Learn from your flops

photo by ninjapoodles

After advocating frugality for years and sharing success stories, it’s only fair that I mention that frugal strategies don’t work equally well for everyone. Whether it’s a spouse who’s not on board, time restraints, good intentions gone bad or an unwillingness to pinch a penny until it screams, you’re bound to take the occasional misstep.

Frugality isn’t an all-or-nothing lifestyle. Pick and choose what works for you, experiment and try new things, or jump in with both feet and see where the journey takes you. The important part is acknowledging that, in this consumer-driven and wasteful society, we have options.

Readers often share their frugal failures. I’ve culled the most popular flops because they’re entertaining, and they can guide others in what does and doesn’t work.

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP: Although many people have had positive experiences and said it not only saved them money but outperformed retail laundry detergent, quite a few folks were not satisfied with the results. They reported the ingredients were difficult to find, the soap never had the consistency they wanted, clothing turned gray, it didn’t work well with hard water, batches were too large to store and it ended up either a goopy mess or the ingredients collected dust on the shelves. My advice is to give it a try, but mix a smaller batch and test it on rags first.

HOME REMEDIES: Readers are often looking for home remedies for situations such as clogged drains, mild health issues and stain removal. These situations can be disastrous, dangerous and expensive when they go awry. Ask yourself whether you really want to mess around with your health, home repairs or expensive fabrics and clothing. One reader shared how she drank cranberry juice for what she thought was a bladder infection only to find herself in the emergency room.

COUPONS AND REBATES: Many readers buy items because of the rebates but either forget to mail the rebates or misplace the items needed to submit them. Years later, they found rebate forms and receipts in the most unlikely places. There have also been nightmare stories in which readers have been angry or embarrassed in stores when their coupons were not accepted. Read the small print, know store policies, allow yourself enough time and be organized.

SALES: Some people buy items because they are on sale or cheap, but they don’t actually need them. Garage sales, for example, are fun and offer many great bargains, but if you’re buying stuff that you don’t need, you’re spending money you could be saving. Learn to separate wants from needs and recognize your spending triggers.

GADGETS: Convinced that the latest gadget will help save money, many people have bought products such as juicers, dehydrators, canners, food sealers and meat slicers. Simply put, they don’t use them often enough to justify buying them. The majority of flops stemmed from their desire to bulk cook but not having time to or spending too much money on supplies and paying full price for food. Consider your resources, such as whether you can buy the appliances secondhand or have a source for inexpensive food, such as a farmers market.

CLOTH DIAPERS: Many parents are interested in using cloth diapers. I’ve received countless letters from people who thought it was a great idea, but when it came right down to it, they hated using them. Cloth diapers are a wonderful option, but before investing in a large set, purchase a smaller sample set and see whether it works for you.

Posted by Sara Noel on January 5 2008. Filed under Frugal & simple living, Home & family.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook