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.
rental limo Atlanta .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareDoesn't it seem like the only impressive numbers we've seen... Read More
Have you ever stopped to think about how your "mood"... Read More
Here are ten steps you can follow to help improve... Read More
It doesn't take much for you to get behind on... Read More
Single Mother's in need of Financial GuidanceBudgeting is key to... Read More
As the saying goes: "Buyer Beware". If you see ads... Read More
Most consumers are aware of the importance of their credit... Read More
If you've been thinking about filing for bankruptcy, your best... Read More
My personal opinion is that in today's new economy, it... Read More
If you want money you need to learn how to... Read More
It is widely written that you need 75% of your... Read More
To save on food, be an opportunist. Buy what you... Read More
When people speak about the increasing age expectancies, they generally... Read More
Saving for a Down Payment is hard work, so it's... Read More
How many drawers did you have to look through to... Read More
With the A-level results coming out, the long wait for... Read More
Does it feel like you have to be Sherlock Holmes... Read More
An avid cyclist and bike racing fan, I sit transfixed... Read More
Financial freedom cannot be achieved without budgeting. Budgeting involves tracking... Read More
Vacations Made Easy: Buying a Florida Investment PropertyA relaxing beach... Read More
It is possible to eat a healthy, balanced diet without... Read More
Just about everyone has a checking account. Checks present easy... Read More
If you have a 401(k) account, it can be very... Read More
Reducing the clothing budget was a serious challenge for me.... Read More
Would you know what to do if you suspect that... Read More
Bedford Park taxi to Midway ..Reducing the clothing budget was a serious challenge for me.... Read More
Recently, many of these loyalty rewards programs have come to... Read More
There is a new bill that is being passes, it... Read More
For most of us the process of getting out of... Read More
Do you have a 401(k) retirement account? Are you vested... Read More
Can you really afford a house? If so, how much... Read More
The gas that we fill our tanks with every week... Read More
With almost two thirds of university entrants from England and... Read More
Have you ever stopped to think about how your "mood"... Read More
Sorting out your personal finances can be a tricky and... Read More
With prices increasing all the time, saving money can be... Read More
We have heard a lot about consumers' personal information getting... Read More
Saving money is not easy and is made more difficult... Read More
1. Don't focus on your finances.The reason most people get... Read More
The recommendations for military base closings have been released and... Read More
You've analyzed your past expenses, put them into spreadsheets, loaded... Read More
When you received an energy (heating) bill last winter, were... Read More
To save on food, be an opportunist. Buy what you... Read More
Address labels are many things to many different people. If... Read More
My personal opinion is that in today's new economy, it... Read More
Most consumers are aware of the importance of their credit... Read More
Would you be interested in freeing up 10% to 15%... Read More
1. Lighting & Light Bulbs Install low energy light... Read More
I'm still amazed every time someone comes to me complaining... Read More
Frugal living is more than a lifestyle. It's a passion.... Read More
Personal Finance |