Frugal living is more than a lifestyle. It's a passion. Call Me Crazy! I love It!
Why, who wouldn't love getting paid to buy products that they use everyday?
Here's how I do it.
I purchase an item that has a rebate offer (either a store or manufacturer rebate) while it is on sale and use a coupon during purchase. That's it! Using this formula I almost always come out ahead. When all is done, I've gotten back more than I actually paid for the item.
Even when I do have to pay for the items like deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes it's about 50 cents for a item that would cost up to $2 -$4 originally.
Am I the only one out there that gets excited about this? I doubt it! At least I hope not. That would make me "Crazy", wouldn't it? But a lot of folks just don't know how to combine money saving measures to maximize savings.
My local drugstore (which by the way is a national chain) often advertises items free after rebate. Hey, that cuts down on a lot of work for me. Easy Money! I e an also lucky enough to have a grocery store in my area that offers rebates and offers double coupons (sometimes even doubling $1 coupons as a special promotion). Needless to say, with six mouths to feed (myself, my husband, and four kids) I'm lovin' that idea!
As the editor of www.simpledebtfreeliving.com, I'm always looking for new ways to save money. Visit us and follow one of the e-mail links to share your ideas or just let us know how excited you get about frugal living! Let me know I'm not the only one. Then we can put my family's worries to rest. They think I'm really crazy.
Here are a couple other ways that I save on items we use everyday:
1. Always use items that are reusable rather than throw away
For example: Reusable coffee filters, cups and plates, and my favorite pet peeve -
The great sandwich bag conspiracy
The major manufacturers of sandwich bags would lead us to believe that it takes rocket science to keep a sandwich fresh. Ask yourself this, How long do you need to keep that sandwich fresh anyway? It's not like it's going to the moon. It's just going to the office or school for a few hours.
The most practical way to approach this is to purchase reusable sandwich size containers. This is also very environmentally friendly reducing a great deal of waste. If however, these have trouble finding there way back home ( which is likely if you have children), you can save substantially if you purchase the plain old pleated sandwich bag that cost a mere fraction of the razzle dazzle zipper kind. Your mother used these for years and years with great success. I have used both methods for years and have never received a complaint of a stale sandwich!
You'll find that doing these little things like, using real cups and plates instead of paper or plastic throw away, and recycling containers for storage or even to use in craft projects, can save a lot of money. Each by itself may seem minor, but when put together amount to tremendous savings over time.
2. Don't buy it if you won't use it. Things like small kitchen appliances, repair tools, and gardening tools are good examples. We know they'll make our life easier if we just had the opportunity to use them.
There are 101+ small countertop kitchen appliances available to chop it, grind it, mix it, open it, bake it, grill it..well you get the message.
Simplify your life and narrow it down to a couple you just can't live without. For me it's my blender and my food processor. Although, I'm seriously considering a bread maker. Not quite sure if it's worth the money yet. Especially when I'm so close to a bread outlet. But, you can't beat the taste of fresh baked bread. I'm not counting the coffer maker it's kind of standard equipment these days. I wouldn?t dare ask you to give that up! What am I crazy? Well , maybe..
It's little things like the example above that identify frugal living.
3. Always get the best value for your money. Shop around. If this is a major purchase you will want to know what to look for. Research and compare products on the internet or in sale flyers. There's nothing more challenging to the retailer than an informed consumer. That's what you want to be. An informed consumer knows when it's a good value! Informed Consumer - More Savings
Cheryl Johnson mother of four helping myself and others become and stay debt free. Publisher of Simple Debt Free Living at http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com - a self-help plan, ideas, and resources for personal budgeting, debt management, frugal living, and extra income opportunities. http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com help balance your budget and maximize everyday savings.
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..With almost two thirds of university entrants from England and... Read More
I have been a loyal user of Quicken(R) for more... Read More
Despite how easy it is to balance a checkbook, very... Read More
Saving for a Down Payment is hard work, so it's... Read More
While 40% to 50% of us make New Year's resolutions... Read More
If you're like most people, your personal financial records are... Read More
Your food budget is the most flexible area of your... Read More
So, you've made the decision to apply for a credit... Read More
Shopping for groceries is an inevitable fact of our ever... Read More
Everyone needs to maintain their lives. What I mean by... Read More
Frugal living is more than a lifestyle. It's a passion.... Read More
Predatory lending exists in the mortgage industry. It's typically when... Read More
Millions of people have a checking account and many people... Read More
Women are charged more for dry cleaning services. Don't fume,... Read More
I think most of us have at some point in... Read More
Well, dang! From what I've heard and read, it looks... Read More
Today I passed a thermometer at a bank that read... Read More
Single Mother's in need of Financial GuidanceBudgeting is key to... Read More
Finding a stable and secure income that will come year... Read More
If you die without making a Will in the UK,... Read More
If you want money you need to learn how to... Read More
When people speak about the increasing age expectancies, they generally... Read More
Six Scholarship judges were sitting around an oval table. Forms... Read More
Women have a love/hate relationship with money. Most of us... Read More
Recent findings from the Educational Policy Institute indicated that the... Read More
cleaning help near Bannockburn ..If You Have an Existing Account and 5 Minutes, You... Read More
Financial freedom cannot be achieved without budgeting. Budgeting involves tracking... Read More
The price of gas continues to climb, and with continued... Read More
The Check 21 Law is the new federal law for... Read More
It's the little things in life that make it interesting.... Read More
On the other hand, there are those people who are... Read More
1) HOW TO LOOK FOR A JOBA) The Chronological Curriculum:1.... Read More
Now there are ways to save money in the grocery... Read More
One universal of humanity, no matter who you are or... Read More
This investment retirement account (IRA) is useful to you as... Read More
It is possible to eat a healthy, balanced diet without... Read More
I've been sharing the following idea with people for a... Read More
Millions of people give a lot of thought to financial... Read More
Can you really afford a house? If so, how much... Read More
Each of us knows how to spend money, but do... Read More
You should thoroughly consider your business needs when selecting a... Read More
Today many women are struggling with debt and it's even... Read More
The British government at the beginning of this year officially... Read More
Most of us, especially those of us who have debtor's... Read More
Holy Shenanigans! More STUFF?Loosing one's business due to lack of... Read More
1. Lighting & Light Bulbs Install low energy light... Read More
If you're like most people, your personal financial records are... Read More
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to... Read More
Creating a budget can be a very difficult task. Although... Read More
It doesn't take much for you to get behind on... Read More
Personal Finance |