Anybody else learning or already frugal

[Candi770]

I thought it would be need to list the tips of others who are trying to live frugal lifestyles to get debt free or maintain debt free living.

Funny naming website, but it has some interesting infoHillbilly Housewife

I'm currently getting out of debt and love to hear how others are doing it too!

blessings

candi770

[tah]

Great topic!!

I do not have to have a lot of stuff I thought I did...

What I may want and what I may need are two very different birds..

Like Paul I am learning to be content in the state I am in..

full or hungry abounding or suffering need....

Tough lesson sometimes..

I think I like the abounding one better though..

One thing I do is buy store brands on most things..

They are perhaps not what you are used to but they are money saving..

Some store brands I really like better than name brands anyhow...

Do not go to the store hungry..Nor when you are full..

Both are bad because when hungry you overspend and when you are full you will have to take the time and gas money to go back and get what you needed later..

I make a list on the side of a board we have in the Kitchen for messages..(large board)

When we run out of something we post it and when Andrew goes to town he knows what we are out of and if we need it he will pick it up.

Many years ago we had such a small amount for groceries that we only had the money for 1 package of coffee a week..

well coffee is one of those things that you cannot live without..everyone knows that ...

So to stretch the coffee we only allowed 2 scoops of coffee per pot and that way we had coffee all week..

It was pretty weak but at least we had coffee..

We did it so long that we got so used to it that when we had the money for more we still used only two..

Drove our now grown children nuts and they finally got it through to me that it was ok to use more coffee when I made it...

I really do try to be very careful and to not be at all wasteful..

and I also try to be very thankful for what God has provided for us...

Like all of those wonderful green tomatoes for pies...

Save those leftovers do not throw them out..

a lot of foods actually taste better after they sit for a day anyhow...

How often do you wash your towels?

I wash mine once a week..

It is expensive to buy laundry soap and to use a washer and especially the dryer ...

I personally like towels that are line dried...

so you are clean when you dry off..right?

so use that bath towel 7 times and then it might be dirty enough to wash..

Also I do not wash my hair twice but only once and I use a small amount of shampoo..

I honestly do not believe you need to wash your hair that second time ..

Little things I do to help but it adds up over the years...

I have to go now..Stephen is wanting some lunch..yumm...egg sandwich...

I will have to check out the hillbilly site later ..sounds like a fun site....

[Candi770]

Great topic!!

I do not have to have a lot of stuff I thought I did...

What I may want and what I may need are two very different birds..

Like Paul I am learning to be content in the state I am in..

full or hungry abounding or suffering need....

Tough lesson sometimes..

I think I like the abounding one better though..

One thing I do is buy store brands on most things..

They are perhaps not what you are used to but they are money saving..

Some store brands I really like better than name brands anyhow...

Do not go to the store hungry..Nor when you are full..

Both are bad because when hungry you overspend and when you are full you will have to take the time and gas money to go back and get what you needed later..

I make a list on the side of a board we have in the Kitchen for messages..(large board)

When we run out of something we post it and when Andrew goes to town he knows what we are out of and if we need it he will pick it up.

Many years ago we had such a small amount for groceries that we only had the money for 1 package of coffee a week..

well coffee is one of those things that you cannot live without..everyone knows that ...

So to stretch the coffee we only allowed 2 scoops of coffee per pot and that way we had coffee all week..

It was pretty weak but at least we had coffee..

We did it so long that we got so used to it that when we had the money for more we still used only two..

Drove our now grown children nuts and they finally got it through to me that it was ok to use more coffee when I made it...

I really do try to be very careful and to not be at all wasteful..

and I also try to be very thankful for what God has provided for us...

Like all of those wonderful green tomatoes for pies...

Save those leftovers do not throw them out..

a lot of foods actually taste better after they sit for a day anyhow...

How often do you wash your towels?

I wash mine once a week..

It is expensive to buy laundry soap and to use a washer and especially the dryer ...

I personally like towels that are line dried...

so you are clean when you dry off..right?

so use that bath towel 7 times and then it might be dirty enough to wash..

Also I do not wash my hair twice but only once and I use a small amount of shampoo..

I honestly do not believe you need to wash your hair that second time ..

Little things I do to help but it adds up over the years...

I have to go now..Stephen is wanting some lunch..yumm...egg sandwich...

I will have to check out the hillbilly site later ..sounds like a fun site....

Yeah, your right the store brands are good, I shaved about $100.00 off my bill by using them. And if you bake and cook from stratch you can save $$$$$$$$$.

Good ideas-I think we all can benefit.

[terter]

I did a search several months ago "frugal" on dogpile.com and got thousands of ideas. I was amazed.

[Scum_of_the_Earth]

Also I do not wash my hair twice but only once and I use a small amount of shampoo..

I honestly do not believe you need to wash your hair that second time ..

HA! You must not have my head of hair. There are times when I've run out of conditioner and forgotten about it until I was already in the shower, so I figure, okay, just shampoo this time. Then I get out of the shower and try to comb out my hair. It's one big rat's nest and takes 30 minutes to detangle.

Being a single person it's hard for me to make myself cook because it feels like so much work just for myself. But lately, especially since I've begun my kick to get healthy, I'm forcing myself to buy food and cook it. Even though I shop mostly natural and organic foods, it's still cheaper than eating out. Before I moved out here, I was spending insane amounts of money every week eating out. Those meals could have paid down some serious debt that I'm still wading in.

[Candi770]

Also I do not wash my hair twice but only once and I use a small amount of shampoo..

I honestly do not believe you need to wash your hair that second time ..

HA! You must not have my head of hair. There are times when I've run out of conditioner and forgotten about it until I was already in the shower, so I figure, okay, just shampoo this time. Then I get out of the shower and try to comb out my hair. It's one big rat's nest and takes 30 minutes to detangle.

Being a single person it's hard for me to make myself cook because it feels like so much work just for myself. But lately, especially since I've begun my kick to get healthy, I'm forcing myself to buy food and cook it. Even though I shop mostly natural and organic foods, it's still cheaper than eating out. Before I moved out here, I was spending insane amounts of money every week eating out. Those meals could have paid down some serious debt that I'm still wading in.

You could cook more than one portion and freeze for another night=that way you could come up with variety and not get bored.

[kittyjo]

Yep, figuring out need from want is the first thing... Plan a budget... Next is lists for everything, from groceries to shopping for school clothes, home improvement, birthday/Christmas gifting and so on... Next after that would be planning ahead and RESEARCH! Really shop around and look for the best deals and don't feel embarrassed to ask for discounts or a better price, it never hurts to ask. Thanks to the internet, you can really shop for better prices without wasting gas $$ and time.

There are many things like clothing swaps, where neihborhood or church gals, moms will swap or trade clothing or thier childrens clothing. Things that are in good to great condition but have been grown out of or are just not liked anymore.

Coupons, Que-Pons or Koop-Ons... No matter how ya say it, the savings does add up.

When it comes to credit cards do not think of your credit limit as, $ that is yours. That limit is just future debt. Never spend on your credit card what you could not pay for in cash out of your budget. The card should be used for convience only with the goal of paying the balance off each month. Smart and careful credit card use will be good for your credit rating in the future.

[Iryssa]

Pack lunches *grin* It sound obvious, but seriously, I started noticing how much money I was spending buying lunch downtown on my work break...crazy. I pack my lunch now and usually use last night's leftovers...two birds with one stone.

If you can, get ahold of a Costco card (in Canada, and I'm pretty sure in the States as well) and buy in bulk. My husband and I found it's still cheaper to do it this way--even driving 45min to the nearest city to do it--than buying on 10% off day at the grocery store. Now we just buy things we need fresh at the local grocery store.

Buy only veggies and fruits that are in season, when possible. Cheaper and tastier. The cheap stuff that's in season is usually way nicer than the expensive stuff out of season.

HA! You must not have my head of hair. There are times when I've run out of conditioner and forgotten about it until I was already in the shower, so I figure, okay, just shampoo this time. Then I get out of the shower and try to comb out my hair. It's one big rat's nest and takes 30 minutes to detangle.

*grin* I know exactly what you mean!! It's so nasty not having conditioner! I even have to switch conditioners every now and again, just so my hair doesn't get used to the one product so much that it's no longer effective (probably something to do with product build-up).

My Costco card comes in handy here too, though...they sometimes sell enormous bottles of shampoo and conditioner there. I just re-fill the smaller bottles now (that way they still fit on the little shelves in the shower).

[Candi770]

Hey, theres other people out there saving their pennies!

[Guest realizea]

2corinthians 4:6

For God is he who said: "let the light shine out of the darkness," and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate (them) with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Jesus Christ.

drewsmibert@yahoo.com