Spending that saves money
photo by Cindy Funk
Spending money to enhance frugal living might seem like backward thinking, but there are items that can help you save money. Consider them smart spending. If you have a favorite item you’ve bought that helps you save money or makes you money, let me know.
Here are some items my frugal readers rave about.
DO-IT-YOURSELF CLEANING: My steam cleaner cleans everything: floors, counters, tile, fixtures, etc. I asked for it as a present. I am also asking for a drying rack for my birthday this year. — Marie78, New York
STOCK UP: Chest freezers and food vacuum sealers save food, and we use chain saws to cut our own firewood. — Jessica, Washington
CONSERVE ENERGY: We use fans. Also, a programmable thermostat, CFL bulbs, shelves for a pantry in the closet, strip power cords, dry-cleaner kits to use in the dryer, blankets for windows (hung nicely in windows) and food-storage containers. — shoiji, forums
SAVE ON HEATING COSTS: Wood stove. Our wood stove paid for itself in two months, and we live on acreage with trees, so it has saved us thousands of dollars over the years. Tools. My husband bought a table saw at a yard sale for $40, and we used it to build our house and do other projects. His many other tools have helped us with vehicle repairs and house repairs. — forHisglory, forums
BUDGET BEAUTY: I love pedicures, and having a foot bath lets me do these at home. It’s cheaper than $30 in the salon. I can make huge batches of food for dinner with my wok, too. — Sarah, Massachusetts
SAVE LEFTOVERS: Bowl covers. They look like shower caps for bowls. They have saved me from buying plastic wrap and foil for a very long time. Dryer Balls (look like blue nubby balls) save me from buying fabric softener. Also, reusable containers for my daughter’s lunch. — Andrea, e-mail
EAT AT HOME: Roaster oven. George Foreman grill, rotisserie, bread machine and food slicer. Most bought secondhand. Also, a clothesline, hot-water timer, thrift-store clothes and my latest purchase was a hair trimmer. I’ve been cutting my own hair for about two or three months now. — c.love, Alabama
AVOID COSTLY DRINKS: Drink container. It’s reusable, and I use it for lunches. — Cherie, Indiana
SAVE GAS: Tire-pressure gauge. Cars suck gas when the pressure is off. Ceiling fans and herb and veggie seeds. — Buc-o-mama, Florida
FRUGAL FITNESS: Bike. I started commuting on it rather than driving or even taking transit. Saves me money, eco-friendly and I get my exercise, so it saves me time, as well! — prairiegirl, Canada
PRESERVE FOODS: Water-bath canner and pressure canner. They are gifts from my mom and let me put up fruits, veggies and meats. And our little farmette. We have an orchard, huge garden space, nut trees, various other fruits, chickens, rabbits, etc. We have room for outdoor clotheslines, a soccer/football field and a basketball hoop. So no need to spend money on entertainment. All the kids come here to hang out. Plus, I know where my kids are and what they are doing. — Denise, Illinois
SAVE LOOSE CHANGE: Piggy banks. They were given by friends and help me remember to store my change, and when the change is out of sight, it’s also out of mind! A paper shredder was a gift from my mother-in-law. While it doesn’t save money, I think it will save us the headaches if someone ever went through our trash! — aspiringtobefrugal, forums
COOK FROM SCRATCH: A stand mixer. Allows me to make all my bread, cakes and other items for my kids quickly. My compost bin I use for fertilizer, and my garden rain barrel to water my backyard plants. It saves money on my water bill. — Alice, e-mail
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Buy a good iron. I use a Rowenta Professional. It wasn’t cheap at about $100 but it makes the weekly ironing, if not pleasant, at least tolerable (yes, I do all the ironing in our home). The Rowenta I use is one of the few I have found that still has a heavy sole plate and makes a lot of steam. I figure that I save at least $1000/yr by doing this chore myself as opposed to sending the clothes out.
In your frugal tips for spending money to save money, you missed mentioning the sewing machine. My husband and I raised eight children who ate and dressed well thanks to a large garden, lots of canning and a large freezer, and my trusty sewing machine which repaired all sorts of rips and tears as well as hemming and letting out hems and seams, replacing zippers, making playclothes and prom dresses to curtains, seat covers for vehicles (old jeans makes the best and sturdiest covers), etc. If you can learn to type or cook, you can learn to sew. Many things can be made or fixed with simple sewing. You can buy old sturdy (pre-1970 when they started using plastic in them) sewing machines for very little. While a zigzag is nice, ninety percent of my sewing is still done with straight stitch and a lot of that on the 1947 Singer I learned to sew on even though I have a newer machine as well. I still sew for a friend who does all my baking, my kids bring home things to repair, and I make birthday and Christmas gifts. I bought a beautiful down jacket at a garage sale for a dollar, replaced the zipper, and gave it to a grandson. And I make items to sell as well.
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