Hey Everyone,
What are some of the best tips you have for saving money?
One of the pressures I've found as a single is that we are the only ones paying the bills, so the need to be frugal isn't really an option--and even more so for singles who are raising families.
What are the best ways you've found to save a penny or two? Now of course, singles aren't the only ones with good tips. Some of the best pointers I've learned along the way are from married people. Everyone is welcome to post!
Here are some of mine (and yes, I know that some of them are probably borderline crazy):
1. As I posted in another thread, we had another money-saving thread here a long time ago, and a single father of 3 advised us to tear fabric softener sheets in half and only use half per load. Up until then, I'd just "recycle" whole sheets over 2 loads, but his way made a lot more sense and I still do that today.
2. I know it sounds extreme, but I make all my own coffee at home. I prefer Dunkin' Donuts and even plain old McDonald's to Starbucks, and have found that the bags you buy in the store taste pretty close to what I might spend $4 on when going to work. I know it probably doesn't seem worth it when McD's coffee costs $1, but still...
$1 (plus tax) per coffee, 5-6 times per week before work = almost $7/week = $28/month on takeout coffee... When I can buy a bag at the store on sale for about $7 and have it last almost the whole month on its own.
3. We always used to laugh at my Mom for doing this, but of course, now I do this too--if I cover a casserole with a piece of aluminum foil and it's not in terrible shape... Yes. I wash it and reuse it.
4. The light above my dining room table holds 5 bulbs... but as they started to burn out, I discovered that I can see perfectly fine (seeing as I have my "desk" set up on one side of the table) with just 3. Only 2 bulbs, however, is pushing it, and so, 3 bulbs it is. Yes, I know this sounds crazy (and even my famously frugal parents have lectured me on exactly how cheap this is), but personally, I think the cost for utilities is highway robbery, and I don't mind cutting back wherever I can.
To keep things balanced, maybe you'd also like to mention areas where you might "splurge" a little? For instance, I won't skimp on safety. If I'm visiting friends or relatives and it costs a little more for a safer means of travel (pack mules just don't get it now days) or accommodations (i.e., a hotel that isn't covered in graffiti), then I'll delay the trip in order to afford the safe option.
And if I get to travel for fun, I will also pay more to go on a tour so that I can actually learn something about whatever I'm looking at (for example... Looking at a monument vs. actually finding out something about it or just reading signs.)
How about the rest of you?
I'm looking forward to reading your answers, and learning a few new tricks as well.
What are some of the best tips you have for saving money?
One of the pressures I've found as a single is that we are the only ones paying the bills, so the need to be frugal isn't really an option--and even more so for singles who are raising families.What are the best ways you've found to save a penny or two? Now of course, singles aren't the only ones with good tips.
Some of the best pointers I've learned along the way are from married people. Everyone is welcome to post! Here are some of mine (and yes, I know that some of them are probably borderline crazy
):1. As I posted in another thread, we had another money-saving thread here a long time ago, and a single father of 3 advised us to tear fabric softener sheets in half and only use half per load. Up until then, I'd just "recycle" whole sheets over 2 loads, but his way made a lot more sense and I still do that today.
2. I know it sounds extreme, but I make all my own coffee at home. I prefer Dunkin' Donuts and even plain old McDonald's to Starbucks, and have found that the bags you buy in the store taste pretty close to what I might spend $4 on when going to work. I know it probably doesn't seem worth it when McD's coffee costs $1, but still...
$1 (plus tax) per coffee, 5-6 times per week before work = almost $7/week = $28/month on takeout coffee... When I can buy a bag at the store on sale for about $7 and have it last almost the whole month on its own.
3. We always used to laugh at my Mom for doing this, but of course, now I do this too
--if I cover a casserole with a piece of aluminum foil and it's not in terrible shape... Yes. I wash it and reuse it. 4. The light above my dining room table holds 5 bulbs... but as they started to burn out, I discovered that I can see perfectly fine (seeing as I have my "desk" set up on one side of the table) with just 3. Only 2 bulbs, however, is pushing it, and so, 3 bulbs it is. Yes, I know this sounds crazy (and even my famously frugal parents have lectured me on exactly how cheap this is
), but personally, I think the cost for utilities is highway robbery, and I don't mind cutting back wherever I can. To keep things balanced, maybe you'd also like to mention areas where you might "splurge" a little? For instance, I won't skimp on safety. If I'm visiting friends or relatives and it costs a little more for a safer means of travel (pack mules just don't get it now days) or accommodations (i.e., a hotel that isn't covered in graffiti), then I'll delay the trip in order to afford the safe option.
And if I get to travel for fun, I will also pay more to go on a tour so that I can actually learn something about whatever I'm looking at (for example... Looking at a monument vs. actually finding out something about it or just reading signs.)
How about the rest of you?
I'm looking forward to reading your answers, and learning a few new tricks as well.
