Being frugal at work

[Mike_Joiner]

Anyone got any good tips for using your workplace to be frugal?

I like tea/coffee and so before I leave work in the evening I have a cup of tea/coffee. That's one less for me to have to make at home with my own tea/coffee and electricity! Or have I gone too far with my frugality??

[JessSenk]

Most of the time I work from home in my p.j.s that enables me to save money on laundry detergent? Wait maybe that's gross...

[davlat]

Originally Posted by Mike_Joiner

I like tea/coffee and so before I leave work in the evening I have a cup of tea/coffee. That's one less for me to have to make at home with my own tea/coffee and electricity! Or have I gone too far with my frugality??

No.. man.. that's OK.. I sometimes do it too (from my school).. They usually do not keep the old coffee for next day. They just throw away at night (in my case). You are actually saving water and energy...

[My English Castle]

Both my husband's and my workplace offer discounted transit passes, tickets to various events,and other opportunities for savings.

Or--on the really frugal side--you could mooch at everyone's birthday celebrations! I used to work with a woman who would always go to the ladies room before she left work because it "saved on TP and water" at her house.

But seriously, I've been at several after-hours meetings at the office and ended up taking the leftovers (pizza, pastry, or veggie trays) home with me.

[ginene]

[quote=

Or--on the really frugal side--you could mooch at everyone's birthday celebrations! I used to work with a woman who would always go to the ladies room before she left work because it "saved on TP and water" at her house.
[/QUOTE]

Ok that is funny. LOL. Our job give us a discount on bus pass. I refuse to drive to work. I have a co-worker who spends $8 a day on parking. She at least should sign up with a monthly parking pass. That is crazy. $40 a week. I could do alot with that.

[minnie1928]

I charge my cell phone at work (most of the time) simply because I usually notice it's dead while I'm at work ...not so much to be frugal though.

[getforfree]

I drink coffee and water at work, I charge my cell there too. I wash the my plastic containers and forks there that I bring my lunch in, with hot water and soap.

I use their paper towel and hot water while in the bathroom to wipe some sweat off my body, that way I don't have to take shower every day or even use hot water for a sponge bath at home.

Now I have a habit to put an extra piece of tp in my pocket to use at home later after using any public bathroom. I noticed, whenever I have my kids with me, they do the same thing, they would rip a piece of tp and put in their pocket or in my purse.

Whenever we have a pizza or a cake, I make sure I grub a few pieces for my kids. Dh and kids love pizza, but now that I work a lot, I don't have time to make it from scratch like before, and it's way to expensive to order it.

I also take the plastic cup with me with water in it, have something to drink while driving home, then wash it at home and reuse many times. Those cups are very durable.

[getforfree]

I get discount on my cell 24% because of my work.

[txex86]

My husband's cell phone is paid for by his employer, plus they offer subsidized Rapid Transit train passes which saved $$ on the daily commute from the 'burbs.

[Exile]

Before I retired, my most successful exercise in frugality was consistently brown-bagging my lunch. By doing so, I saved over $1,000 per year. And like getforfree, I would also take home cake from birthday celebrations. I would place the cake piece in a styrofoam cup, scotch tape a couple napkins over it, and then place the cup in a baggie (a few of which I kept in my desk for such "emergencies" ). If you wrap cake or any soft food, and then place it in your bag or briefcase, it won't spill. Also, if your workplace breakroom has a fridge, place your "cake in a cup" there and don't take it out until you leave for the day in order to prevent spoilage.

[Mike_Joiner]

As well as charging cell phones, charging your laptop is a good one as well so you can use it in the evening at home without it costing a dime

[Schadenfreude]

COFFEE!!! They installed these $13,000 espresso machines on each floor, in each building. You push a button...it grinds, presses and pours into your mug. I cannot beat that at home. Plus they provide milk and a steamer if you want lattes.

[shelbylovesmelby]

After a meeting there was usually alot of left overs so that's what most of us had for lunch the following day

[Mike_Joiner]

Also client lunches are great one. Make them as big and late as possible so that you don't need to eat much in the evening!

[lisad71]

When I worked in cubedom I use to always fill my H20 bottle up before leaving for the day. Now I work out of my home and I'm lucky that my employer pays for my cellphone, landline and ISP.

Well, I work in retail, but I do get a 20% discount on my cellphone through work. I refill my water bottle at the fountains there, and try to use the bathroom at work, i.e. going in a few minutes early so I can use the bathroom before work, and using it before I leave. Unfortunately they no longer let us clock in early or take 30 minute lunches instead of hour-long ones. I do pick up dropped change on the floor all day long. I can usually collect nearly 25 cent a day. It would be more if I collected all that's left at self-checkout, but that falls in the grey area of stealing, so I avoid taking any money left there. I also never take any bills that are found, those get put in lost & found with a note on them about when and where they were lost, where I'm sure management pockets it eventually. I go home to eat, simply because I live only 3 minutes from work and I hate sitting in the uncomfortable break room for an entire hour. That's all I can think of for now.

[rob62521]

Wow, reading some of these posts...places that provide coffee machines! If we want coffee we have to either bring it from home or bring our own coffee pot and coffee and creamer and...our schools don't provide things like that.

And client lunches? It's a whole different world than what I know. I'm not being critical, please understand, just wowed that things like that exist.

[ainmohd]

I know some guys who recharge their camcorder's batteries at the office on Thursday and Fridays to be used during the weekends.

[Fern]

Well, not to be a scrooge, but last year at Xmas i suggested we refrain from the gift-giving, and everyone agreed. It's just 4 of us here, but feeling obligated to purchase gifts, well, the $$ adds up and i'd prefer not to have to spend it.