Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/kitchen-hack-one-minute-ciabatta-bread.html

[Lots of good photos]

March 12th, 2010 in Featured, Lifehack, Lifestyle

Kitchen Hack: One-Minute Bread

Oven-fresh bread is one of life’s simple joys. Ciabatta, a crisp-crusted Italian bread with hints of sourdough and loads of crannies longing for butter, is one of the easiest breads to make at home.

Why are we talking about baking bread on Lifehack? Because kitchen hacks aren’t just impressive, they often have very tasty results! In this instance, I’m going to show you how to make ciabatta with less than one minute of prep time. How is that possible? Like many great hacks, this one uses simple ingredients and as few steps as possible to get the job done.

You may have heard of “no-knead” bread before. Mark Bittman and many others have promoted their versions of an artisan bread that doesn’t require any heavy labor. While those recipes also create delicious results, they involve too many steps to be considered a real hack.

I wanted something very, very simple that delivered great results in 60 seconds of prep time or less. It may take you a few tries to get below the one-minute mark, but I think you’ll enjoy the results every time!

For your ciabatta you’ll need:

* 4 cups of all-purpose flour (do NOT pack the flour into the measuring cup)
* 2 cups of warm water
* 1 teaspoon of salt
* 1/4 teaspoon of granulated yeast (or equivalent)

For the gorgeous readers needing metric equivalents of this recipe, Toon left a comment with the following conversion:

* 500 grams of all-purpose flour
* 4,7 deciliter of warm water
* 4 grams of salt (= 1 teaspoon = 5 ml)
* 1 gram of dry yeast (= 1/4 teaspoon = 1,25 ml)

You’ll also need a medium-size mixing bowl, a 10×15 cookie sheet or baking stone, a hand towel or plastic wrap, and whatever you’d like to keep your bread from sticking (if you’re using a pan, I use flour and corn meal).

Have everything handy? Good. Let’s do this!
1. Mix Water & Yeast

Pour the warm water into the medium-size mixing bowl and stir in the yeast with a spoon. No need to be particular, just dump and slosh.

2. Add Flour And Salt

Add flour and salt to your bowl of yeasty water. This, after measuring out the flour, presents another prime opportunity to get flour on your person. This will be regarded by many as a sign of your culinary determination. You’ll need such signs because anybody who actually watches you make the bread will think you’re one of the laziest bakers in existence.

3. Stir Into A Heavy Batter

Use a spoon. You could use your hands if you wanted but you probably didn’t wash your hands before starting this anyhow. Start with a quick run about around the perimeter of the bowl with your spoon. A few quick strokes through the middle and you should have a heavy batter. If it looks too thick to be pancake batter and not thick enough to be playdough, you’re right on target.

4. Set It And Nearly Forget It

Cover your project with a hand towel or plastic wrap and set in a safe place for a few hours. After the dough has rested for 8 to 12 hours, it will have nearly doubled in size. (If you add a bit of sugar at the start and you’re in a hurry, you can rush this process but I don’t recommend it for your first try.)

5. Preheat Oven & Prepare Your Pan

There’s a lot of room for variation at this stage. The goal is to place the dough onto a surface that will keep it from falling through the oven rack and not stick on. I use an old cookie sheet sprinkled with flour and corn meal. You can use a buttered pan, pizza stone, or baking paper. It’s up to you. The flour/cornmeal method takes only a few seconds.

Before you start prepping your pan/stone, set your oven to 400F. (For those of you using wood stoves, don’t stress the particulars. Pull a few cedar shingles off the back porch roof and get that fire burning hot!)

6. Pour Out The Batter

This is the fun part! Uncover the bowl of dough and slowly pour it out onto the pan you just prepared for it. You’ll want to use a spoon to guide the dough into place and get the last bits out of the bowl. The dough will be very wet and sticky. That’s okay! Get the dough out onto the pan and if you’re lucky, it’ll look something like this:

7. Add Spices (If Needed) & Place Bread Into 400F Oven

If you’re trying to stay within the one-minute prep, you probably won’t have time to sprinkle some of your favorite herbs onto your ciabatta before baking. If you’re not worried about time, some dried oregano, basil, and rosemary make a nice addition.

8. Remove Your Ciabatta From The Oven

Check on your ciabatta after about 25 minutes. Once it’s golden brown on top and looks good to eat, take it out of the oven and set it aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. You can cut into it immediately but if you do it’ll collapse and won’t look as pretty.

Wait! You really thought I wanted you to take a hot pan out of a 400F oven without some sort of protection? Craziness! If you don’t have an oven mitt handy, take off your shirt, fold it so there will be at least 6 layers of cloth protecting your hand, remove the pan from the oven and place in a safe spot to cool.

9. Slice & Enjoy

Move your ciabatta off the pan or baking stone and onto a proper cutting board for demolition and devouring. Ciabatta is famous as a sandwich bread but, like most breads, it’s absolutely delicious right out of the oven.

[has nice photos]

http://www.shoestringbudget.org/putting-old-clothes-to-new-use/

Putting Old Clothes To New Use
November 19th, 2007

As the holiday gifting season approaches it’s time to think about some creative ideas for making gifts your friends and family will treasure but won’t cost you much of anything.

At our house we’ve been getting the winter flannels, sweaters, long johns, excess blue jeans and coats out of the boxes and closets they’ve been hiding in since last spring, and I am once again amazed at how much of this stuff we’ve got. I gave up long ago trying to figure out where it all comes from, since it just seems to show up in my laundry, in 55-gallon trash bags in the shed, piled into storage nooks and crannies, etc. A lot of it doesn’t really fit anybody in my family, and I’ve suspected more than once that old clothes stashed away like that reproduce in the dark just like wire coat hangers do…
sweaterbags

I’m usually amazed as well at how much of this excess fabric is frayed, holey or otherwise compromised enough not to be wearable without major repair (and they’ll still look pretty ragged). These are the kind of old clothes the Goodwill doesn’t want, you can’t really use, and would most likely end up taking space in a landfill somewhere if you don’t do something else with it.

Luckily, there are some really cool things you can do with all these cast-aways that will turn them into coveted gifts for your loved ones and items you may not want to give away when you’re done with them.

All those unraveling old sweaters would make an excellent lap or baby quilt. It takes some care, but could become a regular family heirloom for just the right person. Cut off the sweater body from right underneath the arms, and then cut off the cinch-ribbing at the bottom. Open one side seam and you’ve got a rectangle about 18 wide wide and 3foot long. If there are holes in the body, you can cut away that part.
ragquilt

You’ll want to sew the strip or square to an underlining of lightweight muslin (or material from an old sheet) to prevent it from unraveling. I’d go ahead and zig-zag behind the fine straight stitch as well, just to make the quilt last longer through many washings. The pieces can be large or relatively small, regular or irregular in shape. Just piece them together into the size of quilt you want, and sew them together in the usual way. Line with thin quilt batting and line with flannel. I like flannel for the edging too. Tie-quilt it with color-coordinating yarn or buttons 8-10 inches apart.

The sweater bodies can also be turned into throw pillows, and arm sections can be stitched together to make winter scarves and hats, or mitten liners. Old Christmas-themed sweaters or sweatshirts can be used to make Christmas stockings or tree skirts. The cut off cuffs and waistband ribs of sweaters can be turned into nice coozies for drinks, and smaller squares of sweaters make nice potholders and oven mitts.
sweatertoys

Again underline with muslin and sew the panels right-sides together on three sides. Turn it inside out, turn the fourth edge under and whipstitch.

You might even consider making stuffed animals out of old sweaters. They’re automatically cuddly, and make great Teddy bears, rabbits or other stuffed critters.

Old blue jeans can also be cut and stitched into some nifty items. There is of course the basic blue jeans quilt, but think about the possibilities of a quilted blue jeans slipcover for your couch, or even upholstery! The pockets make useful TV remote holders or a place to stash pens and note pads, etc. Cut off the legs where they join the crotch and sew the bottom with a double seam, maybe some beaded or yarn fringe, attach a sturdy strap made from material from the legs and you’ve a fine purse. Put a rope through the belt loops to cinch it, or attach a flap cut from leg material.

If you’ve got teenage boys (as we do around here) you’ve probably got some of those baggy, big-legged jeans with destroyed pant bottoms where they’ve been dragged on the ground and walked on. There’s enough material in those pant legs to make some nice shopping totes or book bags. I’ve even seen a used jeans backpack with rivets and pockets all over the place!
jeanscouch

Jeans Couch by Karen Robbins

The only thing I’d add to your imaginings of the nifty things you could make out of all those old jeans, is the idea of leaving a topside raw edge when you’re quilting the pieces together, still using the double seam. As the material is handled these raw edges will fray, or you can help them along by pulling the weft. Looks comfy.

Check out some of the great links below to get you going, and follow some of their links to patterns and helpful hints. One of the most coveted of Christmas gifts among my family and friends over the years are new-and-better comforters, quilts and pillow covers, along with the hats, scarves and mitten-liners that go in the stockings. Tell us about some of the cool things you’ve done with old clothes!

Links:

Textile Fusion: Project Workshops

Blue Jean Blankie

Blue-Jean Bed Skirt

Frugal Life: Blue Jeans

Blue Jeans Quilts

Wise Bread: 25 Things To Do With Old Jeans

Simply Thrifty: 13 Things You Can Make Out of Your Old Blue Jeans

Thrifty Fun: Craft Uses for Old Jeans

Popularity: 49% [?]

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/how-to-do-what-you%E2%80%99ve-always-wanted.html

March 16th, 2010 in Lifehack
How to Do What You’ve Always Wanted

I’m willing to bet that there’s something you’ve always wanted to do.

It could be that you’ve always wanted to write a novel. Maybe you want to visit Africa or want to see the Northern Lights. Perhaps you’d love to open a little coffee shop or brasserie in your neighbourhood or maybe you’ve had brainwave for a neat little product that just might change the world.

You’re not alone. We all have things we dream about and things we’d love to do, and it’s rare that these things ever see the light of day.

Fear steps in – sometimes in the guise of practicality and sometimes wearing the hat of playing it safe – and provides all kinds of reasons why you can’t have what you want.

So you persuade yourself that it’s a pipe dream and that it could never actually happen because you wouldn’t know where to start, couldn’t afford it and it probably wouldn’t work anyway. You lose faith in your ability to make your dream reality, and lose a little faith in yourself in the process.

The tragedy is that the more you apply a filter to what you wish for and train yourself to think small, the less confident you become in your ability to do anything that matters very much. Worse than that, you set yourself tiny dreams that aren’t hard to reach, and you reach them.

But hang on a second. What if those big things were possible? What if you really could make some or all of it happen? What if it turned out that you did have what it takes to see something special come to life? Wouldn’t that be something you’d leap at?

Here are my 3 steps to doing what you’ve always wanted to do.
1. Open it up

First of all you need to do some leg work. Investigate what might be needed to get going, look for resources that can inform and help, seek out other people who might have done something similar and talk to those who’ve been there, done that.

There’s no risk here – it’s simply learning about what’s involved, picking up the key strategies that have been used successfully before and gathering together the ideas and resources that you believe will help you to get things moving.

Write down all the questions you have about what you want to do and then go answer them. It’s possible that as you open things up you find that the reality isn’t what you expected and that it isn’t really your thing after all. That’s fine – now you know. But the opportunity to answer the questions you have and fill in those blanks is invaluable, and you might just find yourself getting pretty darn excited about what you’re discovering.
2. Make your choice

You’ve opened it up and answered a heap of questions you had – now you need to make your choice. There are 2 ways to help with this decision making.

1. Look at what really matters to you, not what doesn’t matter. If engaging with this project is something that really resonates with you then listen to that. If you’ll grow and get enjoyment out of doing this, no matter how it turns out, then listen to that. Don’t let any fears you have squash and stamp on what matters.
2. Consider where your priorities are and what might need to change. You have other things going on (your family, finances, career, hobbies, relationship, etc) and you need to be clear about what’s at the top of your list. You need to figure out what compromises you’re willing to make in terms of the time and energy you have available, and you need to figure out the boundaries and deal breakers of your priorities. You might find that your priorities are such that now isn’t the right time to get going with this, but that doesn’t have to be the end of it. Just figure out what criteria needs to be satisfied for you to start.

Once you’ve figured those 2 things out, make your choice and commit to it. That commitment is what will carry you through, and it’s an attitude and a way of behaving that shapes your experience and behaviour as you go forwards.
3. Do one thing

When you’ve made your choice to start, do one thing today. Just one thing. Then do one more thing tomorrow.

That’s all.

Do one thing, then another, then another (no matter how big or small) and you’ll make progress. By doing just one thing a day you’ll be 365 steps forward a year from now. Don’t get overwhelmed with the apparent size or complexity of what you’re tackling. No task is bigger than your capability and you just need to chunk it down into bite-sized pieces and tackle each one in turn.

And if something doesn’t turn out the way you expected or hoped, don’t sweat it. You have the next day to try things a different way or tackle things from another direction. You’ll never be able to control how everything turns out so don’t beat yourself up – just keep checking where you are, making your choice and taking another step.

These 3 steps can be applied universally to do the things you’ve always wanted. So tell me, what do you want?

[I do it a little different, same principal.

Take a stack of blank paper, shut off the computer, and all the tv/radio/people chatter, you want to dig in your mind and it is difficult to do while the tv is brainwashing it.

First, almost an index page, what is the problem here?

Then a how to fix it page and after that the pages will grow.

Use lots of paper, for if the problem has many solutions, it is best to keep them separate.

You need to have a list of pro and one on con’s for every thing you dream up.

Often you will be surprised at what you want to do, when you can see it in black and white.

Then you can start listing the steps you will take to get there.

There is no reason for chasing a worry around in your mind, for they say if you can’t make a decision in 15 minutes, then you do not know the answer and will have go searching for it.

This works on big projects, such as “Do I really think that I can justify the cost of a greenhouse?”

Easy, yes, I promise you that I can twist the facts to show why I should have one.

I once got Bill to build the second one here, convinced him that we would need safe housing for the goats and chickens so we could guard them, it the hoards of Californians reached us and as we are 350 miles from downtown Los Angeles, it could be done.

I think that was about the time that Reagan bombed Gaddafey. sp.?

If that had not worked, I would have thought of another good reason.

It works, because it cleans/empties out your mind and then as it is happening, you have put it on paper, which will put it in order, the garbage at the bottom of the stack.

Don’t throw any of it out, save all the pages for a period of time, for sometimes, you may go back to them.

If you get stuck with it, take the top choices and give them a number value 1-5, list all the questions you can think of for each main thought and then be honest and give them 2 columns, again pro and con and figure out where they fit, this is a plus of 1, low and it is a 4 for high.

You may be surprised when you see how you value the answers, for the totals may not be what you expect.

LOL, the things that I come up with late at night...

granny]

http://myfinancialjourney.com/archive/frugal-cure-for-a-sore-throat

Frugal cure for a sore throat
Posted by MFJ under Frugality , General
[218] Comments

I’ve been sick for most of the week and last couple days I have had a really bad sore throat. I had been sucking on cough drops and other common things to try to relieve my sore throat, but it kept getting worse and worse, to the point where I could barely manage to swallow. As a kid I had tonsillitis and strep throat probably on average 5-6 times a year, but back then it was taboo to take your tonsils out so I spent a fair share of my time at the doctors office and on amoxicillin and other antibiotics. Well I hadn’t had strep in a long time and was worried that this had to be strep again. I was just dying so as usual I went to the internet to find a solution.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and I am only posting this because I heard such great things about it and had such wonderful results myself, please consult with your physician before trying this magical elixir.

What I found was what appears to be a pretty fail safe cure for a sore throat over at earthclinic.com. They recommend that you you gargle with Cayenne Powder. Now before you think it’s crazy, go ahead and read the 135 people or so that have commented on the site about their amazing results. Believe me I was a little skeptical at first too and the thought of gargling with cayenne pepper powder makes you cringe, but honestly it is not that bad, not even near as bad as a common sore throat. You don’t really taste the cayenne at all and the only part that burns a little is when you spit it out the tip of your tongue burns a little bit and if you get it on your lips it will also burn a little, but nothing unbearable at all and nothing that won’t go away with a quick rinse of fresh water (note don’t gargle the fresh water as you want the cayenne to stay on your throat and work its magic.)

My Recipe
I don’t think there is really a science to this thing as if you read around there are tons of different recipes and all seem to have very good results. So here is what I did to make my cayenne sore throat elixir.

* 1 standard drinking glass of hot to warm water
* 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder
* a couple pinches of salt for good measure (most people say its not necessary but it won’t hurt)

That’s it! Just simply take a mouthful and gargle away. There are two things that I want to point out though. One you will need to constantly stir the elixir right before you gargle as the cayenne likes to settle at the bottom and two you may want to gargle with your eyes closed as maybe I’m just a bad gargler, but one time I did gargle some of the mixture into my eye (note: cayenne pepper in the eye burns)

My Results
Like I said I was to the point where I could not swallow anymore. Within minutes of gargling the cayenne powder and water I could feel a marked improvement. I kept gargling my glass of water and cayenne powder on and off for about 45 minutes and my sore throat kept dissipating and dissipating. When I woke up this morning I noticed two things. One my sore throat was essentially gone and two my sinuses and throat were completely free of any kind of gunk you get when you are sick. I feel so clear and so good I just had to let others in on this little miracle. Certainly this remedy should not take the place of seeing your doctor if your conditions do not get any better, but for about 10 cents of cayenne powder it’s worth a try to see if you can save a costly trip to the doctor. I can’t think of a cheaper remedy to a common ailment that has such excellent results. In fact the next time I get a head cold I am going to try some cayenne gargling because it really does clear everything out and the process is not nearly as bad as it sounds. I honestly feel amazing today compared with how I felt last night and the 3 days before that.

Other options from Earth Clinic
Hot Apple Cider Vinegar & Cayenne Pepper
I did not try this one, but it seems to have similar success. This one you actually drink rather than gargle and again people feel great. The recipe is found on the same page as the cayenne gargling.

Again all of the credit goes to the wonderful people at Earth Clinic for posting this cure and commenting on the results.
Cayenne Pepper – It’s the cure for what ails you (other supposed benefits of cayenne)

Again consult your physician before using cayenne and I have no personal evidence that any of the below are true

* Improved blood flow (note: it does thin your blood so don’t use before surgery)
* Improved digestion
* Relieves chronic pain including
o Pain for diabeties
o headaches
o toothaches
o post-surgical pain
o Muscle pain due to fibromylagia
o Nerve pain
o Osteoarthritis pain
o Rheumatoid Arthritis pain
* Relieves gas
* Raises metabolism
* Stop heart attack (again don’t believe everything you read and consult with physician just reporting because I found it in quite a few areas and found it interesting)

http://frugaldad.com/2008/06/16/75-tips-to-survive-a-down-economy/

Money Saving Tips: 75 Ways to Survive Recession
Topic: Economy, Frugal Living | Comments(144)

Regardless of how economists refer to this economy, recession or no recession, people are hurting, financially. Unemployment, flat wages and rising costs for food and gas have many hurting. Check out these great money saving tips to help your family survive these tough times.

Here are a few money saving ideas our family is using to get through the recession:

1. Switch to cloth napkins. I’m not sure why it took a down economy for this one to dawn on me, but cloth napkins are a great alternative to paper napkins, which increase waste and add to our non-food budget.
2. Diversify your income. Look for ways to increase your income outside of your full time job. Do you have a hobby that you could make a small business? Could you spend some time working online surveys (many of these survey companies are scams, but the one I’ve linked is not. I’ve been a CashCrate member for over a year now)? Could you add some freelance work in the same line of work you do full time?
3. Just say no to social events, or agree to meet after dinner. Peer pressure can wreak havoc on your financial plans. It’s never fun to turn down a chance to go out with friends, but there are ways to say yes without spending a fortune.
4. Scale back the cable. We’ve been living the last six months with only basic cable, and don’t miss any of the expanded cable channel offerings. Cable bill went down from $40 to $12 with this move alone.
5. Don’t pay a dime for banking privileges. There are too many free checking options out there to pay one penny in fees for the right to write a check or use a debit card. Many banks and credit unions simply require direct deposit or a minimum number of debit card uses per month to qualify for fee-free accounts. If you can’t find one, try ING Direct.
6. Look for a value internet package. While I was scaling back on cable service I asked our cable provider for a cheaper rate on internet service. They told me about a little-advertised “value package” which costs half the normal monthly rate for reduced speed. Since I mostly surf the web and check email I barely notice, but I saved about $20 a month on our internet service.
7. Skip the theater, subscribe to Netflix. Going to the movie theater is a great way to beat the heat, but it’s also expensive. Skip the theater, and sign up for an online DVD rental service. No late fees, and no gas used up traveling back and forth to the rental store.
8. Hang up the land line telephone service. If most of your calls are to other cell users in the same network, consider canceling the land line and using a cell phone exclusively.
9. Have a no-spend weekend. Sometimes it takes a break in the routine to get spending under control. Try to go an entire weekend without eating out, shopping, or ordering something online. It won’t solve all your spending problems, but it’s a start.
10. Carpool a few times a week. Take turns carpooling with a coworker, especially if they live close to you. Pick them up and take them home this week, and next week allow them to return the favor. You’ll both cut your driving time in half.
11. Raise insurance deductibles. Assuming you have a proper emergency fund in place, raise deductibles on insurance policies. The difference in a $500 deductible and a $1,000 deductible on your car insurance policy can help reduce your monthly or semi-annual premiums.
12. Check your vehicle’s tire pressure each time you fill up. Things like under-inflated tires and dirty air filters can reduce your gas mileage. Pick up an inexpensive tire gauge and check the pressure while filling up.
13. Change your driving habits to save on gas expenses. Cut out “jackrabbit” starts and heavy braking.
14. Do not buy new cars – Buy a used car, and drive it until the wheels fall off. My grandfather has driven two vehicles in 34 years! Sam Walton drove a twenty year-old pickup truck right up until the time he died. Don’t tell me it can’t be done. Remember, a new car is “used” the minute you drive it off the showroom floor.
15. Consolidate errands into one trip. If you have to get out try to consolidate all of your errands into one trip away from home, instead of driving back and forth several times from store to home.
16. Ride a bike for short commutes. I’m fortunate to live about 5 miles from my employer, so I occasionally commute by bike. If you happen to live close to stores, consider riding a bike for small errands. Take along a backpack, or put some panniers on your bike to carry things back home.
17. Figure out how to do things on your own, rather than paying an expert. This year I’ve managed to rescue a toy from the bottom of our guest bathroom toilet and unclog and empty an air conditioner drain line. With the help of the internet, or a good “how-to” book such as Save $20k With a Nail, you would be surprised how much you can do on your own and avoid expensive repair charges.
18. Unload the trunk, and remove unused cargo racks. Added weight in the trunk reduces gas mileage, as does the added wind drag from an unused cargo rack.
19. Look into 3-month supplies of prescriptions via mail order. Many employers now offer as part of the health insurance plan a 3-month mail order prescription plan. I only have one daily prescription for asthma/allergies, and the cost of a 30-day supply from a local pharmacy is $25. For the same cost, I can get a 90-day supply via mail-order.
20. Wash your own car. Our town has one of those automated car washes and for $9.00 you can get “the works.” Essentially, it is a wash, wax and application of tire shine. I’m pretty sure I can do it for less. Better yet, employ the kids and let them earn a little extra money this summer.
21. Bank “found” money in a separate account. With any income above your normal earnings, bank the amount in a separate checking or savings account and use the money to pay down debt, build up savings, or offset increased expenses. Overtime, tax refunds (and stimulus checks), gifts and similar windfalls belong here.
22. Eat like a kid again. Eat off the same plates your kids eat off, which will force you to eat smaller portions. Your wallet and your waistline will thank you.
23. Drink tap water. I don’t have the inclination to run a cost comparison between an ounce of Coca Cola and an ounce of tap water, but I’m fairly confident tap water is infinitely cheaper.
24. Eat less meat. I’m about as far from vegetarian as you can get, but I recognize that my carnivorous habits cost me big at the grocery store. We’ve recently started having breakfast for dinner (eggs instead of meat), and substituting things like pinto beans (a great source of non-meat protein) in meals instead of meats.
25. Look for manager meat specials. When you do buy meat, check the manager’s specials area for meat that is about to pass the “sell by” date. The meat is still perfectly good, but freeze it immediately if you don’t plan on cooking within the next day or two.
26. Look for a used freezer to stock up on meat specials. Many times people relocating can’t take the extra chest freezer with them and advertise it on Craigslist or the local newspaper. If you can find a good used one stock it full of manager meat specials to reduce your food budget.
27. Don’t be afraid to buy generic. Forget brand loyalty when trying to save money. When we buy ketchup, we look for the lowest unit price, regardless of brand. Same with other foods and household supplies. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part generic items are just as good as name brands.
28. When in the store, look high and low for deals, literally. Marketers know that eye-level is the place most people tend to shop, so they put the items with the highest margins right in front of you. Better deals are usually found on lower shelves.
29. Cherry-pick coupon deals. Combine coupons with store sales to maximize savings. Our local Kroger store recently had mayonnaise 2/$4. We found a coupon for $0.50/1 that doubled to $1.00, so we picked up a mayo for $1.00. Don’t use a coupon to buy something you don’t need.
30. Supplement pet food with meat scraps. Quality dog food is expensive. To make ours last a little longer we occasionally skip the dog food and give our dog meat scraps. Avoid meats with sauces or spices as it can upset their stomach, and be sure to remove any bones. Plain beef, chicken and turkey make for a great treat for our dog.
31. Water down juices. When we open a new apple juice for our kids we pour up half in the old container and add about 1/4 – 1/2 container of water to each bottle. This makes each new bottle last a little longer, and dilutes the grams of sugar and calories per serving.
32. Shop at a farmers market for in-season produce. Few things taste as good as fresh fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, most of the produce you’ll find in a grocery store is grown elsewhere, particularly if it is out of season, locally. Figure out what’s in season and support local growers by visiting a farmers market.
33. Avoid using the oven during the summer. Ovens heat up a house faster than any other appliance, adding to the strain on air conditioner systems. Plan meals that don’t require baking, or bake in the late evening and microwave the next night.
34. When eating out, divide entrees in half and save the rest for a second meal. Ask for a to-go box as soon as your meal arrives and save half for tomorrow’s lunch. Restaurants are notorious for piling on portions, so this move will help you spread out the calories and cost of the meal.
35. Avoid pre-packaged foods. The little 100-calorie packs are convenient, but you can accomplish the same thing by buying a larger package of chips or cookies and then dividing into smaller portions using Ziploc bags. The unit cost savings are significant.
36. Grow your own vegetables. Unless you plan to dig up the entire yard to plant rows of food, you probably aren’t going to be able to grow enough to live off. However, a square foot garden can produce enough for some great summer salads without adding to your grocery bill.
37. Say no to fast food. Unless you hit the dollar menu exclusively, fast food can add up. Consider the cost of a combo meal for four people versus sandwiches, chips and drinks from home.
38. Properly insulate your home. Especially important in the summer and winter months, when the extreme temperatures outside can affect your temperature inside and cause utility bills to skyrocket.
39. Use a drying rack or line dry heavy clothing. Pick up a drying rack or install a clothesline to dry heavy garments and towels. When nearly dry, place items in dryer with a dryer sheet for just a few minutes to complete the drying cycle, remove wrinkles, and soften clothes.
40. Plant a tree next to your outside air conditioning unit. By shading your outside unit you may improve the operating efficiency of the overall system by 20%. Take care not to plant to close to the unit to maintain proper airflow.
41. Replace home air conditioner filter every month when in use. Manufacturers suggest changing your filter every 90 days, but I’ve found systems work better when changed once a month, especially in peak times like summer. Instead of picking up a top-of-the-line air filter, go for a medium grade filter and just buy more of them.
42. Switch to CFL lighting inside, and solar lighting outside. CFL bulbs use much less energy than incandescent bulbs, and give off less heat. Solar lights used to line pathways around your home run off a rechargeable battery that is charged up during the day by the sun, and lasts for several hours after dark.
43. Half the number of days your lawn is being watered. An established lawn doesn’t really need to be watered every day. In fact, daily watering can cause a shallow root system because grass roots don’t have to work hard to find water. Water once or twice a week, for a slightly longer duration and let Mother Nature help fill in the schedule with the occasional rain.
44. Use bathroom exhaust fan during showers and for 10 minutes after. Exhaust fans help carry moisture out of the bathroom from a hot shower. Don’t believe it? Run the exhaust fan during your next shower and notice how the mirrors don’t fog up.
45. Take a “Navy” shower. Get in, soap up, rinse off and get out. And put a low-flow showerhead on there while your at it.
46. Reuse bath towels. Sounds gross at first, but think about it – you are clean when you get out of the shower. Hang up towels after each use to thoroughly dry, and only add them to the dirty clothes pile after every three or four uses.
47. Don’t run water when shaving or brushing teeth. While shaving pull up the sink stopper and pool a little water in the sink for rinsing your razor.
48. Skip baths. Even though they are relaxing, baths require a lot of H20 and drive up your water bill. They also drain your home’s supply of hot water, forcing your hot water heater to replenish the supply, further adding to your utility costs.
49. Bathe your own pets. Skip the pet grooming salon, pickup some shampoo at a pet supply store and wash them yourself.
50. Avoid stores. Stay out of stores unless you have a list (mental or otherwise) of specific things you need to buy. Shopping out of boredom leads to impulse buying and can quickly blow a budget.
51. Sunday paper only. Consider scaling back subscriptions such as newspapers to the bare minimum. If you are only going to get a paper once a week, opt for the Sunday paper, which usually includes coupons and weekly sales flyers from local grocery stores. Toss the other sales circulars – you may see something you want to buy!
52. Transfer existing debt using balance transfer offers. If you have debt, make becoming debt free a top priority. Moving existing balances to 0% interest plans helps more of your payment go towards repaying the balance, and less towards interest. Beware of high upfront fees and go-to rates when considering your options.
53. Don’t renew the gym membership. Being healthy can save you money, but exorbitant fees and inflexible contracts make gyms a dangerous proposition. Take the money you would have spent at the gym and try to build one at home with used equipment.
54. Make your own Play-Doh. Kids can find many hours of enjoyment from a homemade play-doh recipe, and it’s a cheaper than buying it from the store.
55. Try a home haircut. Mine is pretty easy since I buzz it short all over. Guys, you will still need someone to help you with the neckline, unless you are good with mirrors.
56. Rediscover a local library. To replace the time previously spent watching television develop a reading habit, and support your local library while you are at it. Can’t find the book you are looking for? Don’t rush out and buy it. Many times libraries are networked and can request a copy of a book from another library.
57. Start your own “keep the change” program. Several banks are now running “keep the change” promotions where they round up your purchases and put the difference in a savings account. Problem is, these accounts don’t pay a great interest rate, and the program encourages increased spending. Create your own program by spending only cash and dumping the change in a coin jar. Make deposits into your own high-yielding savings account at the end of the month.
58. Put away the credit cards. Save cash for large purchases by creating a dedicated savings account specifically for the next item on your list. Make regular contributions to the savings account with each paycheck, and when the balance is high enough to pay for the item, pay for it with cash.
59. Ask creditors to lower your interest rate. Creditors are feeling the crunch, too, and they recognize it takes more money to find a new customer than to retain a current one. If you are a profitable customer (pay interest), call creditors and ask for a lower rate. Tell them about all the 0% transfer offers you’ve been shredding for your garden!
60. Divide credit card minimum payments in half and pay that amount twice a month. Interest is calculated based on the average daily balance of your account for the entire month. By making a payment every couple weeks you are reducing that average balance and therefore reducing the finance charges assessed, as opposed to waiting until the end of the month to make a single payment.
61. Brown bag it. Can you believe how much a combo meal is at a fast food restaurant? And don’t get me started on dine-in restaurant tabs for lunch. You’re lucky to get out of there for less than $10-$12 including the tip. Multiply that times four or five times a week and we’re talking $200 added to your food budget each month.
62. Adjust your W-4 at work. The fastest way to give yourself a raise is to reduce the amount of taxes withheld from your paycheck. If you received a huge refund this year, increase the number of exemptions on your W-4 to reduce withholdings. Check the IRS website to calculate the number of exemptions required to break even.
63. Sign up for budget billing with utility company. This won’t necessarily save you money, but it certainly helps the budgeting process by smoothing out highs and lows in your utility bills. Most companies offer this “levelized billing” service after you have 12 months of history to compute an average.
64. Use shredded credit card invitations as mulch in the garden. What a great way to put junk mail to good use! Run the mail through a shredder and use the clippings to mulch around your garden.
65. Buy generic ink cartridges for your printer. Ever stopped to calculate the cost per gallon of printer ink? Me neither, but I hate when my printer runs out of ink because it seems impossible to spend less than $30 or $40 to replace the black and color cartridges. Check out a generic cartridge reseller. The quality of ink is comparable to manufacturer’s ink, and many offer a dollar or two off if you recycle the old cartridge.
66. Use a power strip to power down unused electronics. Electronics continue to use power even when they are turned off for LED displays, stop/start memory, etc. Reduce this “phantom power” drain by unplugging devices, or plugging them into a central power strip which can be powered down with the flip of a switch.
67. Find new uses for old things. Not long ago my car’s check engine oil light came on, and the dip stick revealed I was seriously low on oil. I found a new use for an old milk jug by cutting away the bottom half and using the remaining top as a funnel to reduce spillage. This saved me a trip to the auto supply store to buy a funnel.
68. Cross train at work to make yourself more valuable. Make yourself more layoff-proof by taking on a new challenge, and adding to your skill set.
69. Sign up for medical flexible spending account (FSA) at work. Estimate carefully as unused portions of FSAs are not refundable. At a minimum, account for the amount of your family’s health care plan deductibles plus any over-the-counter medical supplies you must purchase during the year. As an added bonus, FSA contributions are pre-tax, which lowers your taxable income for the year.
70. Quit smoking. Besides being an incredibly unhealthy habit, smoking is expensive! Many pack-a-day smoker could easily trim $200 from their budget by kicking the habit. If you can’t find any other motivation to quit, use finances.
71. Shop for clothes on eBay. Add”NWT” to your search query and find many clothing items listed as “new with tag.” These items can be purchased for a fraction of their retail cost.
72. Buy wrinkle-free clothes to avoid dry cleaning bill. I have a golden rule about clothing purchases. I don’t buy anything that requires ironing. In some cases this means I pay a little more for “wrinkle-free” materials, but I save in the long run on the time and money spent ironing or dry cleaning.
73. Look for kids clothes at yard sales and thrift shops. Kids have a way of outgrowing most of their clothes before they “out use” them. For this reason, many times you can find excellent buys on clothing at thrift shops and yard sales.
74. Look for furniture on Craigslist or Freecycle. Many times people buy a new sofa or coffee table and don’t have a way to get rid of the old one. They will list it on Craigslist for a reduced price, or on Freecycle for free in exchange for picking it up and hauling it off. If you need a piece of furniture, but are short on cash, check out one of these sites before even thinking of going to a furniture store.
75. Give IOUs and homemade coupons rather than expensive gifts. In tough times there is nothing wrong with a homemade card and an IOU as a substitute for expensive presents. One Valentine’s Day my wife gave me a decorative jar with little scraps of paper where she hand-wrote “50 Reasons Why I Love You.” It was one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, and cost less than $5.00 to make.