Layout:
Home > Frugal Things I've Been Doing

Frugal Things I've Been Doing

March 16th, 2008 at 01:24 am

Every once in a while I like to think about the little frugal things that I do. Mostly because I like to challenge myself to come up with more 

So here’s a few ideas of what I’ve been doing this week.

Programmable thermostat:
65 degrees for work nights, 61 during the day and its been warm enough that the heat hasn’t been going on in the day time. As long as I open the blinds/curtains to let the light in.

And the last two days, I’ve had the heat off all together! Yay!

Hand washing most dishes:
I have a single sink, although I wish I had a double one. To reduce water usage, I’ve been hand washing dishes. I use the dishwasher maybe once every week and a half or so., but hand wash the rest of the time. I have been using a large mixing bowl filled with soapy water. Instead of running each dish under running water, I wash it in the bowl. Then rinse off in clean water. Much less water usage!

Line Drying:
Although the original reason was to not shrink my work clothes, I usually line dry all clothes. I use the dryer for only towels & sheets.

Using Daylight:
I have been utilizing the daylight more. I keep the blinds open until it gets dark and keep the lights off.

Minimizing food costs
I’ve been meal planning and eating at home often. This is also healthier 

I get the bulk of my fruits & veggies from the local Produce Stand. Eggs are much cheaper there too!


Lowering Electric usage:
I unplug any unnecessary items. I use my toaster maybe once or twice a week. No sense in keeping it plugged in.

Entertainment:
I have been utilizing the library for books, movies, magazines & cookbooks.

This week I taped (yes, I still have a VCR) a movie that I love. Its called Haunted Honeymoon, starring Gene Wilder & Gilda Radner. It was the last movie she did before becoming ill. I’ve been considering buying it on DVD, but now I don’t have to. It was on cable, for free, so I taped it.

I plan on enjoying the nice weather and going to a local park. Free, fun exercise! (I actually walked 2.3 miles at a new park. Its really nice, I will definitely be going back!)

Taking advantage of work perks:
I have been compiling Weight Watchers recipes. My work lets us print out personal papers, so what I do is print out a few recipes each week. I have an old binder from college that I reused to hold all the recipes.

Treating myself:
I splurge a little here & there so I don’t feel deprived. I buy the good Weight Watchers ice cream cups. I go see movies in the theatre every once in a while (the matinee). I feed my movie addiction by the library & Redbox. I have soda at work, but I don’t buy it there. I go out to dinner with my family at least once every couple of weeks. It’s the little things that make me happy, so its easy to splurge on myself.



6 Responses to “Frugal Things I've Been Doing”

  1. Amber Says:
    1205633385

    Great tips, I line dry every thing and it has saved me a bunch
    I love some o your tips, like utilizing the library more
    you're doing great

  2. Susan Says:
    1205634434

    Did you ever try line drying the sheets outside? By far my favorite money saving tip in the whole world--they smell great and are very crisp after drying, and the sun kills lots of germs.

  3. boomeyers Says:
    1205634960

    You are the queen! You have done such a great job buying your house and saving money. I can't wait to see you accomplish all your goals!

  4. fern Says:
    1205668689

    I know what you mean when you say you drink soda at work but you don't buy it there. I like a Diet Coke every now and then, but the vending machine at work charges $1.35 vs. the .40 or so it costs you when you buy it yourself, on sale. More than a 300% markup!

  5. mstooke Says:
    1205674170

    great tips thanks!

  6. HouseHopeful Says:
    1205681919

    Susan,
    About the line drying sheets, I'd love to do it, but, it really isn't an option right now. I have a townhouse with a big deck, but small yard. I might be able to rig something in the basement, but the summer humidity in my state is pretty high and for blankets & towels, it would take quite a while to get them dry. In the winter, I do sometimes air dry towels (cause they're smaller) by using my drying rack.

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]