Frugal This!

I know, I live in sunny California so what do I know about Winter chills. But I didn’t always live here. I remember the cold frosted days that freezes your lungs from the inside. Even worse I remember how much money I spent every month keeping my house warm when it was 20 degrees outside. So despite the fact that I tend to keep my windows open in December, I’m going to pass a huge money saver to all of my northern friends.

INSULATE YOUR WINDOWS!

Don’t believe me? Wait until January and place your hand on a window. Feel how cold it is? Hold a match to your window. Does it flicker? That’s cold air leaking into your house and dollars leaking out of your windows. Now step into your time machine so you are back in the present and can do something about your windows.

Windows Stay Snug

You can find these anywhere. Hardware store, Grocery Stores, Drug Stores even Bed Bath and Beyond (yep another use for those coupons stored in your car). They come in a variety of sizes, even ones large enough to cover a door-wall. Buy whatever brand you want, they all work the same. Apply the two-sided tape around your window, stick the wrap on it, trim to size (if necessary). The last step, use your hairdryer to tighten up the seal, remove wrinkles and make it clearer so you can see the ice clinging to the trees outside. In the spring pull it off and enjoy the summer breeze. Note: to get the double side tape off without any residue bring out that tested hairdryer to heat up the tape and it will loosen up a bit for easy wipe off.

Feeling ambitious and want something you can reuse every year. If you are the do it yourself type. Click on over to the Everyday Crafty Goodness blog for instructions on how to make your own window insulators that can be rolled up and reused year after year. I was never that ambitious.

Honestly, you would be surprised how many people insulate their windows this way and you just never noticed since they are behind curtains and shades. Beside you can laugh to the bank with the money you save every month with this tip so who cares.

Grocery Shopping, I know you hate to do it, so you make it quick. Just run in and run out grabbing the things that you need for the next few days. If you go at all. You would be surprise how many people skip the grocery store and order take out every night.  But grocery shopping is a necessary evil especially if you are trying to save money. And you can’t buy your Mr. Clean from Domino’s. Taking the time to plan your visit will save you money every month. And yes you will notice the savings.

Grocery Stores Sales

If you are like me, you have 2-4 different grocery chains within a few miles from one another. And each one every week has specials for you to take advantage of. I’m not telling you to go to every store every week and I’m not telling you to buy something you wouldn’t normally buy. But if boneless chicken breasts are on sale for $1.99 / pound why would you just buy enough for one meal? Priced normally at $5.99 and up, buying several pounds of chicken and freezing it for future meals adds up to huge savings.

Only use Tide to do laundry. Well guess what, when it goes on sale by two or (gasp) even three and you have enough to last you until the next time it goes on sale. Only use Gillette razors – well you get what I’m talking about. It’s called the art of stock piling. And it saves people $$$$ every time you shop.

Every week, grocery stores send you their weekly specials in the mail and more than likely every week, you throw them out, without looking at them. Well glance at them next time you are eating your shrimp fried rice.

Find out which store has the most items of your favorite items on sale, MAKE A LIST, and spend some time visiting the aisles of your grocery stores, stocking up on your favorite items. Look at that insert, Cereal is only $2.00! There are pages of sale items every week from stores begging for you to visit them.

Note, If you don’t get the sale circulars in the mail you can always go on-line and view the weekly sales from the store’s website. Most even have the ability to create a shopping list on line so you can print a ready to go list. 

Also, in order to take advantage of most sales, you have to join their club. DO IT! It’s harmless. If you don’t want to carry a card every where you go or if you are prone to losing them, several stores can look you up by phone number. And if you are still paranoid more than likely, the cashier or the customer next to you in line can offer you one to scan – especially since they are getting the credit for your purchases which adds up to bigger savings (for another post, don’t want to confuse you).

I admit, I feel funny when I have four boxes of Cocoa Puffs in my cart and on my shelfs but I can’t live without my chocolate fix. And if I can have it and save money at the same time, I’m CucKoo for them (sorry, had to throw that in)

This is a cool site. Lets say you have to go to the dentist and while you are out you need to drop off a package at the post office and go grocery shopping oh you also have to stop off at your bank to pay a bill.

Grab everything and lets go. But wait! Your dentist is on the other side of town and the grocery store  is in the opposite direction. You aren’t sure where the nearest post office is but you know that your bank is by your grocery store.  You are slowly seeing the fuel guage in your car sink to empty as you dart all over the place to get stuff done. Think about it, every mile out of your way is about .15 out of your pocket. I know, I know it doesn’t seem like much but add it up for a Saturday of errand running and you can see how much money is wasted. Honestly, I would rather spend that extra money on a latte instead of on gas. Or better yet, put it in my pocket where I can put it towards something better than gas or coffee.

Logo

Before you leave, check out FindItOnMyWay.com This cool little site is perfect for when you want to find things on the way to your destination. Type in your starting point, your destination and then type in the places you need to hit up along the way.

Again, do your research before your errands and no one will be the wiser. In fact they will think you know your town like the back of your hand.

Okay this tip is not for the weak at heart. I have credit cards. I use credit cards. I pay off my credit cards. I have no problem with using credit cards and therefore I will seek out deals with credit cards. However, if you are someone who sees a low credit card balance and thinks it’s disposable income you need to not read any further.

I would rather use my credit card to buy gas, groceries and other day to day expenses instead of keeping cash on hand or using my debit card. Then when the bill comes in, I pay it off so I don’t accure interest. Since, I’m paying it off, I searched for a card that offers awards rewards that I want instead of a low interest credit card. Check out Index Credit Cards a site that keeps updated information on all credit card offers . Decide if you want cash back, points, miles or all of the above and find the card for you.

I use a card that gets me free miles. I keep track of my balance online and when it reaches a certain amount I stop using it. I have it set up to email me just before payment is due to remind me to go online and pay it by wiring money from my checking account to my credit card. Is that easy. And you can have extra cash in your pocket or you can horde the points for that HDTV you want.

Again who knows why you pick the cards you do.

Ok, maybe it’s Fall Cleaning but still. I was looking in the usual spot for cleaners and I found them. A gaggle under the kitchen sink. A gross in the bathroom closet. All filled with chemicals and all costing $4 – $8 on bottle. Talk about an expensive waste of space.

Meet Vinegar. Vinegar is your friend. I’m sure you might have heard about the power of Vinegar. Do you doubt it’s potency? Well I’m here to tell you, don’t doubt. Run, do not walk to the stores throw down your $1.00 for a 32 oz bottle of white distilled vinegar and with the money you saved buy a spray bottle or two.

As a Window cleaner, use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Keep a spray bottle of this around.

For an all purpose cleaner use equal amounts of vinegar and water. This is perfect for counter tops, surfaces and as an every day cleaner. There goes your second spray bottle.

Just remember the stronger or harder the stain the stronger ratio of white vinegar you want to use. Poor it directly into the toilet to get rid of rings. Or add 1/2 cup to your laundry as a fabric softener.

Possibilities seem endless don’t they? Check out Vinegar Tips for a growing list of uses and stop throwing your money away on chemical laden wallet, emptying cleaning supplies.

Who keeps cleaning supplies out in the open anyways.

There was this store (to be nameless) where I use to buy my jeans. I would go in buy a $30 pair of jeans and wear them for one year. Almost to the day one year later, those jeans would become torn, ragged and shredded in the knees. Now I’m not saying I would throw them out, wearing torn jeans, especially ones that happened, instead of bought are great. But I would still have to buy another pair of non-holed jeans. So off I would go to the same store and buy another pair of $30 jeans.

I did this three years in a row and then I realized, I spent a combined total of $90 on jeans with a combined shelf life of 3 years. I decided to suck it up and spend $90 on one pair of jeans. That was 5 years ago. I’m wearing those $90 jeans as I type this and they are perfect. Worn a bit to make them relaxed but no holes no tears…. perfect.  At this rate, they will last 5 more years.

Lets do the math:
One $90 jeans for five years is $18 a year.  (not counting the fact that I am wearing them longer than 5 years.
Three $30 jeans for three years is $30 a year.

I came out ahead with the more expensive pair of jeans AND they fit better, they look better and they are more stylish. So am I telling you to go spend over $100 on a pair of high quality jeans? Well if they are stylish WITHOUT being trendy they will last more than a season before going out of style and, most importantly, you look great in them; definitely!

You need to start looking at a cost per wear factor not a cost per item. Obviously I’m not telling you to spend $150 on a pair of sequined purple velvet jeans that you are going to wear to for one night and never wear them again because they are so last year. But for a classic pair of denim suck it up spend the money on quality and enjoy them knowing in the end you are coming out ahead.

Are you kidding? You actually look like you have money when people see that designer label across your bottom. And less waste so feel good that you are helping lessen the load on landfills with the holier than thou cheap jeans