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I do, but rarely. It's more economical to put a dish towel out on the counter and have everyone use that for a day or two than to waste a bunch of paper towels. If there's a big, yucky spill then I use them.
I am definitely a minimalist and do many of the things to save money mentioned in this thread, except using both sides of toilet paper. I think we buy too much stuff and waste too much in our society. The one thing that wastes our cash the most is the family automobile. We simply drive too much. It used to be smart to live in downtown areas of cities or towns, so you could walk to the grocery and other businesses. Now days it is often smarter to live in suburbs that are in walking distance to all of these businesses. Many downtown areas are now nothing more than ghost towns. Some towns are coming back, but they are nothing like they were 40 to 60 years ago. As energy cost escalate we see more and more people walking instead of driving or riding. Not only does this save money in energy costs, it also is healthier for all.
We stay at home. Since gas prices have risen sharply over the recent few weeks, we simply stay home. We drive only to work, church, and doctors appointments. If we need something we get it on the way to or from work, church, or doctor. Otherwise, we do without it until the next trip.
Do you recycle?
--Always. (One box of trash bags lasts us forever cuz we have so little to go out every week...everything is recycled!)
Do you buy from thrift stores?
--Just recently started going to Salvation Army. Was surprised at the good quality there. And if you go on Wednesdays, clothes are half-price.
Do you spend a lot on meals, entertainment?
--No. We never go out to eat w/out coupons. We only go to matinee movies, and I always bring my own water.
Do you throw away the last few sips of milk instead of maybe just drinking it up?
--Throw out milk? My mom would kill me!
Me, I know it sounds 'too' thrifty but I scrape on everything.
--I don't think you can be "too thrifty." As my New England forebears said, "Waste not, want not."
Teabags can be reused at least once, but I try (sometimes) to use it a 3rd time.
--me too!
The last few squirts of a dish soap bottle, even if it means rinsing out the bottle to get that last half-ounce.
--Rinse it out w/ vinegar & then dump it all into the new bottle, and your dish soap will go even further, plus it'll help cut grease even more.
I always try to find a way to "reduce, reuse, and recycle." Llife is just better that way! And it's nice to see that others do the same thing.
We stay at home. Since gas prices have risen sharply over the recent few weeks, we simply stay home. We drive only to work, church, and doctors appointments. If we need something we get it on the way to or from work, church, or doctor. Otherwise, we do without it until the next trip.
When I stay home, I am on Amazon.com all day. I know, dangerous.
I still tear paper towels in half and use only half. Now that might be pushing it a bit far...but who can afford to go to the store for just one thing anymore??
I thought you were demonstrating your thriftiness by using a smaller font. Lol
My thiftiness is practiced in doing things unlike my fellow Americans.
I never buy a new car, but a good condition used one. Avoid the gas guzzlers, and purchase something good on gas, and reliable to avoid repairs. (What good is a high MPG car that's in the shop all the time)
I try to avoid buying anything I don't actually need.
Purchase food in quanity when its on sale.
Buy less expensive generics rather than name brand.
Turn off lights when not in use.
Wear old clothes till they are pretty much unwearable
Avoid running the clothes drier. Hang them up to dry.
We've moved several times, and I've sold a house without paying a real estate agent.
When we eat out, (a couple of days a week) I don't buy alcoholic drinks or desserts, don't buy expensive dishes like steak, eat at places where they have good food but does cost an arm and a leg.
Don't do unnecessary auto maint.
Try to find the cheapest gas station without going out of my way.
If I buy roses for my wife, I don't buy right at Valentines day. ITs much cheaper a couple of weeks before or after.
And here's the biggest saver, I don't buy things to try to impress others.
I do, but rarely. It's more economical to put a dish towel out on the counter and have everyone use that for a day or two than to waste a bunch of paper towels. If there's a big, yucky spill then I use them.
I remember on the show American Dad, Stan's in-laws actually reused the paper towels. They just hung them out to dry and kept reusing them.
As for me, I try to use as little paper toweling as possible. When I need a tissue, I take a 2-ply tissue, peel it apart, and then rip it in half, so I can get 4 tissues out of one. For the residue left in containers, I always swish some water around to get one last drink out of it. And also, when my family boils water, we try to reuse it for something else (for instance, when we cook beets, we just drink the water (which is full of nutrients that boiled off the beet), or occasionally use it to boil something else in. That, and we use coupons and try to buy things in bulk. But we're not frugal to the extreme, though. I mean, there are times when we'll (gasp) pay full price for something.
My thiftiness is practiced in doing things unlike my fellow Americans.
I never buy a new car, but a good condition used one. Avoid the gas guzzlers, and purchase something good on gas, and reliable to avoid repairs. (What good is a high MPG car that's in the shop all the time)
I try to avoid buying anything I don't actually need.
Purchase food in quanity when its on sale.
Buy less expensive generics rather than name brand.
Turn off lights when not in use.
Wear old clothes till they are pretty much unwearable
Avoid running the clothes drier. Hang them up to dry.
We've moved several times, and I've sold a house without paying a real estate agent.
When we eat out, (a couple of days a week) I don't buy alcoholic drinks or desserts, don't buy expensive dishes like steak, eat at places where they have good food but does cost an arm and a leg.
Don't do unnecessary auto maint.
Try to find the cheapest gas station without going out of my way.
If I buy roses for my wife, I don't buy right at Valentines day. ITs much cheaper a couple of weeks before or after.
And here's the biggest saver, I don't buy things to try to impress others.
Seriously, do you think none of your fellow Americans make similar choices? If so, why do we have a Frugal thread on C-D? For many of the things you listed, there are people here who — for better or worse — would think you're extravagant. Personally it's not my way, but I'd bet more than one person here has never bought roses for anyone, at any price. You write, "Don't do unnecessary auto maint." How many people do you think are doing unnecessary auto maintenance? You think we go to the repair shop and say, "What can you do for me today?"
While I would agree that materialism can be an issue in the U.S., I think it's a stretch to suggest that everyone is out to impress others. And given the economic conditions many of us are suffering at the moment, frugality is not only a choice, but rather a necessity. You might choose not to buy things you "don't actually need." But many people can't even afford to buy the things they DO need.
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