s/o Today show bargain segment - What bugs you about frugality advice?

[Murphy101]

I'm not even slightly bothered by people who can afford to be more lax or splurge doing so. A bit amused or shocked at what they do it on, but that's more a matter of personality than actual judgement. (I think I could win the lottery and still not spend money on some things. Like weekly pedi, Mani, and hair appts. Even if the price was okay - better things to do.:D )

 

And being frugal without looking at value is wasteful. Paying less in increments instead of a bit more for better over the long haul is frugal. And time is money too.

 

I want to be frugal to make our lives better and so we can have more.

 

I don't do it out of some notion that deprivation in and of itself makes me superior.

 

When frugality is done right, I think it LESSENS the feeling of being deprived.

 

When it is done wrong, life becomes a drudgery to be gotten through as cheap as possible.

 

Moving on...

 

The blow dry plastic sheeting stuff doesn't work on some of my windows bc the condensation causes the sticky stuff to wear off.

 

Walgreens often has cheap flannel throw blankets for like $2 though. I'm thinking of getting some and fastening them around the windows. I need something little ones won't play in. And they'd have a blast playing in those comforters. Sigh.

 

That reminds me I need spray foam insulation. THAT stuff is awesome. Almost no house problem a gal can't solve with that and a roll of duct tape.:D

[Trish]

Really, they need advice like, "plug your outdoor Christmas lights into your neighbor's outlet," that sort of thing.

[Jan in SC]

My grandmother used to cut open her toothpaste tubes. She would also water down her shampoo and keep the leftovers from all the plates! My brother and I would laugh and laugh.

 

She didn't need to do any of those things. She was even proud of her government cheese! She was able to buy into a very nice retirement/nursing place last year and lived with wonderful people waiting on her until she was 99. She passed away last Christmas day, and when I helped my mom pack up her room we found a jar of noxema that had to be from the '80s. My mom decided she might be able to find a use for it, and took it home!

[Saille]

:iagree:

 

A lot of people I know RL are big into the whole couponing thing right now. I can tell some of them think it's crazy that I wouldn't *want* to do it too. Well, no. I'm happy for them that it enables them to buy more whatever or save more for whosit. But I've made my choices, and I don't appreciate being looked at as if I haven't thought it through. I have.

 

Huh. The thing with coupons, at least for me, is that once you've started cooking more things from scratch (because it's cheaper than buying convenience food), the coupons aren't really a savings on items you'd *buy*. A lot of them are designed to get you to try new products.

 

Different people are going to prioritize different things and therefore be frugal in different ways. I was frugal on the cloth diapers/lack of formula, but organic food is more expensive, for sure. We buy our clothes at the thrift store, but I drop most of our tax refund on homeschooling curriculum/supplies every year.

 

Folks who are economizing on their vacation/eating out/etc., are not really having the same conversation as people who rarely buy their clothes new.

[Saille]

My grandmother used to cut open her toothpaste tubes. She would also water down her shampoo and keep the leftovers from all the plates! My brother and I would laugh and laugh.

 

Dh's grandpa washed and dried his plastic sandwich bags. Folks who lived through the Depression...now THEY knew frugal!

[Kathleen in VA]

I'm just getting back from taking dd18 to the doctor and am surprised to see so many responses to my post! Lots of good advice here - thanks! I'm also glad to know I'm not the only one.

 

Refinance your home at a lower interest rate.... Yeah because we all have stellar credit and everyone likes having their finances reviewed with a microscope.

 

 

Although we did do something different this year---we have really bad windows and instead of the plastic sheeting (that really doesn't work) I went to Goodwill on a 50% off day and bought comforters to put in all the windows. Not super attractive, but the furnace runs WAY less. (all for about 30.00)

 

 

Lara

 

I have some flannel yardage someone gave me that I hang over the windows in the winter.

 

10 easy wardrobe pieces for your annual trip to Europe. :lol: Including the 165.00 white cotton shirt.

 

Here are some of the ones that get me - I'll add my frugal solution.

 

Save thousands on your pool installation - (my version) send my son outside with the garden hose and sprayer, add a dog and it's fun for all ages.

 

Ten household makeover tips to save you money - (my version)pick up, put up, clean up, dig in the closet, vacuum the dog hair off the rug (it might really be a different color), dust the ceiling fan, change the stack of books on the table, make ds take the lego creation to his room, fluff the pillows on the sofa, fold the quilt and put it back where it belongs.

 

:lol::lol:I love your home makeover tips!! This how I makeover my house too.

 

I hear you! My sister, who is a very bright lady, would never think of those things. She's not dumb, just insulated. She called me last year about a week after a mission trip to build shelters in Central America and told me that she had just realized that if she ate dinner at home three times a week and if they ate leftovers instead of throwing them away she would have close to $150 a week to send to the people they had helped in Central America. This had never occurred to her before. Never. She still gets her coffee at starbucks, eats every meal out and tosses leftovers they bring home but she is going on another mission trip :glare: Clueless.

 

edited to add: They spend over $500 a week eating out and there are only two of them and they aren't overweight.

 

:001_huh::svengo:

 

I know, I hear it too. But there are people that it applies to. My gf's who work in offices all have to have their nails done. They all get coffee out, they all do all that stuff. And yet, I'm the one who has the most luxury because I can stay home and need none of it.

 

If I had to go to work--we figured it out--we would be spending about 400 extra a month. Lunches and activities for the kids, easier dinners which cost more $, I would have to get a wardrobe (I hear they frown upon sweats at the office), I would need a mani and I would have to spend more in gas and I won't even think about the coffee-even a venti with just 1/2 and 1/2 would cost me five bucks a day. So, me not needing a job is a total luxury and I know it.

 

Yes, I always tell people homeschooling is my one luxury. We don't buy late model cars, we don't take vacations, we live in a tiny house...But, I get to stay home in my sweats and be with my children all day. I wouldn't have it any other way.:)

[joannqn]

Mine arew the affordable wardrobe ideas where each piece is double what I spend on an entire outfit, or worse, over a hundred dollars per piece including accessories and jewelry. People who can drop $500+ on a single outfit don't need "affordable".

 

Or affordable room makeovers for a few thousand. Thanks but do you have any ways to spitz up my bedroom for $50 total?

[Denise in Florida]

Walk/ride a bike to work or shopping. I can't count the number of times I saw that one in magazines. I always thought they must be talking about some other area of the country. Then our local newscasters said the same thing.

 

HUH!!:glare: Excuse me, look around. I live in a fairly typical town; we are defined by urban sprawl. Even if people wanted to bike the 5 - 10 miles to work (or more, there is very little employment near the massive subdivisions), there are no bike paths.

 

The traffic system in my area of the state is barely safe for cars. There have been 5 pedestrian deaths in the last two weeks. We do not have public transportation and any attempt to discuss one is shot down immediately.

 

It is not actually the advice that annoys me. It is the chipper, vapid attitude of the news media. Take a complex problem, make a shallow comment, pat yourself on the back for taking care of it. Ooooh, I sense I might sound a little grumpy about this. :lol:

[Kathleen in VA]

Mine arew the affordable wardrobe ideas where each piece is double what I spend on an entire outfit, or worse, over a hundred dollars per piece including accessories and jewelry. People who can drop $500+ on a single outfit don't need "affordable".

 

Or affordable room makeovers for a few thousand. Thanks but do you have any ways to spitz up my bedroom for $50 total?

 

I really despise the word "affordable." How does anyone have the nerve to desribe anything as affordable when they haven't got a clue what I can afford?

[angela in ohio]

Like what? I'm really curious.

 

Pp have mentioned a few. Things like:

 

Taking extra napkins from fast food restaurants (on purpose, not just a few extra from the bag) instead of buying them.

 

As pp metnioned, getting your condiments from restaurants.

 

Lying to get money you don't actually qualify for.

 

That sort of thing...

[Murphy101]

I really despise the word "affordable." How does anyone have the nerve to desribe anything as affordable when they haven't got a clue what I can afford?

 

Well there is that too.

 

Even so, I get annoyed when they say something like, "A new great look for just the cost of a couple gallons of $20 paint!" cue applause.

 

Bullchips.

 

Even just painting is not just the cost of paint. There's pans, rollers, brushes, maybe primer....

 

By the time you're done, it's going to be significantly more than $20-$40 bucks.

[Alphabetika]

Oh yeah.

Do your own manicure/pedicure and save x dollars per week. PER WEEK!?

Don't get your hair cut as often (you mean that maybe once a year cut is what's draining our account?)

Don't buy a new car every 4 years.

Get basic cable or cancel cable. (we don't HAVE cable!)

Do your own oil changes/car maintenance (we've never been able to afford to pay someone else to do those things)

 

:iagree:Exactly! My dh drove his truck until it had nearly 400,000 miles on it, and only gave it up then because it truly wasn't practical for our family size.

I've never had a mani/pedi in my life.

No cable here.

 

Etc., etc., etc. But the key is, again, IMHO (as I mentioned in another post), the mentality as much as the actions. What if I was agonizing because I really WANTED a mani/pedi each week or a new car every four years, or I felt deprived because we use Netflix one-at-a-time and the library (free!) to watch DVDs. If I feel deprived, it doesn't matter whether I'm frugal or not. If I'm grateful for what I have, frugality is as good as riches.

Edited December 4, 2010 by Alphabetika

[stripe]

I hate the "if you women would stop spending $100 a month on makeup," blah blah, garbage.

 

Although those suggestions seem very lame to me, I know a few people who need just that advice.

Me too.

[cathmom]

Mine arew the affordable wardrobe ideas where each piece is double what I spend on an entire outfit, or worse, over a hundred dollars per piece including accessories and jewelry. People who can drop $500+ on a single outfit don't need "affordable".

 

Or affordable room makeovers for a few thousand. Thanks but do you have any ways to spitz up my bedroom for $50 total?

 

Ooh, or the staging shows on HGTV where Sabrina Soto says in a really chipper voice, "And I got it for only $80/$100/whatever!" Or when I watch Antiques Roadshow and somebody says, "Well, I was in an antique store, and I saw this thing, and I really liked it, and it was only $200."

 

However, HGTV did have a show called Design Remix, where she did usually only spend about $50 to redo a room. But my dh always pointed out, you weren't paying her for her expertise. We couldn't do what she did with a room because we don't have the knowledge.

[....]

Re the Tightwad Gazette, although many of the suggestions are not very appealing, the fact is that there are actually people out there tonight who are having to decide between feeding their kids ketsup/leftover veg soup or nothing at all. IMO, it's all about perspective. And Tightwad Gazette may be the necessary level of sacrifice that some Americans have to make right now.

 

:iagree: Yep. Those people are definitely out there. My MIL and FIL are living like this. When we buy a house next year, we're going to "invite" them to move in with us.

[FaithManor]

I hate that nearly all financial advice comes from smug people who just assume there is some how, extra money in the budget that the family is sooooo ignorant that they've overlooked.

 

It takes some measure of money to get out of debt. It takes a minimum measure of money to get ahead and the government is going to take, what the government is going to take, period. So a lot of people do not have the means to get ahead and yet there is this smug, superiority complex about a lot of financial advisors that gives off this, "Hey, you ignorant hic" attitude.

 

Oh, and the investment guys who really think that people should eat nothing but ramen noodles and canned tomato soup so they can save a few pennies to put away for retirement. Excuse me, one isn't likely to live to see retirement on that kind of diet done for many, many years! But of course, they live off the commissions so they have a vested interest in convincing people to tie up money that they really can not afford to tie up.

 

Just my rant, yeah...you guessed it...we've got some really financial counseling scheisters in our area! I'm a little jaded.

 

Faith

[flyingiguana]

Drive one of your cars for another year longer than you would have otherwise.

 

And

 

Clip coupons.

 

Yeah. OK. We only had the one car. We drove it til we were scraping rust off the street.

 

Coupons? Who are they kidding? You can almost always get something cheaper. I've never seen a coupon for bulk lentils and rice.

[Kathleen in VA]

Drive one of your cars for another year longer than you would have otherwise.

 

And

 

Clip coupons.

 

Yeah. OK. We only had the one car. We drove it til we were scraping rust off the street.

 

Coupons? Who are they kidding? You can almost always get something cheaper. I've never seen a coupon for bulk lentils and rice.

 

Or how about "buy a used car instead of new one"? (You mean they're cheaper that way? Who knew?)

 

Yeah, dh drove our van that would not go into reverse for 2 years. He always had to make sure he could pull through a parking space so he'd be able to get out. Our driveway is on a slight incline so he was able to "back in" using gravity and then he'd be able to pull out in the morning.

 

I am going to try the couponing thing though. I'm checking the flyers to match the coupons with things that are on sale. Hoping to save a few dollars anyway. We'll see.

[Murphy101]

Most of the time I think couponing is only worth it on non grocery necessities like toothbrushes and paste, soap, shower stuff.

 

But we do without even most of that. We don't buy paper towels or napkins for example.

 

But I have a huge box under the bathroom counter full if brushes, oats, hand and body cleaners, floss.. All for FREE or maybe a few pennies after coupons and sales. For a family if 11, that saves us about $25 a month.

[Dana]

Or how about "buy a used car instead of new one"? (You mean they're cheaper that way? Who knew?)

 

 

My SIL doesn't. She only recently stopped leasing. :glare: Talk about throwing away money...

[Mom-ninja.]

I get irritated when I I have people tell me to adjust my thermostat. Yeah, got that covered thanks. I keep it set at 85 in the summer and at 65 in the winter.

[angela in ohio]

Yeah, dh drove our van that would not go into reverse for 2 years. He always had to make sure he could pull through a parking space so he'd be able to get out. Our driveway is on a slight incline so he was able to "back in" using gravity and then he'd be able to pull out in the morning.

 

Too funny. Dh is driving my old minivan with almost 200,000 miles on it. It has no heat or cooling since about 120,000 miles, and the radio quit at 80,000 miles. I have no idea how he manages in the winter, but it's the principle of the thing now. :D He isn't going to quit until that van does.

[Ginevra]

Huh. The thing with coupons, at least for me, is that once you've started cooking more things from scratch (because it's cheaper than buying convenience food), the coupons aren't really a savings on items you'd *buy*. A lot of them are designed to get you to try new products.

 

I think this, too. I tried the grocery coupon route for a while, but it was a whole lot of work and no benefit to speak of. I would end up buying some sort of cookie or treat because it was a new product and the coupon was great, which only whetted the kids' appetites to have that item later, with no coupon. Generics are usually the better deal, even with a coupon.

 

Too funny. Dh is driving my old minivan with almost 200,000 miles on it. It has no heat or cooling since about 120,000 miles, and the radio quit at 80,000 miles. I have no idea how he manages in the winter, but it's the principle of the thing now.

:lol: That's my dh, too. He bought his worktruck in 1998 and is still eking it out for all it's worth. It has about 400,000 miles on it. The gas gauge, speedometer, heat and window adjustment don't work; it pitches leftward all the time (no shocks on that side maybe?) and is really just the epitome of a worktruck that has been used to death and beyond! I think he's just proud of it now.

[ereks mom]

These articles never seem to have ideas that help people who are already trying everything they know to save money, only ideas for people who have never before had to save/watch the bottom line.

 

Exactly! :001_huh:

[ereks mom]

I very rarely hear advice about changing your mentality, and this is where I think most people need the help. Change your mentality so that you are satisfied with less of something or a different brand of it or eliminating it.

 

:iagree:

[Audrey]

. A relative and I sat down one time and added up how much he was spending on eating lunch out and buying a coffee each day. He was absolutely astounded. He had never looked at the whole picture; just few dollars here and few dollars there. No big deal. It was a big deal. It was about a $150. extra a month he could pay on a high interest credit card.

 

Usually when I read advice on being frugal, I think that's how we've always lived. What do you do to be frugal when being frugal is normal for you?

 

:iagree: I know a lot of people who haven't a clue. When you say "making your own coffee instead of going to the restaurant 2x a day for coffee and gossip will save you $3 a day or $90 a month" they are shocked and insist there's no way they spend more than "a few bucks a month" on the coffee and gossip. And, that's just the coffee -- not to mention the savings on not participating in gossip. ;)

 

They are also surprised when you tell them that turning down the thermostat 3 degrees will save $15-20/month or more depending on your heat source. They are equally shocked when your response to "I'll be cold" is "so put on that sweater in your closet that you never wear" -- because these simple things actually never. cross. their. minds.

 

As to the ridiculous "frugal" advice out there -- things like how to save $1000's on your next decorating make-over, and fashion for less than $200 a piece -- well, frugality is a money-making industry. These so-called experts are schilling their books and products and trying to convince you that their book or product will save you money if you just shell out $49.95 right now. The people who buy these things are the clueless ones who really never thought about frugality before, but now find themselves in a pinch.

[Catwoman]

I'm not even slightly bothered by people who can afford to be more lax or splurge doing so. A bit amused or shocked at what they do it on, but that's more a matter of personality than actual judgement. (I think I could win the lottery and still not spend money on some things. Like weekly pedi, Mani, and hair appts. Even if the price was okay - better things to do.:D )

 

That's such a great point! If I want something, I buy it, but my husband still says I'm cheap.:glare: I can't help it -- I'll pay full price for things that I can't get on sale, but I hate to pay more than I have to. As an example, I spent a lot of money on Christmas gifts, but when I total up what I paid and compare it to the retail prices, I saved at least 40% off retail. I paid a little more for a few things, but got a lot on sale. My dh thought I was nuts on Thanksgiving weekend because I was online so much, but I saved hundreds and hundreds of dollars, so it was worth it to me.

 

And I guess I'm frugal without knowing it, because I never do the mani/pedi appointments, spa days, professional facials, or any of that stuff, not because I can't afford it, but because for me, they are a waste of money. I hate to feel like I'm throwing money out the window.

 

That reminds me I need spray foam insulation. THAT stuff is awesome. Almost no house problem a gal can't solve with that and a roll of duct tape.:D

 

:lol::lol::lol:

 

Cat

[Audrey]

I know, I hear it too. But there are people that it applies to. My gf's who work in offices all have to have their nails done.

 

 

 

I love getting my nails done, but I haven't since I moved here. No one close does it and I'm too lazy to drive 2 hours for a manicure. So... I kept practicing at doing it myself until I'm now quite good at it. I can even trim my own cuticles (although the right hand takes forEVER), and I get many compliments on my nails. Truth is, though, that most of the time, I only have clear nail polish on, yet people think I walk around with French manicures all the time. I learned a little trick to keep nail tips very white (it's just a weekly swab of peroxide under the tips -- no big secret).

 

But... I get the office culture thing. I work with people who are getting nails and hair done so often, I think they must live at the salon. There is a lot of pressure among my women colleagues to dress and primp to a certain standard. I manage to fit in through a lot of careful thrift/consignment shopping and a few other well-hidden tricks. Sometimes, I do envy the frequent hair-dos. I have a pretty simple cut, but I'd like something prettier. I just know that I haven't the skill to do it nicely enough. My skills are limited to nails, I guess! But, I'm okay with that. :001_smile:

[Audrey]

I agree about some people needing that lame-o advice. My aunt and uncle are about to lose everything. Last week I checked out her FB page and saw this post from a friend of hers: "Your Partylite order will be delivered tomorrow!" I was like whaaaa...??? Even if it's only a couple of votives, she shouldn't be spending at all right now. :001_huh:

 

 

Oh you know it won't be just a couple of votives, and even if it were Partylite is very pricey (IMO). They have gorgeous stuff, but it's not what I'd call budget-friendly.

[secular_mom]

I agree about some people needing that lame-o advice. My aunt and uncle are about to lose everything. Last week I checked out her FB page and saw this post from a friend of hers: "Your Partylite order will be delivered tomorrow!" I was like whaaaa...??? Even if it's only a couple of votives, she shouldn't be spending at all right now. :001_huh:

:( What if it's a gift for someone else? Do they feel obligated to buy gifts for people?

[stripe]

I saw a guy on TV who took tons of ketchup packs from fast food restaurants and then SQUEEZED IT INTO an old container. Snort. He also claimed to take ripped shirts to the Goodwill and then buy them back when they'd been repaired and were up for sale again. Supposedly cheaper than repairing himself. I found him to be a bit beyond ridiculous.

[Catwoman]

I saw a guy on TV who took tons of ketchup packs from fast food restaurants and then SQUEEZED IT INTO an old container.

 

Why do they put those people on TV? Don't they realize that there's a difference between frugal and criminal?

 

And if he ate at enough fast food restaurants to get that many ketchup packets (without swiping extras,) that's not exactly a frugal thing to do, is it? ;)

 

Cat

 

PS. I'll bet he does the same thing with salt, pepper, and sugar packets!

[Mimm]

Really, they need advice like, "plug your outdoor Christmas lights into your neighbor's outlet," that sort of thing.

 

HAHA.

 

... it's ok to laugh right? That's a joke? :)

 

So many frugal tips seem to be trying to solve problems I don't really have. "16 decorating ideas for all those empty wine bottles you have laying around!" Um, ok. Or they are just for an audience that is clearly not me. "Instead of staying in a five star hotel for your yearly trip to Paris, consider a four star hotel!" Or they are just too much work for almost no savings. I don't want to spend four hours on a project that will save me 25 cents. But I'm not a dedicated tightwad. I even drink Starbucks coffee. :) (But not every day, by any stretch of the imagination.)

Edited December 4, 2010 by Mimm

[Mimm]

I love getting my nails done,..

 

 

Glad I'm not the only one. I love pedicures and I would happily go every six weeks if I could afford it. As it is, I go a couple times a year. Last time I went was a treat from someone else who I had helped out, so that was nice. I'll probably go again in the spring just before flip flop season.

[Mejane]

:( What if it's a gift for someone else? Do they feel obligated to buy gifts for people?

 

No. She loves to redecorate and can't wrap her mind around the fact that soon she won't have a house to decorate. :tongue_smilie:

[MamaBirdX7]

too much info.

Edited December 4, 2010 by ceecee75

[TheAutumnOak]

I think most of those advice articles and segments are useless to anyone who is really NEEDING to save money.

 

If you are living comfortably and are looking to put aside a few bucks for your world cruise, then those segments may help.

 

:iagree:

[TheAutumnOak]

These articles never seem to have ideas that help people who are already trying everything they know to save money, only ideas for people who have never before had to save/watch the bottom line.

 

:iagree:

[stripe]

I think most of those advice articles and segments are useless to anyone who is really NEEDING to save money.

Yes, and some people may be able to, say, buy a 50 lb bag of rice for $8 and 10 lbs of beans for $5 and eat for a month, and then there are the people who have no kitchen or no home. They have no frugal option or can't front the expense.

 

That being said, I think a whole generation of people have no concept of how much many businesses and banks and credit cards are out to confuse you, and how much you CANNOT take things at face value. I saw a mother of a college student talking about this on the news the other day, when she realized how much her son was getting charged by his bank for using other banks ATMs and for checking his balance. People also value their own convenience to a ridiculous degree. People cannot cook, or. Sadly, even people who make very little money still plan to buy sandwiches/pizza + soda for lunch, even if it costs what they make in more than an hour's worth of work. My husband was shocked by what some of his co-workers do. When he told me about people's lunches, I asked him if ANY of the people who bought expensive sandwiches were immigrants. Guess what. Not one was. They all brought food, and NONE had meat in it.

 

Relatedly (?), my husband once returned from a shopping trip with a photo on his cell phone of two potatoes (skins still on), on a styrofoam tray and wrapped in plastic wrap for $4-something. Apparently they were sitting right next to the 10 lb for $3 bags. I've also seen a plastic container of cut up watermelon for $7! About 4 cups worth. What?

[Brilliant]

I heard one on the radio the other day: "We saved over $600 on groceries the first month!" If I saved $600 on groceries in a month, we'd be at 0 most months!

 

What made me mad about this is it was a commercial for e-mealz during the Dave Ramsey radio show. On his show, Dave suggests that people on a strict budget eat, "beans and rice, rice and beans." Yet during commercials he hawks this paid-subscription meal planner that requires going to a single grocery store every week for that week's menu.

[ZooRho]

\

These articles never seem to have ideas that help people who are already trying everything they know to save money, only ideas for people who have never before had to save/watch the bottom line.

This is what I think too.

 

Like they have no brain.

 

I know I'd like some other real advice but I could probably give more too.

[stripe]

I ran a search on "ways to save money" and I found this MSN article, which contains this quote:

 

A big source of money problems, Hira says, is that people just don't know enough about their own financial reality. "They don't know what they earn, they don't know what it takes to live, and they don't know their discretionary income."....

 

Her bottom line on financial health? "Stop spending."

The advice they give is probably pretty good, basic advice for most people. Obviously if you know this, you aren't going to get much cost reduction. But I agree, most people don't know this stuff!

 

Really, how much CAN you cut, without doing something really extreme, like only owning one set of clothing or never bathing or something, and becoming a frugal weirdo?

 

There are people who get rid of their cars, and ride a bicycle or walk everywhere. People who move to other, cheaper countries. People who grow all their own food. Is this extreme or brilliant? (Or both?) Is it extreme, or brilliant, or gross, to dig through the trash for your groceries? How about recycling your bath and washing machine water? Reusing tea bags? Trying not to throw away any paper? Using newspaper/phone book pages to clean your windows and scrub pots? As toilet paper? Reusing paper towels? Reusing plastic bags? Redoing greeting cards as postcards/gift tags? Using baking soda for all cleaning needs, including your own hygiene?

 

I am not sure what the line is.

[Dawn in OH]

Huh. The thing with coupons, at least for me, is that once you've started cooking more things from scratch (because it's cheaper than buying convenience food), the coupons aren't really a savings on items you'd *buy*. A lot of them are designed to get you to try new products.

 

 

 

I agree. Very few coupons are worthwhile for me. I did come across a coupon for our coffee. Wow, I just saved $1.00 on my grocery bill! Oh, I had to buy two bags to get that dollar off. But I'm well stocked on coffee now since I could afford the upfront expense of two bags of coffee at one time.

 

People could save a lot of money by canceling their cable TV. But I'm guessing most people don't want to give that up. Most people are in utter shock when they hear that we don't have cable, or any TV signal, and worse yet, don't care.

[Sherry in OH]

...

There are people who get rid of their cars, and ride a bicycle or walk everywhere. People who move to other, cheaper countries. People who grow all their own food. Is this extreme or brilliant? (Or both?) Is it extreme, or brilliant, or gross, to dig through the trash for your groceries? How about recycling your bath and washing machine water? Reusing tea bags? Trying not to throw away any paper? Using newspaper/phone book pages to clean your windows and scrub pots? As toilet paper? Reusing paper towels? Reusing plastic bags? Redoing greeting cards as postcards/gift tags? Using baking soda for all cleaning needs, including your own hygiene?

 

I am not sure what the line is.

 

Well, my grandparents did most of this. They lived in a rural area and grew most of their own food, plus enough to supply a fair amount of vegetables to their children's families. My grandfather drove their only vehicle to work five days a week. Grandma drove to town on Saturdays. If they ran out of something mid-week, they did without that item. Grandma used a wringer washer, she started with the light colors and worked her way down to the dirty overalls. When my uncles chipped in to buy her an automatic washing machine, she missed the wringer washer. She thought it got the clothes cleaner.

 

If you have an outhouse, newspaper and the Sears catalog work just fine as toilet paper. You also have a handy supply of reading material. I wouldn't try it in a flush toilet, you'd clog the plumbing. My grandparents did not reuse paper towels - they did not buy them. Clothes were worn until they were rags. Then used as rags. My grandparents never thought of themselves as doing anything out of the ordinary. "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without," was common sense to people who lived through the Great Depression.

 

My grandparents were quite content with their lives. Whenever a recession hit, grandma would comment in a satisfied way about how young people were returning to the old ways.

 

I think you draw the line where you need to. What is unthinkable when you have a bit of a cushion, becomes acceptable or desirable when the alternatives are worse. For example, I know people who dumpster dive. It is not something I would choose to do, but if it came down to dumpster diving or my children going hungry, I'd do it.

[Tenaj]

I heard one on the radio the other day: "We saved over $600 on groceries the first month!" If I saved $600 on groceries in a month, we'd be at 0 most months!

 

What made me mad about this is it was a commercial for e-mealz during the Dave Ramsey radio show. On his show, Dave suggests that people on a strict budget eat, "beans and rice, rice and beans." Yet during commercials he hawks this paid-subscription meal planner that requires going to a single grocery store every week for that week's menu.

 

I'm not sure, but I think the local radio station may be responsible for at least some of the ads that play during the shows. Some of them may be national, but if I'm remembering right, most of the ads are sold at the local level and the Dave Ramsey show has nothing to do with it and doesn't even now what is being advertised - - -oh, maybe I misread the first time - - was he (Dave Ramsey) actually speaking on the commercial? That's a whole different story. . .

[jld]

NONE had meat in it.

 

 

 

This is a great way to save money. Go veg, savers!:)

[Kirch]

I agree. Very few coupons are worthwhile for me. I did come across a coupon for our coffee. Wow, I just saved $1.00 on my grocery bill! Oh, I had to buy two bags to get that dollar off. But I'm well stocked on coffee now since I could afford the upfront expense of two bags of coffee at one time.

 

People could save a lot of money by canceling their cable TV. But I'm guessing most people don't want to give that up. Most people are in utter shock when they hear that we don't have cable, or any TV signal, and worse yet, don't care.

 

I used to be able to save quite a bit of money with coupons when we lived near stores that doubled or tripled coupons. I'd compare the sale ads, combine coupons with sales, and go to several different stores (usually in one trip). That was before kids and then when the oldest was a baby, though, and none of the stores near where we live now regularly offers double or triple coupons.

[Donna A.]

well, frugality is a money-making industry. These so-called experts are schilling their books and products and trying to convince you that their book or product will save you money if you just shell out $49.95 right now. The people who buy these things are the clueless ones who really never thought about frugality before, but now find themselves in a pinch.

 

BINGO. It took me 'til page 8 to see this mentioned, but this is my biggest pet peeve for frugal-living advice.... BUY MY BOOK (or other medium) so that I can tell you how to save money. :glare:

[lula]

Why do they always tell me to give up lattes instead of giving up wine? My wine is more expensive. (now listen up, I'm not saying wine should be banned but let's face it, wine costs more than my lattes and nobody mentions that.)

 

When I was completely broke, I had no wine ever and never saw the inside of a Starbucks unless my mom was taking me out, so the latte savings weren't really adding up. Neither were all of those savings on haircuts, color, spa days etc. The experience of being broke has made me thankful for Starbucks for the rest of my life and I am not kidding. A daily latte that I could afford was a strong motivator in figuring out a way to make more money and in the end that is the only thing I could do, at some point there just isn't a way to save more money because there isn't enough money in the first place.

Edited December 5, 2010 by lula

[Donna A.]

I used to be able to save quite a bit of money with coupons when we lived near stores that doubled or tripled coupons. I'd compare the sale ads, combine coupons with sales, and go to several different stores (usually in one trip). That was before kids and then when the oldest was a baby, though, and none of the stores near where we live now regularly offers double or triple coupons.

 

I have a friend who does this -- spends several hours a week doing it, in fact -- and saves a TON of money. Comes home with a large trunkload full of groceries and toiletries and only spent 30 bucks or something. But I have to wonder how much she spent on gas driving around to all the diff stores to get those deals. She lives in a small rural town and has to drive to several other nearby cities to do this kind of shopping. You should see her basement... it's a regular store down there! :001_huh:

 

BUT, are these items all for her family? Nope! She gives some away, and our family has been the blessed receiver of said gifts a couple of times. That's nice, but the part that grates at me is what she does with MOST of the loot. Garage sales. That's right, she has several garage sales a year selling these items that she worked so hard to get for free or nearly free. Unethical, IMO, and possibly even illegal? I don't know, but she's never asked my opinion, so I haven't mentioned how I feel about it.