[maine-iac7]

wash and set your own hair - and learn the simple method of cutting your families hair - and do your own nails.

that can save HUNDREDS of dollars a year. (I’ve done this for decades. If I had put the money saved, in a ‘can’, all these years, I’d be sitting pretty.)

Don’t play the ‘buy a new car every 3 years’ game.

My trusty Buick will be 20 years old next year - and then will qualify to register as antique. She still looks good and the motor purrs. The insurance is just over $400 a year - including road service - and registration under $100.

Don’t trade up to a new and bigger house just because you can. Keep yourself in a smaller house with smaller insurance/taxes. And forget ‘cathedral’ ceilings. That’s a lot of square footage to heat - and heat rises, making the warmest place in the house the ‘empty’ space. the ideal house is a story and a half, with the slanted ceilings in the upstairs bedrooms cutting down on heated square feet and enough heat rising up from downstairs to heat the bedrooms enough for sleeping - mega heating money saved.

I could go on - but I won’t ;o)

[stefanbatory]

I think you should...

[Hoffer Rand]

wash and set your own hair - and learn the simple method of cutting your families hair

I hear you. I cut my own hair. I don't cut hubby's hair, but I do trim his beard for him. Also, my MIL is in an assisted living facility. We pick her laundry up every week and do it with ours, instead of having the facility do it. Saves her a couple hundred bucks a month in laundry fees. No big deal to us to do two extra loads on laundry day.

[Niuhuru]

Buy bulk when it comes to food. A Sam’s Club/Costco card will get you enough food per month to live like an emperor. Buy a used car and have it fully paid off in one throw. Download music and burn cds. Download what movies you can and rent the rest. Figure out how to rip dvds onto your hard drive and return the disks.

[esquirette]

I cut my own hair and have for the last year and a half. I finally got what I wanted, too. It is not that hard.

Also:

Phones: Ported and forwarded my home phones to leave a message my laptop, with a message that I can be reached on my cell. Phone cost per month: $5

Cellular: Cut texting. Phone me at work or email me.

TV: Cut the cable down to the bare minimum so as to still get the ‘bundle’ discount on internet. Total monthly bill: $35.60. Call them back every year to demand the best offer they have.

Movies: Netlfix 8.99/month. They have everything, including TV shows

Clothes: Buy Black, navy, plain pants and sweaters at Goodwill, consignment, & on Ebay; make scarves from fabric

Dental: Teeth cleaning (around $10) at the local vocational/junior college

Food: Make my own cereal, patties, mixes, and avoid premade or precooked anything. It doesn’t take much time to do it yourself - even bread.

Exercise: Cleaning the house and the yard: No gym fees

[Paleo Conservative]

And forget ‘cathedral’ ceilings. That’s a lot of square footage to heat - and heat rises, making the warmest place in the house the ‘empty’ space.

A ceiling fan set to a slow speed can circulate the warm air down.