Frugalness

[katybug]

I saved this from I don't know where and I just ran across it on my computer. It is a good thing to look at now and again, keep the ideas fresh in your mind! Like I said I don't remember where I got it, or I would give credit!

Things You Don't Have to Pay For:

1. Storage lockers. You've got too much stuff. Sell something and make room at home.
2. Health club membership. Walk somewhere.
3. Cable, especially the premium stuff. Remember bunny ears?
4. Cigarettes. They're really expensive.
5. Cell phones.
6. A home phone if you pay less for a cell phone.
7. Telephone extras.
8. A second phone line for the computer. Use callwaiting with newer computers or add a little device called Catch-A-Call to older ones, that also uses call waiting.
9. A checking account. Find a free one.
10. Extended warranties. They're overpriced and seldom used.
11. Insurance you don't need. If you've got no dependents, you don't need life insurance. Accidental death insurance is stupid. If you need insurance, then you need it all the time.
12. Internet. Free at the library
13. Magazine subscriptions. Free at the library.
14. Video rentals. Free at the library.
15. Trash removal. DIY.
16. Lawn service. DIY.
17. Soda. Water is better for you and free.
18. Pets. Get one from the shelter. It saves a life and discourages puppy mills.
19. Pets. No pets means no pet expenses.
20. Pets: Routine vaccinations are cheaper than the consequences of not doing it.
21. Gas logs. Might as well burn money.
22. Ice. Fill jugs and bags with water and freeze them.
23. An extra car. Car rentals are $20-30 per day and are cheaper than keeping an extra car.

Things You Could Pay Less For:

Miscellaneous,

1. Internet shopping. Always check eBay before buying anything small in size. Example - computer printer cable: $25 in store; $5-$7 on eBay after shipping.
2. Internet shopping. Do price comparisons on-line. Check www.dealtime.com, www.pricegrabber.com, www.mysimon.com for the best deals.
3. Internet shopping. Check for coupons for on-line retailers at www.coolsavings.com, www.dealofday.com, www.dealhunting.com and www.flamingoworld.com.
4. If it's non-perishable and on sale, buy it in bulk.
5. It's probably cheaper at the dollar store.
6. Buy used. A used CD sounds as good as a new one.
7. Yard sales can yield great deals, especially the ones in wealthy areas.
8. Layaway still isn't a bad idea if you can't pay for it all now.
9. Postage. Use media mail over 1st class priority for printed material and CD's.
10. Postage. You can generally buy US postage from stamp dealers below face on E-bay and through certain dealers. See Linn's Stamp News.
11. Postage. Pay bills on-line and save a stamp.
12. Paper towels. Use dishtowels. They're reusable.
13. Dishtowels. Use shop towels.
14. Shop towels. Use old clothes rags.
15. Dry-cleaning. Try Dryel.
16. Reuse freezer bags if they're not yucky.
17. Services. Trade services with a neighbor
18. If the library doesn't have your favorite magazine, donate a subscription to them and tax a tax deduction.
19. Internet. Try http://www.access4less.net $5.95 per month. And it works fine. NetZero and Juno are still free for 10hrs per month each.
20. Library. If your library doesn't have it check those at a college, nearby towns
21. High schools can be a source of free labor for all sorts of things if they have any "trade" classes, like welding, construction, agriculture, cosmetology, woodworking, etc. Check it out.

Automotive,

22. Run a car until the wheels fall off.
23. Always have a used car inspected by a certified mechanic.
24. Avoid popular models - you will pay more.
25. Buy a used car - 4-5 years old. What you save will easily cover repairs.
26. Buy cars that are in the last 2-3 years of production. Generally, the bugs in the model are worked out and the buyers are tired of them.
27. Car rentals are $20-30 per day and are cheaper than keeping an extra car.
28. Car rentals are more economical on long trips over a short period of time. I.e., it is cheaper to rent a car to drive 1000 miles over a long weekend than to use your own vehicle.
29. Never lease - it is usually not a good deal.
30. Public transportation can be cheaper, but not always.
31. Walking is cheaper than driving on short distances.
32. Buy gas at the coolest parts of the day - it's more condensed so you get more gas for your buck.
33. If you have an old junker, your local high school transportation department can use it to learn on and may fix it up for you for free.
34. Buy the tools (including a service manual) and learn to do your own preventive maintenance on your car. Make sure you do all the things that the manufacturer recommends and learn to spot leaks, weak belts, etc while you are down there.


Beauty and Clothes,

35. As men's fashions rarely change, buy in bulk when you find a bargain.
36. Goodwill is one of the best sources for designer women's clothing ... and unworn men's shoes. Most of the women's clothing has not been worn.
37. Goodwill has a "frequent shoppers" program.
38. Shop for winter and summer clothes at the end of the season.
39. Try thrift stores, it's kinda fun.
40. Yard sales are a great source of kids' clothes.
41. Learn how to mend.
42. Look for REAL outlet stores - that is where the real bargains reside!
43. Running shoes. Last year's style could save you 50%.
44. Check out cosmetology schools for cheap haircuts. The teacher is standing right there to make sure you don't end up with a mohawk. Not the best cut in the world but for $1 . . .

Education,

45. HS sophomores and juniors can generally take summer classes at universities, sometimes for free. It gives you a head start when you get to the university.
46. In some states (like Ohio), your HS Senior can attend the local public university at the local school district's expense. The LSDs do not advertise this.
47. Scholarships - often there for the asking.
48. You are paying the professor's salary. Make sure that you have access to them.

Entertainment,

49. Cultural events at colleges and universities are cheap.
50. Use the city parks - you are paying for them.
51. HS and small college sports are GREAT deals
52. Go to the matinée instead of the night movies.
53. Check out the minor league games.
54. Most major university sporting events are FREE or very cheap (except for college football and basketball).
55. If you go to a movie rental place that guarantees the movie is in stock, check ALL the movies to see if any aren't in. If it's not, you can get a rain check for it. You may not be willing to spend money to rent it, but what if it's free?
56. See if there's a dollar theater in your area.

Food and Groceries,

57. Generic won't kill you.
58. Cook from scratch.
59. Eliminate convenience food. You can make gallons of soup for the cost of a couple of cans.
60. Find non-union grocery stores - they are a lot cheaper.
61. Freeze and can fresh vegetables when they are in season.
62. Gardening is cheaper - and good exercise.
63. Shop Farmer's markets at the end of the day when they are ready to go home.
64. Use reusable water bottles filled with tap water instead of buying water.
65. Brew your own beer.
66. Premium beer. Is it that much better?
67. Cat litter. The cat won't care. Check out the feed store for bulk prices.
68. Dinner. If you're desperate to eat out, make dinner, take it outside and have a picnic.
69. Lunch. Brown bag it.
70. Buy meat in bulk and freeze it in smaller packages.
71. Less tender cuts of meat are cheaper, can be cooked longer and have more flavor.
72. Buy soda at the store, not from the machine at work.
73. Generic soda won't kill you.
74. Always look at price per oz when comparing items.
75. Shop at ALDI if possible. Not much variety, but super cheap.
76. Real dishes keep you from having to buy paper plates.

Home Decor, Landscaping, Furnishings and Appliances,

77. Make your own curtains.
78. Shop for second hand home furnishings. A year-old couch costs 20% of a new one.
79. If you need a new appliance, check for scratch and dent stores. A few scratches can mean half-price.
80. Check your high school art department for leftover thingamabobs that kids made and forgot to pick up. It won't always look the best but it always adds "character" to an outside area.
81. Check if your high school has an agriculture dept. By developing a relationship with the ag teacher, sometimes you can get a "trade agreement" whereby you provide some plant clippings the students need and you can get plants/clippings of something you need.

Housing,

82. Buy the size of house you need, not the largest house that you can afford.
83. Learn how to fix your home.

Insurance,

84. Insurance and taxes are cheaper on older cars.
85. Raise your insurance deductibles.
86. If you live with someone, ask the ins. co. to give you the married discount.
87. Check Directquote or quotesmith to make sure you're not paying too much for life insurance.
Kids
88. Instead of paying fees for them to participate in city league sports, form your own weekend games with other parents and kids.
89. Instead of spending money on kids, don't have any.

Medical,

90. Buy prescriptions in either Mexico or Canada.
91. Buy the store brand - often made by the same mfg.
92. Exercise causes long-term savings.
93. Question whether procedures are necessary. Have the doctor provide you with all results.
94. Talk with your doctor regarding your medications. Sometimes, it is better to buy 50mg tablets and split them into half.

Taxes,

95. Max out on your 401(k).
96. Max out your Roth.
97. Take advantage of Flexible spending accounts and other opportunities to reduce taxes.
98. Reduce your tax withholding and save up for any taxes you may owe at the end of the year in an interest bearing account. That way, you make money off your money, not the g'vt.

Travel,

99. Join all of the airline FF Clubs. However, always choose a lower fare over FF miles.
100. Always BYO drinks and food on the flights. You will save money over the airport food and know that you will have real food on the flight.
101. Avoid Sunday nights, Monday mornings, and Thursday and Friday nights.
102. Don't take the insurance if you are sure that your own insurance covers it.
103. Priceline.com is the cheapest source of hotel rooms, if your plans will not change.
104. Except for Las Vegas and Reno where individual websites are cheaper.
105. For flights, check alternative dates, airports, and look at all of the travel websites
106. Travel on Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

Utilities,

107. Dry two loads at once to save energy.
108. Get a programmable thermostat.
109. Turn down the heat and wear a sweater.
110. Get a clothes rack to dry things like sweats.
111. Insulation is cheaper than heating an uninsulated house.
112. Use shades to keep room cool in summer, warmer in winter.
113. When then times comes to get a new washer, get a front loader - it saves water and energy.
114. The microwave uses less energy than an oven
115. Washing dishes by hand uses less electricity than a dishwasher

Ways to Actively Make Money,

1. Clip coupons from the paper.
2. Kroger doubles coupons and offers on-line coupons and web bucks. See www.kroger.com.
3. Get coupons on-line at www.nesteggz.com and www.coupons.com.
4. Use a rebate credit card and pay it off every month.
5. If you have the money to pay, use 0% financing and keep your money in an interest-bearing account.
6. Get a second job.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.
Don't skimp on:

1. Health care
2. Car maintenance
3. Nutritious food
4. Education: If you think education is expensive, try ignorance
5. Birth control. It's cheaper than kids.

Etc.

1. Learn that instant gratification comes with a price and that you are far better off saving and paying cash. Your hard-earned money will go much farther.
2. How to save: Pay yourself first.
3. You should never finance a depreciating asset that includes a car. The only thing you should likely ever finance is your home or other real estate.
4. Fixing your car is cheaper than financing a new one. Don't kid yourself.
5. If you have consumer debt, make the minimum payments on everything but the highest rate debt. Pay all you can on that until you get it paid off and then go to the next.
6. Don't pay for stuff that you can find for free.
7. Anyone can just look at what they spend for anything and ask if it's necessary or can it be had cheaper.
8. Get in touch with nature. Urban life is expensive

[peanut]

LOL! That's quite a list! thanks! I did something like this for my girls and nieces a few years ago...only I made an entire binder up divided into budget categories for them. The writing wasn't spectacular, but there was a lot of information in it. Good to be reminded of some of these things.

Jean

[FrugalMomof3]

Thanks for the list.... wish I could get rid of garbage removal service, they keep jacking up the price each bill (quarterly) BUT we dont have any DIY places around here, you'll get fined.

[dcompton]

Yes, a good list. One item surprised me though - drying two loads at once to save electricity. Does it? It seems it would take much longer to dry and offset any advantage of fewer loads, so I've never really loaded down a dryer. Just curious.

One I definitely agree with is the generic soda for hard core addicts like me that can't seem to quite kick the habit. It took a while to get used to it, but now it tastes just fine and it is so much cheaper I'm glad it's a taste I cultivated. I do keep a few cans of the "real stuff" so if I'm expecting someone over I don't have to subject an uncultivated taste to Big K. It's saved me a lot of money over the years.

[Momof3girls]

Thanks for the great list!

[katybug]

drying two loads at once to save electricity.

This isn't my list, I just picked it up somewhere. What I usually do is wash a load, then *fluff* dry everything for about 10 mins then I remove shirts, fleeces, sweatshirts, shorts and pants and hang dry them. I would then repeat this process for the next load (we usually only have a dark and a light load). Then I dry the reminder (usually only socks, undies, PJs). I do this to save money and wear and tear on clothes (so, saving money again) I do this for everything else too, linens and towels only get a fluff in the drier and hung dry. Towels are washed once a week, sheets once a month and blankets, etc as needed. There is usually a load of cloth napkins and rags too.

At least, that is what I do, I got it from my parents.

[Luv2BeFrugal]

This is an awesome list!! Thanks!

[annertak]

What a great list! Thank you!

[onencgirl]

I went back and read the entire list. Wow, this is great! Thanks.

[rainbowgc]

This is a wonderful list and I am so glad you took the time to post it. I will print it out as a reminder.

[heartofmine]

Awesome list. Thanks.

[kittykatstrong]

A ton of great reminders, thanks.

[Backtoreality]

I was just thinking "why not print this list and give it to my children". I'm going to do that. There's some good information here.

[MomToTwoBoys]

I love the list! I think many items on it are situational, depending on your area and what resources you have at your fingertips.

[MisaLady]

Wow! What an awesome list. Thanks for sharing it!