frugalism

things i have done to pinch pennies:

- when bar soap dwindles down to the point you can't really use it anymore,
store the remainder of that soap in the foot of an old nylon stocking.
when you run out of bar soap, you will have the remainders of bar soap bars in the nylon stocking to use. simply tie off the end of the cut stocking heel and dip it water.
it immediately suds up.

-don't clip coupons unless you get the newspaper they came in for free and if you can actually use the coupon. try to use coupons only at stores that double them and if the item is on sale.

-don't buy newspapers. they are online. same with magazines.

- plan all of your errands in one area in the same trip if possible. it will save you gas and time.

-get inspired to save money. subscribe to blogs with rss feeds for financial help blogs. i currently subscribe to 9. sure to be more as i find more worthwhile ones.

-set your home thermostat as low as you can possibly stand it. wear layers in winter and use a ceiling fan in summer.

-invest in power strips. once again, saves on the electric bill.

-sell your clutter on ebay or amazon.

-start an emergency fund by automatically having a percent of your paycheck transfered into a high yield savings account every pay period. you'll never miss it if it's a small enough amount and it's done automatically. you'll be less likely to be burned by unexpected expenses.

-if shopping makes you feel happy, find something to replace shopping with that will make you feel just as good. something that doesn't involve spending money. like walking in the park or listening to your favorite music.

-learn to sew and/or knit. i don't really know how to do either yet. but i can imagine the money you would save by sewing/knitting yourself. buy yarn and fabric on sale. buy patterns on ebay.

-stop drinking soda. flavored drink mixes and tea are extremely cheaper. but water is cheapest and best of all.

-buy your eyeglasses and/or contacts online. i save at least 75% this way.

-become a vegetarian. meats cost too much usually. vegetables are less costly and didn't once have a mother.

-if you are traveling a short distance, walk or bike. save the gas.

-cancel your cable. tv is mind numbing. pull out the rabbit ears to get your local stations. if you really like a certain television show, download it online or rent the season on dvd.

-if you don't use your home landline phone, cancel it. no sense in paying extra money for something you rarely use.

-shop generics. if generics bother you or your family, take the food out of the packaging and store it in the brand name packaging or simple plastic containers. i always take my cereal out of the box and put it in a plastic cereal container. i do the same with my dog's food.

-stop eating out. cooking at home saves a ton of money.

-flour is simply amazing. learn to cook/bake from scratch. you'll save lots of money from not having to buy doughs or dough mixes.

-if you have a big enough freezer, cook meals in bulk. if you get a good deal of a certain meat, buy it, cook up several meals in advance with it, freeze it. thaw to eat when you are ready.

-stockpile fast food condiments. you'll never have to buy ketchup or sugar again.

-partake in clearance and markdown food items at the grocery store.

-never, ever lease a car. always buy a good used vehicle. not having a car payments is a big relief.

-compare insurance rates.

-develop a budget.

-make sure you have renters or home owner's insurance. it's always better safe than sorry. it'll pay for itself if something bad happens.

-have potluck parties. this includes liquor.

-buy after holidays.

-shop thrift over retail whenever possible.

- sign-up for free offers in the mail. whether it be samples of new products or coupons. it really helps! i have even gotten full size razors in the mail.

- re-useable bottles! use your own water/soda/drink mix. don't buy from work or the store. why spent $1-2 on a bottle of water when it's essentially the same thing from your kitchen sink??? buy a pretty $20 sigg bottle and reuse it over and over and over again. it pays for itself. plus some have water filters in them! you'll save the earth and your wallet.

- if you have a surplus of paper napkins and paper towels like i do,
use them occasionally for toilet paper.... unless you are just oh so sensitive or have a bad septic tank.
it helps cut back on those $1 rolls of toilet paper.

-make your own laundry soap. i have not done this yet... but i've been to countless websites that instruct you how and give you a round number of how much $$ you will save by making your own.

- you never have a need to purchase books, music, or movies retail. go to the library or use paperbackswap.com or if you still can't find what you are looking for, buy it second-hand on half.com.

-if you are crafty, make money doing what you're good at. open an account at etsy.com and bring in more $$$. more and more, people prefer to buy one-of-a-kind items over mass-produced crap from wal-mart. if i had more time on my hands, i would consider doing this myself.

-wait 30 days before making a major purchase. after 30 days if you still think you need the item, buy it. chances are though, you won't even remember what you thought you needed.

-if you plan on making a big purchase, sign up for a rewards program first.
i am a member of mypoints.com ... it gives you points per dollar spent at certain websites. those points can be cashed in for gift cards at your favorite retailers. i have earned hundreds of dollars this way... just by purchasing things online that i was gonna buy anyways.

-if you haven't already, switch to cfl light bulbs. i was a skeptic too when i was introduced to them about 5 years ago. but they really do cut down on the electric bill!

- instead of spending so much money renting movies at your local blockbuster, sign up for netflix.com and get them cheaper and sent to your own home. and if that still isn't cheap enough for you, there are sites like joox.net that allow you to watch pirated movies online for free.

- tired of paying for high speed internet? have a laptop? mooch off your neighbor's wifi access if it isn't all locked up. or find a place that offers free wifi and use it. cancel your internet. is it really worth paying $40+ to sit on your ass in front of your computer all the time? they should be paying you!