Some Ways I Try to Follow to Save Money

MSN had a list today of some ways to save money and be thrifty. Many of them I have used for many years. Their list is at this link:


http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/Devote15MinutesADayToBeingCheap.aspx


Some others I use include:

1) Never purchase national brands for the most part. Store brands are manufactured or processed by the same firms that make the national brands, so there is largely no difference in taste or quality (catsup is one noticeable exception). There are a few other isolated exceptions to this as with some products there is no store brand alternative.

2) Plan all activities or errands for one trip. I never make additional trips and strive to only have one, maybe two of those errand trips per week. Always be aware of the fuel stations where fuel prices generally run less and make avail of them. The oil corporations and convenience stores love to play this silly little game of having varying prices in locations that are fairly close together just to gouge consumers. I would dearly love to see a law that mandates same gasoline prices for the same brand name within a zip code so this childish foolishness ceases and we can have even pricing like we do when we purchase other consumer goods (food, clothing, household goods, meals, etc.) at like businesses.

3) Never buy magazines. Read or scan them for free at a bookstore, and read them more deeply online. Use newspapers in place of paper towels for cleaning duties. Generic or store brands of most chemicals used in household cleaning tasks are just fine instead of the higher costing national brands where you are paying for advertising, corporate waste, and fat corporate executive salaries. I am considering purchasing online electronic subscriptions for newspapers that run less 60 cents per week while hardcopy subscriptions are over $2 and newstand purchases end up being $6 per week. Plus it is environmentally prudent.

4) Try to only eat out once per week, maybe twice at the most. Allow yourself only one meal out per month where the individual cost exceeds $6.00.

5) Be very careful with your clothing, apparel, and linens. Strive to not get them dirty and sweaty. This will result in minimizing having to do laundry.

6) Clean as you go in the kitchen and bathroom. Rinse the sink during and after each use. Do not use soap in the shower as it causes a buildup that needs to be attended to. Use a body wash sparingly instead.

7) Re-use plastic and metal containers for other uses and storage. Whatever else you cannot use again at home, recycle at your local recycling center or dropoff depot. Do not purchase trash bags; instead use the paper or plastic ones you get at the store from grocery purchases.

8) Keep thermostats at 57 degrees during the winter when your home is largely inactive. Use 6-10 blankets to stay warm while sleeping. When showering, do not turn on the bathroom fan as that keeps the steam in and really warms the bathroom and adjacent areas. Keep it at 63 degrees when you are active. Wear sweaters and sweatshirts and double socks to stay warm. In summer, fans are better than a/c to keep cool. Put them in windows to ventilate to bring in the cooler outside air after sunset. Wear minimal clothing while at home, no matter how disgusting you will look. Take cool showers in hot weather with minimal warm water. Only use heat from November 1st or later and not after April 1. Limit your showers to seven minutes except for one time per week.

9) Drink lots of water and try to minimize purchases of pop. Buying skim milk is always cheaper than 2% or whole milk. The more water you drink, the less hungry you will be. When you do choose to buy a pop, get it from the store brand machine out front or just inside the store. Those tasty 12 ounce cans are just 25 cents each instead of paying well over $1 for the 16 ounce cups at the fast food joints or the convenience stores.

10) Try not to eat food after 7pm or 3 hours before you go to bed. Skip supper at least a couple of nights a week. Doing this will result in better, longer, and deeper sleep that night. And its an easy way to help lose weight.

11) Hookup electronics to power strips that you can switch off so you are not giving away money to the greedy immoral electric corporations when you are not using them.

12) When available, shop at farmers markets. The produce is fresher and far less expensive than at the grocery store. Plus it is very satisfying to buy directly personally from the grower.


I am sure there are other things I do that are of a thrifty nature and I am not even aware of them. I will ponder other attitudes and behaviors I have and follow and will add them to this list.