Extreme Savings
Posted by Gail | Filed under Saving
People who are determined to save will go to extreme lengths to not spend money. There are the folks who reuse their coffee grounds or tea bags until they’ve squeezed every last bit of flavour from them. Or the folks who wash out their bread bags to use as sandwich bags for their kids’ lunches. Or the folks who go dumpster diving.
One woman wrote to me to ask why I hadn’t told people to potty-train their cats as a way of saving money. “It used to cost me almost $200 a year for litter,” she wrote. That’s money she’s now happily sending to her TFSA.
Think about it, if a cat lives for about 15 years, and you little train it in year five (cos you just found out you could do this) that’s $2,000 available for savings.
So what other lengths will people go to in order to save money?
Rumour has it vegetarians save money on food. Never mind the health benefits of eating more fruits and veggies, giving up meat (and I mean meat in the broadest sense) can leave you with money to save. Even going meatless two or three days a week can knock big bucks off your food bill.
Unplugging unused appliances is another way to trim costs and find money to save. Even when your appliances aren’t in use, if they’re plugged in they’re using electricity. And some appliances are energy pigs. Did you know your DVR is using more power than your fridge? That tiny little box. Go figure.
Using students for services ranging from hair care to tooth care can save you a whack of cash that you can send to savings. Check out local cosmetology or dental schools. Just remember, you get what you pay for.
Then there are the folks who store their candles, batteries, and pantyhose in the freezer to extend their lives? Or people who cut their own hair? Or folks who don’t flush the potty until they’ve got a log floating to save on water?
How do you find the money to save? To what extremes would you go to put an extra $500 a year into savings?
February 22, 2013 at 8:21 am
I don’t go to any extreme lengths to save money. I have never had trouble finding money for savings because I don’t spend all I earn. I try not to waste money but I am not willing to scrimp or be excessively frugal.
February 22, 2013 at 8:26 am
I wouldn’t. My only mandatory savings is my RRSP amount that is automatically deducted from my bank account on Friday’s.
However, I aim to save another 5 times that amount in my TFSA for short term goals (down payment while keeping the emergency fund in tact). I don’t always manage it, but at minimum I am putting double the RRSP amount into my TFSA.
For the months when I’m not hitting my ultimate goal, it’s normally because my entertainment money was high – more dinners out with friends, or shows, or movies, or even the occaisional purchased lunch or afternoon piece of cake.
I am not interested in depriving myself unnecessarily just to save a few bucks. When you have zero debt, you have much more flexibility with cash.
We don’t buy things unnecessarily, and I am naturally frugal (my mom has said that since I was a child! – She likes to say I learned what not to do from them), but that doesn’t mean I will deprive myself of social outings or enjoyable experiences just to save some cash. If I’m putting aside $700+, which is 30% of my take home pay, I am not concerned about finding an extra $30 a month for savings.
February 22, 2013 at 8:37 am
how can i save now? I am in Cyprus and they cat down our lalary 10%.but the hours we work are the same. Help, what can we do now? i get 1000 euro and my hasbund 1500. We have debts on the house plus from our close down business. Gail s.o.s.
February 22, 2013 at 8:39 am
i ment salary. forgive the diction mistakes and get the point.
February 22, 2013 at 8:56 am
I have reused coffee grinds. Used to unplug computer and t.v. but by unplugging t.v. messed up satelite dish which updates at night. I can make many meals from one chicken – sandwiches, soup etc. Yet for me the best way to save money is to avoid convenience foods, stay out of stores and restaurants and coffee shops. I get a free coffee when I fill up with 30 L of gas at my gas station. We do treat ourselves to one restaurant meal a week right now after church with friends. It is a treat then. If you go to a restaurant too much isn’t really a treat.
February 22, 2013 at 8:59 am
The tea bag thing doesn’t work on me. I tried re-using my tea leaves from David’s Tea, and I hate the second cup, it’s just too weak.
What I found worked was unplugging appliances and putting things like the microwave on a powerbar. You’d be surprised how much energy that thing sucks up just to display the time.
We got our bill down to $15 a month for utilities from $25 a month in a small studio. The $10 of that bill was a fixed delivery fee, and the $5 was our actual utilities, down from $15.
February 22, 2013 at 9:18 am
I cut/shave my own hair, mostly out of well i am loosing most of it. NOW we have started to avoid like the PLAGUE that it is FAST FOOD, it is FAT and holy crap batman soooooooooooooooo expensive, $10 for a meal say WHAT?
February 22, 2013 at 9:21 am
Oh and bought a good electric face razor, it has cut down on buying blades…………the purchase equaled a 4 pack of those suckers. CRAZY CRAZY expensive a lot of mens products are.
February 22, 2013 at 9:23 am
I actually enjoy being frugal when it means I have to make something. I love cooking from scratch instead of buying pre-made meals. I also find it fun to experiment with making your own household cleaners and such. The key being I find this stuff fun.
February 22, 2013 at 9:32 am
I love the cat using the toilet thing! I saw a few videos posted before and it’s hilarious!
If you want a good laugh on a Friday, check it out.
February 22, 2013 at 9:44 am
Guilty as charged! I’m a tea bag re-user! I don’t mind that weaker second cup; just let it steep a little longer.
Here’s what works for me to save money on drinks during the work week (in case anyone here wants to try to cut back): If it’s a low stress day, then it’s free tea at work. A busy day, then the Keurig free coffee at work. A busy, slightly stressful day, then I buy Tim’s. A super-stressed, crazy day, then I splurge on a Starbucks specialty coffee. I find this strategy helps me to save money without feeling deprived. I mean, I don’t “need” the mega-strong Starbucks every day but it’s nice as a booster when I’m feeling crappy. My secretary can tell what kind of day I’m expecting at work by what I’m drinking that day.
Right now I’m on mat leave with my second kid, so it’s just been tea and water. I’m a lawyer and I’m finding it sooo easy and relaxing to be a stay at home mom; what a change of pace!
February 22, 2013 at 10:05 am
I’d do the cat thing just to avoid dealing with a litterbox… if i had a cat.
However, some of the other stuff… anything crazy (ie. impacts me) that saves less than 10 bucks a month, I’m not willing to do. Take care of the big stuff first.
For instance: My monthly water/sewage bill is $20 fixed costs plus $10 usage. I’ll be flushing the toilet because it’s easier to clean… not flushing it might save me a buck or two.
February 22, 2013 at 10:08 am
Are two boys play a lot of sports and after a game or practice they always want a drink (at a minimum). I have started to bring them with me. Buying the same thing at the arena is at least double.
I have also reduced my Timmys to one a day or less. Amazing what you save because for me it wasn’t always just a beverage. 50% of the time I would buy something else as well. I have also lost 5 lbs in 6 weeks just by doing this.
February 22, 2013 at 10:08 am
I got a low flow toilet and that saved me a ton in water bills and I find that drying my clothes on a drying rack really saves money on hydro as well.
February 22, 2013 at 10:18 am
I dry my clothes on a drying rack, don’t use the drying cycle on the dishwasher, unplug the computer monitor at night but not the computer since it does its antivirus scan during the night, and turn the lights off and heat down on days when the sun blasts through the windows.
February 22, 2013 at 10:18 am
Hit the nail on the head with the animal-free eating Gail! Proteins like chick peas, black beans, lentils and red kidney beans are 1/6th what the animal versions cost. That’s obvious. But the REAL savings are so much cooler!
I was always mostly vegetarian since my teens. But in my mid thirties, I dared my spouse to go vegan for a month (long story, but has to do with my French food fetish at the time – which was delicious, but very heavy in the animal food).
We slammed into the “vegan thing” for a month and I was SHOCKED at how much money I was saving. Skipping the organic eggs, the high end cheese. the organic milk was one thing. But it was the other stuff that blew me away. It was 52% cheaper than before.
PLUS:
I was never stuffy – the only reason I keep Kleenex in the house is for other people now.
I never got a cold or flu (going on four years) – no medicine, antihistimine, athsma meds, etc.
My dishes clean up SO much easier (no greasy, sticky, filmy residue)
Restaurant meals are usually 1/3 less than my meat eating counterparts
Entertaining at home is easier too and there is more TIME to actually cook and clean up. And this really makes a difference when trying to eat at home instead of take-out.
You can get into the pricey stuff that is processed, so you have to watch the budget still. TEG: Non-dairy cheese ($6 per package, Daiya is the best), coconut milk ($4.99, Silk is the best), President’s Choice Meatless Chicken Breasts ($13 for 10 breasts), PC Meatless Ground Round ($6.99 for a pound) so this can really up the budget & spending if I am not careful.
But the point is that these savings really do add up. For those not ready to give thing up entirely, try adding half vegetable proteins to your food (ie: a can of chickpeas or lentils to a chicken casserole) or black beans to a mexican beef dish. You can cut your costs in half for that dish, eat less saturated animal fat, and double your fibre.
It is really worth it on a financial level, and for my health. I blog about food and money ALL the time at http://www.ediblehours.blogspot.com if anyone is interested.
February 22, 2013 at 10:44 am
You can unplug my DVR when you pry it from my cold, dead hands…
I don’t care what it costs, it’s worth it!
February 22, 2013 at 10:49 am
Eesh, I should be embarrassed about my frugality (aka, cheap) but I’m not! I don’t really need to save money but I like to find ways to simplify so I can become more self-reliant. I rarely use hair conditioner anymore because I rinse my hair with a dilute solution of cider vinegar. I use a balled-up piece of tinfoil as an anti-static in the dryer (used only in the winter) and root the suckers (yes–they’re suckas) from my tomato plants to clone more tomato plants for FREE. It’s really not difficult to do these things. Do they save tons of money in the short-term? No, but the savings grow over one’s lifetime and it free mental energy for other fun stuff.
February 22, 2013 at 11:03 am
It is a small thing but it does add up over time. I don’t start my car until everyone is in and buckled and adjusted in order to save a little gas.
February 22, 2013 at 12:00 pm
About a year ago, I gave up my career to really focus on my daughter’s health. At that point she had been bounced from Dr. to Dr. for about 5 years with no root cause or solution. In order for us to live off of my husband’s incomes, we had to look at every area of our life. Here are some of the things we have done, some allow for immediate savings, others are long term:
-Looked at every single bill we had, renegotiated and downgraded what we could. ie. insurance, satellite, etc etc. One tip a company gave me, is to ask for the “loyalty department”, that they have more leverage to reduce costs and keep your business.
-Changed to a credit card that had no yearly fee but offered similar benefits.
-Only use dishwasher and washing machine during off peak electricity hours. Hang all laundry to dry.
-Changed home phone to VOIP.
-Bought a second hand snow blower. We were paying $400 per year for snow removal. This will pay for itself quickly. We have chosen to look at it as a physical commitment, overtime that will keep us active. It is all in how you frame it up.
-I cook everything from scratch. Have been able to reduce grocery bill down to $500 per month, family of 4, eating gluten free. By the way if a Dr. deems it necessary for health to eat gluten free, you can claim the additional costs on your tax return.
-Use http://www.ecycle.com to get rid of things you no longer need and to get things from other people for free that they no longer need or require.
-Unplug all appliances and electronics when not in use.
-My husband does as much car maintenance as possible, ie. oil changes. fixing automatic window, etc. There are tutorials for everything.
-Recently bought a $12 sewing machine from Good Will. Turned a flat sheet into a fitted sheet in about 20 minutes (I am a beginner). This was a great way to use up a flat sheet as they never wear out as quickly as the fitted ones. This one project paid for the machine.
-We no longer pay for boat storage.($1000 per year) Will puchase a shrink wrap kit and portable garage. We will be in the money in one year on this one.
-I have always planted a garden, but this year I will preserve some of it too.
-Spread time out between haircuts and coloring.
-Follow http://www.MrsJanuary.com. Awesome daily specials, budgeting tips and frugal living ideas.
-Use the library for everything from books, movies, speaker nights, free classes, etc.
-To reduce gas costs, multi task errands when running kids from one activity to another.
-We own a timeshare that we have often let people use in the past. We will still do that but add a little to the weekly rate to include what we pay yearly for maitenance.
-Learned how to make gluten free bread. It has been costing us about $12 a loaf from a local bakery. You can buy it in the grocery store cheaper, but it is mostly horrible! Because it takes about 10 minutes of mixing the bread to activate the GF ingredients, my poor handmixer almost has smoke coming out of it when I am done, therefore I have researched and have been looking for a Kitchenaid Professional standmixer. I purchased one online last week for $399, Kitchenaid has a $100 mail in rebate. The day after I bought it, the company offered free shipping. I called back and they honoured this and removed the $30 shipping charge from my bill. This is probably something I would not have done in the past. You really need to take care of the small stuff, it adds up!
-My husband is an avid skier. Last Fall he took the ski patrol course. This has allowed him to do something he loves for free and obtain free passes for the family.
-My husband works full time, but his hours are condensed. He works about 7, 24 hour shifts a month. This has allowed him to get a part time job doing tree removal. He loves being outside, it is a perfect fit. Also, he was able to get enough wood to satisfy our wood stove for several years in exchange for his time.
-Turn down the thermostat a few degrees, I dont even notice the change.
-Went through garage and sold stuff we no longer used on Kijiji.
-Sold an old truck we had that only got used ocassionally for hauling the boat, gardening, etc. Made $3000, no longer paying insurance, registration, or maitenance.
-Only take our dog to vet when necessary. Researched lower priced foods that still have same nutritional value, save about $20 per bag. I have not looked into this yet, but apparently there are clinics you can go to that will check your dog for heartworm and you can buy the medication cheaper than through a traditional vet.
-We own a cottage(bank owns part of it), that we want to keep until we decide what I will be doing for work. We are now actively renting it out so that it can pay for itself.
-I registered a small business and have been able to do some work in between Dr.’s visits, etc. Again, I dont know exactly what benefits this will bring, but hoping that I will see some tax savings.
-Listent to speakers on TEDx talk about what is important in life, frugal living, etc. It really is inspiring to see how other people are choosing to live thier lives differently. Makes you think twice about your priorities and spending for the sake of spending.
I know this is a long list. Even with all of these changes, we are barley living within our means. I have always thought of my husband and I, as being very fiscally responsible, but this experience has shown me how much slippage and mindless spending there was. I have never experienced the kind of stress I have felt with my daughter being sick and all I have wanted over the past 5 years was for her to be ok. Thankfully, she is healthy and strong with not too much fall out. I now need to figure out if I am going to go back to a corporate position or do something that may have a lower salary that will allow us to maintain the peaceful and calm head space we are now in. Regardless of what we decide, I want to continue to live this way, it just makes sense to me. Hope these ideas are helpful!!
February 22, 2013 at 12:05 pm
I seldom use my dryer, hanging everything in the basement or outside. When traveling, I look for online deals (browse restaurant sites for coupons, etc). We rarely go out to eat, and I’ve been trying more meatless meals. I try to shred my own cheese, unless the pre-shredded is on sale at a good price. We use plastic containers for brown bagging our lunches. Few foods that I buy are in their own packaging, except granola bars (need to find a good, quick recipe!) We heat our house usually for free; my husband finds free wood which he chops and splits for our woodstove. I don’t go shopping for entertainment. We don’t watch very much tv. We don’t have central air. I buy many clothes second hand, and don’t buy if I don’t need it. We use the library for books and DVDs.
We do well with the money we make. We have a very very big trip planned this summer, and it will be paid for in cash. One car payment finished yesterday, the other car has its last payment next month and mortgage will be paid by June or earlier. We have pension plans, TFSAs, RRSPS and RESPs. All because we spend less than we make. Life is good!
February 22, 2013 at 1:20 pm
when I had a cat, I did train it to use the toilet. Not only to save money on litter, but also because it was fun to do! and yes, go into the toilet he did
February 22, 2013 at 1:23 pm
How do I save money?
- Air dry dishwasher dishes
- Timers on lights (we have reptiles at home)
- Hang clothes to dry
- Wear clothes more than once
- Reuse sandwich bags (wash & rinse after.. but if it had crackers in it, it’s not ‘contaminated’)
- Save tissue/wrapping paper/bags for reuse
- WALK when possible instead of driving
- Search online for coupons or coupon codes when make purchases
- Not using ’shopping’ as entertainment
- Going OUTSIDE as entertainment
- Going to museums on Free nights (admission is free here on Thursday nights)
- Going to the ‘cheap theater’ to see movies
- No cable
- Seasonal fruits/veggies
- Adding in beans/lentils to meals (we eat meat) to keep us fuller and requiring less meat
- Saving our coins (we can bring them to a local mall and cash them in for gift cards, they don’t take a percentage like those grocery store machines).
February 22, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Precision – wear clothes more than once before washing them. I’m not implying people toss their clothes after every wear
February 22, 2013 at 1:25 pm
I don’t wash the bread bags, I simply shake the crumbs out, and then yes, that’s what I put sandwiches in for lunches, might as well re-use them and then recycle them. I rip my dryer sheets in half. I save all my veggie trimmings and bones for broth. I cut up old sheet and towels to use for rags for wet spills….I can just toss them…saves on paper towel. I don’t reuse my coffee grounds, but in the morning if there is coffee left over from the day before…I just nuke it, rather than dumping it. I keep every grocery store bag to use to line my garbage cans, and also give tonnes away to my sis in law, who needs them for doggie doo clean-up. Where she lives she gets charged for every bag. I don’t need to do all this….we are in our early 40’s and the house is paid for, no debt whatsoever. Building the retirement funds and travel funds. Every dollar we spend takes away from our future travel budget, and we have big dreams. I just also hate to be wasteful.
February 22, 2013 at 1:34 pm
When my husband and I were dating, he only had a student visa and could only work on campus at the time, so his paycheque was small. I had a start-up job too so in order to have fun while going out, I made a long list of things that were free or cost very little. Museums, pay-what-you-can theatre nights, split an ice cream sundae, walks along the riverfront, etc. I wish I had my list still to show the checkmarks we made. Now that we have kids, I still look for free stuff to do for the whole family now.
February 22, 2013 at 1:37 pm
It’s all about choices, right? Everyone has their own line on what they will and will not do to save. My overall philosophy is to live within my means and be careful not to waste, but within that I believe in buying things that you will enjoy and that are good for you. I pay a premium for good-quality meats and veggies (local, organic where possible) because they taste better and are better for me – but I try to be careful about not letting them go bad before I use them – if they’re about to go off, I’ll whip up a batch of something that I can freeze or can. I do reuse baggies, but if they’re heavily soiled, I’ll toss them rather than spend a lot of time disinfecting them. I hang some clothes to dry (helps with humidity in the winter) but it’s just easier to do some items in the dryer, so we do – but we usually do them in off-peak hours to save money. I draw the line at reusing teabags (I like tea too much to be willing to drink light brown water) and not flushing (there are some things I don’t want to have to confront when I go to the washroom!)
February 22, 2013 at 2:22 pm
Definitely air dry clothes. Year round, you can dry them in your basement, which also saves on the humidifier we have to run in winter. Walk or ride a bike whenever possible, if you can get only one car per family even better. The amount saved on insurance/gas/parking/car means I can take cabs a lot and still save money. Plus, all that walking/biking means I don’t need a gym membership. NEVER buy books, music, DVDs, use the library. If they don’t have it, they will usually order it if you ask them nicely. Share things and split the costs, I travel with my extended family and rent a cottage rather than everyone getting their own hotel room – much cheaper! You can do this with appliances (share a snowblower, lawnmower, power washer, etc.) Cloth diapers for the babies (save hundreds!)
February 22, 2013 at 2:51 pm
I try my hardest to live within my means…. use coupons, buy sales items, keep going out as a real treat once in a while… I haven’t owned a car for 15? years but was on an excellent and short bus ride to work. Now I’m retired there really is no need for a car – nearly everything is within walking distance. I do miss not having a clothes line to dry laundry most of the year. I agree with many above – there’s just some things I won’t compromise on …life is too short to be deprived of important things. I scrimped when I was raising 2 kids on my own but now I figure I can spoil myself periodically without guilt. Don’t have a cat but do have a dog …can they be trained to use the toilet??? …LOL …he would fall in!
February 22, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Definitely go vegetarian. It’s cheaper, healthier, and more environmentally responsible!
February 22, 2013 at 5:04 pm
I always shop from the flyers and stock up on essentials when they are on sale. Why pay more?
I freeze Everything. Butter/Margarine , Chocolate Milk, Table Cream (all when they are stupid cheap) Leftover meat- perfect chopped up for stir fry in the future. Bananas,and any fruit that’s getting soft-for in smoothies and bread. Citrus fruit on sale (leave them whole)-perfect for zesting, slicing into drinks and 30 seconds in the microwave and then juice them. Leftover lentils etc- throw them in Anything and Everything.
We keep 2 glass bottles of tap water in the fridge which are re-filled every time we use them up, rather than let the tap run til the water is cold. I’ve signed up for Ikea Family(like a points card) Tea and coffee are on the house anytime you go to the Ikea Restaurant. If I’m in the area, I will stop there and have a coffee or tea. No purchase required.
I will re-use a Tazo tea bag, but the weaker tea goes into my bottle for the gym and into fridge. It just adds a bit of flavor to my water.
If I have a Venti (xl) cup of Tazo tea at starbucks, I always use my starbucks card. (1) That size Tea comes with 2 tea bags if you ask they are happy to give you the second bag to go, and not in your cup. (2) With the card (register on-line, load with any amount you like) you get a Free Refill (same goes for non-fancy coffee) . I take the refill and ask for one of the new Teabags on the side. I am paying for 1 tea, but getting 2 at the store, and 2 teabags to take home.
Until my 2 daughters were tweens, I cut their hair using my “scotch tape method”. Brush the bangs forward, place a piece of tape horizontally over the bangs (around eyebrow level) and cut BELOW the tape with well sharpened scissors. As long as the tape is straight when you put it on, and you cut Below, the bangs are perfect. Same thing for cutting the length. I can’t even imagine how much I save for 2 girls, over 12 years, on haircuts.
And Finally – I LOVE the library!!!
@ Geoff, you are funny!!
February 22, 2013 at 7:42 pm
I don’t do anything I find extreme to save money. If I really needed more money I would rather just earn more. When it comes to cutting the expense of a cat, there’s something cheaper than teaching it to use the toilet – don’t own a cat!
February 22, 2013 at 7:56 pm
Hmmm. Six cats in the guest bathroom. I have a feeling the guests would stop visiting. Plus, can cats be taught how to flush with a lever? As much work as the litter boxes are, I think the toilet idea frightens me more, although congrats to you Kim W for being able to train her cat. I have some very smart cats, but I think a couple of mine would probably never get it no matter what I did. And one is quite small, perhaps she would fall in.
February 22, 2013 at 9:47 pm
For us, not flushing is about water conservation. We don’t take it to an extreme, but I don’t have a big issue with a little yellow. My husband also scrounges for wood to burn when he can. If its already fallen wood we may as well use it.
I also try to take a regular inventory of the products we have on hand like shampoo and lotions. I am trying hard not to buy more until I use up what I have. The same goes for groceries. We have been bad for stocking up on staples when they are on sales. Some items are worth it, but we have to make sure we are using what we have as well.
I do use the dryer regularly because I find is easier for me. I save energy by washing in cold water – not to mention easier on my clothes and I use the “quick’ cycle when not heavy soiled. My dryer has a sensor tat shuts off the dryer when the clothes are done and I make sure to use the correct settings. We do use our dish washer almost daily. I do like to air dry in the warmer months. Right now it would still be dark when I hang them out and dark when I brain them in.
I don’t double use my tea bags normally, but I will make a pot instead of a cup to make it go further when making tea for more than one.
I save money by tackling household tasks myself such as landscaping and interior painting, lawn care etc. I shop 2nd hand for some things. I try to buy good quality such as real wood furniture so it will last for many years.
February 22, 2013 at 10:56 pm
I did my research and bought cloth diapers for my daughter. The cost of disposables during the diaper years is approx $2000.00. The cost of cloth diapers (24 that can be used from newborn to toliet trained) is $300.00. In addition, mine came with extra inserts made of terry cloth that I use as wipes. I have a 4 month old and I only bought newborn diapers for the first two weeks – while I was getting my mommy-legs. I just throw the diapers in a the wash. It’s another load of laundry, yes, but my utilities are all included in my rent and thus, it works out much cheaper than buying disposables.
February 22, 2013 at 11:55 pm
I save money not having pets, hand washing dishes(I don’t have a dish washer), and using bread bags for the diapers.
February 23, 2013 at 12:25 am
I don’t know how much I save doing this but once or twice a week, I make my own bread. It’s super easy with the no knead bread method at breadtopia.com. The other pluses are it tastes better, is fresher, has no preservative and I am learning to make it with heritage wheat which is supposed to be more nutritious. If a regular loaf is $3, then I probably save at least $2.
But other than that I don’t really try too hard to save money as fortunately we have good incomes and good savings and with three young kids and a career I’m exhausted as it is.
February 23, 2013 at 12:57 am
yes @geoff, you are spot on with that comment!
I don’t each much meat as it is, but that was an unconscious choice before I became a Gail-lover. Now it just makes sense for me. And I really do like the foods I eat; I will add chick peas, black beans, lentils, fresh kale and other veggies to whatever I’m cooking. The fruits of course go to the freezer if I haven’t used them before they go too soft for consumption.
I dry my clothing outside when it’s not raining, and wash in cold water. I walk an awful lot, and will be walking more when I get my hip repaired. And riding my bike too!!!!
It sounds silly but I decided to let my hair go gray this year. I’m saving more money than I want to admit (about $100 a month); last week I got it all cut off to within about 3/4″ of my scalp. The red tips, the only left overs of my last dye job, look very cool and fresh right now. In another 6 weeks I hope to have enough hair growth to clip those ends off and ta-da! natural hair. This has been my very best savings to date. I’m so very excited.
This was a very fun blog Gail; I like to see how others are scrimping and saving while others are in very good financial positions. And everywhere in between are those like me, doing what it takes and what makes us comfortable while we continue the journey toward our goals.
February 23, 2013 at 1:20 am
@Geoff – you need to meet my mother….her sentiments exactly when I told her about it costing more to run than her fridge!
I made a choice this year to move to a vegetarian lifestyle and I feel great AND I noticed the money savings immediately. I do also try to be better to our environment by not buying things like bottled water. Tap water is fine for me most of the time and we do have a brita jug at home as well. I cut the dryer sheets into 3 strips and have had a box last more than a year… no static! Many items come out to hang dry after the first 10 minutes in the dryer. Its just long enough to get the wrinkles out. I always wash with cold water and use about a third of the amount of detergent they recommend…clothes are still clean!
February 23, 2013 at 1:22 am
I got this top from my great-grandma, who raised children during the depression. I unwrap my soaps and let them dry out. It adds a nice scent to the linen closet, and the soap “melts” slower. But you have to make sure the soap is not left sitting in a puddle between uses. Soap shards are saved, and put into a knee-high stocking. That make shift bar is perfect for use outdoors in the summer.
We hang up all our clothing- it extends the life of the clothing, and saves money on a my gas dryer.
But the best way we save money is by understanding the difference between need and want. We have 15 dollar pay as you go phones, and no TV. There is enough free programming on hulu and I-tunes to meet my needs. And library DVDs are handy as well. Hoping Money moron will be available online to those if us in the US.
February 23, 2013 at 8:30 am
Marry a handyman that can change the oil in your car! lol! Seriously…my husband does all the maintenance on our vehicles from oil changes to tires to brakes to transmission jobs. He has saved us thousands of dollars in maintenance, and when he cant figure it out…he finds out how to fix something so he will know for next time. Boats, trucks, cars, roofs, you name it…he will find out how to do it! We saved a couple thousand on doing our own roof at our cottage, and not only that, it got our children involved,too! Oh, and my contribution is the cooking/baking from scratch and making my own creams, lotions and beauty treatments…easy and fun!
February 23, 2013 at 11:29 am
I use coconut oil on my face and hands instead of pricey creams. I smell tropical, and the emollients are better than any of the expensive creams I have bought in the past.
February 23, 2013 at 1:45 pm
Not much to add to the great ideas shared by others! Number 1) don’t waste money on the lottery! I buy all our bread, bagels & tortillas at the bread discount store and in the winter (we’re below 0 for many months of the year) I store many in a lidded-tote outside, so I have more room in our freezer. I take advantage of all ‘free’ mail in offers and exercise at home, rather than a gym after buying an elliptical a number of years ago. We don’t have cable TV, rather a digital converter box, we only get global, CBC and Joy TV but it is enough for us. I like to think of how much we’ve saved over our 20 years in this house with no cable. And our mortgage is paid, our kids in university now. i hope they’ve learned something from us for the years ahead!
February 23, 2013 at 3:50 pm
My goal is to never spend my coins and I can meet this goal about 90% of the time. This year, I’m saving all twonies and loonies for Christmas so that I can pay cash for all presents. Since I’m only putting away a few coins at a time, it never seems like I’m setting aside big amounts of money. It’s “only” $3.29 going into my piggy bank. The beauty part is that those little coins add up very quick. It’s only the tail-end of February and my piggy bank is starting to feel rather weighty!
February 23, 2013 at 11:58 pm
My mom and I share buy one get one sales. When the big jar of peanut butter or toilet paper goes one sale one of us will buy and the other person gets the free one. Then the next time the other person will buy and give the free one to the other person. Works great.
My grandmother used to wash out and reuse her coffee filters until my dad realized it and made her throw them out because her coffee was undrinkable. She could afford not to do this so it made no sense as to why she was doing it.
February 24, 2013 at 10:34 am
A lot of interesting posts! I’m with those who say they won’t scrimp and give up certain things that bring them joy – you have to have some fun in life!
I had a great aunt (more like my grandma) whom I used to visit once a month before she passed away (lived in another city). I would take her quite often to get groceries. If she could get a can of soup somewhere else for 25 cents less, I would end up running to more than one store. I learned a few lessons from this wonderful woman:
1) she lived through the Great Depression and two World Wars and her generation understood the value of re-using
2) on the other hand, she never drove and didn’t understand that if she did, she wouldn’t be saving any money this way due to the cost of gas to drive to all these places
3) One thing she said and it stuck with me: “The problem with your generation is you want it all and you want it right now! Big new house, new cars, vacations, etc. And you can’t have it all at once! It’s no wonder everyone’s in so much debt!” True enough! This is a woman who saved up to buy her furniture and took care of it until the day she died. I have inherited 3 pieces and I love it – beautiful, heavy REAL wood, excellent quality and it reminds me of her and her words every time I look at it.
To save, we do a lot of things on some lists (not reusing tea bags and yes, we flush toilets) but our biggest thing is we’re not too proud to take furniture hand me downs and clothing hand me downs (especially for the kids! They outgrow like crazy!). We also pay it forward!
February 24, 2013 at 11:48 am
Like most of you, I don’t do anything real extreme, but I have always managed to save something, even while spending 10 years as a single mom. 1) Save all my loose change for the year then roll it and take it to the bank for Christmas spending. 2) Save all my Canadian Tire money for the year and then give it to the kids to use to buy their Christmas presents for people. 3) Shop the flyers, make a meal plan for the week based on the sales, stock up when possible, use coupons 4) Keep the heat down while gone for the day and while sleeping. 5) Shop for clothing at Value Village – I have purchased several items over the years that still had the original price tags on them 6) make 90 percent of meals from scratch – only when in a hurry do I use boxed, which is not often, since I have my weekly meal plan 7) dining out is a treat, not an everyday occurance
I only shop once a week, and I plan my stops to use the least gas
And finally, since the place I live has no garbage, water or sewer service – we have a cistern that we pay to have filled with water and we have another tank for the sewage that we have to pay to have pumped out and hauled away – we use the old “if its yellow, let it mellow – if its brown, flush it down” rule.
Right now my husband and I are traveling the USA in an RV (that we paid cash for) and we can go for almost 2 weeks before we have to pull into a paid campground to empty the septic and refill the water thanks to our water conservation efforts that we have practiced over the years at home LOL
February 25, 2013 at 9:00 am
1) We don’t own a car. I bike to work every day (an hour each way), and my husband takes public transit.
2) I am a vegan, and my husband is a vegetarian.
3) We read and exercise for entertainment. Screw DVR’s… we don’t even own a TV!
I know that this might seem extreeme to some, but we are in our 20’s and will be able to retire comfortably by the age of 50 (and that’s with a prediction of spening more when we are raising one child). To me, I think working until you die, never knowing when you can comfortably retire is way more extreeme than any of the things above.
February 25, 2013 at 1:31 pm
Be very careful unplugging small appliances a multitude of times. The plugs were not meant for continual plugging and unplugging, and can start to fray. This is potentially dangerous plus you will have to buy a new appliance or have it repaired.
February 25, 2013 at 4:59 pm
I think the wonderful thing about frugality is that so much of what benefits your pocketbook also benefits your health! So many of the conveniences of our age were developed as so called time savers with the trade off being exposure to cheap albiet harsh chemicals. It is ultimately up to us to decide the true value of those services and products versus the diy or natural approach. I have cut and dyed my own hair for 15 years and now am using henna (there are plenty of awesome diy tutorials on youtube). Still I am not ready to go to the extreme of giving up shampoo and conditioner but I have found a great compromise of stretching my shampoo with equal parts coconut milk which leaves my hair super soft. I try to integrate seasonal fruits and vegetables into my shopping list every week and have found that just by having that fiber in my diet and drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water a day I don’t feel nearly as hungry as the pre-Gail days when I’d hop in to a fast food restaurant or gas station on an empty stomach and buy carbolicious pastries or hamburgers. All kidding aside about how gross some extreme saving can be, phantom power is no joke! And please don’t defeat the purpose of unplugging your appliances by rushing out and buying one of these trendy expensive meters just to tell you that! I unplug most of my outlets when not in use which has cut my electric bill consistently in half.
February 26, 2013 at 3:05 pm
For us it is cheaper to eat meat, beef actually, as we have a dairy farm so sometimes instead of selling a steer we will take it to the butcher, we keep a 1/4 and sell the rest so the money we make off it pays for the raising/buchering costs. I have started using vinigar and baking soda as a home cleaners to save money and because I dislike chemicals. I have found I save the most by simply using a “pay yourself first” policy. So every pay I transfer a certain amount to savings as soon as it goes in the bank (this does not include RRSPs which come straight off before I even see it). I have recently set an aggressive savings plan of $1000/month as we are planning on trying for our second child soon and will need to do a small home renovation at that time to move the home office to free up a bedroom (I telecommute 4 days a week). By doing the savings transfer first it I know what I am limited to spending wise. To cut back on shopping I have found that if I actually really think about how I am going to use the object or where I am going to put it and maybe even carry it around the store for a bit, that will often stop me from actually purshasing it. Since I am something of a pack rat with limited storage space this is a very useful strategy for me. Because I do actually enjoy shopping, but I enjoy meeting my goals more.
February 28, 2013 at 5:23 am
I love a lot of the things I see on the comments! And here I thought I was the only frugal person in the world!! Lol. Other than the common ones everyone posted (which I adhere to as well) here are some extras:
-Keep my screen brightness to a minimum on laptop.
-Use natural & low-cost beauty products. i.e. Sweet almond oil (hair treatment), Coconut Milk (hair treatment), simple oils and witch hazel toner for face.
-Take soap bars from hotel stays.
-Nick wads of toilet paper when out at restaurants/public buildings- ZERO SHAME
-Only meat consumed is fish- tons of veggies, lentils, rice.
-Shop second hand (I still look great!)
-I’m a lousy tipper- sorry!!
-I NEVER buy water!! Always carry a mug or reusable h20 bottle.
-Meal prep and planning- storing food in freezer (after first letting it cool off), and in tupperware.
-Budget app on my iPhone. Try “Back in Black.”
March 2, 2013 at 10:37 pm
Great tips! Also:
-keep a milk carton in the freezer. Dump in milk that kids leave in cereal bowl (if you can’t get them to stop wasting. I usually have enough millk in the freezer for pancakes by Sunday morning- I figure the cooking kills any germs!
-when the milk carton is “empty” add a couple of tablespoons of water and shake it around- add this “milk” to the container in the freezer, too.
-if you live in Canada in the winter, put leftovers out on the step to cool or freeze before putting them in the fridge/freezer. Let mother Nature do the cooling for you.
-if you get cold sitting at the computer at night when you should really be sleeping, heat up a magic bag (a fabric bag of grain) in the microwave and put it under your feet instead of turning the heat up.
-oatmeal! It is so much cheaper and tastier than cold cereal.
-bank your coals. If you have a woodstove, push the coals away from the airflow (for us, this means pushing the coals to the back of the stove). When I get up in the morning, I open the damper, rake the coals to the front and throw on two logs. By the time I’m out of the shower the fire is roaring and I haven’t used matches and kindling for months!
-cook with cast iron, and turn the burner off several minutes before your cooking is done.
-don’t by fabric sheets/softener- who needs it!
-already mentioned, but I have to echo using apple cider vinegar as conditioner- I love it! Put 1 tsp in a bottle full of water and squirt it through your hair, rinse.
-layers! Thin long underwear fits under most clothes- it’s a bit addictive, though.
-don’t buy kleenex. Cut up some old cotton sheet or fabric into squares and keep them on the back of the toilet in a basket. My husband won’t use them (although I think he’s caving), but the rest of us do, then just toss them in the washing machine. Those who think it’s yucky will have to use toilet paper.
-plan your school supplies. We are able to reuse a lot of school supplies and scrounge free pencils that were handouts during the year. Coloured pencils and crayons last well if you keep putting them away instead of tossing them. Spent $24 to outfit two kids this year- including new binders for the older one.
-visit zerowastehome for inspiration
-mend your clothes, or restyle them.
-when you’re dumping those bread crumbs out of the bread bag, dump them into a container in the freezer- they add up.
-learn to make your own tortillas- the biggest savings in groceries. It takes some practice, so don’t give up. I use Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour tortillas.
-don’t heat the kids’ bedrooms. They run around naked half the time and don’t seem to care when it’s below zero outside- a cool room is fine!
-make red the accent colour in your house. That way you’re always ready to decorate for Thanksgiving, Canada day, Christmas and Valentine’s.
-don’t buy garbage bags. Just use what you have, or put one big bag in the outdoor garbage and dump the household garbage straight in.
Does anyone have tips for reusable pull-ups? My eight year old is not toilet trained at night and our biggest source of garbage is pull-ups. She’s no longer keen on the diaper-style option.
March 3, 2013 at 11:47 am
I’m a full time student, who’s juggling 2 jobs; part-time and casual. i’ve been house-sitting for a month now and had to come up with a ton of ways to save money. a prime example i used when telling my friends how i save money was when i made a huge batch of coconut curry that lasted me for a week. all the ingredients were either super cheap or things i already had: $0.88 large can of diced tomatoes, $0.88 large can of coconut milk, already have rice in my pantry, already have curry powder, already have garlic, already have frozen veggies, already have soy sauce. the most expensive ingredient was the organic tofu ($4.60) and even then, an entire week’s worth of meals cost me under $7.
brown bagging food and brewing my coffee in the morning saved me so much money, and even when i do eat out, i get vegetarian options because theyre usually cheaper
March 4, 2013 at 2:34 pm
I am a SAHM to 2 young children. These are some of the things I do to save money:
-food made from scratch, eat simply
-3 vegetarian meals a week (including soaking dry beans – cheaper and healthier)
-we have a garden and can/freeze the produce. We just finished our potatoes from last summer and still have canned tomatoes, canned spaghetti sauce and salsa, some canned fruit, apple sauce, carrots in the fridge, and other frozen goodness left.
-buy groceries on 10% off tuesday
-use a PC mastercard and pay off the bill each month. We collect the points them redeem them each time we buy at superstore.
-I cut my family’s hair (as well as my own)
-clothes hung to dry all year
-the only cleaners I use are baking soda and vinegar. They do a fine job.
-second-hand shopping. I keep a list of random items I’m looking for and if I’m patient, I can eventually find what I’m looking for. Especially children’s clothing.
-simple entertainment – go outside
-attending free play groups (no expensive lessons)
-use the library a lot for free DVDs, music, and books
-breastfeed
-wash/re-use ziploc bags
-accelerated payment plan for our mortgage
-have few wants!
-own one vehicle that’s good on gas
-cloth diaper
-only one cell phone, and it’s pay as you go
-no cable, we download our favourite shows online
-reduced our internet bill from $50 to $20 just by calling and asking for a better deal!
-we use cloth napkins instead of paper, and rags instead of paper towels
-we no longer get the newspaper to our home – just go online
-do our own home renovations as much as possible
-we set a budget and follow it. That way we don’t feel guilty if we go out for supper or take the kids swimming because we alloted money for such a purpose.
I feel like we live a fairly self-sufficient life. It’s very satisfying way to live.
March 4, 2013 at 4:59 pm
I cut my own hair several times a year! $7 scissors, $7 thinning shears and one “cut your own hair” how to book found at a yard sale has saved me at least $180 every year.