How do you stretch your money?

[rob62521]

Right now saving and being frugal is "cool" to society...how about making a master list of how we stretch our dollars in our every day lives. I know I learn things from all of you...

Let's not get into the ridiculous of only using the bathroom at work and stealing ketchup and mustard packets, but true ways to stretch savings...

1. I make a week's menu based on what's on sale, what coupons I have, and what's in the pantry. We eat at home a lot.

2. I use cloth washable napkins instead of paper ones.

3. I wash most of my clothes in cold water except for sheets. Have to use hot water due to allergies.

4. Invite people over for sandwiches and soup and they do the same to save money and still get to visit and "go out."

[Ima saver]

I keep my hot water turned off except for showers and running the dishwasher.
I keep the heat in my house set at 62 or 63 degrees.
I wash in cold water only.
When I go out to eat, I only eat half the meal. I take the other half home for lunch the next day.

[snafu]

Don't pay interest; don't get charged bank fees
Don't buy 'trendy' items
Differentiate between needs and wants; each new item in requires an existing item of similar size to go
Note free or nearly free entertainment events for the whole family
No spend days Wednesday - Sunday
Stopped buying specialized cleaning products; vinegar & soda are staple
DIY; call for help only when we fail
Re-use, re-invent, modify, for example the bedrm windows need to be replaced; this has been a brutally cold winter; we've replaced caulk, weather stripping and added plastic film. Hung a heavy drape over most used door to keep out cold, creating a temporary vestiibule
Buy gifts/items all year when desired items are on clearance

[Ima saver]

Very good one, snafu, never pay interest on anything. Charge only what you can pay off in full the next month, on your credit card.

[mommyof4]

I use cheap shampoo to clean the toilet and the shower. Windex cleans the sink and the toilet seat.

I learned this from flylady.com- great site for frugal living and organization.

[minnie1928]

Oh my, I could go nuts on a question like this! I just finished reading a 50+ page thread on another chat board about this very topic. Here are some of the ones I remember:
use used dryer sheets to clean shower doors (tried it & it REALLY works!)
vinegar as a fabric softener (I also use dryer balls too)
vinegar as jet dry in the dishwasher
vinegar as a daily shower spray
home made cleaners
wash laundry in cold water
dry laundry on rack placed over heat vent (dries clothes, adds humidity to air)
actually eat all your left overs instead of throwing them away
no paper napkins
less use of paper towels
plastic glasses in the bathroom instead of paper cups
recycle as much as possible to cut down on garbage bags
manual mower to save gas/oil
CFL bulbs
power strips to shut things off and avoid phantom power drain
water saving shower heads and faucet aerators
coupons & hot coupon world for advance notice on sales
The Coupon Master to get extra coupons when needed
CVS, CVS, CVS!
home made detangler for my daughter's hair
use toaster oven instead of regular oven whenever necessary
use reward cards to earn cash
actually complete rebates when they are offered
using blankets, wearing sweats to keep warm with a lowered house temp
use restaurant.com to help lower the cost of the occasional meal out

That's all for now, my head hurts :-)

[Helena_Handbasket]

I'm on the ball with predictive and preventive maintenance of everything in my home and on my car. I read the owner's manuals for everything, designed a maintenance schedule for routine inspections, cleaning and servicing, and I do as much as possible myself. Self-performing these tasks saves a bundle over paying someone else to do them. A good maintenance program also minimizes the chance for those surprise breakdowns/emergencies, which are usually very expensive to repair (ever have to call the furnace repair technician on a holiday?).

[GoodBuyGirl]

Originally Posted by mommyof4

I use cheap shampoo to clean the toilet and the shower. Windex cleans the sink and the toilet seat.

I learned this from flylady.com- great site for frugal living and organization.

If you don't already do this. You can get a whole gallon of winshield wiper fluid for what a small bottle of windex cost. It's pretty much the same thing and will save you quite a bit by using it to refill spray bottles.

[mommyof4]

Originally Posted by GoodBuyGirl

If you don't already do this. You can get a whole gallon of winshield wiper fluid for what a small bottle of windex cost. It's pretty much the same thing and will save you quite a bit by using it to refill spray bottles.

Thanks for the tip!

[Hot dog]

Does that really work? Cause I am really bad at doing windows the only thing that doesn't make streaks is rain-x brand that is really for cars and I get it from Family Dollar for 2 bucks

[creditcardfree]

Eggs, meatless meals for dinner.
Go longer between haircuts.
Turn thermostat down to 60 degrees at night.
Use lots of blankets and fleece...to stand the cold temps!
Bake from scratch. Instead of cereal make muffins from ingredients in the cupboard. In fact, I'm going to make some now!!
Use less shampoo and conditioner...get every last bit out.
Wear things out. Mend if necessary.

[rob62521]

All great ideas!

Reuse and repurpose things.
I would say when you do buy things, buy quality so they last.

[whitestripe]

i LOVE questions like this!
im vegetarian - and i dont use 'meat replacements'. i just eat meals sans meat.
only use cold water when doing laundry - i soak socks in bucket of hot water first. only use half the recomended amount of laundry liquid too.
i use my joggers til they aren't good for jogging - then i wear them to work until they fall apart! (i work in a kitchen - so it wont work for everyone)
i keep a log book for when i use my car for work - saves me in tax refunds!
i claim all i can for tax refunds too.
i use a credit reward card. it pays for me annual fee, all my other bank fees, and then some (only good for those that have control)
eat smaller portions. make sure i cook a little more each night so DF can take leftovers to work instead of buying lunch.
do several things when out somewhere: eg when i pick up my little brother and sister from school (they hate the bus) i also do a grocery shop/go to doctors etc when out. also i barter: i reason with my little bro and sis that it costs me money to pick them up with petrol costs, so they agree to wash and vaccuum my car.
plan meals. try to use up veges before they go bad. grow my own herbs.
when my tshirts get old and stretched, i use them then as night-shirts, then gardening shirts, then rags.
when having coffee with friends, try to use 2-for-1 offers, or share something. try to find activities that are free instead of eating/drinking calories and spending money!
i work at a bakery, so i get bread for free. instead of going out with friends, we invite them over for a barbecue and they bring their own meat. all we have to provide is salad items, and the rolls are free!
DF and I share meals sometimes and drinks instead of getting one each. we find we dont need a whole bottle of drink or a whole meal.
i mend my socks!
use natural cleaning products (vinegar, bicarb, eucalyptus oil & bleach)
i only take vitamins and supplements AFTER getting a blood test to prove i am low in something.
we buy furniture at opshops or make it. we have never bought new furntiure.
screenprint our own designs on plain tshirts, instead of buying branded shirts. blank tshirts are as cheap as $3.50 each
mascara/lipgloss/eyeliner/blush i have all gotten free samples - never bought them.
i get a haircut once every 4-6 months.i think it doesnt really need it every 8 weeks, like they recommend.
we only see movies on 'cheap night' or when they are offered cheaper with our movie club card. we dont buy candy at the movies, we bring it with us from home.
i hardly ever drink - probably once every 3 months or even less.
i join a lot of free loyalty programs, like coffee clubs and the above movie club.

[SnoopyCool]

I avoid paying for toiletries by working the CVS system.

[Ima saver]

I buy birthday cards at the dollar store for 50 cents. I get my notebooks and envelopes there too.

[DC Metro Crab]

I get my toilettries free from Rite Aid's rebate program. (I don't like CVS's program, but may have to switch since Rite Aid's has become skimpy.)
Wear clothes multiple times before washing unless obviously dirty.
Wash work clothes only when absolutely necessary (knits take a long time to get dirty for me and I have a lot of clothes so it takes months to cycle through them)
Air dry most of my clothes (they last longer too)
Eat smaller portions of nutrient dense food at home (more leftovers)
Use Scott's brand toilet paper (super thick soft tissue gives me the willies and seems wasteful, I feel like I'm wiping with a piece of cloth!)

[simplecheapfun]

i organized all the clothes and found tons of stuff that we could use that we weren't. I eat more meatless meals. And i am socialize on the cheap -Cookie party instead of dinner party for the holidays.. and finding cheaper fun: Game night instead of movie night.Bake instead of buy goodies. Popcorn instead of chips.

[Goldy1]

yea I went to the drugstore to get my mom a card for her b day, and the cards were $3.50 plus tax. I left and got a very nice one at the dollar store. IT was thinner cardstock, but it was fine!

[mommyof4]

Originally Posted by Goldy1

yea I went to the drugstore to get my mom a card for her b day, and the cards were $3.50 plus tax. I left and got a very nice one at the dollar store. IT was thinner cardstock, but it was fine!

Wal-mart had some nice Valentine's day cards for 48 cents this year. Guess what I bought?

[cicy33]

Couponing is always a good additive to everyday shopping. Even if you only save $10 a week it is still $10. I buy movies on ebay or at yard sales. I never buy a book new, always at yard sales. Once I bought a box of stuff at an auction and it had a huge box of gift cards in it. There were older ones and the ones I didn't want I got rid of. I kept the envelopes and used them for other things, who cares if the envelope is green? The others were cute and actually usable.