Is there something that people around you WILL NOT DO to save $$, but you WILL?

[getforfree]

This thought came to me from reading another thread, what you will not do to save $$.

I see, lot's of people will not give up sertain things they like, even tho they cost money. I didn't have to give up much (cause I never had much growing up), but I see it's easier for someone like me to be frugal, than for the person coming from a spendtrift family.

Some people will not turn their heat lower than x degrees, I keep my the lowest the better, unless my DH complains (kids always dressed warm, so they can't complain)

I buy the cheapest brands possible for most foods and paper goods, things that you use up and don't see a few days later. ( but only if it last as long as more expensive brand)

If an item in the store is on a really good sale, and it has a limit , I will come back to the store a few times. (it doesn't cost me any extra gas to walk to my car and come back)

I use bathroom at work before I go home, to save an extra 2-3 squares of tp, I also put some in my pocket for the next-time use at home later at night.

I never go to a salon to do my hair, nails, and other stuff, DH cuts my hair (about once a year, after I repeat a few times, that if he won't do it, I will go to a professional and spend $20 or more). One of my friends goes to a salon about once a month, and she is the one who complains about not having enough money. So one time she was at my house showing off her new expencive haircut, I asked how much it costs, and than I took $20 and gave it to DH and said, that's for my new haircut , and told him to add it to our cash savings in the safe.

Some people won't skip or shorten their showers, I try to limit my shower time as much as possible. I take bath together with my kids, so the only extra water used for me is about 1 min to wash off the soap and shampoo. It only works if your kids are little.

I collect any coupons I can find it the stores, I use some, mostly at the discount stores, and the rest I sell on ebay.

I will speak up to a cashier ir the scanner will scan the wrong price, than it had on the shelf, even if the difference is only a few cents. Some stores, like Raleys, will even give you one item for free if the scanner is wrong. Once I got a jumbo pack of diapers like that.

There are lots of other things, I can't remember now. I want to hear some things from the other people, maybe I can do them too.

[lou12341]

Thanks for some good ideas.

[crazymom]

I buy my kids' clothes at Goodwill and other church resales, but a lot of people I know buy their clothes new, even one friend of mine who's husband recently quit his job and she is stressed over not having any money.

[tinapbeana]

a lot of my 'weird' frugal things are actually 'weird' environmental things, but i find they tend to go hand in hand

• if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down (water conservation)
• wash laundry with no detergent: turns out there's plenty of soap residue in your clothes for one good washing!
• no disposable plates, cups, or cutlery
• compost all veggies scraps
• keep my house fairly dark at night.
• all frequently used lights in my house are CFL or standard flourescent
• buy fruits and veggies from road-side stands or the flea market (typically cheaper, fresher, and since they don't have to be trucked in so far they result in fewer emissions)

personally i don't find them weird but some do. i've even had someone try to convince me that i'm more likely to get salmonella or e coli using produce from a roadside stand b/c nobody washes their hands before they touch the food! come on, like the shoppers at walmart wash their hands before touching the produce? please, i've seen someone sneeze on those veggies!

[fairy74]

buy clothing and other things at the thrift store, accept hand me downs, DH fixes up old bikes and gives them away through the local boys and girls club, reuse plastic salad containers and other reusable packaging, walk to the store, instead of taking the car, make up sample baskets (tailored to the recipient) as part of a present, use ecards whenever possible, trade books with friends

[pearlieq]

Originally Posted by getforfree

I use bathroom at work before I go home, to save an extra 2-3 squares of tp, I also put some in my pocket for the next-time use at home later at night.

I was with you until the stuffing TP in your pocket.

I'm all for frugal, but come on now. That's not exactly something I'd be proud of doing, let alone boasting about publicly.

[DebbieL]

Lots of good ideas, however, I agree with Pearlieq, the tp part was a bit much. Also, I wouldn't let my DH near my hair with scissors (nor would I offer to do so with his), unless he was a hairdresser. He's a chef, so I'm pretty spoiled and very rarely do we ever go out to eat, so we save money there (also he gets free food from work which he is allowed to do each shift).

[Ima saver]

I usually order the cheapest thing on the menu at a restaurant. I save eating steak at home cause I can get 2 steaks on sale for under $10.

[simpleyme]

I cut everyone's hair at my house,I have no formal training and i am quite good,I have taught my daughter to cut my hair, my mom used to cut mine but now I do not have to even leave home

so i think most people would not allow an 11 year old to cut their hair LOl ,(I have a very simple cut )
this saves us an enormous amount of money and we always look nice ;-)

[jodi]

Stop eating out so much...I work with people who order out every day for lunch. I order out maybe 1-2 times per month. It's amazing how much it saves to bring your lunch and snacks in.
Along those same lines - eating leftovers. I can't believe people throw out perfectly good food instead of saving it!

[PrincessPerky]

A lot of people I know refuse to learn to cook...so if it is rice for dinner it is from the boxed mix..same with pasta...I dunno it seems a simple skill to pick up and the results of my modest effort are no worse than the box (though sometimes just as bad sorry)

And Ditto the TP stealing not being ok.......

Also more for environment but like Tina, we don't use plastic/disposable cutlery or plates though not to firm on it, if others bring it we use it, we just don't buy it. (I have more than enough plates, cups, spoons, bowls, ect for all the people that will fit in my house...though it is a small house.)

And we don't compost, but we do feed thewildlife with our scraps...and have no garbage service...we take all recycling to the center and have a deal with the small amount of trash that is leftover.

[anonymous_saver]

I was actually thinking about this the other day.

At work, the women's bathroom has free tampons and pads - there are huge boxes full - this is why I don't feel bad taking more than my share. I purposely use the ones from work while at work, plus I take home a large handfull home every month. This probably saves me $3-$5 a month. Not too bad when you realize that is $36-$60 a year!

Sorry guys.

[Ima saver]

I look for coins on the ground and will always pick up pennies.

[DebbieL]

"there are huge boxes full - this is why I don't feel bad taking more than my share"

IMO that is wrong thinking. What if everybody thinks like you? They stop providing them for free to anyone. It's a big box so it's okay for me to steal?

[ChimbleySweep]

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

a lot of my 'weird' frugal things are actually 'weird' environmental things, but i find they tend to go hand in hand

• if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down (water conservation)
• wash laundry with no detergent: turns out there's plenty of soap residue in your clothes for one good washing!
• no disposable plates, cups, or cutlery
• compost all veggies scraps
• keep my house fairly dark at night.
• all frequently used lights in my house are CFL or standard flourescent
• buy fruits and veggies from road-side stands or the flea market (typically cheaper, fresher, and since they don't have to be trucked in so far they result in fewer emissions)

personally i don't find them weird but some do. i've even had someone try to convince me that i'm more likely to get salmonella or e coli using produce from a roadside stand b/c nobody washes their hands before they touch the food! come on, like the shoppers at walmart wash their hands before touching the produce? please, i've seen someone sneeze on those veggies!

I do all of these, too, Tina. I don't know why people think that being an environmentalist means you have to spend lots of money!!

[Ima saver]

I have never spent money on getting my hair or nails done. All the women at the parties I go to, go to the beauty shop all the time.

Originally Posted by anonymous_saver

I was actually thinking about this the other day.

At work, the women's bathroom has free tampons and pads - there are huge boxes full - this is why I don't feel bad taking more than my share. I purposely use the ones from work while at work, plus I take home a large handfull home every month. This probably saves me $3-$5 a month. Not too bad when you realize that is $36-$60 a year!

Sorry guys.

You're stealing from the company just to save a few buck$ a year?
Sad.

[getforfree]

was actually thinking about this the other day.

At work, the women's bathroom has free tampons and pads - there are huge boxes full - this is why I don't feel bad taking more than my share. I purposely use the ones from work while at work, plus I take home a large handfull home every month. This probably saves me $3-$5 a month. Not too bad when you realize that is $36-$60 a year!

Sorry guys.

I would do the same thing. I do take any loose tp or paper towels when I use a public bathroom. I take paper towels at the gas station too. It saves me $$ and doesn't take any extra work or time to save it. And, nobody can catch me on that, and even if they say something, they can't do anything to me. After all, it is there for people to take it and use it. So I will take it and use it at home.

I use my cc at the grocery stores, even tho I know it costs them $$, but it gives me money back. Sometimes I would spend only $2 buying an item that is on a good sale, and the store would actually loose, not make any money on me going there, buy why should I care if it saves me money?

Some people worry so much what others will think about them, like they are cheap and stingy and all that, but I don't worry about that. My true friends understand me, but the other people, why should I care about them. It will not save me any $$ if they would think I am a spendtrift like them.

[Fern]

I'll get a second blow out of a tissue. Eewwwww, but true. But i live alone, so no one has to look at it.

My house is pretty dark at night too, and i don't use the exterior lights unles BF is coming or going. The bats prefer it that way, anyway, too much light pollution as it is.

I will build a meal out of something that's close to going bad in the fridge, just so i can salvage said food.

Trying not to buy new clothes, and mostly succeeding.

Consolidate car trips and drive in the slow lane to save gas.

[Ima saver]

I drive slow also. It does save on gas. I try not to buy clothes unless I really need them.