Frugal Living - how are you managing?

palides2021

palides2021

Well-known Member
Location
MidAtlantic, USA
Lately, with inflation going up, I have been looking into being more frugal with my money. I'd like to get tips from you on how you have been able to save money through your frugal living.

One of the bills that always goes up in the winter for me are the electric bills (even though I have solar panels, in the winter they don't work as much due to the snow). I have these thick curtains that keep the house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. I am also thinking of putting those plastic sheets on the windows (window kits) that I get from Home Depot. I also read somewhere that an electric stove uses more electricity than a microwave oven. Any other tips?
 

we have always lived frugal, always within our means. spend a little, give a little and save a little. maybe because I was a carpenter we have never had piles of cash. always enough and a little more, contentment with thanksgiving is great gain.
we have also always worked together, wife was a stay at home mother of five. she canned, froze stuff, gardened feed the masses with good things.
 

Our utility bills have risen 54 % in April.. and will rise again in October.. it's a terrible situation where the majority of people will be in real danger of heat or eat.. never before in the history of this country have utility bills risen so high... so everyone is looking for the best way to save money , especially now winter is coming.

I have gas central heating ( Boiler) .. which also heats the water, but I can do with the boiler just coming on for an hour in the morning.. to give me enough hot water for showering, and cleaning..rather than having it coming on twice a day .. and also I can keep the heating off , by staying upstairs where it's the warmest place in the house.. and if downstairs, have a fleece blanket on me , or if it's very cold then a Single duvet.. while I;m sitting on the sofa watching TV..

I have 2 chandeliers in my livingroom.. and 4 table lamps.. . I rarely have the chandeliers lit.. and usually always rely on the 4 remote control lamps.. but now, I've started just having one lamp on in the evening..

I use a cordless Vac most days.. it takes a short time to charge, and can be used everywhere in the house.. I only use the Miele.. about once a fortnight for a thorough clean..

I've bought a flask so I can keep the boiling water in there for tea throughout the day.. it keep the water hot for 8 hours.., so I only need to boil the kettle a 1/3rd of the time , ..
 
I would be leery of spending money to save money.

Take a look at the window insulation kits and compare the cost to the potential savings.

It may be cheaper to turn down the thermostat and put on a sweater.

My biggest money saving tips involve things that I don’t choose to do.

I don’t pay for cable television.

I don’t spend money on coffee or other refreshments when I’m out running errands.

I try not to purchase many cleaning products or disposable items.

Saving money will be different for each of us. Do the things that have value and purpose in your life and eliminate the things that don’t.

Good luck!
 
I have this terrible habit of shopping at CVS, which I hate, and forgetting the $5 coupons they sometimes sneak onto my receipt. I do it over and over and then am forced to condemn myself and make excuses for my behavior. Leaving coupons home shouldn't be an option for me anymore. I can't stand the regret!
 
Pepper said:
I have this terrible habit of shopping at CVS, which I hate, and forgetting the $5 coupons they sometimes sneak onto my receipt. I do it over and over and then am forced to condemn myself and make excuses for my behavior. Leaving coupons home shouldn't be an option for me anymore. I can't stand the regret!
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Same here! One time, I decided to buy something extra just to use the coupon! But it's so hard to do!
 
hollydolly said:
Our utility bills have risen 54 % in April.. and will rise again in October.. it's a terrible situation where the majority of people will be in real danger of heat or eat.. never before in the history of this country have utility bills risen so high... so everyone is looking for the best way to save money , especially now winter is coming.

I have gas central heating ( Boiler) .. which also heats the water, but I can do with the boiler just coming on for an hour in the morning.. to give me enough hot water for showering, and cleaning..rather than having it coming on twice a day .. and also I can keep the heating off , by staying upstairs where it's the warmest place in the house.. and if downstairs, have a fleece blanket on me , or if it's very cold then a Single duvet.. while I;m sitting on the sofa watching TV..

I have 2 chandeliers in my livingroom.. and 4 table lamps.. . I rarely have the chandeliers lit.. and usually always rely on the 4 remote control lamps.. but now, I've started just having one lamp on in the evening..

I use a cordless Vac most days.. it takes a short time to charge, and can be used everywhere in the house.. I only use the Miele.. about once a fortnight for a thorough clean..

I've bought a flask so I can keep the boiling water in there for tea throughout the day.. it keep the water hot for 8 hours.., so I only need to boil the kettle a 1/3rd of the time , ..
Click to expand...
Thanks for the ideas! I had gotten my son such a flask for Christmas and he is very happy with the way it keeps the temperature for so long. I think I might get one for me, too.
 
Pepper said:
I have this terrible habit of shopping at CVS, which I hate, and forgetting the $5 coupons they sometimes sneak onto my receipt. I do it over and over and then am forced to condemn myself and make excuses for my behavior. Leaving coupons home shouldn't be an option for me anymore. I can't stand the regret!
Click to expand...
I put all my coupons straight away into my wallet in a special place, they are always with me. With the CVS ones, I put them in the center of the wallet. I see them everytime I open my wallet. It reminds to keep up with the expiration dates. They all get used, nothing like free money LOL
 
I am excited for fall and winter, I like it cold so I don't use the heater that much. I just take bath towels, roll them up and put in the window sill to block any drafts and keep heat from going out the window. I do laundry in cold water. When I shower, get in, get wet. Turn off the water, lather up, shave my legs. Turn water back on wash and condition hair while I am rinsing off.

If I am not in the room, everything is turned off. I don't use the lights unless I am cooking or reading. I have chronic migraines so I like the darkness. I don't open the draps summer or winter unless company comes.

I am all about it @hollydolly. I do the same, I buy in bulk at the lowest price, freeze. If you don't know what you can freeze, google it. I buy block cheese and shredded for freezing. I also keep a good stock of canned goods, I buy a lot during the holidays for the next year, this would include broths, canned fruits, cereals, breakfast meats, chocolate in all forms. If you don't cook, learn and if you are physically able, it is the best thing you can do.

I keep a large pantry of dry goods, pasta, flour corn meal, sugar, brown and powered sugars, yeast, rice, beans. I have a stand mixer that I use, for breads, cookies and cakes.

Make sure you keep a good variety of spices on hand, don't over invest,
some of them can be pricey.
 
palides2021 said:
I am also thinking of putting those plastic sheets on the windows (window kits) that I get from Home Depot.
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I put those on my living room windows one winter in my house and literally saved 50% of my electric bill every single month. But I think it was because there was some sneaky air leak at one of the windows -- probably properly caulking around all the windows would have been better, but I'm not at all handy.
 
I had a electric/gas bill of $127, the highest I've ever had in this apartment. Usually I'd be around $80 in the summer. Local news said PG&E (you know that fine corporation that burned down the town of Paradise, Ca) has raised rates 19%. I call BS. I have my AC on 83 and sometimes 82 at night. I used to keep it 81-82. It's gone up more than 19%. Getting sued much?

I guess I'm doing OK. I'm trying not to spend too much. I went over for the 2nd time to go through boxes and boxes at my stepfather's place. I've taken two carloads to PAWS thrift store. There will be more We haven't even started on the bedroom closet and it's stuffed. It's not walk in but is 4 doors wide. I've been doing so good with walking and watching what I eat but I needed to de-compress and that meant stopping at the grocery store and buying what I shouldn't. And spending money on it of coarse.
 
I guess I hit it just right, I am contracted and locked in to a kilowhat charge for the last year. I have another year of that locked in price. I know it has saved me a lot over the years. Research, research, read the fine print before you commit to any electric company!
 
officerripley said:
Don't be married to a spendthrift who grew up dirt-poor and now that they've got money, want to make up for lost time.
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We both grew up poor, as they say, I did not think so but many people would. The husband was the spender, I was the saver. Between the two of us, we got the job done. He was more drawn to impressing others where I did not care what anyone thought. If he wanted to go somewhere, do something that I though was irresponsible, I sent him on his way. My portion of that would stay in the savings account.
 

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