What new frugal thing have you done? - Page 5

[captain crunchy]

Oh yes, that reminds me -- I joined the no spend challenge too and it is really helping for accountability (and saving money) -- when I want to buy something, I am always thinking now "I will have to put this in the no-spend thread!"

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by bwylde

I've been washing dishes with ivor bar soap (and they're getting way cleaner than the nasty dish soap I was using!).

I love this. I am out of dish soap till our next co-op order and just finished a load of dishes using a bar of soap. I didn't have Ivory, just used a bar from Trader Joe's that I had on hand and it worked great.

Thank you for a great tip! :

[Valkyrie9]

We went to Lowe's last night and ended up buying a programmable thermostat, plus a couple more furnace filters. Hopefully both will help lower our heating bill this winter. I also got a clothes drying rack so that I can start hang-drying the lighter items (socks, undies, daughter's clothes) so that the electric dryer can more quickly dry the heavy stuff like towels and jeans.

It felt like one of those "You have to spend money to save money" kind of trips. Sigh...

I subscribed to a meat CSA this summer and it comes due in November, so we'll have a half a pig, 10 chickens and a turkey in the freezer. I also froze a mountain of local produce this summer.

We've been using the library like crazy for books & music.

When we do splurge on going out to dinner or on a fun activity, I'm really trying to spend those dollars at smaller, local, family-owned businesses to maximize my dollar's effect on the local economy.

[lyterae]

We just spent money to save money...

We purchased warm pajamas, extra blankets, and flannel sheets, unplugged our space heater and turned the furnace down. Before winter really sets in we still are planning on purchasing some long underwear and wool socks. We spent a fortune on propane last winter and our plan this year is to keep the heat set somewhere between 60 and 65 all winter.

[Dr.Worm]

Originally Posted by Baby Makes 4

I also bought a clothes hanger to hang dry laundry in the kitchen. it takes up a huge chunk of the floor space in the kitchen but just hanging towels and diapers to dry will cut our dryer usage by 75%.

Where did you get it and for how much? Our dryer is broken and we don't have much space to hang downstairs...plus, hanging saves money!

[Valkyrie9]

Originally Posted by Dr.Worm

Where did you get it and for how much? Our dryer is broken and we don't have much space to hang downstairs...plus, hanging saves money!

The one I bought last night at Lowe's was $19.

[heart-n-bones]

Well, with owning two houses right now, we're trying to find some ways ot be more frugal (and hopefully we'll continue once we sell the second house!)

So, we've decided to try and sell our SUV. With the money from that we'll buy a trailer for the car and try to make do being a one car family. We'll also buy a freezer. I've recently starting freezing a lot, so we don't waste food, but I'm running out of room in the little freezer we have.

We're already trying to get things we need through freecycle or thrift stores.

I got a couple books on canning and other food preservation at the library and hope to start putting some of that knowledge to use.

That's about it for now, but thanks for all the suggestions here.

[Baby Makes 4]

Originally Posted by Dr.Worm

Where did you get it and for how much? Our dryer is broken and we don't have much space to hang downstairs...plus, hanging saves money!

I bought one at Zellers (Target in the US) for $13.00. It's smaller than I would have liked but it folds up small enough to store beside the fridge.

[Baby Makes 4]

DH is putting in some more insulation and covering our largest windows with plastic this weekend.

[mysticpi]

I've been keeping my eyes open when I walk around town. I have found a few things that I needed! A pair of pants, a soup ladle, a little cooler, a springform pan. My friend has found a couple of big sofa cushions that'll make great doggie beds for her new puppy.

Oh and I love going to yard sales when they are about to be finished. You can get great deals and sometimes free items. Last week I got a bunch of kids' books and a gallon size jar, all free!. I was so happy about the jar, they are hard to find and I need it for my kombucha brewing!

[Dr.Worm]

Originally Posted by Valkyrie9

The one I bought last night at Lowe's was $19.

Cool! That is much cheaper than I thought it would be!

[Dr.Worm]

Originally Posted by Baby Makes 4

I bought one at Zellers (Target in the US) for $13.00. It's smaller than I would have liked but it folds up small enough to store beside the fridge.

Also very cheap..guess I'll see if Lowe's or Target is having a sale and then choose which store. Thanks guys!

[Dmitrizmom]

I bought a 50lb bag of oatmeal.

[pranamama]

How do you use ivory bar, do you put it in the water, or rub it on the dishrag??? This could really help when the dd are doing the dishes as they tend overpour.

I am using leftovers more and rotating the freezer, so that whatever is oldest gets cooked and eaten instead of staying in there forever.

[tuppence]

Let's see:

1. We've been grocery shopping every two weeks at Walmart after making meal plans instead of shopping during every week to get one or two meals at a time.
2. We did the angel foods box this month and are following (loosely) the hillbilllyhousewife.com angel foods menu plan which stretches the box into about a month's worth of dinners.
3. We turned the a/c off and the heater is set to 66--has only come on a couple of times in the night.
4. We're buying soda from Walmart at .67/2L instead of 24oz bottles for $1.39 from the corner store. (mmm, dr thunder!)
5. I've been craigslisting and freecycling to get stuff for the new baby and also went to two big consignment sales in the past couple of weeks for baby and house stuff.
6. We are going to the fair this weekend, but I marked the deadline for advanced tickets on the calendar and will be buying them at a discount.

[texmati]

I'm trying to keep up with my negotiating. I asked for a discount when plant shopping this weekend... I got half off of nearly everythign I bought just for asking! Go me!

[threekstrio]

Originally Posted by notwonamesalike

I get my produce from a local family farm here in town - but Albertsons beats the competition in this area hands down for other items when you take full advantage of their coupon policy.

I often walk out of there with 100-200 dollars of groceries for 30-40 bucks.

Could you explain the full coupon policy? I'm constantly looking for ways to save with coupons! :
thank you!

[wife&mommy]

I'm selling some things that I don't need even though I love them!

[notwonamesalike]

Originally Posted by threekstrio

Could you explain the full coupon policy? I'm constantly looking for ways to save with coupons! :
thank you!

Our Albertsons in the pacific northwest will take competitor coupons (up to 10) and manufacturers coupons.

So if Fred Meyer has a store coupon for say, Aquafresh toothpaste for $1.00 each, and I have a manufactures coupon for $.75 off 1 Aquafresh - I can get the toothpaste for $.25!!!

We also use Safeway doubler coupons at Albertsons (up to 4 - which count towards your 10 competitors coupons.)

[Juvysen]

we've been using the woodstove to keep warm so far this winter - haven't turned o the actual heat. Also we're still eating garden tomatoes (they were green when we took them in before the frost) and Old Navy was just having a 50% off the lowest marked price on kids clothes, so I picked up a bunch of stuff for the kids for the next couple years. I spend $81 and got two and a half big bags packed full of clothes for them.