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 http://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. Money saving tips help balance your budget and maximize everyday savings
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