'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

PRFC — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:44:55 GMT

I AM NEW TO THIS SITE. THUS READING ITEMS POSTED 6.13.08 FOR THE FIRST TIME. I CAN'T HELP BUT POST A COMMENT TO "WD". A PERSON WHO COMPLAINED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE GONE TO COLLEGE BUT WORKED AT BURGER KING IF THIS PERSON WANTED TO LIVE AS SUGGESTED HERE. MY REPLY:

1. DON'T COME TO SITES LIKE THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT THIS FORM OF HELP

2. OVER THE YEARS SUCH THINGS AS THE LAST 1/10TH OF TOOTHPASTE IN EVERY TUBE OF PASTE ONE USES IN A LIFE TIME ADDS UP... LOOK AT WHAT ONE CAN SAVE

3. PEOPLE WITH YOUR THROW AWAY THINKING PUT THE EARTH IN THE STATE IT IS IN RIGHT NOW.

ALOT OF GOOD THAT DID... I WOULD TAKE OUR "OCD" WAYS OVER YOURS ANY DAY

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Johnny Cheap-o NO ESCAPE — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:03:56 GMT

I'm the cheapest person EVER! I sew the holes in my dress socks! Who cares! Nobody will ever see them! Mwahaha!

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Rain the cheap O — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:56:34 GMT

I was raised by a war wife she had me when she was 44 years old and she had a man broken by the war and he was home 40% of my life and he did not help with money at ever home time. so mom not only looked after us 3 kids and her but she helped others in hard to get to areas so many had it harder and she would trade for the wild meat and cured fish she would sell half of the meat and fish to pay for the gas and she would put away the rest, for the winter we would be snowed in most winters. we went to all the thrift stores and she had a connection with a few ladies from church that operated one store so she would get the over flow of clothing and she would go threw it and pick what her community needed and then bring the rest to another community. she was approached years later by some kids that grew up in the second community and thanked her for all she done that was the only way they were able to go to school. so we can be cheap and help in many ways. we did not only get clothing for us but we took apart and made tailored things for church and Christmas ect........When I was married i wore new clothing and after i bought mostly new but when i seen some things were out of reach for our income i went to find things in a second hand stores and remake or alter to suit. ya all the saving and working to do better and have a nice home and smiling faces is important. some years our children could only look for ward to weekly play time in the park we would take the bills and the check book and work on budget and let the kids play. never seeing the tears or disappointed looks we had at the end of bill sorting. so when i sewed cooked or patched things it was a have to and i was glad i knew how to do so. Many woman said how do you keep things so nice and rich is your husband in a good job. i would smile and say I work at it and take good care of the things we get and a sale or closing out sale or remodeled.I am proud of my kids they are frugal or cheap in many different ways, it is different times so they do it their way.

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Dragonflymoon — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:43:29 GMT

We have joined the Compact...no plastic unless absolutely necessary, ie Saline for my contacts. No bottled water, ever. Luckily our tap water is wonderful. I make our detergent, for the recipe just google homemade detergent, but it's basically a bar of pure/natural soap whirled in a blender and then mixed with washing soda and Borax. The washing soda was hard to find and I finally had to order it off the Internet.

I hang our clothes to dry, dilute everything I can, use the liquids from veggie cans in soup, what we don't eat the dogs will. No food goes to waste. We are going to try waxed paper instead of baggies, and making our own produce bags to take to the store. Not sure yet how that will work.

We buy nothing new if possible, trade/barter and Freecycle.

After having read through all these comments it seems to me that frugality and living lightly on the land are really the same thing, and whether one has to or wants to live like this makes no difference. I like to think of myself as an Ultra-Frugal Eco-Warrior and feel that if there were more of us the world we leave our children will be better for it.

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

cats2jlj — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:56:19 GMT

My favorite thrifty tip is to buy anything and everything you can in a thrift store. It is a hobby for me. If you have not gone to one lately, you may be surprised at what you can find. There are often brand new items there. I got a brand new pair of shoes for$1.99 and they are a department store brand!

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Erin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:59:02 GMT

Here is a super cheap tip for home improvement. Before you head off to Home Depot, Lowes, OSH or Ace hardware, check your phone book for your local Habitat for Humanity chapter. See if they have a resale store, they sometimes do for items that are donated or scavenged out of houses, and they are offered at a very deep discount compared to the big box retailers. The Selection is limited and items move fast, but the savings are definately worth looking at. For an example, I found base and door molding that normally sells for $0.76 a linear foot at Home Depot for $0.20 at the Habitat ReStore. Interior doors that normally sell for $45 at THD for $25. Door knobs that normally sell for $59 for $19.

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:42:33 GMT

In response to Guaro's friend living without a job and off the land...

that sounds ideal but not feasible here in Canada. You'd get into so much trouble for picking fruit off someone's privately owned fruit orchard, and road kill needs to be reported to highway authorities for proper disposal. It is also too cold here in the fall and winter to sleep outdoors. Dozens of homeless people die each winter from the cold. Nice as it sounds having such a free life, I want to know if he plans on living single for the rest of his life? What happens when he meets someone, falls in love, decides to have children, needs a roof over their heads, has to send them to school, pay medical expenses, ect... ? Sometimes I wonder if everyone were to pursue their "dreams", who would be left to contribute to society?

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Maggie — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:14:58 GMT

I would love the recipe for dry laundry soap!!

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Grandma — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 02:03:40 GMT

Be careful when reusing plastic bags. After too many washings they can begin to leach harmful stuff. Look it up...

re: 'Cheaper than cheap': Tips for ultra-frugal living

Becky — Thu, 21 May 2009 00:46:38 GMT

One reason I am thrifty is a desire to leave things the same or better than I found them. There is a finite amount of gas, water, ect. We trash the Earth so bad. I like to fix things rather than buy new. Some things I've learned to repair, since it's very difficult to find someone who does this type of work. Most people throw out the old and buy new.