Being more frugel | Imamother

Mommyg8

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:20 pm

If you like books, there is an excellent book called "The Tightwad Gazette". You can buy it used. It's a bit outdated, but there are still lots of good ideas (which are easy to read but hard to follow, though, at least for me Smile

oneofakind

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:24 pm

Buy on sale. Work your menu around what's on sale, not the other way around. Use up your leftovers. Don't buy small containers of anything....repackage from a bigger one I.e. snacks for school. See what you have in the house before you buy something new.

chatz

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:26 pm

Jordan Page has some great videos on youtube.

I recently tried something she recommends called a spending freeze. For 1 week, don't spend any money. You can pay regular bills (rent, utilities, doctor, etc) and use coupons/memberships/store credit etc that don't cost you any cash. But no other spending.

It was an interesting experience. Too often we think we need something, but we really can get by without.

The cheapest/free-est thing is that which you already have. Before doing grocery shopping, go through your fridge/freezer/pantry and try to incorporate meals based on that.

southernbubby

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:27 pm

The best advice out there is that before making a purchase, see what you already have on hand that you can use instead. Sometimes you can substitute an ingredient or make your own cleaning products and shampoo. If your kids are bored, you can make something out of empty cereal boxes or milk bottles or other trash. You use up everything that you have rather then getting more.

hello321

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:33 pm

I do make my own cleaning products Bubby. So thanks for that idea- it definitely cuts the costs of ready made stuff
I like the idea of a spending freeze. Also for example if I want to be more frugel about kids clothing, how can I do so? I already buy only on sale very cheap but maybe you ladies can help me more

southernbubby

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:43 pm

hello321 wrote:

How can I find out about those

If you live in Brooklyn there are loads of them in Manhattan. My sister loves thrift shopping and we have fun doing it.

Some are chains such as Plato's closet for teens and Once upon a child for kids. I did see a Goodwill on Route 59 in Monsey.

lucky14

Mon, Nov 05 2018, 6:50 pm

chatz wrote:

just curious- how did it go for you? Were you able to do it for an entire week?

LittleDucky

Wed, Aug 19 2020, 7:15 pm

Price compare for everything. Walmart vs Amazon vs your local store.
Think outside the box for where to buy certain items. Cereal at my local CVS/Walgreens is often cheaper than the grocery store.

Don't buy things at the kosher market that don't HAVE to be bought there... I see cereal and pasta for 2-3x what it is at the big name grocer. But fruits and vegetables are cheaper.

Buy two if on sale so that you don't pay full price next week.

Explore other brands, flavors etc that are cheaper this week.

Learn to coupon... It is harder now than when I started. I used to get way more free items because of coupons. But I still won't pay for toothpaste- it is regularly free once a month if you pair the right sale with the coupon. Walgreens had buy 2 tubes this week at 2.99. That is $6. I get 2000 points (worth $2) when I bought two, I can redeem on my next purchase. Plus a digital coupon from their website/app tied to your phone number for $4 off. so that is an extra $6 in my pocket or really more if you count the non sale price. (Don't spend points when you are supposed to earn them because you won't always receive them). And I go to Walgreens enough that those $2 in points are used easily.

Don't buy something just because it is on sale. Especially if you won't use it!!