Good ways to save money and live frugally?

Can anyone give me a list of 100 ways to save money and start living frugally? I want a list I can post on my fridge door so I can see it and start to make some changes in our household.

Cleaning, cooking, kids clothing, home decor- any FRUGAL or budget tips you have, please post them here as an answer!! 10 pts to the one who comes up with the most money saving, frugal living ideas!

 

instead of loo paper drip dry, have a shit before you shower that way you dont have to wipe, pinch next doors cloths off the line that way you dont have to get new ones, pretend ur a blind busker, sell squrils as hats, mow others ppls lawns public transport, give away ur bin so you have to re use every thing, turn the heat down on ur hot water service, candle powere, reflect light from out side for light, buy chooks and cows to make ur own food, pig for garbage disposel, solar pannels, thats a few tho im sure i could go on and on ,

 

Use rainwater for everything non drinking, have a garden or even a few buckets of veggies, wear more clothes in winter, less in summer, go to parks instead of just watching TV or being online, eat less, drink water, walk places, use baking soda for teeth, hair and skin, don't flush all the time, shower in less time, use the library, make your own music, recycled twice before putting it in the trash or recycle bin, use fans instead of AC, breastfeed, cloth diapers, hand me downs, hand wash laundry (something you can do each day), clothesline dry, board games for fun, share with neighbors, eat out much less or find something super cheap to eat, cook your own, using candles, getting one solar kit (for me, it was $129.00 and can do a lot). Not a bad start, I think.

 

Buy staple food items in bulk (beans, rice, oats, etc). Prepare beans in plastic contains with water overnight, cook it then store food in freezer and fridge. Focus on nourishment over taste... it's actually cheaper.

Use cheap bar soap sold in 99 cents stores and use that with gloves (because this soap is very harsh and will mess up your hands if you don't). It cleans better imo than all the chemical stuff. This kind I use:

Make use of coupons.

 

Buy your beer cold so you don't have to pay for the electricity it takes to cool it from room temperature.

 

I collect all my $1 dollar bills. Every time i go home i check my wallet to see if i have any in there. If i do i put them in my safe at home and at the end of the month i count it out and exchange for bigger bills while still saving it.

I do the same with all my change. I have a 15gallon water jug hidden in my closet. Its probably only an inch up and i'd be willing to be i can get 15-20 dollars out already. I'm guessing it will take a year to fill up. The fucker is going to weigh a lot, but it will have a lot of money. Its hard to say but i'm guessing it will be a couple hundred dollars easy. Great way to save and its one of those things you don't forget its there, count it when ever it gets full, and you have a nice amount of cash. One other thing is you gonna have to count it all. I refuse to use those machines that count it for you, but take 8.8% interest. Fuck interest, keep it yourself. =]

 

don't buy stupid shit you don't need.

I'm not trying to be a smart ass lol.

Dilute your laundry detergent. Patch up clothes instead of buying new clothes. Drink tap water only. Buy your furniture at thrift stores. Buy everything from thrift stores. Walk or ride a bike to save on gas. Grow your own vegetables. Cut back on electricity. If you're paying for cable, don't. Turn that shit off, nugga. Hmmm......just don't spend money on anything that isn't a neccessity.

 

Hot water and white vinegar can be a natural replacement for your floor/counter/table/window/tub/toilet/etc... cleaner. (And it is much cheaper.) Have one day a week be 'leftover' day and only eat leftovers for every meal.

 

Use less water by not flushing unless you poop, throw toilet paper in trash rather than toilet (so it won't be so hard to flush)

Make a compost pile and use it for fertilizer in your garden.

Grow a garden

Turn off lights, TVs, radios, and anything that has a light that stays on when turned off unplug it, to save electricity.

Take the bus, ride bikes and walk as much as possible and combine errands into one trip to save on gas when you use a car.

Start an alternative energy project there are many videos with instructions for several methods to get you started and understand on a small scale so you can make your own electricity....

 

Visit your local library at least once a week. the ones around here have great selections of DVD's and CD's to check out, along with books of course. Free internet access to. While you are there, find a book on Wild Edibles (Peterson Field Guide is most excellent), and gardening, learn what is growing in your zone/area/neighborhood and go find free food.

Start a garden, even container garden is easy, fun and yummy to taste the rewards.

Collect rain water to use on your garden and flowers.

Talk neighbors/friends/relatives into gardening... swap/trade what you have extra of with them.

Visit friends and relatives at or slightly before meal time. If you space this is out right many a free meals can be had weekly. Occasionally left overs can be gleaned for the next day.

farmers markets - go to them, fresh is better, so is local, go near the ending time, many bargains can be had, they'd rather sell it than have to pack it up. Often slightly bruised fruit can be gotten for cheap or even free.

Make out weekly menus, only buy what you use or need, bulk is cheaper as previously mentioned.

when you must go to a super market, take a list and stick to it, have a full belly, you'll be less inclined to indulge whims.

reduce water usage by not flushing every time or, place a full 16 or 20 oz. water of bottle in the tank so it uses less water per flush.

shorter showers

walk, bike, plan trips out ahead of time. it's healthy.

Free toilet paper can be had from just about anywhere that has a public toilet.

*edit ~ I noticed the thread starter is banned. too bad, still a good idea for exchange of ideas on how to live frugally.

thats all for now.

peace

 

Don't buy shelving/desks/dressers/ect.

anything you want can be achieved with cinderblocks and scrap wood. Stuff you can get for free on craigslist.

 

Car and Mortage first really.

If you add up everything little thing a car ends up costing you, even if you have a bomb still ends up costing you 5K a year, 100 bucks a week, times by 4 for a new car.....compared to the amount of times you use it a week...depending on where you live do you REALLY need it.

And the mortage, once you payed off 1/4, moving to a costlier location that is more convenient, near schools, shops , train station so you dont need a car is irrelevant IF in retirement you are going to sell the home and buy something smaller out in the country or a seachange, as the amount the costlier home appreciates more than the affordable ones ends up paying for all that interest anyway and then some.

Or even if you are renting, if the difference between moving somewhere where you dont need a car is less than the cheaper area plus car, well then.

Decisions like that end up making differences in the hundreds of thousands over 30/40 years


But on a more homely note, vegies, herbs, grow your own stuff. Some stuff is a pain in the ass, but root vegies and herbs are so easy. Dont just save money but they taste better too. I live in an apartment now, so dont grow a lot of stuff I used to, but still have the cherry tomato tree on the balcony, those things take care of themselves, and the planter box with the herbs. If you have a backyard and grow your own stuff, knocks 30/40 bucks off the grocery bill a week, at least, more if you have kids

 

I second the recommendation "Money or your life". You will see things much differently after that book.