Okay, So What Are Your Current top Frugal Practices

[rinty]

I am saying Gardening is our top one.........food is a cost you can't avoid and growing your own means a plentiful supply of good "organic" ( unless you choose to spray or whatever ) HIGH QUALITY food that doesn't cost the earth in Food Miles.

And it tastes better. DH and I grow a ton of different kinds of veggies, we swop seeds, and plants and its a wonderful way of getting exercise and being in the fresh air.

We have two herb gardens, both of which are LARGE, one here has oregano, dill, mint, two kinds of sage and rosemary. The other one has the same but also coriander, more mint ( but in pots as its invasive ) and basil. Fresh herbs cost you dear, these are pennies.

We grow white , yellow and red onions and shallots. Garlic, two types of new potato, 2 types maincrop, beetroot,parsnips, toms ( 3 types )courgettes, pumpkins, butternut squash, sweetcorn, French beans, runner beans, artichokes, two types cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower ( epic fail !!!!!) raspberries and fruit trees but they aren't giving us fruit just yet.............oh, and lettuce. And peas and broad beans.

I would also say dehydrating and processing the produce works too. Though I am not a canner.......too many botulism horror stories have scared me, I don't trust myself !!! And home canned chicken looks like a prop from a horror film

OAMC cooking. It still works as I work outside the home. Its nice to come home and know that a home cooked meal is available. Yes, I know cheap food is available froma supermarket but I prefer my food unprocessed so I know whats in it rather than random additives.

A slow cooker/crockpot............frugal essential, makes cheap cuts of meat into a fantastic meal as well as cheap to cook with and a great time saver when you work outside the home. Good for potluck /extended family bog meals too.

Hobbies.............( I know this leads to craft stash BUT) once you have a hobby going, it is so much better to have something you enjoy doing rather than casting about for entertainment in a shopping mall.

Any ideas ?

[Dgflorida]

I like yours Rinty.

[Jackielou]

I am saying Gardening is our top one.........food is a cost you can't avoid and growing your own means a plentiful supply of good "organic" ( unless you choose to spray or whatever ) HIGH QUALITY food that doesn't cost the earth in Food Miles.

And it tastes better. DH and I grow a ton of different kinds of veggies, we swop seeds, and plants and its a wonderful way of getting exercise and being in the fresh air.

We have two herb gardens, both of which are LARGE, one here has oregano, dill, mint, two kinds of sage and rosemary. The other one has the same but also coriander, more mint ( but in pots as its invasive ) and basil. Fresh herbs cost you dear, these are pennies.

We grow white , yellow and red onions and shallots. Garlic, two types of new potato, 2 types maincrop, beetroot,parsnips, toms ( 3 types )courgettes, pumpkins, butternut squash, sweetcorn, French beans, runner beans, artichokes, two types cabbage, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower ( epic fail !!!!!) raspberries and fruit trees but they aren't giving us fruit just yet.............oh, and lettuce. And peas and broad beans.

I would also say dehydrating and processing the produce works too. Though I am not a canner.......too many botulism horror stories have scared me, I don't trust myself !!! And home canned chicken looks like a prop from a horror film

OAMC cooking. It still works as I work outside the home. Its nice to come home and know that a home cooked meal is available. Yes, I know cheap food is available froma supermarket but I prefer my food unprocessed so I know whats in it rather than random additives.

A slow cooker/crockpot............frugal essential, makes cheap cuts of meat into a fantastic meal as well as cheap to cook with and a great time saver when you work outside the home. Good for potluck /extended family bog meals too.

Hobbies.............( I know this leads to craft stash BUT) once you have a hobby going, it is so much better to have something you enjoy doing rather than casting about for entertainment in a shopping mall.

Any ideas ?

Great list Rinty and we do all those.

I will add line drying when I can (when the weather cooperates), and actually I do save money sewing clothing items for myself. Our two second hand stores leave a great deal to be desired in that area, so buying fabric on sale and making good quality clothing (buying good quality clothing even on sale here is expensive) is almost a must.

[itspennyc]

I no longer drive so making a very careful shopping list is very important.

I also do deviate from it sometimes. Yesterday was a very good example.

My supermarket H-E-B has in-store coupons in addition to their digital coupons. I walk down almost every aisle. I don't necessarily pick up and put in my cart something in every aisle.

When I walked down the cleaning aisle I notice that they had coupons for Swiffer Refils pads liquid etc. I knew I didn't need the liquid but I also knew that in the next week or so I was going to need the dusting cloths and SwfferWet Jet pads. The coupons were for $2 each. They were only good this week.

Last week they gave me a coupons for $1 off $1 or more on ice cream any brand, cookies any brand, yogurt any brand. All Items I use. Plus there was a $5 off coupon for spending more then $30 total. I saved 25% on 2 packages of ground chuck with yellow stickers.

My total savings with sale items, copons etc., was $27.60. My total would have been $72.83 but I only paid $45.23.

Penny

[2dogs+someCats]

My top frugal practices are probably the things I DON'T do - no recreational shopping, no expensive vacations, no expensive meals out (I go tent camping and when I do stay in a hotel and eat in a nice restaurant, it means it's on work's dime), no designer purses, all that kind of thing.

I plan to drive my current vehicle until it isn't driveable anymore. I recently had the rear brakes done and the front brakes need done soon - about $275 for each repair - still cheaper than a car payment, all things considered. Car is 10 years old and has been paid for for 5 years - GREAT to not have that payment!!

I walk just about everyplace, including work. I don't pay for driveway plowing in winter. I either park at the end of my driveway and shovel out - OR - if I get snowed in, I walk. I walk in all kinds of weather - 20 below zero, 95 degrees above zero, snow, rain, etc. It's good for my health and saves me a lot on gas running around town. I know walking isn't practical or possible for everyone but in my situation it is the healthiest and cheapest mode of transportation (one of the reasons I moved to where I currently live).

One thing I DO pay for - lawn maintenance in spring/summer/fall. It costs me over $500 a year for all that moving - OUCH!! My lawn is HUGE and I should probably invest in a riding mower - it would save me money over the long haul. It is too much for me to do with a push mower - I would be moving ALL OF THE TIME!!! They actually send TWO guys on riding mowers to do my lawn. I will try to offset some of that expense next year by shopping around for a cheaper service. There is a guy in the neighborhood who is on a fixed income and mows for some of the neighbors - I'm guessing he would do mine for way less than what I pay now.

NOTE TO RINTY...thank you for these great posts!!!

[2dogs+someCats]

Just wanted to add some more to the "what I don't do" list -

I don't turn up my heat in winter, any more than is absolutely necessary. I don't have hair conditioning. I don't get my hair cut and colored more than 4x a year (and I just added that in - I was going only 2x a year for cuts and doing my own color), I don't pay full price for anything if I can possibly help it -- I mean anything - from an appliance to food, clothes, etc.

I don't send my beagle/basset mix dog to boarding when I have to travel for work - my parents keep her for free (I have to send my other dog because nobody else can handle her), I don't turn down opportunities to make extra money (dog sitting, merchandising, online surveys, etc.), I don't spend a lot on holiday gifts (I still give nice and thoughtful gifts - just very low out of pocket for me thanks to MyPoints, Amazon gift cards I earn by doing surveys, etc.).

Love these threads Rinty - a chance to celebrate our successes and rethink some of the areas that need improvement (like my lawn mowing budget!!).