How do you stretch your money?

What would you do if the internet crashed for good? Would you get used to life with less communication and less "being connected" or would you be pretty bummed for the rest of your life?

This is assuming it was not fixed. Perhaps some largescale EMP attack or something that crippled it for the next 50+ years or so.

[buildmybudget]

I don't think most of us would function too well without the Internet. It means everything would move much slower and it's hard enough trying to keep up these days!

[Elizabeth.P]

I have learned to prioritize my need.. .like I use vinegar and baking soda as toilet cleaner ....We can do it in a careful, thoughtful and legitimate means such as long term savings ,solid investments .I have learned to carefully budget out my needs .... money and you by Habit changer has helped me develop a good attitude towards money.

[Ima saver]

I only use a credit card that gives cash back. I get a check for $50 at least once a month with my Chase credit card and I add it to my $20 challenge.

[rob62521]

Ima, knowing how good you are with money and careful as well, this makes sense. I use a credit card that gives me cash back as well, but you are probably like me and pay it off every month.

[gemologist]

I buy everything I can on ebay and put it on my points credit card. I watch my credit score go up, and ebay is now giving kickbacks, I have already accrued over $150 in kickbacks.

Everything in my home I purchased on Craigslist
countertops, kitchen table, assorted furnature, cabinets, flooring, carpeting,
(saved literally $10,000)

I shop at town talk (google it) I match prices at wal mart. get my fruit and veggies from fiesta, buy my clothes on ebay, use reflective coatings on my windows, turn my ac down while at work...

the list goes on... still looking for more ways to save.
I compared prices for power and saved $800/year over traditional companies.

[kenyantykoon]

i dont eat out, ever, do my own washing(i know it hurts), once in a while eat 2 meals instead of four , use the internet connection in the uni instead of using my own, dont drive and most importantly i dont have a girlfriend meaning that i dont have to buy presents in all conceivable anniversaries

[LuxLiving]

Like many of you I wash in cold water, using the smallest load setting possible for each load. I also just use 1/8 a cup of laundry soap, which really stretches it out.

When I'm out of the cheap 1) liquid laundry detergent from the dollar store, and also out of 2)powdered laundry detergent, I will just shave some off a bar of 3)Fels Naptha, which saves me an unnecessary trip to town.

I then put laundry soap on my handy SHOPPING LIST posted on the frig. That shopping list has saved me lots of dollars thru the years from not having to back track to pick stuff up that slipped my mind. What? I sometimes forget to write Laundry Soap on the list! Hence the three strikes and I'm out effort here. If I was out of all three? ehhhh, I'd use dish soap rather than make an extra trip to town. No dish soap? Surely there would be some brand of bar soap in the cabinet that I could also shave down to get me through to my next SCHEDULED shopping trip.

I think being willing to try to be somewhat inventive, or being resourceful or creative can save a lot of money over time. Necessity is the mother of invention is a good saying to keep in mind if you want to be super frugal. Don't just keep buying the big Tide bottle because Mom always did. Why do you use what you use? What's it cost you to use it? Is there a cheaper alternative? or just an alternative that's on hand that might save your bacon for the moment?

If it was just me, I'd only buy the powder detergent, but Hubster likes to use the liquid. Measuring it out helps save! I also dilute these liquid bottles by 2/3. Meaning I have another bottle on hand. I buy two at a time. I empty out a third of each bottle into an empty. Then all three are filled to the top with water and shaken each time they are used.

---
Tennis shoes. I have a new this year pair for going out in, last year's pair for wear around the house, and the year before pair for painting, yard work, boondocking, cow-pasturing, etc. This year's pair is always bought at Payless when they've got their BOGO going on, where I buy this year's dress shoes as well.

[snafu]

If you have an item that needs pre-treating so the stain doesn't set...I found shampoo to be effective. We keep a couple of those sm. hotel size shampoo bottles on the shelf in the closet. I've also used shampoo that I didn't like for hair as liquid laundry soap. It did a great job in the laundry and at least I didn't have to throw it out!

[alexis]

to streth my budget. i don't buy small amount of food for the whole week. instead of eating to fast food. i'd rather cook my own food and if i am going out or everyday in the office, instead of buying foods I see to it that i have sandwich on my bag . I do the same with my kids.

[DRILLINDK]

Bought some hair clippers and my brother cuts my hair.

[alexis]

Originally Posted by DRILLINDK

Bought some hair clippers and my brother cuts my hair.

and is that fine with you?

[DRILLINDK]

Originally Posted by alexis

and is that fine with you?

LOL, at first it wasn't. There was little learning curve.

Another way to save some $$$ is to rent movies from your local library. Mine has a great selection of "newer" movies and classics.

[LuxLiving]

I decrease the size of my WANT list.

Putting them on a real list actually helps - if you put it there and walk away - being prepared to go back and check the list after a set period of time. After a while, you look back at the list and it's full of things you don't remember wanting at all and seem silly to you now.

Over time you realize a lot of what you want is just more flotsam to have to take care of or dispose of later - often at a cost of either time or money or both and you start reducing your spending on mere Wants, and rev up the real Desires list, but only after checking that all the Needs are taken care of first.

[Ima saver]

Well said, Lux!

[GinerD]

I use baking soda and vinegar to clean everything.
I use the free wifi in public places around town rather than have internet service at home.
I buy much of my clothing at thrift stores.
I also buy books in good condition at thrift stores and sell them to the local bookstore that has a "buyback" service.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Started stockpiling diapers and wipes. I think I got a ton of diapers for dirt cheap.

[LuxLiving]

Add oatmeal to hamburger to stretch it to feed my crowd.

If I find a deal on something in the shelf-stable genre I generally buy at least two, and often times many, many more. Cooking from a well-stocked pantry has saved me MANY last minute trips to the store where assuredly I would've spent more $$ on things besides just the one thing I went after. Today was an example - I was intending to make rice, and searched high and low and couldn't find any There is LOTS of it here ?somewhere? (maybe the basement and it's too cold to go down there today), so I just used some of the plentiforous store of pasta that is here as well. Meal was just as tasty. After lunch I found the rice - hiding in the back of the cupboard. But most folks who don't have full pantries might have made a grocery store run or even given up the idea of cooking and headed out for a take-out meal.

[tracie00]

I have learned to avoid eating out ..that really saves a lot.I have learned to maintain a good financial control unaffected by marketing appeals.

[rob62521]

Originally Posted by LuxLiving

If I find a deal on something in the shelf-stable genre I generally buy at least two, and often times many, many more. Cooking from a well-stocked pantry has saved me MANY last minute trips to the store where assuredly I would've spent more $$ on things besides just the one thing I went after. .

Amen, Lux! I scored 5 pounds of flour yesterday for 84 cents because the corner had ripped and been taped. And when I buy a specialized item for a recipe, I try to find other recipes that can use it as well so it doesn't go to waste. I can't imagine not having something in the pantry unless one is too poor and that's another story.