Frugal Tips

[Anonymous]

Find a good thrift store and buy your clothes there.

This is not only a tip for being frugal, but also a tip for horrifying DCUM posters who think that the purpose of thrift stores is to provide clothes for the poor, and if the thrift stores are selling clothes to non-poor people, the horrified DCUM posters will never donate their clothes there ever again so there ha!!!1!!

[Anonymous]

A list of what helps me save:
-Use coupons.
-Utilize store “rewards” programs .
-Combine trips to save gasoline.
-Walk or bike instead of driving.
-Adjust your thermostat.
-Turn off room lights when leaving a room.
-Wash your clothes when they are dirty – This may be after one wearing, but then again, maybe not until several wearings.
-Hang your clothes out to dry – Save energy and get that fresh, line-dry smell in the summer.  In the winter, use a drying rack inside to help humidify your house, which is healthier and feels warmer.
-Make your own laundry detergent - Homemade laundry detergent is easy and economical.
-Use cloth diapers instead of disposable – They are both economical and “green”.
-If applicable, nurse your baby – Nursing is definitely more economical than formula.
-Plant a vegetable garden.
-Freeze or can your own vegetables. This is both economical and rewarding.
-Plan your meals -  Monthly menu plans work great.
-Make a list before going to your grocery store!
-Drink more water and less soda.
-Make your own Starbucks.

[Anonymous]

Wash your clothes when they are dirty.
I wanted to emphasize that. Too many people automatically put it in the wash, even after a few hours use, out of habit.
People who sweat need to wash their clothes more. But if the weather is cool and you don't sweat, it is not dirty.

[Anonymous]

Instead of buying expensive wrinkle cream I got my dermatologist to write me a RX for retin A and have it classified for acne, so I paid my dr co pay and then the prescription co pay for cream (with refills) that is much better and cheaper than anything I can get at the beauty counter.

Amazon prime is worth the fee, plus often prices are cheaper.

Use library often

Renegotiate my comcast triple play and verizon wireless plans every 12 months.

Shop at consignment stores.

Buy stuff from local listserv and fb groups.

Walk walk walk

Allow my inlaws to buy my kids clothes. They really want to do it. I used to get all territorial and control freakish about it, but I realized if my inlaws want to buy stuff and it isn't harming my kids, why let my ego get in the way. It really saves us money, and my relationship with them is less stressful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never buy lunch out. If you buy it five times a week, that's $50-$60 a week right there (if you go to lunch places like Chop't, Panera, Au Bon Pain, etc). Think about the absurdity of an $8.00 sandwich and how you could easily make it at home.

And I hate to say it, but stay away from Starbucks. Brew at home and/or drink the free coffee at work.

Yes! This was my hardest habit to break and took so long to stop craving it but worth it.

How did you do it? I feel like a prisoner to it!

[Anonymous]

I order coupons for items we use a lot of on eBay - almond milk, veggie burgers, yogurt.

Also renegotiate cable and cell phone. And I love amazon - saves time and money.

[Anonymous]

Purge your cupboards, closets and home and sell anything you no longer need or use. I have a Craigslist envelope with $922 in it solely from selling crap I don't even remember buying.

[Anonymous]

Yes I sell a lot of stuff on craigslist. Especially baby stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Purge your cupboards, closets and home and sell anything you no longer need or use. I have a Craigslist envelope with $922 in it solely from selling crap I don't even remember buying.

Yep, this is what I am currently doing.

[Anonymous]

Never buy drinks at restaurants. We do, and it costs as much if not more than the food.

Instead of buying things on sale because it is a deal, try not to buy it at all. That's 100% off. Of course it doesn't apply to everything, but I find that most of what I want, I really don't need.

Get a health plan for in-network only and stick to network doctors.

[Anonymous]

Check Groupons for restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wash moldy shower curtain with a couple towels in bleach.
Good as new.

I did this for the first time 2.5 years ago. Not only did it get the grungy curtain sparkly clean, but it stayed sparkly clean for a weirdly long time afterwards. It is JUST NOW (seriously) starting to get grungy again. Since we were previously going through multiple shower curtain liners per year, yay!


The thing I have learned is to cut out the stuff that makes sense for your family. We eat fewer steaks lately... but when we do, they are really good, grass fed yummy ones. We eat probably 50% organic, but spend very little on clothing. DH and I are in stable jobs (not like "oh no now I need business++ attire, lots of high quality basics already in the closet). I don't get my nails done. But to someone else, they might prefer to ditch cable and keep getting their manis. whatever works for you.

I try to concentrate on not wasting food... if it comes into the house, it gets eaten, not tossed.

We have simplified/minimized our purchasing... which means less clutter, and less money out the door.

[Anonymous]

Live in a cheap neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Or how about just stopping drinking coffee altogether, you bad-breathed addicted weaklings!

[Anonymous]

Other than all of the above sensible tips, I try to think about my possessions and money differently. I try to think about the things in my house as a curated collection. Like, in my kitchen, I take note of what I use the most/like the most/need the most. If one of those things wears out or breaks, I buy a replacement. Nothing else. Same in my closet. I make a mental note of what I wear and enjoy the most, what has gotten worn and needs replacing, and what I will definitely need in the future, and only buy from those items. Same with almost everything else. I don't just buy something because I was at the store and it was there and a good price. The space in my house is too valuable for that.