What Have You Bought That Saves You Money?

[marla]

What things have you bought that end up saving you money? High efficiency lights cost more, but you save money on energy in the long run - stuff like that? I'm sure if everyone gives they things that saved them money, we could come up with a good list.

[LuxLiving]

Actually my big ol' Dodge truck. The other one I had which looked almost identical was an automatic and used LOTS more gasoline. This one is a standard and despite my new She-Rah thighs is a gas hoarder!!

I'm hoping the new windows and slider we put in our house will make a huge difference, but they're brand new so only time will tell.

[bjl584]

Most of the tools that I have purchased allow me to do my own automotive work. That saves me a ton.

[mom-from-missouri]

1. Chickens. Paid $12.50 for laying 12 hens, got back hundreds of dollars in eggs. They mostly free ranged, so no feed money. Some of the eggs I sold.
2. Battery recharger and the batteries
3. CF lightbulbs
4. automatic night lites for the kids rooms (to keep the big lites off)
5. canner & jars
6. garden seeds and plants
7. fruit trees & grapevines
8. medical insurance
9. insulation jacket for hotwater heater
10. new windows on north side (at my old house-which is now a rental)
11. turbo tax
12. electric blanket (can keep heater lower in DD room)
13. windup flashlight (no batteries to ever replace)
14. solar caculator (no batteries to ever replace)
15. My own set of jumper cables (havent saved me yet, but has saved others-so far I've used the autoclub)
16. AutoClub-I pay $2.99 a month, have used the 2 times in the last 14 months, so I came out ahead
17. wood hangers for coat closet. Our heavy coats kept breaking the plastic ones, bending wire ones, and I got tired of buying new hangers all the time-so I got the heavy duty ones
18. folding wood dryer rack for clothes
19. indoor retractable clothes line for the basement on wet or cold days
20. clothes line for outside
21. DH smoker-we don't run to the BBQ place twice a week anymore. DH smokes it now.
22. Barber scissors to trim daughters bangs myself
23. digital camera-don't have to print all pix, can store on CD, only print what we want, can email pix instead of snail mail saving postage, dont have to buy film or developing
24. internet-our family is long distance to call, and not on our cell plan. our internet is only $14 a month, so we can email, send pix with no ld bill on phone. Plus, i have sold things on ebay & such and some months i even pay for the internet or come out ahead

[LuxLiving]

oh yeah - the set of barber clippers - I used them to cut the kids hair all the time when they were tikes. Saved a bundle.

[Ima saver]

I bought a water distiller and make my own water. Easily saves me $5 a week and both dh and myself drink lots of water.

[disneysteve]

1. Computer and internet access. We save in numerous ways. Little things like sending email instead of letters or phone calls, doing research from home instead of driving to the library, managing photos digitally so no film, processing and developing costs. Larger things like finding great bargains on travel and other large purchases, shopping for cars, using online savings accounts to maximize interest earned. I could go on and on.

2. Hair clipper - paid $15 for it 2 years ago and have been cutting my own hair ever since. I used to spend $15 about every 5 weeks for a haircut, so I've already saved about $300 and each time I use the clipper I save another $15.

[tinapbeana]

internet and library card (could do w/o TV till the cows come home, but don't take away my internet and free books!). we don't rent DVDs, and i think i've been inside a movie theater 2, 3 times in the past 5 years.

digital camera: although mine is pricier than most, it has saved me money in development costs, home decorating, and saved my sister having to hire a photographer for her wedding (that alone is about half the cost of the camera!)

gas barbecue grill: an $18 gas canister lasts us 2 months in the summer and we cook on that grill almost every night of the week. if i were cooking in the house i'd be using electricity, plus heating up the house which means i'd have to use more electricity to cool it off. also, since we enjoy grilling, we're more likely to cook at home than go out (have yet to have a steak out better than we make ourselves). we took the grill to my family reunion and made soup, a picnic roast, sausage and peppers, and egg and bacon breakfast. cost of food was about $10, half of what we would have spent bringing pre-prepared food.

manual transmission car: gas mileage is almost always better. ditto getting the 2door economy hatchback rather than a 4 door sedan.

CFLs

heated mattress pad

my house!

[vsjhoc]

crock pot

[jodi]

I have to second the following: rechargable batteries (saves me a ton on AAs for my digital camera), Turbo Tax (we share it among several families so the cost is minimal), seeds for the garden, shakeable flashlight (no batteries), and clippers. I bought my barber clippers a few months ago on clearance for $7. We've already done 4 haircuts on the boys, saving about $40.
Love my crockpot...it's not a huge moneysaver, but more energy efficient that cooking on the stove or oven. I don't think my breadmaker saves me a whole lot because I only use it once a week or so, but someone who makes more bread would certainly save more.
If you go out even once a month, the Entertainment books can pay for themselves very quickly.
Also a freezer and a canner. I know I'm missing a lot more too...

[jodi]

Buying a copy of the Tightwad Gazette saved me a TON. Not only did it change my attitude toward money, but it's a constant reference source for me. It's one of the very few books that I am glad I own instead of borrowing it from the library.

[disneysteve]

Not exactly a purchase, but I'll say my Marriott Visa credit card. I have the premier card that has a $65 annual fee. However, every year on my account anniversary, I get a voucher good for one free night at up to a category 5 Marriott hotel. A category 5 can be up to $300/night. So for $65 my wife and I can do a luxury weekend get-away. Of course, the card also allows me to earn points toward free travel. Right now, we've got over 90,000 points saved up. Four years ago, we got 5 free nights in Boston. Two years ago, we got 4 free nights in San Francisco. This summer, we're planning to do 7 free nights, just not sure where yet.

[rob62521]

I have a couple I can think of offhand.

The computer/internet save me money because I email instead of call. I look for information and find free stuff. It helps me keep my sanity because when I get upset, going to the computer relaxes me.

I would also say a crock pot saves me money. I have three now -- all different sizes. Since I can put stuff in it in the a.m. and we have dinner when we get home -- cheaper than eating out as well as buying convenience foods.

[LittleGopher]

Crockpot. Library card (free, though we do pay taxes!) Our good old conversion van - my family of six plus our camping gear equals a full week (or more) of camping for the cost of one night at a motel. Computer and internet and digital camera - esp. for info, email and sharing photos with long distance family. Hair clipper and scissor set (I do my husband's hair, though he is not allowed to reciprocate on mine, for good reason! Still trim my four girls' hair, though the older ones are occasionally wanting something more than I can give.) My husband's tools ( the basic ones are the ones most often used.) My sewing machine (again, basic is good!)

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

Not exactly a purchase, but I'll say my Marriott Visa credit card. I have the premier card that has a $65 annual fee. However, every year on my account anniversary, I get a voucher good for one free night at up to a category 5 Marriott hotel. A category 5 can be up to $300/night. So for $65 my wife and I can do a luxury weekend get-away. Of course, the card also allows me to earn points toward free travel. Right now, we've got over 90,000 points saved up. Four years ago, we got 5 free nights in Boston. Two years ago, we got 4 free nights in San Francisco. This summer, we're planning to do 7 free nights, just not sure where yet.

Disneysteve,

I'm with you on the Marriott card. I used to do a ton of travel with my job, but now with two little ones I've moved onto one that keeps me grounded. Its nice to be a Silver member as they still tend to take care of you when they can (miss my Platinum). I think I'm over 400,000 points even with a weekend getaway here and there. Once the little ones are a little older, can't wait to take advantage of Hawaii

Wolf

[markio26]

crockpot, toaster oven, electric skillet.. planning weekly menus saves me alot of money and time...

[fairy74]

good pains for cooking, got them on extreme discount at Tuesday Morning, still not cheap but they cook food perfectly and very evenly...crockpot...clippers for hubby to do his own hair...Nivea Soft Milk lotion (more expensive than I like) but clears up my skin problems without steriod medication...Tightwad Gazette for a million different ideas...bikes for me and DH, so we leave the cars at home and save on gas, while getting excercise..computer and internet service can research deals and products, DH gets free patterns for his tattoo business...small coolers so we can always take a snack with us....

[frugalmomof1]

My single cup coffee maker with a To-Go cup. I just make a cup whenever I leave the house so I won't be tempted to stop at Dunkin Donuts or Honey Dew.

[DayByDay]

300 ft. of wiring to hook up to BIL's cable internet modem next door so we can split the cost of cable internet.

[mom-from-missouri]

Hot air popper. I pop a bag to take to school and munch on. On game nights, keeps the girls happy so I don't have to feed the vending machine or concession stand.
I keep a container of presweetened drink mix and plastic cups in the car, Keeps us from stopping and paying for drinks while out. We either get free water at McDonalds, or free from a park fountain. On long trips I take 2 or 3 kinds of drinks, as well as a jug of water in the coolor iwth other things to eat.
Cell phone. Everything from here is long distance. With the cell, its all free.