Suburban Homestead Store
Archive for the ‘Frugal Living’ Category
Sneaky Stores – Savvy Shopper
Department stores may have dozens of ways to trick shoppers into spending more than they normally would, as described in this Daily Finance article , but they haven’t fooled this savvy shopper. Traveling down my path to a more frugal lifestyle full of experiences rather than stuff I have learned to spot these tricks and have a few of my own up my sleeve as well.
I rarely shop major malls any more. I usually buy only what I need rather than trendy “want” items. And, when I do purchase items I favor second-hand or thrift stores over department or specialty stores. I’ve recently discovered the last Friday of the month sales at the Salvation Army in my sisters town. Each time I’ve been I’ve found wonderful quality clothing, house wares and furniture.
I’m not much of a designer brand person. I would never pay those outrageous prices for a pair of jeans. But, if I can find good quality garments for a few dollars who cares whose name is on the tag. The greater point is to find items that will last for several seasons or several years. And that’s what I’ve done. On my last trip I found 3 pairs of Coldwater Creek jeans, in excellent condition, for $3 each; Land’s End long-sleeved t-shirts, great for wearing under my wool sweaters, for $1.50, a large ceramic mixing bowl for $2, 30-feet of garden fencing that will be perfect around new transplants or emerging seeds for $4, and an emersion blender, ideal for making pureed soups, fruit butters and of course smoothies, for $3.
But, my savvy shopping doesn’t stop there.
Ever get those $10 off cards or coupons in the mail or stuck to the Sunday paper? Well – if you’re a savvy shopper you can use them to your advantage, get what you need and not pay much (or anything) at all. I get them all the time and now have a few family members and friends that save them for me as well. I always carry a list of small items I need for the house.
The trick is to have a list of items that are priced at $10 or just over. Wait for the coupons to come out and then buy only one of those items with each coupon. If they don’t have the item you’re looking for – walk out of the store. Don’t wander around trying to find a replacement. Retailers know the longer a consumer is in the store the more likely they are to make a purchase. In the last month or so I’ve been able to buy four seasonal pillar candles ($.84); two short-sleeved t-shirts ($1.30); a package of sport socks (free); a scarf (free) and leather gloves for my thrift store raincoat ($4), and a frame for my daughters county fair picture ($1.69). Not bad. Not bad at all.
It’s a game and I’m playing it the best I can. Why spend good money on things that don’t matter? Why should I care what brand of jeans I wear while cleaning the garden or working the sheep. The truth is I don’t; don’t care to spend money on those things when it could go towards new livestock, our spring seed order or new equipment.
So, come on, folks. Play the game with me. See how much you can save. See how frugal you can become.
photo credit: chocolategirl64
The Penny-Pincher’s Guide to Car Maintenance
Save money without compromising your safety or your car’s well-being
Food on the table or new tires for the family jalopy? An easy answer for most people. But driving on worn tires poses a safety risk. So, too, can a mechanical breakdown that leaves a car and its passengers stranded on the freeway.
Tough times can mean tough choices for folks struggling to make ends meet. Auto Club data suggest that drivers are skimping on car maintenance, leading to a variety of mechanical failures and breakdowns. During the first half of this year, roadside assistance calls increased by 7%, an unusually high number.
Moreover, drivers are keeping their cars longer. In just one year, the average age of the nation’s cars has risen from 10 years to 11 years, an extraordinary increase, says John Nielsen, AAA national director of auto repair.
Unfortunately, older cars require a higher level of maintenance to keep them running. The upshot? More motorists are experiencing firsthand the finite life of automotive parts.
Now or Later
Skimping on basic maintenance is false economizing, because if you keep up with low-cost minor adjustments to your car, you likely won’t have to pay for high-cost major repairs later. Or, as the mechanic in an old TV commercial for oil filters said, “You can pay me now, or pay me later.” For instance, if you replace a car’s dirty fuel filter for $50, you could avoid the $500 bill you’d have to pay for replacing a ruined fuel pump. Spending several hundred dollars to change an engine’s timing belt is far less costly than spending thousands for an engine rebuild. And the list goes on.
If you find penny-pinching to be a necessity these days, be assured there are ways to pinch those pennies while still being car smart. Based on feedback from the Auto Club’s Roadside Assistance and Approved Auto Repair programs, as well as test data from the Auto Club’s Automotive Research Center, here are 12 suggestions that can save you money by helping to prevent common breakdowns. Read the rest of the story »
Frugal Housekeeping Tips
Are you beginning to notice how so much of what we use to run our homes is inter-connected? The way in which we wash dishes affects our water and heating; electrical or gas usage. And, windows, doors, and insulation have a direct connection to the cost of heating and cooling our homes. But, what about keeping your home clean? What tricks and tips can you use to lower the cost of keeping your home squeaky clean?
It’s simple. Take a clue from the women of old and use natural, basic and inexpensive supplies for keeping your home clean and fresh. Newspapers or cotton t-shirts, cut to size, make great towels for washing windows. T-shirts, old cotton socks or cotton diapers can be used as dusting cloths, while threadbare towels make good cleaning rags. Keep a box close by to collect and store these items as they come available.
To get started gather up a few ½-gallon or gallon jugs, spray bottles, cheese grater, measuring cups, bowls and spoons for mixing, and labels. You’ll want to keep these items separate from other kitchen utensils so try to find a nice box or bin to store them in. Thrift stores are a great place to find these items inexpensively.
Many of the ingredients needed may already be in your home, like baking soda, distilled water, white or cider vinegar, salt, lemon juice, olive oil and essential oils, but if they are not, they can be purchased at most stores. You’ll also want to add Borax laundry booster, washing soda, Castile soap (liquid and bar), ammonia and these essential oils; lavender for repelling insects, tea tree for an antibacterial and fungicide; and lemon, orange or tangerine for grease cutters.
Laundry detergents are probably one of the most expensive items we buy for cleaning. But, did you know that in powder form almost 75% of the detergents contents is chalk? And more than half of the liquid brands are water. In fact, most cleaning supplies are mostly additives to fill the packaging. But, with just a few ingredients and a few minutes of your time you could be making your own supplies and saving bundles. Here are a few recipes to get you started. Read the rest of the story »
Frugal Living – Saving On Electricity
Electrifying Ideas to Control Your Use of Electricity
To save on electricity, pay close attention to the biggest users. You’ll save more electricity (and money) by dealing with the biggest electricity-guzzlers first rather than worrying about whether it’s better to boil a cup of water on an electric burner or in a microwave. With that in mind, concentrate on your BIG energy users, which are:
Heating, Air Conditioning, Lighting, Washers, Dryers, Refrigerator, Water Heater
As we mentioned earlier, raising or lowering the thermostat will go a long way to reducing your electric bill. So, let’s look at the rest of the list.
Lighting: For appliances or electronics that are close together, plug them into a power strip. That way you can turn them all off at once when not in use.
For areas, like stairways or dark hallways, where you want a light on all the time use lower wattage bulbs. A 15-watt bulb can reduce electricity by 80% over a 75-watt bulb.
Place lamps in corners where their light can bounce off the walls and be more effective.
And, of course, use energy-efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs when ever possible.
Washers: To save on water and electricity run only full loads of dishes and let them air dry. The same holds true for laundry. Wash only full loads and dry using a clothesline.
Washing in cold water and using a cold water detergent will also save on the cost of heating water.
Clothes Dryer: If clotheslines are not your thing or if they are not allowed in your area use the moisture sensor option so the dryer turns off automatically when clothes are dry.
Make sure that dryer loads are not too small or too big for the dryer capacity. And, remember to empty the lint trap after each load. This will help the dryer to work more efficiently.
Refrigerator/Freezer: Routinely vacuum condenser coils. Dirty coils affect the efficiency of the compressor which translates to increased electric cost.
Do not place uncovered liquids in refrigerators. Not only do they absorb undesirable flavors, liquids give off vapors that add to the compressors workload.
Additional freezers or refrigerators should be kept in the house or basement when ever possible, not the garage. The fluctuations in winter and summer temperatures make these appliances work harder which in turn uses more energy.
Water Heater: You can reduce your water heating bill by 10% by lowering the water heater temperature from 140°F to 120F°. (Keep the temperature at 140°F if you use an older dishwasher though. This helps sanitize the dishes)
Once a year, drain a bucket of water from the bottom of the water heater tank. This gets rid of sediment, which can waste energy by “blocking” the water in the tank from the heating element.
Insulating your hot water supply pipes will reduce heat loss. (Hardware stores sell pipe insulation kits.)
For older water heaters, consider buying a water heater insulation kit, which reduces the amount of heat lost through the walls of the tank.
Click here for more energy savings tips.
photo credit: bigandyherd
Frugal Living – Tips and Hints for Conserving Water
Water is one of our most precious resources. It is also one that is not so easily renewed. Lack of rainfall and low snow pack; the loss of ground water, drying up of reservoirs, polluted streams, rivers and lakes have all made us keenly aware of how difficult our lives could be without water.
But – every day we can do something to reduce the amount of water we use AND recycle the water we must use. Our efforts might seem small, but every drop counts over the course of our life.
At my house water savings starts with bathing. Brianne and I both take five minute baths or showers. A kitchen timer, in the shape of a chicken, sits on the bathroom counter. As soon as the water is turned on the timer is set. It’s amazing how full a tub gets with only 5 minutes worth of water. Try it. I think you’ll be amazed too.
Laundry is another big water user. But, I devised a way to reuse wash water on my trees and shrubs. I took a 33-gallon square trash can and fitted it with a coupling that has a gasket on both sides to prevent leaks. On the outside portion I screwed on a hose fitting that could be turned on and off. To that I hooked up my hose. I then removed the washing machines drain hose from the drain pipe and attached it to the trash can so the water now drains into the trash can and out the bottom through the coupling to the hose. With each load I can move the hose from tree to tree, or shrub to shrub. One caution though – washing machine gray water should not be used where the water may come into direct contact with vegetables or fruits.
Collected rain water can be used to offset water needs in flower beds and garden plots. The system doesn’t have to be sophisticated. A simple barrel or trashcan under a roof line where rain water pours off will work. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the barrel fills. If you have rain gutters, you can set up a more elaborate collection system that can be piped to different areas of your yard. Even barns, chicken coops and other out buildings will produce a good amount of water during the rainy season. Remember – every little bit helps! Read the rest of the story »
Living Frugally – Lowering Costs
Creative Ways to Lower the Cost of Managing Your Home
According to the Department of Labor, the average American spends 34.1% of its household income on housing. This includes shelter, utilities, household operations, housekeeping supplies and household furnishings and equipment.
Those looking for a new home have a few more options than those of us who are not. They can look for homes with less square footage, which requires less to maintain and operate, not to mention less to purchase. Having less square footage to fill can also help some homeowners manage the amount of “stuff” they bring into their home; less closet and cabinet space means less room to store things; making your home feel full. Larger homes have the illusion of being empty when storage areas are not brimming to over flowing, which entices people to shop just to fill the space.
Other housing options include building you own home (if you have the land) to your specifications. This allows you to incorporate many non-traditional building methods like log cabins, straw bale, adobe or cob construction. Non standard upgrades can also save you tons of money in the long run. Extra insulation will help with heating and cooling of the home, while solar, installed at construction means renewable electricity. It may even make you some money if you’re in an area where the power company pays you for electricity going into the grid. Gray water and rain water collection systems can also be installed during construction allowing you to easily pipe it to landscaped areas.
Building your own home enables you to use a variety of recycled materials. Salvaged doors, windows, sinks, faucets and cabinets can all reduce the cost of building as well as reducing the amount of useable materials going into landfills.
Heating and Cooling Your Home
The temperature of your home can vary widely depending on where you live. People living in the southern states have more temperate winters than our northern neighbors, which means we use our furnaces less, but we can also experience triple digit temps in the warmer months which means we use our air conditioners more. So what are some ways to save on both heating and cooling our homes?
Make your house more energy efficient.
First off – check with your utility company to see if they perform “FREE” energy evaluations. This will help you understand where your home is losing energy.
Heating your home with a more efficient furnace will save you money in the long run. But, the initial outlay can be prohibitive, as in my case. My furnace is original to the house, and although it works fine I know it is not as efficient as the newer models. The $3,500 replacement cost though is not in my budget right now so I’ve had to use other energy saving measures to help lower my heating costs.
Simple strategies that work well and save big:
Fortunately, our southern California winters are relatively short compared to other areas of the country. I am able to leave my furnace off until Thanksgiving and turn it back on in March, which I now do out of habit. Read the rest of the story »
Living Frugally. Living Fabulously.
Being Frugal Today May Not Be A Choice.
From the day we are born we are fed the idea that we must spend money to be happy, buy to be content. But, is that really true? Are we happier spending money we may not have? Are we more content when we have maxed out our credit cards or depleted our bank accounts?
Our current economic times, with the weight of consumer debt, skyrocketing foreclosures and job layoffs say we’re not. Many have come to realize that spending money wildly, without taking the time to consider each purchase has brought us to where we are today. But, what do we or can we do about it? It is so ingrained in us that we must have what the neighbors have, wear what the celebrities wear and buy what the television ads tell us to buy. How do we change?
Simply put – we change – slowly, deliberately, consciously, and over time. We change the way we think about money and spending and having; money we may not have; spending where we don’t need to; and having what we think we need, but really only want. Change can be scary and the steps daunting, but they can also bring us a great deal of freedom and contentment. Not to mention money.
There are hundreds of books and articles on frugal living out there. Plus loads of information about how to reduce your life and cut out the things you like to do. These books and articles tell you how to creatively do without.
But I’m not going to tell you that. In the next few articles, I’m going to detail the same plan that has worked for me—and for friends who’ve asked me to reveal how I live with abundance, even though I’m a single Mom on a limited income. These are my tricks to living what I think is a great life full of interesting activities, culture, art, music, hobbies, and good food. So, check back often to find out how I’ve been able to eat well, entertain, enjoy concerts and plays and art exhibits without breaking the bank. I think you’ll find some helpful hints and few surprises too. Read the rest of the story »