Small, Practical Ways to Save

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Quilter51
Posts: 2815
Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 6:04 pm

Re: Small, Practical Ways to Save

Post by Quilter51 »

I should add that I am not as frugal.as many of you especially when it comes tothe food and dining out aspect. I love me a good restaurant.
floridacatlover
Posts: 8058
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: Small, Practical Ways to Save

Post by floridacatlover »

Quilter51 wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 1:55 pm Well, I don't know if they are all small and practical, but I have made some life/shopping changes since the new year. I suppose some of these also fall on my "be more sustainable" plan for the year.

I do have Netflix and Prime, however I watch alot of foreign stuff and used to have Acorn and Britbox and about ten others. Now I subscribe to one at a time and watch everything it has and let it go. right now I have nothing.

I've become fully agressive about the library (both digital and real paper books because i cut down screen time alot) instead of my previous deal of pre-ording on Amazon. If I buy a new (to me book) I get it at my small town local book shop or my small town used bookshop.

I keep my air pretty warm so don't adjust it as such but have become much better about lights and other usage since I am all electrical.

When I eat out I order what I want but I am trying to be more cognizant of bringing home the leftovers. Also I cook more and freeze because I have some serious energy and fibro issues and this way I avoid last mintue temptation

I am vising thrift stores and taking advantage of the online used market more and more. I
very happy with the things I got from poshmark and reinded yself today that if I can't find matching picture frames, then I can go to the thrift store and paint so they match.
It sounds to me that your numerous changes will make a definite difference in your budget. Well done.
floridacatlover
Posts: 8058
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: Small, Practical Ways to Save

Post by floridacatlover »

mbrudnic wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 2:10 pm I have been bleeding $$, it feels like. I need to rein things in. Grad gifts, DDIL's birthday and Mother's day were pricy.

I have been more judicious about some of my socialization. The group has gone to eat at a Golf Course on a Friday night. Not worth the 25-30 mile drive to me. Now once the free concerts start up, it will be worth it.

I am home most of the time, so I have been trying to shutoff the AC and turn on the fans. But I don't sleep well when it is hot. But it does mean that i eat form home most of the time.

I think that is most of what I have been doing. I have been more focused on eating for weight loss and blood sugar than cost. Of course I am not on a fixed income like a lot of you.

Maggie
Maggie, I’m the same about wanting to sleep in cool a/c. Probably living in Florida what is cool to me, 77 F., is warm for many people but the principle is the same.

I’ve also been through a period of bleeding cash but I feel things have now stabilized. You are doing well!
floridacatlover
Posts: 8058
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:21 am

Re: Small, Practical Ways to Save

Post by floridacatlover »

MackerelCat wrote: Thu May 19, 2022 2:21 pm Because we have our little dogs, one of whom has a bad heart, I try not to let the house get too hot. But we keep the blinds closed on the sunny side of the house in the summer and open in the winter.

Rather than to heat up the kitchen by using our gas range, I use the rice cooker, which can cook any kind of grain, the crock pot, and air fryer a lot in the summer. I think right now it's been two weeks since anyone used the range.

So that I am not ever tempted to pick up a fast food breakfast and coffee on the way to work, I prepare my breakfasts just like my brown bag lunches. It takes only a few minutes to make a pan of baked oatmeal or some muffins, or portion out cereal in individual containers.
You are so good about brown bagging your breakfast and lunch with homemade food. When I worked I did brown bag my lunch but it was often convenience items.
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Mrscreative
Posts: 2119
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:06 pm

Re: Small, Practical Ways to Save

Post by Mrscreative »

We turn our heat down when we’re all out of the house and also at bedtime. We prefer a cooler temperature at night anyway. We do the same with air conditioning and keep it at 78 degrees when at home, crank it up to 83 when all out of the house.

I find growing fresh herbs saves me a ton of money as I love the taste, and they can turn almost any dish into gourmet. I freeze what we can’t eat over the summer. I also freeze rhubarb. I plant a very small veggie garden- not sure I really save a lot, but I do know it’s organic and fresh.

I have my photos processed when you can get free, unlimited prints.

I take advantage of any double your points or spend your points promotions. I charge everything on my credit cards for their perks, but always pay them off in full. All bills are either pain online or through telephone banking, saving the cost of postage and envelopes.

I have started having pen pals again (throw back to my teens) as I find it so much fun to receive some “happy mail “. I have found thrift stores to be an excellent source of inexpensive stationery and greeting cards. I prefer snail mail sometimes as you have the benefit of slipping in some tea, embellishments, etc to brighten someone’s day. I think this is a pretty inexpensive source of entertainment and am corresponding with a Filipino woman who married a man in the Faroe Islands, which is an autonomous region of Denmark. I purposely select women who are culturally different from myself. I have a Latino pen pal who lives in Las Vegas as well, so do have some American ones as well as other international countries. I do not have any male pen pals and no desire to, not appropriate when you’re married IMHO.

We do a lot of DIY. Dh changes the winter tires to the summer tires and we store them in our garage. We do almost all of any painting required ( NOT the second floor windows on the outside though), trim our own shrubs and any required branches from the trees if feasible, lawn maintenance, snow removal, etc.

We have a very good rapport with one neighbour so if we ever are all away on a holiday, they will feed the cat, scoop her box, cut grass, water pots, check on house and collect mail. We do the same for them in return.

That’s about all I can think of for now.

Creative
HappyDaze
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Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Small, Practical Ways to Save

Post by HappyDaze »

I honestly haven't made many changes because I was already in "miserly mode" and remain so. Oh I just thought of something - I have stopped turning on lights when I get up in the morning.

I enjoy making and drinking my coffee by candle light. I did that "sometimes" before - now doing it every day. By the time I'm ready to get in the shower it's daylight so no light needed in the bathroom.

I am driving to work on Mondays and Fridays, walking on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Cars need to be driven and not just sit there.
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
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