Since I, along with most people, am feeling thrifty, I searched high and low for thrifty tips. Here are some of my favorite websites dedicated to saving a few more pennies.
http://www.thrifty-living-tips.com/
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/
You can find coupons online for a lot of your favorite grocery and drugstore purchases. From food to deodorant to razors http://print.coupons.com
Organize in a folder or envelope kept in your purse or car for easy access.
Of course we know that buying in bulk saves money. Several grocery stores sell in bulk or you can shop at a warehouse club. But this is not a savings if it is going to just sit in your pantry. Since I am a single person, I don’t buy food in bulk, however I will buy toiletries like toothpaste and toilet paper in bulk.
Bakery outlets are a seldom-tapped resource. You can find savings on bread and all sorts of baked goods.
“But,” you say, “eating thrifty isn’t always eating on the skinny. All the cheap foods are bad for you.” Well, the 99 cent Chef reports some cheap choices that help keep your svelte figure. All sell for under a dollar.
http://www.tiphero.com/tips_325_&lpid=16
Entertainment
Make use of your local library or buy books at used bookstores. Amazon has a “used’ link. You can usually save a lot. Some sell for 99 cents. I never pay full price for books.
Hulu.com in place of cable. With 900 current prime time hits that you can watch whenever you want, paying for cable seems rather pointless. Plus you can stock up on used DVDs at your local Blockbuster which sell for 2 or 3 bucks.
Thrifty Vacations
•backpacking
•camping
•working vacations – popular in the UK during the 50s, when money was tight and people couldn’t afford holidays, they would often spend two weeks picking hops on the farms in the south of England.
These sorts of vacations are still available today in many different parts of the world. You can pick fruit or grapes for wine, or do some sort of environmental project. All are great ways to explore our world and meet new people. http://www.frugal-living-tips.com
How fun would it be to go grape picking in France? I guarantee that you would become the envy of your friends, not to mention your enemies, if you took that trip.
If possible, travel off season when the rates are lower. You can often avoid a price increase if you buy your airline tickets in advance. Be sure to arm yourself with a City or Entertainment Guide with a list of all the attractions as well as coupons for restaurants and amusements. http://www.entertainment.com
Health http://www.alwaysfrugal.com/frugal-living.html
One of the best ways to stay thrifty is to stay healthy. Being sick is very expensive. Exercise is extremely important and very easy to fit in to any schedule.
I don’t have the discipline to exercise at home. Some do. The most frugal thing to do would be to find some second-hand exercise equipment at yard sales, Goodwill, and sales at sports stores, so you can work out at home. However some need the discipline of a class to get (and keep) an effective regimen going. Your local Y offers all sorts of classes and exercise equipment for a decent rate. Most will work with you on this.
If you are a self-motivator and can keep a consistent exercise program at home, walking, biking, and hiking are ideal. In these cases, a good bike may be a valuable investment.
I cannot recommend yoga enough. I take at the Y, but they also hold classes at community centers and churches. It is a great stress reliever and really helps with your disposition in these tight times.
While we’re talking exercise, I found this recipe on http://www.tightwad.com/tips5.htm for deodorant. I am not yet thrifty enough to actually use this tip. But for those who are, mix full strength household bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) with water or a water and liquid soap solution. (Never mix bleach with any chemicals containing ammonia, it produces a deadly chlorine gas!) After washing underarms with soap and water, soak a wash cloth and use a 1/32 ratio of bleach to water for cleaning, then air dry.
Decorating
As a former artist, I know framing can be expensive. It doesn’t have to be though. A simple frame hanger can cost at least $3.99. But the pop up top from soda cans can do the same thing, for much cheaper. Simply remove the top by turning slightly until it pops off. Then attach to frame with small screws or tiny nails.
As long as you don’t need a custom size frame, often you can find cheaply framed prints at stores like Family Dollar. You can toss the print and use the frame for your objet d’art.
Now that I’ve shared some of my thrifty secrets, I’d like to hear some of yours.
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