Kitchen gadgets: I’m a former professional cook and it’s amazing what you can do with a sharp knife and a small, yet, good set of pots and pans that retain heat.

Keep your recipes simple! Complicated recipes can cost more money/time. Even world-class resorts have food budgets!

Get a wide variety of food week in and week out, not necessarily everday. We have so much choice nowadays, it’s easy to over spend/eat. Have a revolving menu say for a month or six weeks etc. Cook enough for a couple of nights and maybe a lunch or two.

No meals out, if I have food in the fridge – Always have food in the fridge

Eat oatmeal or toast or eggs for brek, not processed boxed cereals, even on sale they’re expensive.

Careful in the bulk store – I have often bought useful things such as spices etc just to have them dry out and lose flavour. Or, too many treats – those chocolate melts, yum. Use a list!

I don’t normally buy books unless I can get regular use out of them.

I supplement my wardrobe with Sally Ann purchases, but I refuse to buy old stuff, unless it’s for a dirty job that will destroy the clothes, otherwise it’s false economy. I bought a beautiful, comfortable pair of like-new shoes for $3. My clothes are really smart and it’s a good cause. Look after your clothes too!

Maintain your electronics: defrag, dump unnecessary stuff, save anything precious to CD/DVD, and clean your keyboard/computer/laptop on a regular basis.

Think ahead, eg. I considered my needs when I had to buy a computer, for school work, for the following 3 years and bought accordingly. One of my friends only buys used computers with great success!

Use the properties button on your printer (if it has one) and choose fast/economical printing. Saves a fortune on ink.

find inexpensive hobbies, I create papier-mache items and sell them too

place a monetary value on your time, spend it wisely!

I nickle and dime shamelessly – they’re my nickles and dimes!!!

If you know someone who survived the Dirty ’30s – pick their brains for tips on how to live on less!!! It’s amazing how they made things last or reused items.

My late grandmother was a genius with money. I’m glad I listened to her and now to Gail.

What I did buy:

An education with money from my grandparent’s estate.

I chose to take my courses through Ontariolearn.com which is a consortium of Ontario colleges and universities. I took the Library and Information Technician program through Mohawk College in Hamilton. I saved a tremendous amount of money on travel, etc. by taking online courses.

While I did pay for it with my credit card, it was paid off promptly each month, and was incredibly painful at times. I owe nothing! It was hard to muster up the discipline sometimes, especially when the going got tough, but it can always be found if looked for.

When I was a cook I got hurt, I hadn’t had a “regular job” in more than a decade, live with my parents, and I’m in my early 50’s. I’ve had some major ups and downs in life, but I feel such hope for the future. I now have a job at my local library, that I love, earning the best wage I’ve ever had. Although presently the job is part time, it will probably turn into full-time.

I also learned to live on so much less! I do housework for my parents in exchange for room & board and find pleasure in little things that are free or nearly free.

I’m on my last course, and I plan to graduate this October, after more than 3 years of study. I’m so proud!!

My best advice to anyone is the advice my dear mum has given me, “just because you have money doesn’t mean you have to spend it all!” It seems kind of obvious.

All the best to everyone commenting here!

Bette

Bank Fees – I detest bank fees. I will drive out of my way to go to my own bank and save $1.50 or $3.00 on my withdrawal fees. I also hate monthly banking fees which is why I love PC Financial.

Phone Features – It all adds up pretty quickly. I have call display, but will not get call waiting or voicemail, etc. If I can see who called that’s good enough for me – the rest is just overkill.

Movie Rentals – The theatre is expensive, but renting movies is pricey too. I will go to the theatre on occasion as a treat, but otherwise I’ll wait for the t.v. version, or borrow movies from friends. A rental can be over $6 when a previously viewed can be $10 – the whole movie store bit just seems silly to me.

…there are a few things though that I do indulge in that I can’t pass on. The big one being designer handbags. While most people are against spending a lot on a purse (and it is expensive) I buy a bag I truly love, and because of that I’ll carry the same bag for a year or more. And because it’s a designer bag I take great care of it and often switch up between the few that I have if I do want to carry something different for the season. I used to buy cheaper bags but I found I was buying a lot of the smaller priced ones and never liked any enough to ‘re-carry’ them. Designer bags feel more comfortable on my shoulder with straps that are more comfortable and stronger, and it’s my one indulgence. And there are cheaper designer bags available. Not all of them are $500+ dollars – I would never spend that much! :O But I do find the ones I love in the lower price range that are designer.

i’ve also seen alot of ppl on here say they won’t buy cheapo crap from walmart or the dollar store, given the impact it may on the local labour in the country of origin. i won’t seek out dollar deals on food such as fruits, strawberries, beef, chicken etc… cheap food comes at a high price to labour as well and to the care of animals.

whew!

My stat’s prof called lottery tickets a ‘tax on the stupid’. Harsh, but makes me laugh each time I think of it.

With cars: so much decline in value in the first year. I’m much more comfortable getting a 1-2 year old car (or older).

For my self, I won’t spend money on:

- cheap cat food: I rather buy a higher quality because I believe in a healthy nutrition + I can see a difference in their digestion (they are less vomiting) and shinier fur.

- new releases of books, movies: I rather wait and rent the movie and watch it at home and rent my books at the public library.

- drugstores makeup and hair products: I buy few high end product and they serve me on the long run.

- already made food: I prefer to cook myself most of the time

- restaurants: We enjoy more a nice meal at home than going to restaurants. We go to restaurants with family on special occasions only.

- designer clothes: not for me!! this is not my bag.

This is what comes to my mind for now.