THRIFTY ideas- ways you save money (invest, profit, stock, pay)

[plaidmom]

Originally Posted by seashelly

Is this also thrifty household hints? lol -- Instead of buying those Swiffer floor dusting treated sheets, just pop on a paper towel on the end and give it a quick spray of furniture polish/dusting spray.

LOL, glad to hear I'm not the only one who gave up on those Swifter sheets a long time ago. I still like the "mop-like" device tho'. I just use old rags. I damp-mop with either a little bleach/water or vinegar/water and then toss the rags in the wash.

Other things I do to save money:

Cook at home(from "scratch").

Drive only once per week.

Get DVDs, books and CDs from the public library.

Go for a run or a bike-ride whenever I have the urge to "shop".

Oh, and one thing I do that helps with both impulse shopping and clutter: I have a "one in-one out" rule. In other words, I can't buy a new sweater until I get rid of an old one.

[seashelly]

Originally Posted by myfask

lol seashelly
it sure is, because my experience when I have gotten furniture polish on my floors they became so slick I could "skate" around in my socks so it would be saving money not going to a skating rink.
lol I even fell down like I do at the skating rink
yeah my DH laughed at me instead of picking me up

oh yeah be careful when spraying Pam in the kitchen it has the same effect on the floors.
karla

lol, Opps, sorry, I didn't think about that one. I'm always barefooted so I'm all good on that one. I stick to stuff. lol

[humboldtrat]

One thing that I left out from my last posting:

Don't buy bottled water. It costs about $7/gallon. About a third of all bottled water comes from city water systems anyways (like what you get when you turn your tap on). It may be filtered more, but it's still city water. Bottled water is a waste of environmental resources. It takes a lot of energy to process water and ship it across the country (water is heavy). It's possible to buy bottled water from Fiji. Think how much energy it takes to get that to the US market! Then there are the billions of plastic bottles that end up littering the landscape. So people, drink tap water - it's almost free and environmentaly sound.

[lookingfortheperfectplace]

For swiffer wet jet pads - my Grandma takes old rags and sews velcro on them. I tried it but have Ceramic tile and the rags didn't flow good because of the grout. But for Vinyl or wood the rags would be great.

[Karla with a K]

here are a few I use

Call your credit card companies and ask them to lower your APR that you have been offered a lower rate. (I do this for my friends all the time-they give the ok for the CC company to talk to me)
you can ask the CC to change your due date if it is causing you to be late each month, you may have to go higher up the "food chain" than regular customer service but it can be done

Most mortgage payments are due between the 1st & the 15th. Try to get your payment there on the first. The intrest is based on the balance and even though it may seem as if you are saving only a little in interest over the term of the loan it adds up.

If the exact same thing you are buying is on sale cheaper at a different store ask them to "match " the sales price.
for example if I see something on sale at Wallgreens and I know I amgoign to be going to Walmart I tuck the Wallgreens add in my pusre and use it to request them to match the price.

thats it for now DH just asked if I want to go out for breakfast

see ya lol

karla

[HIF]

Wow, never heard that before, but makes a lot of sense. Will do! thanks.

Originally Posted by myfask

Most mortgage payments are due between the 1st & the 15th. Try to get your payment there on the first. The intrest is based on the balance and even though it may seem as if you are saving only a little in interest over the term of the loan it adds up.

karla

[msjbrent]

Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home

save money!

1. buy things on sale, dont pay retail prices
2. use coupons!
3. Never buy a new car, never spend over $5k.
4. Cook your own food, avoid restaurants
5. dont marry, dont have children
6. buy a house in an affordable location

If I lived like that I wouldn't feel as though I was living at all. Mine as well just sit in a chair and stare at the wall all day.

[relocated46]

If I lived like that I wouldn't feel as though I was living at all. Mine as well just sit in a chair and stare at the wall all day.

I agree, be thrifty when you can, but you've got to have some fun, I just can't imagine no resteraunts! Cooking and cleaning up everyday is such a drag. I loved the post where the mother saved to take the kids to the symphony and then out for a fancy desert. Great idea!

[jhlcomp]

msjbrent - You got suckered into NAH - this is a young man of 25 who lives at home with his parents and is trying to sell his stuffed toys to move to Oil City. I mean no disrespect, but I think you know where I am going here.

How we economize:
Use one car when we can
Shop at Costco and Sams
Hit the sales at Macy's
Use our points
Grind our own coffee (BTW Costco has some really great coffee) - I stay away from Starbucks.
We share one meal when we go out since the portions are so huge
Buy sodas on sale
Buy all hair products on sale
I color my own hair
I cut my husbands hair
Don't use coupons that often because I have found that similar items are lower in cost.
Recycle
buy all paper items on sale

[Miker2069]

Probably one of the best tools is a budget. Sounds so elementary but it's so useful. Stick to the budget. You add a splurge category (i.e., your daily latte, entertainment), and add a category where you contribute to "your" emergency fund. We take an umbrella with us because we know it will rain- same thing with financial events that roll in. A budget is your first tool in mastering your money as opposed to it mastering you.