Cheap (ahem, frugal) people unite!!

lilac_jive · 01-15-2011, 09:20 PM

I was just mentioning in the Recipes thread my cheapness in reusing Ziploc freezer bags, and I got to wondering if there's any more cheapskates like me on MR. Anyone out there? Got any tips you want to share? What do you do to save money?

I think we can skip mentioning downloading freebies for our ereaders

DixieGal · 01-15-2011, 09:26 PM

I press soap slivers together to make new soap bars. I think a sliver of the first soap we ever had are in the middle of the current Divory (Dial and Ivory).

bjones6416 · 01-15-2011, 10:14 PM

If I eat out, I always bring home the leftovers and freeze them in very small portions. That way if I want to add a couple of bites of hamburger or chicken or steak to some rice and vegetables, I don't have to use up the whole piece of beef or chicken. I've started buying more store brands, and only been burned once (dental floss, Target brand -- shreds into strings between my teeth!

). Most everything else has been fine. The biggest change is that I've stopped buying processed foods as much as possible, and I've just joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) so I get a weekly box of local seasonal veggies and fruits. A one person portion is only $15/wk (but is enough for me and my mom), and in my particular program I can pay week-to-week, not pre-pay for the whole season. I'm really excited about that. I was in a CSA a couple of years ago, and loved the way it forced me to try different foods depending on the season.

phenomshel · 01-15-2011, 10:18 PM

Oh, I wish we had a CSA program here! I love most fresh veggies and fruits, and don't have time to tend a garden.

happy_terd · 01-15-2011, 10:21 PM

I try to keep my spending under 15 bucks a day. I am almost able to do it now.

kindlekitten · 01-15-2011, 10:38 PM

I make almost everything from scratch, have a HUGE vegie garden when I am not traveling for work, shop at an old fashioned butcher (incredible savings not to mention the health benefits!) buy a lot of things in reasonable bulk, ie; 25 pounds of flour, 10 pounds of various legumes, 10 pounds of sugar, 50 pounds of onions and potatoes. it sounds like a lot but it really isn't. pay attention to the stuff that you use a lot of and that will store, bulk buy it, store it responsibly. you always have it on hand, no last minute running to the store and so on.

the other thing I do is meal planning, even for 1 or 2 people it makes a lot of sense. you can say, plan on a roast on Sunday, sandwiches on Wednesday and a stew on Friday. Chicken on Monday, salad on Thursday, and so on

GA Russell · 01-15-2011, 11:24 PM

My one tip regarding cooking is that I am always careful not to let the ash of my cigar fall into the batter.

maianhvk · 01-16-2011, 01:39 AM

I force myself everyday to have breakfast at home with bread, omelets, tea and milk. If I go out to have breakfast that would be a disaster to the wallet.

nohmi2 · 01-16-2011, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maianhvk

I force myself everyday to have breakfast at home with bread, omelets, tea and milk. If I go out to have breakfast that would be a disaster to the wallet.

Very sensible.

I have got into the habit of cooking in bulk, dividing in portions, and freezing.

Apart from saving on electricity, it's nice to having emergency meals.

Cheers

BenBanned · 01-16-2011, 02:12 AM

Iv'e been car free for the past three years. My bike gets me everywhere I need to go plus "It's a great way to stay in shape."

maianhvk · 01-16-2011, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenBanned

Iv'e been car free for the past three years. My bike gets me everywhere I need to go plus "It's a great way to stay in shape."

I use bike pretty often and I think it's a brilliant way to exercise and be economical

oh and I use Kindle to prevent myself from buying expensive paper books

(only if I can stop myself from going into a bookstore)

TGS · 01-16-2011, 06:32 AM

I stopped smoking - which saves me about 200 krone a week (maybe $35). and my justification for buying an expensive espresso machine is that a cappuccino in a cafe is 40 krone (about $7), so it will pay for itself in a year. (It remains to be seen whether this one works out!)

Sweetpea · 01-16-2011, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjones6416

If I eat out, I always bring home the leftovers and freeze them in very small portions.

Eating out? We hardly ever eat out, I usually find it a waste of money. It's chaper (and I think more fun) to make the food yourself and eat it in the comfort of the home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by maianhvk

I force myself everyday to have breakfast at home with bread, omelets, tea and milk. If I go out to have breakfast that would be a disaster to the wallet.

I wouldn't even know where to have a breakfast outside the house... But I do bring my own lunch to work.

bjones6416 · 01-16-2011, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Eating out? We hardly ever eat out, I usually find it a waste of money. It's chaper (and I think more fun) to make the food yourself and eat it in the comfort of the home.

I wouldn't even know where to have a breakfast outside the house... But I do bring my own lunch to work.

Ah, but you said the word "we." For some of us there's a social aspect of eating out that trumps the occasional waste of money. If I didn't force myself to get out of the house every now and then I'd be a complete, ahem, recluse since I'm no longer working.

I also try to get my mother (who's 89) out of her house a few times a week, although those aren't always restaurant trips. Sometimes I take her to my sister's for a visit and a meal, or just to the grocery store or for a ride. But yes, I do waste money eating out sometimes.

GeoffC · 01-16-2011, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Eating out? We hardly ever eat out, I usually find it a waste of money. It's chaper (and I think more fun) to make the food yourself and eat it in the comfort of the home.

I wouldn't even know where to have a breakfast outside the house... But I do bring my own lunch to work.

definitely a

01-15-2011, 09:20 PM	#1
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Cheap (ahem, frugal) people unite!! I was just mentioning in the Recipes thread my cheapness in reusing Ziploc freezer bags, and I got to wondering if there's any more cheapskates like me on MR. Anyone out there? Got any tips you want to share? What do you do to save money? I think we can skip mentioning downloading freebies for our ereaders

01-15-2011, 10:14 PM	#3
bjones6416 ↓↓ Skirt!! Earrings!! Posts: 3,394 Karma: 17432172 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Georgia, USA Device: Acer netbook, JetBook Lite, Sony PRS-300, Kindle 2, Kindle Fire	If I eat out, I always bring home the leftovers and freeze them in very small portions. That way if I want to add a couple of bites of hamburger or chicken or steak to some rice and vegetables, I don't have to use up the whole piece of beef or chicken. I've started buying more store brands, and only been burned once (dental floss, Target brand -- shreds into strings between my teeth! ). Most everything else has been fine. The biggest change is that I've stopped buying processed foods as much as possible, and I've just joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) so I get a weekly box of local seasonal veggies and fruits. A one person portion is only $15/wk (but is enough for me and my mom), and in my particular program I can pay week-to-week, not pre-pay for the whole season. I'm really excited about that. I was in a CSA a couple of years ago, and loved the way it forced me to try different foods depending on the season. Last edited by bjones6416; 01-15-2011 at 10:15 PM. Reason: redundancy

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kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	I make almost everything from scratch, have a HUGE vegie garden when I am not traveling for work, shop at an old fashioned butcher (incredible savings not to mention the health benefits!) buy a lot of things in reasonable bulk, ie; 25 pounds of flour, 10 pounds of various legumes, 10 pounds of sugar, 50 pounds of onions and potatoes. it sounds like a lot but it really isn't. pay attention to the stuff that you use a lot of and that will store, bulk buy it, store it responsibly. you always have it on hand, no last minute running to the store and so on. the other thing I do is meal planning, even for 1 or 2 people it makes a lot of sense. you can say, plan on a roast on Sunday, sandwiches on Wednesday and a stew on Friday. Chicken on Monday, salad on Thursday, and so on

01-15-2011, 11:24 PM	#7
GA Russell New season! Posts: 7,684 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	My one tip regarding cooking is that I am always careful not to let the ash of my cigar fall into the batter.

01-16-2011, 01:39 AM	#8
maianhvk whimsical Posts: 2,779 Karma: 88193939 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: in darkness Device: current: PPW 4. brick: K3 & Voyage.	I force myself everyday to have breakfast at home with bread, omelets, tea and milk. If I go out to have breakfast that would be a disaster to the wallet.

01-16-2011, 02:12 AM	#10
BenBanned Groupie Posts: 169 Karma: 1326166 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: NJ Device: Paper	Iv'e been car free for the past three years. My bike gets me everywhere I need to go plus "It's a great way to stay in shape."

01-16-2011, 06:32 AM	#12
TGS Country Member Posts: 9,058 Karma: 7676767 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Liseuse: Irex DR800. PRS 505 in the house, and the missus has an iPad.	I stopped smoking - which saves me about 200 krone a week (maybe $35). and my justification for buying an expensive espresso machine is that a cappuccino in a cafe is 40 krone (about $7), so it will pay for itself in a year. (It remains to be seen whether this one works out!)

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