It used to be that people on fixed incomes, retirees, the “working poor,” and natural tightwads were the only people who put much ongoing effort into living frugally. Now things have changed and everyone, regardless of assets or income, should be thinking about saving money, wasting less, making every penny go further, and generally “getting the facts” on how to control the costs of living.
The Internet is full of subscription websites and e-newsletters to help you save money, but if you get too much information, you’re less likely to use it. Connect with the money-saving sites (ie two, maybe three tops) that best reflect your lifestyle, regional living needs, and other personal characteristics.
Then make sure you read the information you receive regularly, at least a few times a week, if not every day. Take computerized or handwritten notes of ideas you can integrate into your home plan, and then act. Remember, it takes 20-30 days to establish a new habit, so do it deliberately until it becomes second nature.
starting
To get you started, here are some good general and customizable approaches you can take to lower your living expenses. Again, the details may work out differently for you, depending on where you live, how you live, what’s important to you, and what you can give up (if necessary). Nothing here is carved in stone, and the suggestions are not in any particular order.
You may find it useful to save tips and ideas in the following categories, but you can organize them in any way that best suits your needs. Review their tips regularly and always stay tuned, and keep your ears open, too, for new ways to save, stretch, and buy more with your money.
food tips
– Don’t buy convenience foods, but try to make all meals from scratch.
– Try to buy items in bulk on sale and plan meals around them.
– When you cook a chicken or a turkey, use everything. Boil the carcass afterwards to make soup after cutting up all the remaining meat for “a la king” meals and poultry salads.
– Add cooked macaroni to your chicken or turkey salad to “stretch” it out.
– Stock up on dry beans, which are also quite cheap, healthy and delicious.
– Learn some basic baking skills for homemade cookies, pies, cakes and breads.
General buying tips
– Get coupons from newspapers or online at various coupon clipping sites (like thecouponclippers.com) and start a file for the ones you’ll actually use.
– Always, forever Do comparison shopping before you buy anything. If you shop online, remember to add taxes and shipping each time so your true out-of-pocket cost is clear and measurable.
– Keep an eye out for all the specials, money-saving coupons, discount codes, and other offers, all the time, on TV, in print, and on the Internet. Resist the urge to stock up on savings offers you won’t use.
technology tips
– Consider dropping your cable TV service if you really don’t use it much. For TV fans, it won’t be long before you can get just about everything you want from the Internet. Hulu.com and similar sites offer free TV shows, even new ones, while low-cost Netflix accounts also mail you DVDs and movies online.
– Cancel your newspaper subscription and read your news online.
– Unless you’re doing state-of-the-art digital video or audio production, you probably don’t need the latest and greatest computer. If all you want to do is write letters, do word processing, use email services, and surf the Internet, a $100 used computer can do it for you.
– If you really don’t need a cell phone, don’t have one. If you can get a good enough cellular plan, on the other hand, you may not need your landline. Review offers carefully when making this decision.
Household and Personal Tips
– Have the steadiest hands in the house cut hair. It’s not that hard, especially if you take a little time to study and have a nice guinea pig.
– Take your old cotton underwear, socks and t-shirts and cut them up to use instead of paper towels, even napkins. You can also make t-shirt sleeve bandanas to use instead of bandanas.
– You can easily get the formulas to make your own cleaning products. Vinegar, ammonia, and a few other basics, added to hot water, are very helpful. Steam cleaners will disinfect and clean without added chemicals of any kind.
– If someone in the house just needs soda, learn how to carbonate your own water and make your own flavors. It’s easy, and it’s cheap.
– Arrange to run errands the same day, and in “geographical order” so you can save fuel. If you’re doing this on a gas guzzler, trade it for a four-cylinder sedan, as long as you don’t have kids to lug around.
– Keep the winter thermostat at 65 degrees during the day and 55 at night. Wear a down comforter and, before bed, wear warm sweatshirts and socks.