101 ways to save money (surviving socialism)

Press Democrat (Santa Rosa) ^ | 10-21-08 | Not attributed

[netmilsmom]

I want to move where you are!

[reed13]

Some more:
1) Use bath/shower water to water the garden or flush the toilet.

2) I’m ok with the credit cards and put everything on and pay at the end of the month to get a free month of interest

3) If your feet are cold, put on a hat. Your head is the #1 heat loss area of the body.

4) We’ve keep the thermostat around 60 in northern ohio and wisconsin in winter and never use the AC. Wear a sweater and thermals if your cold. You get used to it.

5) Garden - garden - garden. For green onions just cut the tops and they will grow back 3 or 4 times over the summer. Chop up the tops and freeze them for up to a year to use in soups/seasoning.

6) Make your own bread - taste better too.

7) Hunt to stock the freezer

8) Hang plastic in front of the fridge shelves to limit heat entry. Keep track of where things are on a chart on the front of the door to keep the door open less.

9) If you only need to heat something up - ie boil a cup of water... it’s cheaper to use the microwave for two minutes than the range top. which leads to....

10) Know your wattages for all your appliances and use accordingly.

11) Get one of the plastic storage containers - about 10 gallons - and put in your tub with a small step stool to sit on. Fill it up with appropriate temp water. Take a small bucket to wet yourself down. Then soap up. Then use the remaining water to rinse. Capture rinse water to use in #1.

12) Load your own ammo

13) Use voice-over-IP phone rather than land line or cell. I pay less than $40/month and my wife gets unlimited to Japan. I clocked her once with her sister at 5 hours and going when I finally turned in for the night. She’s happy - then I’m happy.

14) Roll newspapers for logs

15) Reuse the back of mail flyers for scratch paper. I get so much of that junk I can’t keep it all - mulch the rest.

....enough for now ;)

[netmilsmom]

>>Bring your own candy to the movies and don’t buy drinks. Walgreen’s often sells movie-size boxes of candy for $1. <<

But make sure you buy something from the concession stand or your theater will go out of business.

[netmilsmom]

Please add me to your ping list!

[reed13]

Oh - forgot on the $4 latte....

My brother in law was complaining about the price of a gallon of gas when it crossed $2 a few years back. I pointed at the starbucks he had as if changing the subject and asked how much he paid for it. When he replied 4.50 or something I stumbled back and in a loud incredulous voice stated - “My god your paying $16 a gallon for coffee?” He looked at his cup then back at me - at which point I said - 4 bucks ain’t so bad is it. He’s been sure not to complain about gas around me since then....unless it was due to something I ate ;)

[Albion Wilde]

If you have a Trader Joe's nearby, their frozen pot stickers are amazingly cheap and good. A bag costs about $2.50 and can feed 4 as an entree or 6-8 as an appetizer. My kids love them. I serve them with homemade fried rice.

Trader Joe's also has the most amazingly good and cheap Belgian Chocolate in "One Pound Plus" bars for around $3. Makes great gifts for unexpected occasions, and comes in several varieties from milk to very dark. It is scored into squares approximately 67 calories apiece.

And I get stone ground wheat crackers in the TJ's store brand that are identical to the kind in the blue box sold at groceries, but are $1 cheaper. Same with their organic wholegrain bread compared to Whole Foods.

[Gondring]

gosh...anyone remember putting mismatched socks on your hands instead of mittens?...saving your shoe laces?....

Your post makes a good point. Some people do these things as a matter of course currently, while many of the urban/suburban and younger crowds have no concept of such things.

[metmom]

Something I’ve started just recently is to dilute dishwashing liquid by 1 part to 4 parts water. Dispenses more easily, is easier to rinse off and there is less waste since it’s easier to use only the amount needed.

I do the same with the liquid hand soap, only I cut it about in half. One to one with water.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Bookmark for later.

[metmom]

But make sure you buy something from the concession stand or your theater will go out of business.

That is so true.

Theaters make almost no money opening week. It increases slightly each week the movie shows, but the movies are not what they make the money on. They depend on concession sales to make ends meet.

[Squantos]

Do you fish or garden ??

When my back is out due old injuries I go fishing, a mess of fish will get my lawn mowed or oil changed on the car by my neighbors. A basket of fresh veggies from your garden will do the same. Small trades still viable......

I snag e books off the net and give em to neighbors kids and they trade em also . Same neighbors have their kids shovel snow off my walk and driveway in the winter.

Point being ....you have skills that can be used to barter. You may just not recognize em ! Jams , jellies, etc ......heck I rake up all the walnuts and put em in the drive way to take off the husks. Then give those out as gifts to people that like em or will trade for something they have excess of during harvest.

Think about it....be it a resume service, doggy walking, making flower pots from seed out of old containers like buckets, cinder blocks, big scrap PVC pipe, etc .....I’d bet you have some projects and resources that folks would barter for .......!!

Stay safe and keep the faith young lady !

[Albion Wilde]

We keep our house between 65 and 67 in the winter & dress warmly. One thing I’ve noticed is that I’m not getting nearly as many colds as I used to get - I wonder if there is a connection?

Good one!

Our Dollar store sells a large variety of narrow scarves and very narrow mufflers meant to be worn with street clothes indoors. One kind is very cute but requires some ironing to look good. I have about a half-dozen of these (total outlay: $6) in various colors and wear one most days all winter. They can be loosened if you're in an overheated store, but are very effective at keeping you warm in cooler rooms or outdoors.

Narrow scarves are also very easy to knit: about 18 to 21 stitches on a size 6 or 7 needle.

[Girlene]

For green onions just cut the tops and they will grow back 3 or 4 times over the summer.

I did not know that. Thanks for the tip.

[metmom]

Food is expensive, gas remains stubbornly high and winter's big heating bills are coming.

Gas remains stubbornly high where?

I just saw it for $2.25 here in NY, the Vampire State.

Wegmans just dropped the prices on a number of items.

Not that the ideas about saving money aren't good, but this guy is being a bit disingenuous.

[metmom]

I do almost all my own baking. When I make a batch of cookies, I make a big batch and freeze about half of it. That way, when I don’t have time to make it, I can pull the frozen cookie dough out and bake them up. Way cheaper than buying the refrigerated stuff. Plus you make the mess only once. It is more of a time saver than anything, but it sure helps.

[Girlene]

My grandmother taught me to use the water left over after cooking vegetables to water my plants and garden with. She never poured water down the drain that could be used outside.
My grandmother did that and her house always smelled like cabbage...Well, I think it was the house.

LOLOLOL. Worth a repeat.

[Albion Wilde]

Here are a bunch of indoor clothes-drying racks.

Our Community Association forbids outdoor clotheslines. But with the retractable model at the above link, I think you could get away with the shirts and not-too-long items by using a retractable line attached to the handrail on the guardfence. It would also work in a suitable locaton inside the house.

[netmilsmom]

And people who sneak in snacks and then are surprised that only Multi-plexes survive, can thank themselves.

[alicewonders]

Fleece is a wonderful and warm thing too. You can just cut it any size you want & don’t have to hem the edges. You can just make lots of little cuts around the edge for instant “fringe” too. You can cut scarves to wear around the house & I made a really warm comforter with two layers of fleece & yarn whip-stitched around the edges. I use fleece alot to make quickie throws to put on my furniture to keep cat & dog hair off of it - they like it’s snuggly warmth too.

It washes easy, doesn’t wrinkle & I wait to catch it on sale for a dollar or two a yard.

[Squantos]

I use these.......

http://www.tejassmokers.com/images/IMG_0828.JPG

http://www.tejassmokers.com/ez_flow_professional.htm

I have 4 of em in a old fridge with the taps plumbed out the side . Taps are labled. Easy to keep up and clean etc ....

Cheers Nina !