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Night Elf
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I'm sure this has been hammered to death, but I want to know anyway. What's your best frugal tip?

 

I'm not as frugal as I used to be. One thing I still do though is use only half a dryer sheet in the dryer. I was doing laundry today and realized that for someone who has started spending more on groceries, it's weird that I'm still using only half the dryer sheet. I used to coupon with Grocery Games but the coupons stopped being helpful so I let my membership expire. Now I don't use coupons except for the occasional free item I get from Kroger. I'm feeling bad today about not being a good steward for my money anymore.

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Once a moth cooking.

 

Keep a check register for your credit cards too.

 

Envelope system.

 

I have a list of essentials (toilet paper, dish soap) in my online target account, pick from that list once a month, and I get free shipping plus 5% off with my Target DEBIT card. This way I don't see anything shiny in the store, and I save the time. Added bonus: No giant pictures of hot chicks in lacy lingerie being paraded in front of my son.

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I make almost all of our toiletries and cleaners: laundry soap, disinfectant, glass cleaner, body wash, shampoo, lotion, Chapstick, face wash and moisturizer. It can save quite a bit. It cost me about $20-$25 to have laundry detergent for a year for a family of five.

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Don't buy things. :)  But really, there are so many little things that are easy to add on that really add up.

In the same vein

Stay in

Stay out of stores

Menu plan

Don't throw away leftovers~if you can't eat or repurpose freeze as a TV dinner

Know when an item is worth buying a specific brand (at least worth it to you)

And this won't make you rich but I cut my Dawn 1/2 and 1/2 with water as I do the shampoo.  It works just as well.

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Food waste was our biggest money waster and getting that under control saves us a LOT of money.  I plan meals on a weekly basis, taking into account our activities and the local grocery ads.  If I'm going to grill , I fill that thing up so I don't waste charcoal.  I usually fill it up with extra boneless chicken. The next couple of days, I use that chicken to top salads, add to pasta, or a wrap for lunches.  

 

 If there are leftovers, I have a plan to use it in the next day or two.  

 

We have the same thing for breakfast most days and that keeps us from having waste.  When I buy fruit I buy what we'll eat for meals before it gets too ripe.  In other words, plan, plan, plan, and then stick to it. 

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Don't use fabric softener sheets. I used to think we needed them but gave them up and we're fine.

 

Use less laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. Use vinegar instead of Jetdry

 

This!

 

 

We have the same thing for breakfast most days and that keeps us from having waste.  When I buy fruit I buy what we'll eat for meals before it gets too ripe.  

 

 

And this!

 

I make almost all of our toiletries and cleaners.

 

And this too. We use microfiber cloths as much as possible and I make most of our cleaners for jobs the cloths can't handle. Using a squeegee in the shower before using any product really helps cut down on the need to deep clean it. Use less detergent and soap. Your clothes and dishes will still come clean. 

 

Check out this thread too.

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Once a Month Cooking or Batch freezer cooking. We've got about 300 wraps/burritos in the freezer now: Beef+Bean+rice and cheese, ranch chicken+rice+white bean+ bacon and cheese, Bean, salsa, rice and cheese, plus breakfast burritos. DH takes them to work, kids eat them for lunch, we have them for quick dinners on busy failure to plan a meal nights.

 

Unplug all appliances not in use. I know this sound trivial but it works, coffee pot, tea kettle, lamps etc.

 

Turn off lights when not in a room

 

I made our own laundry detergent for year. A grocery store in our area was going out of business and I purchased fels napatha, washing soda and borax at about 70% off retail once we ran out I re-evaluated how far I got with our home made laundry vs uses SUN laundry detergent with a coupon and found that using SUN with a coupon this time around was cheaper.

 

Don't be brand loyal

 

Only use coupons when it makes sense too. Like my local grocery store just sent me a $10 off your next $50 in store purchase, I plan to coupon the heck out of that trip and make the saving really last.

 

Find out if your electricity company uses peak hours/rates and if they do then try and use larger more energy use items during off peak times. Dish washer, clothes dryer, washing machine, vacuum, rug shampooer.

 

Buy in bulk but ONLY on items you know your family will actually use. No point in stocking up on 79 cans of tuna at 45cents a can if no one but you likes tuna (I ended up giving a bunch to a family friend who's family really loved tuna casserole).

 

Think  beyond just food for buying in bulk. I have a Sally's beauty card. Several times a year they have gallon shampoo and conditioner on sale for around $4-$5 for card members. I usually stock up a years worth.

 

Ditch the Costco card. A lot of people over spend at Costco. Instead hitch a ride with a friend who is a member a few times a year.

 

 

 

 

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Frugal tips in our home include--

  • shopping at Costco--buying in bulk the things we use frequently has paid off, I also buy when it goes on their coupon sale and stock up
  • meal plan and stick to it.  
  • set the thermostat and leave it be, use fans to move the air when it's really hot and keep things closed up
  • not eating out but once a week --usually for lunch as it's cheaper than dinner
  • not going to the mall to pass time...as it usually gives me I wantitis  ;)
  • Energy bulbs in all overhead lights/lamps 
  • wash only full loads and air dry things when possible
  • investing in our home so we don't feel like we need to leave to have things to do--we have a swing set and trampoline outside, and treadmill and mini gym in the house

 

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I only buy house brands. It's much easier than couponing and I've very rarely been disappointed in their quality. My kids know that I won't buy name brands and now they always grab the house brands without prompting. It makes shopping quicker and easier too, I don't spend time clipping coupons and matching deals. I've also started shopping in smaller batches, so we don't waste much food. Since I drive by several supermarkets twice a day every weekday, it's no trouble to stop in.

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Wear used clothes.  If you need something new, start with the free options, then move up to garage sales, then to thrift stores, then to Craig's list, then to consignment stores.  Only then do you consider retail.

 

Never buy something retail the first time you see it.  Sleep on it.

 

Buy kids' clothes ahead when they are very cheap (garage sale level or free).  Save them in size-marked boxes.  If you end up tossing some of them, you will still save overall.

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Find a state lisenced food salvage store. We went last week and saved $100.00 compared to buying the same stuff from Walmart.

I frequent one of these in my area.  We get food for about 25% of retail (or less).  I get a case of organic yogurt for $3-$4.  I can spend $100 and get a cart overflowing with food.  If I had to shop there exclusively, I could probably feed our family of five (with dd at college) for $400 a month, maybe less.  I also get good quality pet foods there.

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I'm sure this has been hammered to death, but I want to know anyway. What's your best frugal tip?

 

I'm not as frugal as I used to be. One thing I still do though is use only half a dryer sheet in the dryer. I was doing laundry today and realized that for someone who has started spending more on groceries, it's weird that I'm still using only half the dryer sheet. I used to coupon with Grocery Games but the coupons stopped being helpful so I let my membership expire. Now I don't use coupons except for the occasional free item I get from Kroger. I'm feeling bad today about not being a good steward for my money anymore.

As long as you can afford to spend more, I don't think you should feel badly. Perhaps being a good steward for your time is more important to you right now -- and it takes quite a bit of time to read all of the grocery store flyers, clip coupons, price-shop, make lists, etc.

 

I think using half the dryer sheet is such a habit for you, that it's not really about being frugal any more. And if it works just as well as a full sheet, there's no reason not to keep doing it.

 

My feeling is that you know how to be frugal if you need to be thrifty, and that's what matters.

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I've found that staying on top of maintenance always ends up saving me money.

 

So for my car that means staying on top of oil changes, tire rotations, etc. before things become a problem.

 

For my appliances that means:

cleaning out the dryer vent twice a year,

changing the a/c filters every other month,

cleaning the bathroom exhaust fans twice a year,

cleaning freezer build-up once a year,

emptying vacuum bag when it's 3/4 full - not full or (worse) overstuffed, and

not overstuffing the washer or dryer by thinking one large load is more efficient than two smaller loads.

 

For my yard that means:

regular inspection of the trees (before a sick limb takes down the entire tree @ $5000 to remove - ouch, BTDT),

not allowing the ivy or bamboo or other invasive plant to become overgrown,

regular watering of beds near the foundation,

regular pool care even during winter - to include covering it for winter,

regular lawn care (rather than "as needed" which can cost more in the long run), and

regular bed care (10 min a week to weed vs. an entire weekend every few months, etc.)

 

For my home that means:

regular dusting and vacuuming (to reduce what ends up in a/c filter, among other things),

regular checking of door and window seals,

like an earlier poster said - quick squeegee of shower glass after each shower,

quick post-task wipe downs (the foggy mirror post-shower, the sink & counters post-teeth-brushing, the floors after going potty),

four times a year closet purging (I do this on the first day of each "season" to keep on track and it keeps the task from becoming overwhelming),

light-blocking drapes on all west-facing windows (pulled shut once the afternoon sun hits in summer, left open during winter), and

scheduled pest control (for me this is just every 90 days sprinkling new borax around entry spots).

 

For me, personally, that means:

prioritizing regular exercise, even if it's just a 30 minute walk around the block or lifting canned pumpkin during commercial breaks,

having a few healthy standby food options on hand - frozen meals that will be just as quick/convenient as ordering in or dining out,

making regular time, however small, for your de-stressor of choice: glass of wine, long bath, cat nap, few chapters of good book, etc.),

making regular time to attend to chores that would otherwise spiral out of hand if put off (e.g., laundry!), and

indulging on a preferred scent, beauty product, shoe/bag, mani/pedi, etc. is cheaper than going without but feeling down or unrecognized for all the hard work you do!

 

I live within walking distance of three specialty grocery stores and a Walmart neighborhood market. Several of my neighbors sell chicken eggs, jams, honey and veggies at their mailboxes.  This allows me to grocery shop every 2-3 days, which I prefer to do since it reduces our food waste and spoilage. I've saved lots going from a once-a-month cooking plan to this plan.  I still have a few dishes I bulk make and freeze (to keep standby rather than ordering out or in) but mostly I buy produce, dairy and breads as-needed rather than enough to last a week or more.

 

I try to plan errands to coincide with the kids' extracurriculars - saves me at least a tank of gas each month, because I live semi-rural.

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I personally think it is such a personal thing.  In some ways I am a lot more frugal than other people.   But, for example, I can't handle coupons.  Of course, I don't often buy convenience foods which make up the bulk of coupons.  I would buy a used copy of the complete collection of the Tightwad gazette, and then use the ideas that work for your family.  

 

I use her idea of buying used clothes in future sizes and boxing them up by size.  When I mention that idea they say but how will I know what size he/she will be?  I pointed out that kids don't skip sizes.  DD will be a 4 then a 5 then a 6.  As long as I'm not buying something that can only be worn for a particular event, it doesn't matter.  For example, I just bought Nordstrom silver ballet style slippers for DD for a $1 at the Salvation Army.  They couldn't have been worn more than twice.  They are two sizes too big, but she will love them when they do.  
 

One idea the Tightwad Gazette doesn't mention is homemade cleaners.  Or maybe she does, and I wasn't ready to listen to it.  I like the homemade laundry detergent.  Also, the homemade general cleaner that it Dawn and H2O2.  

 

But, really, don't feel guilty.  You do what you need to do.  Don't throw money away, but don't throw time away either.  

 

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If the kids need something (clothing, shoes, etc....) I hit the thrift stores and yard sales FIRST.  It is getting a bit harder as they get older, but I have still managed to find things they want/like/will wear.  I would say 90% of our clothing needs are met this way or on deep discounts.

 

I have a BUDGET and stick to it (or try to).  If I only have $200 for clothing, then I have to pick and choose wisely and not just buy something because it is "cute" but it won't get much wear.  If I only have $150 for food this week, I choose chicken over salmon, etc....

 

 

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Don't use fabric softener sheets.

 

Just to push even more frugality . . . Don't use the dryer.

 

My dh made a great inexpensive clothesline off the edge of our deck railing, and we line dry most things (except emergencies).

 

Glad for this thread, and lots of personal finance blogs that remind me to stay diligent.  :)

 

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I have only skimmed the responses since I am out of time right now so maybe this has already been mentioned but have you read any of the Economedes books?  I won one at a Homeschooling Convention but I haven't cracked it open yet.  I did hear them speak and they seemed to have some interesting and useful tips....their website is below.  

 

http://www.moneysmartfamily.com/

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So how do those of you that thrift store shop find anything? I can look all day and walk away with nothing. Ours isn't nearly as cheap as many of you mention either.

 

I shop sale racks in Gap, Carter's or Gymboree (pjs only) for grandkids, and for me, Gap, Dillard's, Loft or Old Navy. I get great new clothes, pretty cheap. I buy jeans from American Eagle when they're on sale. I always take advantage of my free Victoria's Secret panty cards that come in the mail. I wear the AE boy-cut cotton undies mostly, but the VS are nice for more romantic times.

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I think it depends a little on where you live.  For us shopping at the local grocery store or the Walmart here is just too expensive.  It costs a lot less for me to drive an hour into town to shop at there.  I can save a lot of money buy just driving to a different store.  Also consignment stores and thrift shops are cheaper here.  Often I can find a better deal at the local mall stores I just watch for sales, coupons and clearance.  Really the most important thing is to know how much something costs and working from there. 

 

At home I limit the number of cleaners I use. 

I use rubbing alcohol to clean all windows and mirrors.

I also unwrap my soap before I store it.  Crazy but for some soaps it makes a huge difference in how long it lasts.

 

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I'm sure this has been hammered to death, but I want to know anyway. What's your best frugal tip?

 

I'm not as frugal as I used to be. One thing I still do though is use only half a dryer sheet in the dryer. I was doing laundry today and realized that for someone who has started spending more on groceries, it's weird that I'm still using only half the dryer sheet. I used to coupon with Grocery Games but the coupons stopped being helpful so I let my membership expire. Now I don't use coupons except for the occasional free item I get from Kroger. I'm feeling bad today about not being a good steward for my money anymore.

 

The first thing I would do is look at all the stuff that I buy and ask myself "Do I really need this at all?".   You don't need dryer sheets or fabric softener.  I haven't used them, ever, and don't miss them.  In fact, when we bought our house last summer, with the appliances, we were overwhelmed by the fabric softener coming off of the washer and dryer and onto our clothes.  Ugh. 

 

Things like that.  Lots of stuff you don't have to have.  I haven't bought kitchen trash bags in a year.  I just keep a small can and use grocery bags.  Not only does it save me $8 every month on the bags, but food doesn't sit in the can all day and stink, because it has to be changed frequently.

 

Think about all of the consumables that you buy and try to come up with a list of things that's worth doing a trial of skipping entirely.  You might be surprised what you don't miss.

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So how do those of you that thrift store shop find anything? I can look all day and walk away with nothing. Ours isn't nearly as cheap as many of you mention either.

 

I shop sale racks in Gap, Carter's or Gymboree (pjs only) for grandkids, and for me, Gap, Dillard's, Loft or Old Navy. I get great new clothes, pretty cheap. I buy jeans from American Eagle when they're on sale. I always take advantage of my free Victoria's Secret panty cards that come in the mail. I wear the AE boy-cut cotton undies mostly, but the VS are nice for more romantic times.

 

Maybe try a different area?  I live in a posh suburb.  Sometimes my mom and I laugh about how I thought I'd need to sew DD's clothes.  You could also try lot sales on Craigslist.  That way you know what you are getting before you drive a long distance.  From what I have seen boys stuff seems to be a lot harder to buy good quality cheap than girls.  Boys seem to get less clothes, so they wear them out before resale.  

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** stay home (saves $ on gas and whatever it is you are doing)

** don't have a smart phone unless it really is a necessity. Dh and I are the only people I know who have traditional cell phones. We have a bare bones cell plan, too -$25 every 3 months for each of us.

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Some ways I spend less:

 

Salvage store for some staple foods at about 1/2 the price of retail

Kroger with coupons and sales ads

Kmart rewards ( 1/2 price shoe sales) 

 

Thrift shop: A few times a year

 

Library: Bookmobile comes to our house

Imagination Library for 2 dc Free books every month

Buy used books

Sell books

 

Make laundry detergent * still have to use pods for muddy and possible poison plant oils in the summer

Don't use fabric softener

 

Use clothes line in basement for sheets, blankets,  towels and easy dry clothing

 

Buy Organic seeds 1/2 price in the Fall for next year

Make Mel's Mix for square foot gardens and to plant seeds in.

Sell some veggies to help buy more seeds

Winter Garden to start seeds in Milk jugs

Use Safe Soap in a sprayer on plants

Use the weed eater, Winged weeder, gloves, or the Weed dragon to kill and remove weeds in the gardens

Use Mel's mix to fertilize plants * I did buy a bag of organic tomato fertilizer in desperation this year

Thank God we got some free black plastic from a neighbor, Weed block cloth from my mother and a huge truckload of woodchips from dh's work as they quit that business.

I may need to buy covers for our apple trees since the Japanese beetles have attacked them 2 years in a row now.  

 

  This year I used  Ebay bucks for many free seeds/ This was accumulated from my dc purchases of some wants ( DS17 mostly, since he is working full time now)  

 

Ask for a discount at the Dr.  ( Saved $240 on one visit)

 

Use Coconut oil to deep condition hair, sooth skin, and as massage oil

Look for natural cures that don;t cost alot ( I use Olive Leaf extract for much of our illnesses)

 

Read Aloud  Missionary stories * YWAM to strengthen my faith and want less

 

I still need a budget and envelope system again as well as meal plans.

I am saving money in the bank for an emergency fund.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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So how do those of you that thrift store shop find anything? I can look all day and walk away with nothing. Ours isn't nearly as cheap as many of you mention either.

 

I shop sale racks in Gap, Carter's or Gymboree (pjs only) for grandkids, and for me, Gap, Dillard's, Loft or Old Navy. I get great new clothes, pretty cheap. I buy jeans from American Eagle when they're on sale. I always take advantage of my free Victoria's Secret panty cards that come in the mail. I wear the AE boy-cut cotton undies mostly, but the VS are nice for more romantic times.

:iagree:  I have simply not found thrift stores to be a good place to get clothes for my family.  My son is 6'8" (and has always been tall/skinny for his age), my husband is 6'2" and tall backed, I'm heavy, and the 3 year old gets hand me downs from friends.  I think thrift store shopping for clothes only works if you are average sized, in all ways.  Otherwise, it's not worth the repeated return trips that are necessary. I don't like shopping and so I'd rather just get it done in one fell swoop. I don't like spending hours going through sale racks at multiple stores, either (though I will check them out if I happen to be there).

 

For me, this means that I buy most of our clothes online.  Walmart's website has a surprising large selection in a variety of sizes (thank goodness, because the only other place that I found jeans for my 32x36 son was Kohls at $65 each! Walmart has better jeans for $16).  I also don't buy a lot of clothes.  Right now, my son has 3 pair of nylon shorts that I bought him for the summer, a few pair of old ratty jeans with large holes, and one pair of good jeans for going places.  I also buy him an armload of Tshirts at Michael's when they go on sale for $2 each.  That's all the clothes he has.  I find that clothes don't cost nearly as much when you don't buy many of them.  I own 3 pairs of pants, 6 T shirts, and a few nicer blouses that I've had for years. 

 

The other benefit is that you have a lot less laundry when people don't have limitless stuff they can haul out! :hurray:

 

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Just started the envelope system again.  It makes me more careful.

 

Here are other things we do-

1.  I buy clothes from ARC, Goodwill, etc.  -it's rare for us to buy new items

2.  I clip coupons

3.  We've decreased how much we eat out

4.  I get rid of things we don't need on ebay, amazon, and craigslist

5.  I buy our guinea pig's bedding, food, and hay on Petco.com- buying those items in bulk saves tons of money and it ships free to my house

6.  I look at my receipt before I leave the grocery store.  It's not unusual for something to scan at the wrong price.  The store will give that item free for those mistakes.

7.  We don't have smart phones.  We have tracfones and they work well and are much cheaper.

   

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Use all leftovers -- sometimes as they were cooked or make something "new" with them

Plan meals around what you have or is on sale

Keep lights off unless need them

Air dry clothes--line or one of those folding drying racks

Stay out of stores

Take drink & snacks if you leave the house

 

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Night Elf, were you the one who wanted a workaround for your daily Starbucks trip? How's that going? That right there probably saves $2/day.

 

My best stewardship tip is to not let household maintenance go. See if I spend $90/mo on Starbucks, at least I got some enjoyment out of it, and the enjoyment was spaced out evenly and predictably. There is no joy in repairing water damage from burst washing machine hoses (which should be replaced every five years). Btw, dryer sheets carry their surfactant on a waxy substance which deposit onto your clothes, onto your dryer's moisture sensor, and all inside the exhaust ductwork which should be cleaned ideally every 6 months but at least once a year. Gunking up the ductwork is a good way of retaining lint which is a great way to start a dryer fire. If you live in a hot place and run central AC a lot in the summer, change those air filters frequently. I change about once per month and I buy fairly cheap ones (not microallergen ones) in the summer because I want to make it easy to move all that air. Keeping dirty filters just makes your AC work harder to maintain the same airflow.

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I read a book once that suggested starting with the biggest expense and working your way down (analyzing, considering other options, evaluating if reducing that expense is feasible, etc.). I had focused quite a bit on the smaller frugality issues up until reading that, and - duh! Yes, start with the big ones. (For instance, in a cold climate, you may be able to turn your heat down a few degrees which would more than fund a weekly hot-coffee treat.)

 

That said, I'm also a believer in the idea that small, consistent savings can really add up to big huge savings.

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We have some GREAT ones!

 

I don't always find everything I need/want, but I start there because often I do!

 

Dawn

 

 

So how do those of you that thrift store shop find anything? I can look all day and walk away with nothing. Ours isn't nearly as cheap as many of you mention either.

I shop sale racks in Gap, Carter's or Gymboree (pjs only) for grandkids, and for me, Gap, Dillard's, Loft or Old Navy. I get great new clothes, pretty cheap. I buy jeans from American Eagle when they're on sale. I always take advantage of my free Victoria's Secret panty cards that come in the mail. I wear the AE boy-cut cotton undies mostly, but the VS are nice for more romantic times.

 

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So how do those of you that thrift store shop find anything? I can look all day and walk away with nothing. Ours isn't nearly as cheap as many of you mention either.

 

s.

I have not had luck at thrift stores for the kids since they were little. I get most things for me at thrift stores (and Catherine's clearance), I do not for the kids.

 

A combination of reasons: lack of available stylish clothes for them and the prices aren't the bargain they used to be. And I grew up with my mom sewing clothes well into Jr high. It was mortifying and while I love and respect my mom, it did not make me a better person with better character. It made me feel embarrassed and ashamed and unworthy of nice things.

 

My kids will happily shop at Plato's Closet; though, and that helps meet everyone's needs and wants.

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No joy with thrift shops here! I go in looking for shoes and come out with some large incredibly ugly toy the kids fell in love with for $2.

 

I don't think it's necessarily good to be obsessively frugal if you don't need to. In the short term I know we can live on very little if required but in the long term it's better to spend a little more on food that is good for you, quality stuff that will see you through. I find I rarely regret when we've bought a large quality purchase, what I dislike is when I buy from cheaper shops and it ends up in the bin six weeks later. Rather than cutting back on the cost of each item be realistic about whether you really need something or not.

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I have not had luck at thrift stores for the kids since they were little. I get most things for me at thrift stores (and Catherine's clearance), I do not for the kids.

 

A combination of reasons: lack of available stylish clothes for them and the prices aren't the bargain they used to be. And I grew up with my mom sewing clothes well into Jr high. It was mortifying and while I love and respect my mom, it did not make me a better person with better character. It made me feel embarrassed and ashamed and unworthy of nice things.

 

My kids will happily shop at Plato's Closet; though, and that helps meet everyone's needs and wants.

IKWYM! I have children from 2-17 and we are so glad Plato's Closet opened a store much closer to us.  Our teens shop there for most of their clothes and shoes.  Our other dc still benefit from a local consignment shop with more stylish clothes and they had yard sale prices last week for summer and winter clothing.  I will have to make another trip to get more deals for our younger children who need clothes.

 

My mom made us clothes when we were young and I was so glad she got so busy with her own business and had to start buying us clothes more.  I know now that she did her best and I even took Home- Ec and made a pair of shorts..... I gave them to a friend and they fell apart in her washer. I never tried that again :)

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I agree most things will end up there but I have yet to find a Vita Mix! This I will have to save up for and that is hard for me to do.

And for a few things, you want anyways and you pay for quality. Thus the "most" caveat.

 

Even so, you can save big time buying used. I got our juicer (several hundred dollars new) for $35 on Craigslist. Looking around my living room I see a number of nice things bought used for much less than you would think.

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I just bought meat from zayconfood.com.  I am getting great prices on quality beef and chicken that way.

I visited this website and it wants me to register.  Do you happen to have a referral code? TIA

 

It asks for a code or the email of the person who is referring you.  Let me know if you want to share that or a code.

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With four boys, we are constantly in need of shoes. They go through them like you wouldn't believe. Thankfully, they all hate those Nike shoes that are popular and run over $150. Yikes! I have had luck buying them Vans during 2X BOGO1/2O sales. My soccer guy has bought cleats and indoor shoes at the outlets with great luck.

 

Thrift stores have never worked out for me. We live in an area where they are heavily shopped and not that inexpensive for what is available. I prefer to spend $15-$20 on a pair of jeans for the guys from Ross or Marshall's. I spend about the same for dresses I can wear to baby showers, church, date night, etc. I always check clearance racks for my own clothes. I have quite a few blouses that I purchased for $5, $8, and $10.

 

I menu plan around what is on sale, only eat out once a month, and buy flour, beans and rice in bulk. Pasta goes on deep discount once very few months, so I stock up. Left overs are given for lunch. If my picky eaters do not finish left overs but Sunday, it becomes Sunday dinner and a day off of cooking for me.

 

As someone mentioned, disconnecting appliances helps. I walk to the store when possible and always use a list. I also only shop the outer side of the store.

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For me, this means that I buy most of our clothes online.  Walmart's website has a surprising large selection in a variety of sizes (thank goodness, because the only other place that I found jeans for my 32x36 son was Kohls at $65 each! Walmart has better jeans for $16).  I also don't buy a lot of clothes.  Right now, my son has 3 pair of nylon shorts that I bought him for the summer, a few pair of old ratty jeans with large holes, and one pair of good jeans for going places.  I also buy him an armload of Tshirts at Michael's when they go on sale for $2 each.  That's all the clothes he has.  I find that clothes don't cost nearly as much when you don't buy many of them.  I own 3 pairs of pants, 6 T shirts, and a few nicer blouses that I've had for years. 

 

The other benefit is that you have a lot less laundry when people don't have limitless stuff they can haul out! :hurray:

 

I've had very little luck at any nearby thrift stores.  I've never believed it was a deal to buy 3/4 worn out jeans for half the price of new.  Almost everything we wear is worn completely out before we're done anyway.  I get the 32X36 pants at old navy when they have sales in Jan, Feb.  Unfortunately the 29X36 guy can't find cheap pants that fit him properly.We also buy very few clothes but try hard to target what will get used.  

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I've had very little luck at any nearby thrift stores.  I've never believed it was a deal to buy 3/4 worn out jeans for half the price of new.  Almost everything we wear is worn completely out before we're done anyway.  I get the 32X36 pants at old navy when they have sales in Jan, Feb.  Unfortunately the 29X36 guy can't find cheap pants that fit him properly.We also buy very few clothes but try hard to target what will get used.  

 

Try Walmart's website for Wrangler jeans.  Huge size variety.  You might find something.

 

You can also get a big selection on Wrangler's website directly, but it costs more (about double).

 

I really like the Wrangler jeans.  They are the only jeans I can find that aren't paper thin.  For years my dh wore Levi's only, but they have become so thin that I refuse to spend the money on them anymore.

 

We also wear our stuff out completely before replacing.  New jeans become "going out", old jeans become work/play/at home, really old jeans are "filthy work" (like going under the house for something, and really, really old jeans become rags.

 

While I try really hard to be frugal, I just find that thrift shopping for clothes doesn't pay off in the time investment.  I always look when I go to a thrift store (which really isn't that often, because I'm not much of a shopper to begin with) but I seldom come away with anything.

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I only buy house brands. It's much easier than couponing and I've very rarely been disappointed in their quality. My kids know that I won't buy name brands and now they always grab the house brands without prompting. It makes shopping quicker and easier too, I don't spend time clipping coupons and matching deals. I've also started shopping in smaller batches, so we don't waste much food. Since I drive by several supermarkets twice a day every weekday, it's no trouble to stop in.

I have noticed there is a balance between going in the store too much and thus overspending vs. going once a week and things going to waste. It takes attention to do it right either way,

 

My biggest money saver ATM is homemade laundry soap. I spent less than $20 for our family of 3 ( sometimes 4) for an entire year.

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I found that with homemade laundry detergent, we don't need dryer sheets at all.

 

Consignment sales here are a much better option for kids' clothes than the thrift store. Baby clothes in particular--there are so many that you can easily find brand-new outfits for $1.

 

Re-think disposable items. I make flannel handkerchiefs from old shirts, and we only use disposable tissues when someone is sick (but leave them out in case a guest needs one). I got a bunch of cotton napkins at a rummage sale for probably 25 cents each ten years ago and still use them, but even those I've paid more for are worthwhile. (I did go back to disposable cups for DS in the bathroom, as he seems to get sick less.)

 

I will say that for me right now, price does not have to be the only thing I consider when making a purchase, and I will sometimes put country of origin (especially for textile products) or another quality ahead of it. I know we could eat more cheaply, but I don't know that it would be worth it to me.

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