Time for some cheap lessons

**Shell** · 08-24-2006, 11:50 PM

We can all use some cheap lessons. Feel free to add some of your own. ***Warning, some of these are just jokes.

~Stop at a garage sale
~Wash off used saran wrap (but not if it has touched meat)

~Turn down your heat in the winter and then go visit your friends until it's time for bed
~Re-use tin foil. Again not if it has touched meat
~Go shopping at a thrift store
~Make your car last another year
~Go to Happy Hour for free food
~Go to Costco at lunch time for free samples
~Borrow it instead of buying it ie. pressure washer
~Look for pennies on the street (cheap entertainment)
~If you are buying stationary for the office sometimes they give you free samples to look at
~Carpool together
~Learn to re-use things such as: dental floss, q-tips and tp (this might be a joke I was warning you about)

~Check out reduced price matinees
~I'm sure I don't have to mention freebies from the computer

**Leahmom** · 08-25-2006, 12:14 AM

Hi Well I guess mine would be..
Save all leftovers. Freeze veggies & Meat to make soup others to microwave for a simple lunch.
Walk or bus..cheaper than gas! and cuts down on those little "i'll just run over to... and get just one thing"
Load dishwasher and run at night- or go completely black belt and wash by hand.
Wash a load of whites out in the tub with bleach and soap. Hand up on deck, porch LR etc .
This was terribly difficult for me *snif snif* but replace that good coffee with el cheapo grocery store brand. Oddly enough most taste ok and the ones that don't still have enough caffeine to not only wake the dead but get them dancing!!
Use the envelope system. Can't spend what you don't have
Do not take the envelopes with you ever ...when you are out "shopping"
And although this is simple simple I will still say it. Learn to cook, and bake. and even sew..Upgrade your home skills. It makes an incredible impact on Quality of Life.
Leah

**frugalfarmwife** · 08-25-2006, 12:20 AM

LOLOL EWWWWWWW On the Q-tips, lol!

I trade a LOT with my neighbors, some of the veggies she grew I didn't, I've traded elderberries for them.

I always combine all errands to one day a week.
Cut out all pop/soda, we only drink coffee, tea and lemonade.
We've also gone to cheaper coffee, actually Chase&Sanborne is pretty cheap at our local drug mart.

No coupons, just Aldis and the bread thrift store.

And of course for our meat and veggies we grow our own and fill two chest freezers for the year.

Free range chickens provide us with eggs

And also with hours of entertainment!

And who needs cable? 3 channels are more than enough for us

kj

**Early Bird** · 08-25-2006, 08:47 AM

Here are some of mine:

Find the deals where you live! In South Bend, I had Aldi and a great farmer's market. Here, I have meat markdowns at Kroger and the SHARE co-op.(www.sharecolorado.com). In South Bend, we had a wonderful Goodwill and out-of-this-world garage sales. Here, our Goodwill is spendy, and garage sales are usually a bust. But I eventally found a great local thrift store.
Combine errands. For example, go to piano lessons, and stop at the library on your way home. Let your DH run into the auto parts store after church.
Experiment! Unfortunately, my German-engineer-type DH isn't too fond of spontaneous experimentation. "It's gotta be structurally sound!" would be his motto. So, I can't rig up bookshelves on the fly. (Maybe that's a good thing, really.) But, some things are worth experimenting with. Cooking, for example. Yesterday, I had 4 tween girls in the kitchen making devilled eggs. Each got to combine spices in her batch. Guess what? The paprica-cumin-chili-dill eggs were everyone's favorite.
Learn to love what you have. Oh, wow, this is enormous. Instead of hating that cable is expensive here, we learned that we get good antenna reception. Voila! Cheap access to TV. Instead of hating our desert dryness, I learned that my sheets dry quicker on the line than they do in the dryer! Instead of hating our desert garden, we're learning about xeriscaping. (Have not yet figured out how to make this work for veggies.)
Finally, hone your skills. I'm a pretty decent cook, but a lousy baker. So, I have a repetoire of easy treats -- Canadian Gardener's chocolate chip cookies; eagle brand foolproof fudge; chocolate pretzels. Maybe, with practice, I'll actually bake a wonderful sugar cookie.

**PrairieRose** · 08-25-2006, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfarmwife

LOLOL EWWWWWWW On the Q-tips, lol!

kj

and the tp didn't gross you out kj?

**miss_thrifty** · 08-25-2006, 10:01 AM

* in the winter playing more with the kids on miserable nights or days(board games) will make the time pass too.
*double up on blankets to save on oil, and lots of fleece pj's, homemade socks or slippers
*make long tube socks to put under doorways or around drafty windows till can get fixed the following year.
*always have lots of cnadles, matches, or oil lamp on hand incase power goes out
*

**celina** · 08-25-2006, 10:09 AM

stay home stay home stay home did i mention
stay
home...

delay delay delay delay...put off a purchase as long as possible.....maybe even forever

and for the desert gal.....tiny tim tomatoes are suitable due to their polination type to grow in a pot indoors....they are lovely cherry tomatoes

**Katybird** · 08-25-2006, 10:44 AM

Great tips ladies!

**Early Bird** · 08-25-2006, 10:51 AM

Thanks for Tiny Tim tip.

**autumnlynn** · 08-25-2006, 11:05 AM

Those are wonderful tips; except maybe for the q-tips and t.p.!!

My best advice is stay out of the stores, use cash envelopes and cook at home. Also be content with what you have.

**kabin63** · 08-25-2006, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by Early Bird

Here are some of mine:

Find the deals where you live! In South Bend, I had Aldi and a great farmer's market. Here, I have meat markdowns at Kroger and the SHARE co-op.(www.sharecolorado.com). In South Bend, we had a wonderful Goodwill and out-of-this-world garage sales. Here, our Goodwill is spendy, and garage sales are usually a bust. But I eventally found a great local thrift store.

It's still a wonderful farmer's market, just went there a couple of weeks ago. Also just went to goodwill yesterday, got some great deals, but haven't been to very many garage sales this year.

I try to use up every bit of food, but sometimes I fail. I shop aldis often and loss leaders at Martins grocery store.

I stay home a lot, but go to the libraby occasionally. Most of the time I am home though.