Comments on: 25 Babysteps to Frugality

By: Weekend Roundup: Post-Choir Concert Edition | beingfrugal.net

Weekend Roundup: Post-Choir Concert Edition | beingfrugal.net — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:01:02 +0000

[...] 25 Babysteps to Frugality – Home Ec 101 [...]

By: It’s Never Too Late To Mend Your Ways | Home Ec 101

It’s Never Too Late To Mend Your Ways | Home Ec 101 — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:11:17 +0000

[...] you spend too much money? Don’t know how to cook? House is a mess? We can help. But the key to changing is your own [...]

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:02:16 +0000

I'd add to your point about how "grocery stores aren't always the best source for some items." Certain expensive necessaries like spices are preposterously overpriced in the grocery store because distribution of spices is controlled by just a few companies. You can save a lot of money on spices by shopping at local ethnic specialty food stores in your community. You might be shocked at the much lower prices for spices, and even better you'll be helping a local entrepreneur. This was an extremely useful post! Dan Casual Kitchen

By: Roxanne

Roxanne — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:34:27 +0000

There are some wonderful tips there. We use lots of natural, low-cost household items to do our cleaning. It works great, saves money, and eliminates harmful chemicals from our home.

Love the tip about shopping with a list ALONE. It’s amazing how much additional “stuff” gets added to the grocery bill when you have three or four people tossing additional items into the grocery cart.

By: Diaper Cakes Becca

Diaper Cakes Becca — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 02:32:26 +0000

We signed up for the TIME OF DAY plan with our electric company. In the winter….it is more expensive to use power from 5am to 9am and 5pm to 9pm. IN the summer it is more expensive to use power from 9am to 5pm (this is all DURING THE WEEK).

We save A LOT of money on this plan. Dishwasher, vacuum, washer and dryer NEVER get used during the expensive times…..and we try HARD to minimize oven use during this time, too!

We open the windows (at least two on opposites sides of the house, to create a cross breeze) at night on the cool nights and then close them first thing in the morning (it gets hot quick during the days) to try and keep the house cool as long as possible. We utilize ceiling fans and try to keep the thermostat turned down a few degrees when we aren’t home……

We are getting ready to enter expensive time for electricity in Phoenix and we are dreading it. I’m hoping this year we will be able to resist the temptation to durn down the thermostat more than last year. I have put up some sunblocker curtains that I am hoping, when drawn, will significantly reduce the sunlight coming in during the afternoon hours…..we shall see!

By: caryn verell

caryn verell — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 01:43:19 +0000

i try to save all of my trips to town for one day….then i travel out to the stop that is the farthest away from home, and work my way back to the homestead. this has saved me alot of time as well as gas. and if i need to fill up the tank while i am out i try to make that my last stop. if one or more of the stops is for grocery items i always make sure that if have some kind of container, box, or canvas bags with me including a small cooler type container.

By: Tiffany @ Snapshots of Life

Tiffany @ Snapshots of Life — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:23:58 +0000

Check to see if any of your local grocery stores do price matching. This can allow you to get the deals from several different stores in only one stop. It is probably a good idea to go when they are not too busy as it takes a little longer to check out. This is a good way to stock up on items. I did this yesterday and saved about $20.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:53:35 +0000

Before I make a grocery list, I make a menu. The menu forms the basis for my list. Having a menu that covers the next week or two allows me to figure out what I really need, not just keep my pantry full. This also helps keep me from calling up for pizza or going out to eat, because I have a plan for dinner and I have all the ingredients I need. I am also trying to only shop once a week.
Another rule of thumb I have is to NEVER buy something in bulk at a warehouse store unless I try it first. This has saved me from a number of expensive mistakes.

By: Heather

Heather — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:05:31 +0000

Thatbobbiegirl,
Nice find! I do love checking the clearance area at Target, too. You never know what you’ll find. I’ve also learned that just a taste of something really good can be more satisfying than a larger portion of something mediocre.

By: thatbobbiegirl

thatbobbiegirl — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:33:49 +0000

During these economic times, you might figure you should just steer clear of areas in the grocery store like the gourmet cheeses, but it ain’t necessarily so. Since fewer people are buying these items, more of them end up staying around until the “sell by” date — and then they get marked down drastically.

Case in point: at Kennies’ in Gettysburg, on a day I hadn’t even planned to go shopping, but went in just because I was right there, I got some imported havarti that normally sells for $7.99 an 8oz package — for NINETY NINE CENTS. I bought five. And it’s gooooood stuff. Also got some feta crumbles for 99 cents – not such a drastic markdown, but still a way to afford something special that doesn’t normally fit the budget.