Every New Year I take a look at this list I created years ago… 50 Ways to save money. Including general tips, ways to save money in your household, with your kids, and when feeding your family. So many of them I slip away from as the year goes on! Want to join me in pinching some pennies? Do you have a frugal tip? I’d love to hear about it!
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General:
- Make a goal chart and as you save the amount of money or pay off debts, mark them off and reward yourself. (Ex: we can’t get that camera until our car is paid off). The expense of the camera is minor compared to the interest I’ll save by paying off debts early.
- We do the “packets” budgeting system. All spending money we take out at the beginning of each month. We then pay for everything with that cash, when it is gone there is no more till the next month. This budgeting method works for us, find one that works for you!
- Wait for a minimum of 24 hours before purchasing any pricey item. Oh, and see if you can find something comparable used first!
- If something breaks try to fix it or do without before going out and purchasing a replacement. Try not to hire someone to fix things, rather swap services (see craig’s list).
- To curb impulse buys, create a 30-day list. When you want to buy something, other than a true necessity (medicine or food, for example), put it on this list, with the date you added it to the list. And make it a rule that you can’t buy anything for at least 30 days after you put it on the list. And stick to it. You’ll find that you buy a lot less with this system.
- Surround yourself with “frugal-minded” folk. If you don’t have any friends who are willing to make a frugal journey with you try looking online, maybe get a great frugal book, or browse the websites One Income Dollar or the Prudent Housewife. Both great inspirational blogs. We found it is easier to save when we’re not surrounded by spend-happy folks.
Grocery:
- Use a price sheet so that you can know if a “sale” is really a bargain or if you can find it cheaper elsewhere.
- Buy meat that is on Manager Special (expiring that day or shortly after). Cook that day and eat/freeze.
- Mix ground beef with an egg and several handfuls of quick oats (makes the meat go farther). Use in meatballs, meat loaf, etc.
- Bake your own bread – let the yeast sit in sugar water till it smells fermented and use half the yeast (the most expensive ingredient in bread). Artisan bread is the cheapest to make per loaf.
- If you are big milk drinkers, buy whole milk and a box of dry milk and make your own mock-2% milk by mixing half whole, half non-fat dry reconstituted milk. You have two gallons for a fraction of the cost.
- Go meatless 1-2 nights a week. You can substitute dry beans. They are VERY cheap and filling.
- Meal plan and coordinate so that leftovers can be utilized fully, yet keeping variety. (Ex: Tacos day one, use left over taco meat day 2 for stuffed peppers)
- Try to stretch as much time between shopping trips. The fewer times you go shopping, the fewer chances you have to “impulse buy”.
- ONLY shop from a list. If it is not on the list DO NOT BUY IT. It is best to make a check off inventory list of all things you could need and highlight what you’re out or low on.
- Eat something small before you go. It is harder to resist the temptation to over buy when you have an empty tummy.
- Keep your change (dollar bills and coins) use this as your “fun fund”
- Buy generic – many times this is considerably less than the alternative even if you have coupons.
- Use coupons if you prefer something name brand and only if you buy that item regularly. Also, ask if your grocery shop has “double days”.
- Rather than buy a newspaper for the coupons, go to your library, usually they do not mind allowing you to clip the coupons you need… and your kids can attend story time at the same time! OR you can go to this site for free grocery coupons and print the coupons you need online!
Household:
- Wash your dishes by hand… I have a hard time with this one, I know it saves water/energy, but I love the convenience of my dishwasher!
- Wash clothes in warm water and only if you have a full load to do. Dry your clothes on the line and if you don’t like the “crunchy” feel, stick them in the dryer for 5 min with a wet rag after they’ve hung out.
- Wash your clothes inside out so they will look nicer longer… and only wash if something is truly dirty.
- If you like fabric softener, put some on a towel and throw it in with the dryer. A quarter size “spill” on the towel can do about 3 loads – a great way to save softener! Also, to make your detergent go farther, add a tablespoon of baking soda to the load and use half the detergent. Baking soda is a soap booster and is cheaper than Arm&Hammer.
- In the winter, use your dryer and stove during the early evening to help heat your home. In the summer, use them in the very early morning (or not at all) to help keep your home cool.
- Cook all your meals for a 2-week period (esp. in the summer) so that your oven only has to do the work one time for multiple meals. Keep meals in the freezer and re-heat with the microwave – uses less energy, and you save time. Also, having home-cooked freezer meals cut down on the tendency to order take-out when you’re having an exceptionally busy day. It is possible to do this with a refrigerator’s freezer.
- In the summer take a cold bath/wash rag to help you feel cool before bed, and keep the thermostat as high as possible or the A/C off if possible (we live in TX – its not possible). Each degree change can save up to 3% on your energy costs!
- In a room that has a tendency to be dark, put a mirror near the light to refract the light around the room. One light bulb has the power of two with this trick!
- Unplug items (toaster, shaver, cell phone charger, TV) when not in use. Small amounts of electricity are still being used even if they are off, but plugged in.
- Use Craig’s List to purchase used items (furniture, etc.) or freecycle or go to garage sales. We’ve even gotten a number of items from the curb on trash day!
- Buy paint from the “oops” counter at Home Depot or Lowes. Also, if the color of your walls allows, add a faux finish over the existing color. This uses a lot less paint and allows you to spruce up more rooms at a fraction of the cost.
- Cut your cell-phone or house phone, you don’t need both. If possible, become a single-phone family. For long distance, calling cards are great! You can usually find cards with under 2 cents a min! Pay-as-you-go cell phone plans are great if you are not a big phone user.
- Make your own household cleaners. Vinegar, baking soda, Hydrogen peroxide, borax & bleach are all really cheap and you can make any and every household cleaner from laundry detergent to the equivalents of Windex and Comet from mixtures of those ingredients.
- Check your insurance. We were able to save $600 a year when we switched companies, combined our house and auto onto the same plan, and added $500 to our deductible.
- Get a programmable thermostat for your household heat and water heater. You can turn the temps down an hour or two after you go to bed, or during the warmer times of the day, or the times when you typically don’t use your hot water. No reason to heat what is not being used!
Personal:
- Get a buzzer and cut your hubby’s hair… if possible, have a friend cut your’s… Also, longer hairstyles do not need to be maintained as frequently as shorter ones.
- Buy clothes for your kids used – they grow out of them so fast new is not worth it! And used usually look just as good!
- Limit the number of toys your children are able to have in the house. This will lower the clutter, increase the value of the toys you currently own, increase your children’s creativity as they learn to play with less, and also will decrease spending on toys.
- Try home remedies before Doctor visits. Those co-pays can add up and its amazing how a humidifier, Vitamin C & some good ole’ rest will make the bugs go away!
- Make gifts for holidays and birthdays, often these mean more than ones purchased at the store as they show you put time and effort into the recipient.
- Make your own personal hygiene products (or do without). Kimberly has a great blog documenting her withdrawl from her addiction to shampooing.
- Cloth diaper your kiddos. If you use this cloth diapering method your whole stash can cost less than a hundred dollars and can potentially be handed down to future kiddos. Cloth diapering also encourages early potty-training!
- Make your own baby food by pureeing what the rest of the family is eating, or you can use dehydrated and powdered veggies – if you like the convenience of those pricey jars.
Entertainment:
- Eat out rarely if ever! If you do eat out, only drink water. Also, check your newspapers for discounts and grand openings; you can usually get more for your buck then.
- Invite people over to your home rather than meeting them at a restaurant. You’ll have more time to chat and if you plan your meal well, will save a bundle too!
- Get movies for your Friday night from the library rather than Blockbuster or netflix. They are usually free! Also check out Hulu. They have a number of TV shows online for free! Amazon has many movies to stream for a dollar.
- Either eliminate or see if you can combine any of the following: Internet, Television, Long-Distance, Cell Phones – We found that a calling card saves us tons on what would have been a long distance phone bill, and we get the TV shows we want through online streaming for free.
- Set-up a baby-sitting swap with a friend who has children. You’ll save money and know that someone “experienced” is watching your kids.
- Find dates that are more events than just “going out to eat”. These can sometimes save your budget and are usually more memorable.
- See if you are near a Bass Pro shop or Cabella’s. We take our kids there instead of the zoo. It’s free to walk around and the stuffed animals don’t move so you actually get to see them! Call ahead of time and be there for the fish feeding.
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Thanks to Amagill for the “money” photo!
I do disagree with #42. I have four children (5, 3, 3 and 1) and I have found that cloth diapering actually cost me more money. When my twins were babies I made my own diapers (I’m a sewist) and the cost that it took to a) raise the temperature of my hot water heater 20 degrees…you must have hot, hot water to get them truly clean) and b) pay for the water to wash them (cold rinse then a hot, hot wash…it’s a lot of water) actually ended up raising my heating/water bill. With amazon mom I can get great deals on disposable diapers and it frees up my time to save money else where in my house that actually pays off.
I agree, Not only did my cloth diapers leak, it was a pain to wash them all the time, buy special detergent, etc. I’ll stick with the disposables!
I agree with you too. I could never stomach the idea of cloth diapers. I am now pregnant with my 4th child and both this baby and my 3rd child, I couponed the heck out of diapers and wipes. I would get packs of diapers for free or at most 2-3$$. I get boxes for $8. You honestly can’t beat that. Some people enjoy cloth diapers, but I would rather search for deals on diapers. I stock up when I find deals, so that when I NEED them, I don’t have to pay full price. I already have 3 floor to ceiling stacks of mostly boxes of pampers diapers and some packs of pampers and huggies for the new baby that won’t be here for 5 months. I typically can get 1-2 boxes each grocery trip and still be well under grocery budget. I used to buy store brand, but got much better deals on the name brand, why not buy those?
Where do you find all the coupons? The best I can find are like 1-2$ off the price!?
Cloth diapering IS actually less expensive, better for the environment, better for the child. I used to use a combination of cloth and disposable. My cloth were incredibly cheap and badly made (Gerber), so I recently decided to upgrade to the new and better cloth diapers. For my two youngest children who both will need to be in cloth at the same time, I’ve spent less the $300 on cloth diapers. It seems like a big chunk of money at once, but average it out over the whole time I’ll be diapering and it comes out to so much cheaper (average about two a half years per child comes to). It ended the poop explosions and leaks we got with disposable. If we have leaks, then I know we need to add more to the diaper, not a problem. The detergent isn’t hard to find once you know what your looking for (none of the bad stuff that’s in most detergents). I’m not filling a landfill, or exposing my children’s bottoms to chemicals. Averaging out my extra time and it’s about 15 minutes of work a day (instead of looking for diaper coupons). One more load of laundry every other day does not make for “all that laundry.” So yes, all that together I most certainly do enjoy my cloth diapers. My kids can thank me someday that I’ve taken the time to protect them and our Earth.
I love cloth diapering and the money it saves us! We haven’t had to crank up our water heater at all and my diapers always come out clean and smell free, we also have a well so no worries about a water bill. Not only am I not exposing my son to any chemicals through disposables I am helping the environment! They also help me stay up on ALL laundry!
for diapers you can also participate in diaper studies and actually get paid to do it.
Yes, disposables are more convenient but all conveniences, as we have come to learn, come at a cost, if not now then later. I love the 7th Generation creed. I love cloth diapering. I don’t understand the hot water, hot water thing. Urine is sterile, washing them as all other clothes is fine. As for the dirtier ones, soak them. There are a lot of ways to clean without using chemicals. Do a little research, they really knew what they were doing in the old days (that are coming back by the way). One of the best things you can do for diapers is hang them in the sun.
Bass pro instead of the zoo? That’s really stupid. Sorry to be blunt but children deserve to see live animals. Our okc zoo has many many free days throughout the year. Take your kids to the zoo, not a store to view stuffed animals that were murdered. That’s just my opinion.
Dido; what kid wants to see dead animals on the wall? I live near a bass pro and it truly is disgusting.
Ugh! That’s what they have at Bass Pro? Yuck! Who wants to see dead animals as a fun family outing? Maybe a hunting family? There are a lot of farms and parks that have animals you can visit for free. At least in NJ we do. There are many free activities if you just do a search in your town.
I also don’t normally comment but come on! Hunting and mounting is a part of life. The kids can get closer and see a lot of things that they don’t see in the zoo! I simply disagree completely with your point of view, just speaking my mind as well!
Really? What did you think they would have at Bass Pro Shops? It is a hunting and outdoors store
Wow, I normally don’t comment on things, but I have to say I am completely offended by your use of the word “murdered” when you refer to animals who have been harvested by hunters. My husband and both my sons are hunters and we eat everything they bring home. I respect the fact that you may be anti-hunting, but please respect our choice to be hunters. Using terms like that only make you seem ignorant. Please don’t misunderstand, there are hunters who are just out of the kill, but know the majority of them love nature just as much as you.
If we do not hunt the animals, they soon will have not land to live on because there will more of them then the land. Most hunter use the all the parts they can. They do not just go out to kill they kill to feed their family. You are buying killed animals every time you get chicken, pork or beef from the store and those animal are caged. So should we eat only caged animal. I say lets let them all go free and see who lives and who dies. They will win. So do not hate my family because we hunt, because are just are just as much a hunter too.
if we do not breed animals in slaughterhouses for murder then we wouldn’t have any of these problems, not everyone contributes to the murder of innocent animals… many people live a vegan lifestyle. I will agree with you though that it is no better, worse even to eat animals out of a cage. I stopped eating animal products because of the way that it is harvested, but unfortunately I have seen several hunters who hunt for sport. In the case of mounting animal heads and stuffing the animals- they are NOT using all of the animal, clearly, and they are ignorantly showing off a murder that they committed. It’s possible to live without killing animals. As far as who will “win”, what is winning exactly? Animals attack people because their land and their food is being taken. If nature was how it should be there would be a balance, no winning. And right now aren’t we all losers?
Most of the animals put in retail hunting stores were mounted after dieing natural deaths, or were baught from collectors or garage sales, and some are even manufactured. In addition to this, we don’t judge or dump talk your life style choices, and yet at every chance you get you trash talk ours. Some people live off the land, which includes the animals on that land, as was intended. Hunting = organic meat, gardening your own food = organic veggies. If you have never lived this or experienced it, you do not know what you are talking about.
Thank you Scook
You eat bears?
Yeah I also have to disagree with the Bass ProShop. Our local zoos are very inexpensive, we paid $90 for a year pass for a family of 3. We park a few blocks away to save on parking and bring our own food. We go once a month, we don’t feel rushed to do the whole zoo in a day because we can always come back!
Most zoos are not expensive, and the passes make amazing christmas or birthday presents. Plus this is a great gift idea for grandparents. That’s how we got ours, we asked my parents only for passes to the zoo as a present for all of us, they were thrilled to do it.
Many of our friends also have them, so it makes for really exciting play dates!
St. Louis Zoo is amazing and FREE! Enjoy it any day of the year.
I thought the same thing. I think we should teach children the value of life – not traumatize them by showing them what someone bigger and tougher can shoot. Thanks but if I’m just gonna get to see dead animals, I’d rather just go to the library and look at pics of live animals.
I agree about the zoo…. libraries have free passes that u can check out for the day. they also have some to museums. Also NEVER eating out?! That’s a little crazy, there are so many different types of foods out there and experiencing the different cultures and foods is a great for kids and adults…. being frugal does not mean not living life! I appreciate many of the tips, but i feel that some of these are a little over the top and i feel bad for your kids!
We do not eat out that often. However, I am pretty experienced in cooking and I can cook most anything that I can find a good recipe for. Sometimes we have Chinese food, sometimes Mexican, sometimes Italian, sometimes homemade pizza! We’re able to let our kids experience different types of foods without the high cost of eating out. We don’t feel that skimping on eating out deprives our kids at all.
Bass Pro Shop instead of the zoo? What are you thinking?? Clearly you don’t live anywhere near San Diego, or you’d realize that nothing compares to the zoo!! Do your kids a favor, and splurge a little. A trip to the zoo is more than worth it!!
I agree with CHart- The zoo is a fabulous place for children. There are so many cool things to see and do and its relatively inexpensive. They allow you to bring in a cooler so you can picnic and there is a wonderful playground! Bass Pro and Cabela’s don’t hold a candle and may upset kids when they figure out those cute animals are DEAD!
I agree with this too. I split an annual pass with a girlfriend, and we can go on our own, don’t have to be together. I can still get in two named guest and all my kids, plus 3 extra, that’s the best deal! 1/2 the price and as many times as we go, it’s worth every penny. Plus my kids all go there on field trips every year, so I can go and don’t have to pay.
get a membership to the zoo. this not only saves you money at your local zoo, but also saves you money at most other zoos around the US.
We take our daughter (who is only 17 months) to Petsmart. She loves the birds and fish. When she is older we will take her to the zoo, but she’s still a little young for that kind of thing.
I agree with Lane Baker about the kids being able to get a closer look at Bass pro shop, and that’s probably kind of neat for them BUT I don’t think it’s really the same as going to zoo. There is (hopefully) a much greater variety of animals at the zoo and the kids can see how they act not just what they look like. I don’t see anything wrong with taking your kids to the zoo or Bass Pro Shop but I hardly think they are comparable.
I really liked this ….every little bit helps and my son loved Cabella’s the fish are very much alive…
My kids LOVE BPS. they ask to go. It is much closer than the “local” zoo, too. We go any time we can, especially when the weather is bad and other “frugal” ideas aren’t possible.
Lighten up people.
BTW, I agree with Emily. We are hunters, too. It is a great “frugal” sport, because we eat what they shoot.
yay! someone i agree with! i love bps and cabelas and always have, their is more to do than people think, it’s not like the animals are bloody and gross. it’s not really a good replacement for a zoo, i guess, but it’s fun. all those other people must be peta freaks. (signed a farmer and a hunter!)
I’m not saying don’t go to the Bass Pro Shop. Go, have fun, enjoy. We visit the Humane Society (even volunteer to walk the dogs and visit with the cats every week) as a way to enjoy and interact with animals. I’m just saying that he Bass Pro Shop isn’t a substitute for the zoo. It’s seriously an apples and oranges thing!!
Drop your cable or satellite & go for the over the air for free DTV. After the initial $100 or so set up cost & some time spent online researching it, we have saved upwards of $1,200-$1,500 a year. I was shocked to see you did not mention a great alternative. We get all the major networks, movie channels, kids programming, healthy living channels, music channels, weather channels & it’s all FREE!!!!!
Can you tell me more? What is over the air for free DTV? How do I get it?
I looked it up and seems it’s just a really good antenna to receive all the digital signals that are available.
DTV means digital TV. It’s the exact same thing that you used to get with an antenna stuck on the top of your house, only now it uses a digital encoding system, so you have to have a digital tuner. Any TV bought within the last 2-3 years will probably have it. Check the specifications in the back of the manual or online to see if you have a digital tuner.
It’s not going to get you as many channels as cable, and you’re still going to have black-outs and problems with the weather, just like old antenna TV.
It’s the modern day version of rabbit-ears.
I would like to know more also
It depends on where you live. We don’t pay for cable or satellite, but stream Netflix via our Wii. We have an antenna, but live in a dead zone as far as tv is concerned. I get the local PBS stations from about 30 miles away and nothing else. Where we lived previously we also got major networks, but none of the extra premium-like channels.
I am so interested in this – how can I find out more? I Googled “Over the air for free DTV” and nothing really came up! Can you please email with this information?
we have a digital converter box that we got at a pawn shop along with an old tv and antenna for about $40 and we just set that up Now we have about 50 channels including all the major networks free (abc, cbs, fox, nbc, cw, pbs ect..) You can get those things new at walmart or best buys something like that. It’s great in our area and cost nothing more then equipment. i heard with newer tv’s you don’t need the converter box or annetna you can just hook the antena cable to the wall outlet.
Hand dishwashing is NOT cheaper or more efficient than a dishwasher you can google all kinds of info about this, including a study at Bonn University in Germany, but simply put new (made in the past 10 years) dishwashers with energy star ratings are more efficient with water and energy than handwashing. they also sanitize dishes by using water hotter than possible with handwashing.
I own a dishwasher–but I’ve been handwashing my dishes for more than 3 yrs now because it saves water and electricity and time. (PS. I use a small cap full of bleach to the water to kill the germs!) I can wash a whole sink full of dishes in 10 minutes…a dishwasher uses 45 mins to do the SAME job! I have a well so handwashing is the best option for me–so the well doesn’t dry up!
I understand from many things I’ve read that the dishwasher does save water. It’s true that you might be able to handwash them yourself in less time, but think what else you could accomplish while your dishwasher is doing them for you!
That is exactly what I noticed first thing. Handwashing does NOT save water & is worse for the environment than a dishwasher for water conserving reasons (but only if a FULL load is being ran).
Thanks for taking the time to put together this list – Most of them were excellent ideas! Thank you!
Some of these are the most horrific, and blatantly incorrect, ideas for saving money. Bass Pro Shop should NEVER be an acceptable alternative for the exotic animals and learning experience you can find at the zoo. I can’t say I’ve ever seen an elephant at BPS, nor have I ever seen live monkeys there. Making your own personal hygiene products, to me, is not an acceptable means of saving money. Hygiene is too important to risk, and the last thing i’d want is to make some shampoo that would destroy the color i have dyed into my hair, and have to end up going back to the stylist to get it done even sooner. For people with colored hair, using a shampoo that is designed for treated hair can help hold your color better, and this may stretch out the time between visits to your stylist. Encouraging people to talk to their local pharmacist to see if there is an over-the-counter treatment (NOT Google searching, but talking to a licensed pharmacist), is a good way to save money in SOME cases. Not all cases can be treated over-the-counter, and sometimes by waiting to go to the doctor too long, a patient can incur a higher cost in the end, because now they have more medications, or stronger ones that may cost more (I work retail pharmacy. I see this problem frequently). Washing dishes by hand will cost more in both soap and water, if you’re washing them with clean water and rinsing them with clean water (my undergraduate work is in microbiology. dishes can be a very gross thing when washed a sink of water that has been used on 10 grimy dishes already). Cloth diapers are the same, too. To maintain the amount of hot water that would be necessary to appropriately kill bacteria that may be in the fibers of the diaper, you’d have to spend more money than usual, not to mention do more laundry than usual. As for long distance, most companies (at least in Ohio) offer free long distance now. Making gifts for holidays and birthdays can actually cost more than if you purchased a gift for the individual (not always, though!). This I know from personal experience. I decided to scrapbook for my boyfriend for his birthday and Christmas, and ended up spending about $75 for each of them (if I was an avid scrapbooker and had lots of items that i’d collected while on sale, etc. it would have been cheaper!). Even better than checking the thermostat for the water heater is switching to the new “on demand” water heaters. They are expensive at first, but will save you a tremendous amount of money, and they may still be giving a tax credit to those who purchase this “green” item. Instead of filling a huge tank full of water and having the gas CONSTANTLY run to keep it a certain temperature, this only turns on the gas when you call for hot water, heats the water as it passes through the pipe, and then turns the gas off when it’s done. SO much more efficient on your bill!
I can’t imagine you’re very good at saving money or going without. Are you?
Depending on the size of your family and how long you run the hot water, an on-demand water heater can wind up costing more in the end. It’s really something you need to do a lot of research on before you buy so you can decide what is right for you.
Really, all of these tips fall into that category. Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch and starts blasting Rachel, just remember that these are HER ideas that she likes to do. What works for her won’t work for all. Do your research, find out what will and will not work for you, and maybe you can make your own list for you and your family.
Ditto Joe!! These are just suggestions people. If you disagree dont do it.
Thank you for taking the time to make the list. Some of us do appreciate your efforts
You should check out http://www.mercola.com. He talks about the hygiene products. The soap actually washes off the special fat from our skin that absorbs the Vitamin D from the sun. Besides, doesn’t it make more sense to make your own natural products that won’t fill your body with chemicals that the body can’t break down?
I am a hair stylist and shampoo is a joke! It’s bad for your scalp, fades your color and empties your bank account. Yes, even the “for color treated hair” ones. Believe me, if you want your color to last STOP shampooing. Everyone is starting to get a clue and going to products like Wen and NoPoo but soon enough they too will realize that these products are just light conditioner.
Thank you so much for these ideas.. we actually use most of them. Cloth diapering saved me alot of money!! we have an energy efficient washer and hung dry. I was blessed in that I used the same diapers for both of my kids..
To Danielle…. If you are going to a hairstylist to get your hair colored and not doing it yourself at home, you are probably not looking for ways to be frugal…or its not important enough for you to be scrimping and saving to even try some of these ideas.. I make my own shampoo etc with Castile soap which goes really really far and you can use it all over your body, hair, face etc. it is 100% natural and gentle.
the zoos here are not inexpensive and we regularly go to Cabelas and Petsmart just to get away from the house. Some of the animals may not be alive, but they get a whole lot closer…oh and its air-conditioned. sometimes a 40 minute drive fighting traffic and paying $$ to walk around the zoo at 100 degrees is not realistic with a 5 and 2 yr old…..
I disagree with many of these “ideas”. I’m not knocking the person who wrote it, they make work well enough for them that they’re happy with the result. We’re ordinarily VERY frugal people, we do freezer cooking, coupon weekly, buy our children’s clothes used(and about 90% of ours when they reach rock bottom clearance or used as well!), buy food on sale/markdown(well I basically look for everything that way but still). We don’t run our air/heat unless it’s an absolute necessity….but some of the ideas above are just not money savers. My second child was disposable diapers, I probably spent $120 total in the three years she wore them, if that. I sold my last five packs off, so really less than that. but it cost me so little because I couponed my way into them and every time I came across a common size(3, 4, 5) on a great clearance, I stocked up. Is it the ever popular phrase “environmentally friendly”? No. But we’re not exactly in a place where that could be our concern then, at that point it was doing what we could afford.
The dishes thing….I will not wash my dishes in filthy water that I’ve cycled 15 other dirty dishes through. my dishwasher is low flow(like the rest of my water components in our home-management got a nice tax cut for setting us up and benefitted us all!), it does a wonderful job and I still hand wash the items that need my attention the most. But for cups, plates, silverware and bowls, there is no reason not to use it and enjoy it’s energy saving abilities(it’s fairly new in that department as well thankfully).
Oh and BPS or Cabelas……I guess that’s a preference, but both of those are actually twice as far from my house as the zoo. So I would spend $40 driving there instead of $20 to the zoo. I also spent $64 for a year’s pass into our local zoo, which supports the state funded animal shelters with some of that money, as well as the animal rescue program the zoo has.
For those saying “well I hunt!!”…well good for you. I highly doubt you’ve shot an elephant, zebra, lion, giraffee, or albino alligator that my children can see at the zoo. I applaud you for taking care of your own meat in this way, but what you’re talking about has zero to do with the conversation about viewing and gaining education about animals. The zoo(most zoos, ours at least) has well trained staff, great informatin stations, and education based days that for non-members are free! So while I concede your point that you’re not evil because you hunt, you really don’t have a point in this conversation either.(beyond correcting the disgusting part of the animal displays, I don’t like them, but I don’t object to them either)
Again, I am not slamming the person who wrote this, I just believe it should be taken with a grain of salt and before trying anything or assuming that a list you found online is right, do your research. She’s got lots of great ideas, and a few I believe are misinformed or simply may not work for all families out there. Either way…have a good one.
I agree with Amy, although I would like to add: I can’t imagine making it through graduate school without knowing how to form a paragraph or use proper grammar. These are suggestions; get over yourself!
“dishes can be a very gross thing when washed a sink of water that has been used on 10 grimy dishes already” Seriously? Do you think your dishwasher washes each dish individually with sparkling water? Sounds like you’ve never had to get your hands dirty.
Oh, maheck. Calm down.
Well I agree with you, for the most part. Some of these I suppose could potentially cost more. Like the on demand hot water heater. I guess if you had alot of people showering and lots of laundry dishes etc you could end up using more because you wouldn’t have to wait for more hot water. But then I think how nice it would be if I could take a shower while running the dishwasher and a load of clothes : ) Idk about the cloth diapers, I’ve never tried it but I’m about to have three kids in diapers come August and if I switched them all over to cloth diapers I can’t imagine that not atleast doubling my laundry. more soap, more water, more time, more waiting on more hot water. Plus, I’d say (just guessing) that the cloth diapers wouldn’t last as long at night without leaking so add washing sheets more often to the laundry as well. I totally agree with the thing about treating illnesses with OTC instead of going to the doctor. Both of me and my kids are on our second round of antibiotics now, with a return trip to the doctor for each of us because I tried to treat “colds” with otc. Now we all have bronchitis that won’t quit, we’ve spent $240 in copays, plus however much for the meds, plus all the money wasted on the otc stuff that didn’t help. I’m sure a lot of the things on this list are helpful if done right but it’s not as simple as do it or don’t. And for that matter, sometimes saving a little time and sanity is worth an extra $20
Ok, I just have to say that I don’t normally comment, but I have to. First off, THANK YOU for taking the time to compile this list for everyone to read! And to everyone else who had horribly rude comments- BE QUIET!! If you don’t care for what someone has taken the time to post, then stop reading it. Don’t be rude and condescending, there is no need for that. Seriously people, are we in highschool here? No, we are all adults, trying to save money and have fun and help each other out. So THANK YOU for this post and the time you put into it. AND YEY FOR CABELLA’s!!!
I agree with u Mandy. Alot of negativity is so unnecessary.
I appreciate the list of ideas. I was happy to learn that I already do many of these things. To the rude critical individuals who felt compelled to post nasty remarks; no one said you had to agree or to do everything on the list. “IDEAS” mean things to ponder, things to consider. Some of them are better ideas than others, and some work better for some people than others. If they don’t work for you, THEN DONT DO THEM. In the mean time, learn some manners and the old adage, If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. Danielle…I think you should start your own blog since you have so much to say.
What nasty comments. That’s upsetting to me. There are some great tips here! I use(d) cloth & can’t tell you how much money I saved (I could of been more frugal here using only prefolds & covers, but I couldn’t resist some cuteness & ease of others- there are different options available, clearly people need to research)
I love the tip about the milk! We go through so much & only buy organic so this will def. help!! I love the waiting 24 hours before making a purchase, impulse buying is hard!
And going meatless is a wonderful tip, coming from a vegetarian!
Keep sharing what works for you b/c even if it helps one person that’s all that matters!!
Thanks for the post!
Rachel, I think this list is a fantastic idea! Thank you for the tips and tricks. I’m always appreciative of new ways to save money these days.
why is it that when people have the option to comment on things, they almost always get mean. A little anonymity is a dangerous thing. So sad that this just the human nature of some. What is that saying? If you cant say something nice….
This site is only offering some suggestions to help save costs and it may not fit everyone and their lifestyle. Some people who are “offended” or arguing about stuff are going overboard. Not all things will work for you and your family. If you even gaina couple of ideas from the list it was probably worth reading. I love that people will share their ideas. Some are really great. Does it mean I will use them all? Nope. Still, the internet is a great place to share ideas. It stinks when you have people pick everything apart or trash you over stuff. I hope it doesn’t discourage others from sharing and trying to help.
I also live in Texas and think the BPS idea is a fantastic one for our super hot summer days. You can use their AC instead of trudging through and around the heat, humidity, and other stinky people at the zoo.
Thank you for your ideas
Wow, some pretty rude comments on here directed at someone who is just trying to help. Thank you for your list and sorry people are being rude to you. Ignore and don’t let them ruin your day.
I followed the link up from 5$ dinners and loved the list. To the person who said buy a family pass to the zoo,well a family pass to the Atlanta zoo would cost us well over 250$ for our family of 4 because we have a older disabled child who counts as a 3rd adult. One thing you didn’t list is breast feed.With the price of formula this is a massive saving measure. I also cut our hot water heater off and turn it on several times over a 24 hour period and that really made our power bill come down.Don’t leave it off so long that it has to completely reheat. We also play board or card games and have since our oldest was about two. Even two year olds can play match up or go fish and matching games help adults with memory retention.We buy a hog from a kid in the FFA every year and have it processed and put it in the freezer.For around 350$ we have enough meat to do us all year.We have friends who hunt but whose families don’t like deer meat so they give them to us and I process them myself.If you don’t know how to do something e how usually has a tutorial or ask a elderly neighbor or relative.They love to teach you how to do things and it makes them feel needed. Before you buy stuff,see if someone you know has one you can borrow.Necessity can make you very inventive with ideas to save money.
First, in general: Yeah, there’s definitely no need to get rude with one another. Hunters, gatherers, omnivores, and all the rest of ya: kindly hush the ol’ pinhole, or start a blog if you know everything. Now, my actual comment…
Thanks for your great idea!
MARVELOUS idea about asking elderly neighbors! You can learn a LOT of things from people right in your own neighborhood (or family, for that matter!) and often avoid a lot of mistakes you might make trying to self-teach off YouTube or something. This is an especially great idea for sewing–if you can get one older aunt or neighbor to teach you (or you and a buddy or two!) how to use a sewing machine, you can probably return the favor in light household chores. Make new fashions for yourself, or spruce up kids’ and hubbies’ clothing, all while making another person feel valuable and needed! That’s just such a fantastic win-win.
Thank you for all of the wonderful tips. These days people need all the help they can get with this crazy economy. I hope you don’t pay attention to the inconsiderate posters, who get their sense of self esteem from putting others down. My son has been to zoos before and the first time he went to Cabella’s he was very impressed. People can appreciate things for what they have to offer.
Hey. I used cloth diapers for all 3 of my daughters. I did not turn up the hot water heater. I dried them in the sun. The sun has amazing bleaching powers. Granted this would not work as well in northern cooler climate(I am in Oklahoma). Our diapers were always sweet smelling and pure white. My daughters NEVER had a rash(except when I would use disposables when traveling). MUCH cheaper! Invest in a few pairs of good fitting diaper covers(like Thirsties).
Wow, I agree why do people have to be so cruel. Of course everything on here wont work for your family but there are tons of amazing ideas. So many of you complained about the bass pro shop. There is a ton of stuff to do there. Yes the zoo is terrific. It is just a change of pace that is free. I am sure people will have something to say about this to, But I Take her to the pet store sometimes when we cant make it to the zoo. Also another idea (in addition to all the other amazing stuff.) If you live near a ballpark sometimes they have a get in free for kids day) I love the 24 hours/30 days for impulse buying thing. I will save tons of money implementing this rule. Thanks so much for your time putting this together
My daughter is 3 and LOVES going to Cabela’s, she has been twice in the past few months with her grandparents and had a blast. She loves being able to get close to the animals and seeing the huge fish tanks. Oh, and we still go to the zoo. I sincerely doubt the writer was implying to never take your kids to the zoo, I think it was more of a like, “random Saturday” activity. But realistically, going to the zoo IS expensive, and going to the store is completely free. I live in Michigan and winters suck. It’s not always possible to go to the zoo. And really?? People are getting all crazy and saying the animals were “murdered?!” Sorry, but I bet the cow that just supplied your dinner died a wayyy worse death, and you don’t feel bad about that.
Maybe I missed it, but our BIGGEST way of being frugal is paying off debt and living without interest payments! We have paid off and closed all our credit card accounts one by one, paid off our car in half the time, and soon will eliminate student loans. Amazing how cutting a few interest payments can cut out the next debt! Sorta #1, but we don’t reward with a purchase….
Also, I have cloth diapered for 3 kids now over 7 years and saved THOUSANDS. I saved enough with just the first CD kid to buy a super nice washer & dryer, which turned around and paid for themselves in energy, water, and detergent savings.
When I chose an out of hospital birth I saved a ton too. But that is a topic I tell people to research, research, and then research some more.
Having an emergency fund, at all times… gain interest instead of losing WHEN emergencies happen… NOT if.
Thank you for sharing your ideas on saving money. Most of these comments are very shocking to me! Every person and family is different. Pick the ideas that work for you! You don’t need to bash others for their ideas!
Maybe people who think cloth diapering is a bad idea should think of the environmental savings too. No plastic poop filled diapers filling up the landfill for your children to deal with later. I know that it’s not the easiest thing to do, but it’s worth it.
Wow, what a bunch of haters, lol. I had to comment b/c I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Thank you for taking your time to come up with a list of ideas to help people.
If you don’t agree, fine. don’t say her ideas are stupid, that’s just plain rude.
About the mirror one – #8 of Household – I’d like to point out that while that’ll light the room better in one fashion (sort of), it actually won’t make it seem much brighter, whereas putting a sheet of paper behind it (or something else white/ painting it white/ etcetera) will brighten the room lots. Basically, the mirror will reflect the light, but it won’t actually light things until it hits something that’s more opaque which’ll cause it to scatter. Here’s a video of the Mythbusters explaining it better than me (plus, it demonstrates): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXzuWxGNN0A . Later on in the same episode, there’s an excellent demonsstration where Jamie stands in front of the beam, letting it hit his white shirt, and suddenly the whole room they’re standing in is visible. Just thought I should mention this as an alternative means to the same end.
…and, so far as the taxidermy/zoo thing goes – I’d just like to state that there is an actual place which makes their business off of this. Gordon’s Park, on Manitoulin island in Ontario, Canada (also known as Terry’s Taxidermy and Mounted Animal Nature Trail) is a genuine park/trail, with taxidermied animals along it. Seriously. http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/Industry-News/forestry/Gordon-s-Wilderness-Park-leaves-them-howling.aspx .
So, regardless of what anybody’s ethical views are on it, it’s a viable business strategy, which validates it to some extent at least.
Personally? When I have kids, I’ll let them do what I did – grab a bucket and head to the nearest ditch or slough, and search for bugs and frogs and such. Loads of fun, costs nothing, and sometimes you get some cool pets out of it! I’ll still take them to zoos occasionally, though – but we don’t have Cabela’s or Bass Pro up here in Canada, leastways not so far as I know. Pet shops, though – I always liked those as a kid. I’d've happily spent hours just looking at the lizards and the birds and such.
Cool list, though! Certainly some interesting food for thought – although some of the items seemed odd to me at first, until I realized that this list was probably from the US, and Canada does a few things differently…still! Certainly an excellent thing to think about – and frankly, even for the people naysaying items, you still accomplished your goal: they’re thinking about, and acting upon, ways to save money, so…kudos, I suppose!
Thanks for sharing!
90-95% of the energy for running the dishwasher is used during the drying cycle. If you turn of your dry cycle, you still have the convenience of using the machine and getting a bargain at it! Handwashing dishes actually uses more water than most dishwashers also.
(Hubby was an energy auditor for several years so we eat and breathe this stuff) Thank you for this list! Great ideas!
Buy yeast at Costco or a restaurant supply store and it won’t be the most expensive item in your bread anymore. I pay just over $5 for 2lbs of yeast. It’s only expensive if you buy the jar or even worse, the packets! I did save a small jar and refill that so I don’t accidentally contaminate the large bag of yeast, and have even split the yeast and cost with a friend.
These are just suggestions and ways to save money. It doesn’t mean that you have to do all of them. There are some really great ideas on how to save money, if tbere is one that you don’t agree with than don’t do it. My main point is if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all.