on the items I normally buy there when they have coupons for those items or offer instant rebates (just bought a case of chicken broth which I use for cooking for $6.09, it is normally $7.69).

Last year, I got a stand mixer, a food processor and a juicer for Christmas and use them a ton which saves time and money (I shred cheese I buy in blocks, potatoes for hash browns, cookies are a snap to make with only one bowl to wash and takes only a fraction of the time, not to mention a lot less expensive that to buy cookies or dough at the store).

Also, once a month I run my empty dishwasher through a full cycle with about a cup of Clorox which degreases the drains and keeps it clean and efficient.

Also, this is not necessarily a big money saver, but I thought I'd add this anyway. Last year for Christmas Santa brought our family a Monopoly board game. It's great not only because my son used to hate math which he now loves and has an A in class, it is also time that we enjoy as a family without spending any extra money. And you can't be doing anything else if you're playing the game! :)

Posted by anonymous on December 31, 2008 11:49 AM

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Wow, everyone here has contributed some great ideas! I think I'm going to put money aside and invest in a food processor too. I never thought I needed one until it was pointed out here how it could help me save time and money.

Posted by anonymous on December 31, 2008 2:10 PM

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Thank you so much for so many wonderful ideas and for tasking the time to share them with others!! It is really neat to hear from other people about things that we can do, not only to save us money, but to help our environment.
Just a little extra tip as we begin a new year. Always remember to balance your life. We are just passing by this beautiful earth, so balance the physical, mental and spiritual parts of your life. Do it your own way and based on your own beliefs. Do not forget to be happy with the little and incredible miracles happening around you every instant. Do a good deed today and pass on your love and peace to others. HAPPY NEW YEAR........and do not forget to ENJOY LIFE!!

Posted by Martha R-G on January 01, 2009 7:41 AM

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I have seen "toothbrush sanitizes" for sale for about $30. A fool and his $ soon go different ways. Put toothbrushes in the dishwasher- they get sterilized just like the dishes!

Posted by David McCurdy on January 01, 2009 10:31 AM

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I make detergent for the dishwasher -1 part borax to 1 part baking soda. Works good

Posted by Dianne on January 01, 2009 12:38 PM

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Good point Martha R-G! Another thing to remember is that none of us stays exactly the same over our whole lifetime, so what was a necessity yesterday may be a frivolity tomorrow. What I mean is I may not have been able to keep a dollar in my pocket ten years ago, but now I have to watch my money because my husband's job will probably be gone soon because all jobs in the manufacturing community are at risk...five years from now, I may not HAVE to be frugal, but I hope I can continue to live more environmentally friendly. In years to come I may laugh at what I do today to save money and feel "how could I live like that?" But I also feel right now how could I have lived like I did a number of years ago, buying way more than any human being needs to own and being so wasteful! How times change and we all change with them...thanks for all of the great ideas here. I hope we all come through this a little wiser, a little less competitive, and a little more accepting of what those people who don't have much money do to get by every day!

Posted by anonymous on January 03, 2009 4:20 PM

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Dishes are the only things allowed in my dish washer. Anything else seems unsanitary.

Posted by anonymous on January 05, 2009 11:14 PM

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vinegar is great hair conditioner- learned this tip from The Frugal Duchess.(great book) My daughter's thick hair is easily untangled by spraying it with vinegar before brushing. Let the vinegar sit on the hair for a few moments then brush.
Yeah it smells like vinegar but after the hair is detangled you can rinse it out.

Posted by anonymous on January 15, 2009 3:54 PM

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Wow, what great ideas! I was laid off a year ago (54 weeks ago actually) and have had to really watch the pennies. As many others, eating out was the first to go! Every now and then we splurge though. There is a culinary program at the community college here and we can get a 7 course meal on Tuesdays for only $6 each. There's always enough to take home for lunches the next day.

I traded a pasta maker I never used for a food processor that I use all the time. Shopping at Sam's helps, as does knowing the butcher there. He tells me what stuff he's going to mark down or put on sale often, and since I can shop early, the selection is usually good. I traded some sewing for a deep freeze and have enjoyed filling it with home cooked meals.

Dropping to a lower price package for our cells and cable also wasn't painful.

Our electric utility offers free home surveys and came out to show where we could lower our bill. They even gave us a lot of stuff to do it with-you may want to check with yours!

My truck is paid for. Although a 97 model, it is well maintained by my boyfriend and brother, I trade computer work with a friend who owns a tire store and only drive when I need to and combine trips.

If you have stuff or skills to barter with, you can actually get a lot of benefit. Craigslist.org is a great way to find stuff you need/want and possibly trade, thus saving a lot of $$$.

Thanks for all your tips - I hope some of mine helps someone!

Posted by anonymous on January 25, 2009 6:51 PM

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Hi,
On the abrasive toothpaste thing - I've been using baking soda since I was laid off from a job 3 & 1/2 years ago & my teeth have never been better.
There's no abrasiveness & my dentist commented last month that can't believe something so cheap does such a good job. & I have a good Dentist - good enough he doesn't take new patients. My teeth get cleaner then with regular toothpaste... my now ex B-friend made me use toothpaste for 2 weeks over the summer & my teeth felt icky & gross - especially the back ones no matter how hard I tried with the tooth brush. I even tried getting a new toothbrush...
Now one thing I do admit is that I don't have veneers or anything but if you can use baking soda to scour your bath tub with out leaving scratches then surely veneers will be OK?

Been making my own laundry soap for 2 years & it's OK. The socks don't get as clean... I wonder if it's our water quality though. I've tried playing with the borax to soap ratios & nothing has helped - sometimes the socks and equally grungy things have to go through twice. A squirt of Dr. Bonners tea tree castile soap has helped but that's exspensive! For now the socks still get store bought stuff - If anyone has any ideas, like different brands for soap to try or anything let me know :)

Also we stopped using paper products except for special occasions like cook outs/parties, dog illness, super greasy messes. And it has saved us a ton!!! We go through about 2 rolls of paper towels a year. We've had the same pack of disposable napkins& plates for 5+ years since we hardly ever use them.
Oh & this one is odd but it's been working for us this cold season... after my son's last growth spurt the best of his socks (about 15) were cut into rags but we found them too small to clean up a mess... we discovered they are the perfect size for hankies & since they are terry cloth they worked well.

Posted by Sal on February 15, 2009 8:22 PM

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I have three teenage nieces who all love music. I buy them iTunes gift cards for birthday and Christmas. They load their song choices into one iTunes account so they can share amongst the family-NOT WITH FRIENDS.

This eliminates the need for gift wrap, saves the materials involved in creating CDs, and the mailing expense is negligible.

Posted by Eleanor Craig on April 16, 2009 12:26 PM

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As to the laundry comment (hopefully I didn't miss this tip already) I have recently read of a good stain aid, glycerin and water. Mixed 1/2 and 1/2, and can be stored in a water bottle.

I haven't tried it yet. I'm going to town today and hope to find glycerin. The directions said to spray on the soiled area, rub into material, let soak for 1 hour. Then to sponge with warm water before washing.

It sounds like a bit of work, but much much better than wearing a stain! Hope it works!

Posted by anonymous on April 17, 2009 12:44 PM

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Hi, I have been reading the comments and I wanted to let everyone know who has trouble with stains to use oxyclean.

Buy the generic brand and get a 5 ballon bucket, make up a batch using 2x's the recommended amount. I make 3 gallons at a time.

Put your stained clothing (all the same color) in your solution and let soak with a plate or something else heavy enough to hold the clothing under water.

Check every day (stir also) and take out after the stain has came out, put it in the washer with a load and the oxy it has in it will help the load.

You can soak up to a week if needed but if it hasn't came out by then, it won't come out. I change my solution about once every other month and use the old solution in loads in the washer.

I used to work at a dry cleaners and this is how we got out the stains on clothes people brought in to be cleaned.

One other comment is to make 2 different buckets if you have alot of darks, you don't want to put whites in after darks.

Posted by anonymous on April 22, 2009 2:20 AM

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Sal,

To help with the quality of your whites try adding a detergent booster like Biz or some other brand to the mix.

My laundry "recipe" actually calls for:

1 bar Fels Naptha soap (grated and)
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Detergent Booster

Store in container and use 2-3 Tablespoons per load.

Hope this helps!

Posted by Renee' in Missouri on May 23, 2009 5:26 PM

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Just remember those fancy CFL bulbs have MERCURY in them. Negligible amount? Maybe. But any heavy metal is too much. And on top of that, they can cause disaster if any member of the family is epileptic.

Posted by Morniel on September 12, 2009 2:45 AM

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