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Re: Okay, So What Are Your Current top Frugal Practices

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 1:43 pm
by MackerelCat
We take staycations and love it because our home is quiet and comfortable. We seldom eat out and enjoy it more when we do. We gave up cable tv years ago and have not missed it.

DH has basic carpentry skills and I sew. My biggest cost savings is being able to do simple alterations to thrift shop and clearance clothing to make it fit right, followed by making throw pillow covers, curtains, simple slipcovers and other soft furnishing items. Probably my best alteration magic trick was turning two bedspreads into one king-sized one and pillow shams for only a few dollars.

Cooking is another huge money saver, although we eat a lot less as we've gotten older. DH and I both eat a large meal for lunch and something small and simple for supper.

There are a number of small things that, done faithfully, add up to a large savings: brown-bagging breakfast, lunch and coffee to work every day, plus wearing nice thrifted clothes, driving with a light foot to save on gas, and using coupins wisely, although coupons are not as readily available as they once were.

Re: Okay, So What Are Your Current top Frugal Practices

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:18 pm
by SandiSAHM
Wow, Rinty - Just how big IS that allotment?!? Are you doing that layered "gardening by the yard" thing or is it just huge?

Top frugal practice: try not to buy anything :lol:

Car are 10 and 5 years old and will both have to make it to 20. I never have felt a 'need' for a new one. My last one before the 10-yr old one was used, the 10-yr old was used, my next car (for a kid), will be used. The Prius we bought new when used Priuses were nearly impossible to find, it's paying for itself w/gas reduction.

No car payments and most of our maintenance, car and home, DH can do. That man can fix anything. Maid service? We're it. Lawn service? We're that, too. My neighbors are an interesting bunch - everyone has a lawn service and house cleaners who come by 1-2 times per week. They're probably in shock that our kids mow not just our lawn but the neighbors' (ours for free, hers for a fee).

I gave up coloring my hair a while back, it started coming in silver. Get more compliments on it now than I ever got when it was colored - of course, it's probably just people being kind to the old lady :lol:

DIY - built the deck ourselves... let me rephrase - DH and the kids built the deck themselves, and it's amazing. DH had a friend who has had many a deck done comment that it looks like a $35K deck. Might have been if we'd hired someone, but DH and and the kids fear no lumber, concrete, or composite. There was one bruise and a scrape, they were careful (no stitches!) with all the tools and everyone being aware of everyone else's location when moving 12-16 foot sticks of material around.

Do our own landscaping, make our own pickles (with cukes and dill from the garden), build summer meals around garden produce.

Worst indulgence: air conditioning. But its new and efficient, so what else can you do?

Re: Okay, So What Are Your Current top Frugal Practices

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 4:45 pm
by rinty
SandiSAHM wrote: Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:18 pm Wow, Rinty - Just how big IS that allotment?!? Are you doing that layered "gardening by the yard" thing or is it just huge?

Top frugal practice: try not to buy anything :lol:

Car are 10 and 5 years old and will both have to make it to 20. I never have felt a 'need' for a new one. My last one before the 10-yr old one was used, the 10-yr old was used, my next car (for a kid), will be used. The Prius we bought new when used Priuses were nearly impossible to find, it's paying for itself w/gas reduction.

No car payments and most of our maintenance, car and home, DH can do. That man can fix anything. Maid service? We're it. Lawn service? We're that, too. My neighbors are an interesting bunch - everyone has a lawn service and house cleaners who come by 1-2 times per week. They're probably in shock that our kids mow not just our lawn but the neighbors' (ours for free, hers for a fee).

I gave up coloring my hair a while back, it started coming in silver. Get more compliments on it now than I ever got when it was colored - of course, it's probably just people being kind to the old lady :lol:

DIY - built the deck ourselves... let me rephrase - DH and the kids built the deck themselves, and it's amazing. DH had a friend who has had many a deck done comment that it looks like a $35K deck. Might have been if we'd hired someone, but DH and and the kids fear no lumber, concrete, or composite. There was one bruise and a scrape, they were careful (no stitches!) with all the tools and everyone being aware of everyone else's location when moving 12-16 foot sticks of material around.

Do our own landscaping, make our own pickles (with cukes and dill from the garden), build summer meals around garden produce.

Worst indulgence: air conditioning. But its new and efficient, so what else can you do?
Just checked with DH, the allotment has about 75sq metres " under cultivation " according to him. We pay £19 to rent it annually. Its not pretty............no delightful larch lap sheds trimmed with floral bunting..........it has a rusty metal shed we took over from someone who gave up, and a small greenhouse DH uses to bring on plug plants hes grown from seed here in our bigger greenhouse. England has a mild climate, you can just throw stuff into the ground and it will grow.......DH has found the other allotmenteers are nice folk, they all help each other out with advice/plants/watering when people are away. We grow a years worth of onions, and we cook a lot, and there is often a British allotment challenge of " Grow your own Christmas dinner "........potatoes, carrot, swede, parsnip, brusselsprouts, herbs for the stuffing etc.

Re: Okay, So What Are Your Current top Frugal Practices

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:41 pm
by Quilter51
Hmm.......Mine are different.

First, in the dont dos, I don't do labor intensive money saving things as such. I havent baked in forever except at Christmas for gifts, I dont batch cook and most cooking from scratch is minimal, I dont garden. I do clean my own house and do basic laundry and when my son moves out I guess Ill have to pay a lawn mower (Admittedly I choose to rent specificialy so I dont have house or repair costs or effort).

Most of my money saving energies tend to be on the "I dont want to give it up so how cheap can I do it level). Five dollar Tuesday movies with free food coupons, how many travel discounts can I get on one trip, eating what we want at home at loss leader prices and getting the apps for the restaurants we eat at so we get awards and rewards. I once worked for a place that had the motto that said "smart women do not pay full price" and that's mine. Rather than not doing I just find the cheapest way I can do.

The rest of my frugal practices tend to be not spending or having to do with sustainability like re-use.

Re: Okay, So What Are Your Current top Frugal Practices

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 6:38 am
by mainer
Right now, I'm on a mailing spree. I'm mailing ex-class mates, ex-colleagues, and others about the environmental benefits of switching to ceramic coffee mugs. Most places--including workspaces--use paper cups. The challenge is to sound positive without alienating them or accusing them of negligence. I send one mail, that's all. I don't want to be a spammer. I have received a couple of enthusiastic replies, and some say that washing the mugs means more water wasted. That's a good argument, if not for the sarcasm underlying it. Nonetheless, careful washing will ensure that not much water is used.

Re: Okay, So What Are Your Current top Frugal Practices

Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2019 9:40 am
by clemencia2us
mainer wrote: Fri Aug 02, 2019 6:38 am Right now, I'm on a mailing spree. I'm mailing ex-class mates, ex-colleagues, and others about the environmental benefits of switching to ceramic coffee mugs. Most places--including workspaces--use paper cups. The challenge is to sound positive without alienating them or accusing them of negligence. I send one mail, that's all. I don't want to be a spammer. I have received a couple of enthusiastic replies, and some say that washing the mugs means more water wasted. That's a good argument, if not for the sarcasm underlying it. Nonetheless, careful washing will ensure that not much water is used.
We frequent our small local restaurants often. They all serve coffee in ceramic cups.

There is one that everyone raves about. It closes for a while and when it opened back up, the place was packed. But i refuse to go there. They serve their coffee in Styrofoam cups!!!! The HORROR!!!!! I don't mind ice tea in a big to-go cup, but hot coffee -NO!!