Frugal Friday

Vinegar can be used for cooking, cleaning, health, and so much more. Vinegar is very inexpensive, natural, and can take the places of many things you spend money on in the home. Here are a few from vinegartips.com to get you started. 

1. Brush your teeth once or twice a week with some white vinegar to eliminate bad breath and whiten teeth.  

2. Use white vinegar to remove outdoor road salt from shoes or even your cars floor mats. 

3. Remove red stains on clothes from ketchup, barbeque sauce, or spaghetti sauce by dabbing with a white vinegar/water mixture. 

4. Remove odor and buildup from your dishwasher by pouring a cup of white vinegar in your empty washer and run once. 

5. Shine chrome sink fixtures by creating a paste out of 2 tablespoons salt and one tablespoon white vinegar. 

Use an empty spray bottle and label it as your vinegar cleaning mixture. 

Want to make a scouring paste?  Mix white vinegar with baking soda. 
  
Worried about the smell of vinegar? Most of tips using vinegar call for white vinegar which has a very mild smell, plus most you will dilute with equal parts water, also lightening the smell. Also try adding some lemon juice or orange peel to the mixture to make a fresh citrus smell.

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Frugal Friday

Read about these ten unusual uses for lip balm that could help you out in a pinch or even save you a little money. 

1) Moisturize Knees & Elbows

Knees and elbows can have the roughest and driest skin on the entire human body. Soften them with an intense moisturizing treatment of lip balm.

2) Make Up Make-up

Ladies-use lip balm as a base with your favorite powered eye shadow or make-up and make a cream-shadow or even foundation.

3) Stop the Bleeding from Minor Cuts

Guys-next time you cut yourself shaving, ditch the embarrassing toilet paper piece on you neck or face for a clear coat of lip balm instead. Your pride will thank you later!

4) Soothe Rashes

Use lip balm to help soothe dry skin and rashes. With it’s high aloe and vitamin E content, it will sooth and repair your achy skin.

5) Tame Wild Hairs

Have some stubborn fly-aways, brow, or mustache hairs? Lip balm is wax-based and will help tame your wild mane.

6) Lubricate Zippers

The next time your zipper gets stuck, try rubbing some lip balm on it and the natural oils will help lubricate your zipper to run more smoothly.

7) Shine Your Shoes

If your shoes are looking a little dull, but you don’t have the time or the money to go get a shoe shine, rub some lip balm on your shoes and buff them with a dry washcloth.

8) Protect your Entire Face

Whether it’s from windburn or hair dye, rub some lip balm on your face for a solid barrier between your face and whatever you want to protect your face from.

9) Keep Your Shoes Tied

Coat the part of the shoelaces that you loop with lip balm to keep them from coming undone.

10) Repair a Scratched CD

Spread a thin layer of lip balm over a scratch on your CD and it will stop it from skipping.

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Frugal Friday

This week's tip comes from tipnut.com. 

Keep a purchase wish list.

 Keep a list of everything, no matter how large or small, that you want to buy or plan to buy in the future. It helps you to organize just what you are planning to spend your money on and when you see items lined up against each other you may be better able to tell which ones you should actually spend money on opposed to ones you can learn to live without. Adding larger purchases to the list can help give you time to shop around for the best deal. Even adding smaller wants can free your mind of the thoughts in the moment and may reduce your desire to impulse buy. If you are able to keep track of all your purchases you can keep your wish list nearby. That way each month you can see the things you find yourself wanting and how they effect your total spending.

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Frugal Friday

This frugal Friday is an ironic one. We all know today happens to also be "Black Friday". The day where raging consumerism rears it's ugly head. I offer you an alternative to the lines and increasing debt that could be upon you. 

  

Buy Nothing Day is an international day of protest against consumerism, namely on Black Friday. Check out their Facebook page to see exactly what they are about. 

Cuppa Coffee in ART 634 is having Name Your Own Price Day today from 11-5. Order a coffee and pay whatever you want for it!  

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Frugal Friday

Here are some frugal Thanksgiving tips.

1. Decorations-No need to buy decorations because they are sitting in abundance outside. Make a centerpiece in a clear vase by scavenging for colored leaves, acorns, and pine cones outside your front door.

2. Only make what you need. Instead of 6 or 7 side dishes make 3 or 4 really good ones. Also use this calculator to deterrmine exactly how much turkey you would need for the people attending.

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Frugal Friday

A couple of energy saving tips from livingfrugaltips.com.

1. When using your oven turn it off a few minutes early. If the oven is not opened the heat will stay inside and continue to cook the food at the original temp set. 

2. Dry loads of laundry back to back. With the dryer already heated up it won't use as much energy as if you let it cool down between loads.   

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Frugal Friday

Here are a couple of tips from some known finance writers that can help you both buy things less impulsively and cut down on your spending when you get to the check-out counter.

1. From Liz Westen of MSN : Create a “wait and see” list.  If you spot something you think you want to buy, write it down (in a physical notebook you carry with you, or as a note in your smartphone) or take a picture of it. Then give yourself a “cooling off” period. Three days is good; three weeks may be better. Chances are pretty good that your passion for it will have cooled, and you’ll realize you can put the money to better use elsewhere.

2. From Phil Fremont-Smith of ImpulseSave.com : One trick I like to use is “minus one”. Every time I get in a checkout line, I stop, look at what I’m about to purchase, and remove one item. If you’re already a disciplined shopper and only buy things on your list, you probably don’t need this. But for the 99.9% of us who tend to leave stores with more than we came for, it’s an easy way to break the cycle of mindless impulse buying.

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Frugal Friday

 Sorry, sorry, sorry, it's back!

This is another tip straight from me. If you are into theatre and but aren't into paying for it, try spending about an hour of your time as a volunteer usher. 

My two good friends Stephanie and Del were in a production of Center Stage Jackson, which showed at Jackson Community College. Although $15 would have been well worth the price to support my friends, I jumped on the opportunity to see the show for free once Stephanie suggested it. 

I called the show's director and asked about ushering. We agreed on a show that I would be needed and I arrived a half hour before doors opened.  Once the house was open I simply stood in the back of the theatre handing out programs and let the patrons know that seating was general. One hour of volunteering saved me $15 dollars and I got to watch my friends perform. 

I know that this is the case for most all shows shown at JCC but can't be sure about any other venues. Visit the Potter Center's Website for show information and contact numbers. 

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Frugal Friday

This one comes by suggestion from the great Ryan Hagen. (MSU J-School Grad, Law School Graduate Extraordinaire). Ryan tells this frugal freak that several stores offer student discounts with a valid ID. No longer being a student myself, I can't reap these rewards, but for those readers of mine who are, or know one please try to take advantage! 

Here are just a few I found: 

 -Banana Republic=15 % off

-Goodwill=10% off

-J-Crew=15% off

-Target.com=10 % off

-Pier One=15 % off

Go ahead and search "stores that offer student discounts" to find even more.

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Frugal Friday

When I first began my Peace Corps service in Morocco I quickly learned how to budget the money I was being given. For many of us, the money  felt like Monopoly money (it was even pretty colors) because we felt like we were being paid to have such a fulfilling experience, we weren't doing anything to truly earn it. That is exactly why I wanted to understand where it was going, I wanted to have respect for the money I was being so generously paid. I didn't want to ask myself at the end of the month "where did that 2000 dirhams go?"

So I began a practice that I still use strongly today. In a paper notebook, at the time, I wrote down every single dirham I spent. All my food purchases, travel costs, bills, and rent went into Alex's Financial Journal. At the end of the month I could total it and I had a tangible record of exactly where all my money was spent. 

I still do it now except I use a smart phone app called Super Budget.  I can keep a record near me at all times. What I like is being able to know when I bought something. If I ever wonder how long a tank of gas lasts me or a bottle of face cream, I can look at when I bought it and know. 

I don't think writing down my spendings has ever kept me from actually making a purchase, but it is very good at keeping yourself accountable for what you  choose to spend your money on. With my budget app I can categorize purchases, so if I want to know exactly how much I spend on food, I can easily find out.

It does take disipline but if you think this would help you, give it a try!

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Frugal Friday

This is something that I haven't yet tried myself. I caught one episode of the short lived TLC show, Extreme Cheapskates, and even though the show's participants were quite extreme, I wanted to possibly try a few of their methods.

This one comes from a man who rode his bicycle 40 miles, round trip, just to scrounge up enough lost change to buy a goats head (a cheap cut from the butcher) for dinner. He called it a frugal fast and I'm not sure if he is the one who had the idea for it, but I didn't find any other information online about it. 

What you do is you take one week out of the month, quarter, or whatever you choose where you spend absolutely no money. No $3 coffee, no tank of gas, no bills can be paid, nothing. He found that he can save hundreds of dollars per year buy using one week every now and again  as a spend-free week. 

Now it seems to me like this week must be planned. You couldn't possibly do it when you know all of your bills are set to be due, or when you just ran out of gas.  He said it is great because since you can't buy anything, specifically food from restaurants or groceries, you are forced to eat what you have left in your house. So many of us stand in front of full refrigerators and say "I have no food in this house." You can get creative with things, try re-purposing food you never thought you could. If you want to eat and you can't spend money, you'll have to. (Don't worry no goat's head required)

My first thought was that if you aren't spending money this week, you'll spend it next week, right? Say you see a new shirt on your frugal fast week, maybe you'll spend the same amount of money next week by buying it. Or, maybe not, if you don't buy it impulsively maybe you will forget about it and not want it later. If we can't spend money then we are forced to look at the things we actually spend money on. We many not think $3 here and $5 there amounts to much but try not spending it for a week and see what it can be alternatively used for. 

I would love to hear anyone's comments if you are brave enough to try this. Once I find the right time to do it I will update you on my experience. 

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Frugal Friday

Sorry readers, I let this one go for a bit.  I know it's Sunday, but here is your Frugal Friday tip!

Some tips for enjoying a frugal restaurant dining experience. 

Bargainlist.com shares a few tips for still enjoying a resturant but spending less doing it. 

1. If you are with a companion order one dinner and one appetizer to share. Some of you could agree that restaurants serve too much food so this combination could be just enough for two. 

2. Order only sides. A small salad and an appetizer or side could be just enough for a meal for one. 

3. Order water to drink. It won't cost you a thing and it will save you lots of calories. 

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Frugal Friday

This week is gas saving tips. 

From Moneysavingtips.org follow these few steps that can help you make the gas in your tank take you a bit farther. 

1.  Steady driving saves gas. Avoid jack-rabbit starts and sudden stops. Let your car slow down by taking your foot off the gas. It takes more gas to go faster, so go slower when you can.

2. At long stops such as waiting for a train or in the credit union drive-though, turn the engine off if you can. At stop lights you can put your car in neutral which will reduce the amount of gas it is using while idling.  

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Frugal Friday

Welcome to my new series!

For those of you who know me, you know I'm tight with my money. I prefer the word frugal over cheap, due to its more positive connotation. Suggesting a get together over a walk instead of a get together over dinner are among my many tricks to keep my cash close. Join me in my journey as I share new tips I learn in leading a frugal lifestyle. We all could deal with a little more cash kept in the bank. 

My first tip comes straight from me.

If you have a Big Lots in your area (yay for Jackson) stop there first before your trip to the regular grocery store. If you have never shopped Big Lots for groceries, you may be delightfully surprised. They have a large supply of dry, non-perishable foods, mostly name brands, for a fraction of the cost of what they are in grocery stores.  Rely on Big Lots for granola bars, cereal, cookies, chips, and a whole slew of other things that may be on your list. Their products change frequently so always check back for new arrivals. You can save quite a bit by buying certain things here.

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