We at WalletPop are constantly searching for new ways to save money to share with you, our readers. But this time we'd like to ask you for your best ideas for saving in these challenging times.
Have a look through the gallery of tips below, and see if you can add more ideas to the mix. Please leave any tips you have in the comments below and we'll select the best ones to add to the gallery. Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas so we can all start saving sooner.
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Your Frugal Tips
Do Away With the Dryer
AOL User The SnittyKitty Says:
"Two years ago my ex-boyfriend convinced me to give up using a dryer. I haven't missed it since. I have a clothesline in my spare bedroom and a drying rack. My clothes and towels are much softer. I use liquid fabric softener and the apartment smells wonderful when I do laundry. In the winter, it puts moisture in the air. I do not own a dryer now. Some people who do hang clothes will dry towels and jeans for about 5 to 10 minutes first to get the wrinkles out. Not using a dryer saves both electricity and wear on your clothing."
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Your Frugal Tips
Do Away With the Dryer
AOL User The SnittyKitty Says:
"Two years ago my ex-boyfriend convinced me to give up using a dryer. I haven't missed it since. I have a clothesline in my spare bedroom and a drying rack. My clothes and towels are much softer. I use liquid fabric softener and the apartment smells wonderful when I do laundry. In the winter, it puts moisture in the air. I do not own a dryer now. Some people who do hang clothes will dry towels and jeans for about 5 to 10 minutes first to get the wrinkles out. Not using a dryer saves both electricity and wear on your clothing."
Your Frugal Tips
Calling All Bagel Lovers!
AOL User Bspeonk Says:
"I have learned that if you go to a bagel store after 3PM, they will give you as many bagels as you want for free ... depending on where you go. Put on a smile, and you can [possibly] get them for free. Bring them home, freeze them and defrost one each morning for breakfast."
Your Frugal Tips
Keep it Clean!
AOL User TigersTales Says:
"A clean kitchen encourages meal preparation instead of eating out."
Your Frugal Tips
Baking Soda Saves a Bundle
AOL User Mailboxdepoe Says:
"Baking Soda. Yep, my mom used it all her life, and especially as a young child, living through depression. You can clean sinks, wash your hair -- comes out soft, eliminating shampoos and cream rinse. Brush your teeth and it controls breath. Great in the fridge to eliminate odors. I also clean my ceramic stove top with it. About every fourth cleaning I use the real stuff, as it gives the polished look, baking soda does not. I use it on my jacquzzi bath tub, and shower. Get a big box at Costco, try it and see you can save a lot of money. It even cleans your car battery. Make a paste, put it on the terminals, and watch that stuff just get eaten away."
Your Frugal Tips
Grow Your Own Veggies
AOL User Bjsketti1 Says:
"Grow your own veggies. Don't have a yard? Plant them in 5 gallon buckets."
Your Frugal Tips
Text Book Tightwad
AOL User InLuvandDeath921 Says:
"As a college student with a tight budget, I refuse to buy or sell back any of my books to the store. Most places will buy your practically new books back for a third of the price -- if you're lucky -- and sell them for 4 times as much. I buy from half.com and abebooks.com. Now I pay about $200 a semester on six classes worth of books instead of close to $800."
Your Frugal Tips
Make Weekly Payments
AOL User Pamresch Says:
"You can pay the same dollar amount per month on your loan, but by splitting the amount up to weekly payments, you'll knock more interest off your loan and pay it off sooner without even paying any higher monthly payments. Set up an automatic payment for each week and watch your loan go away more quickly."
Your Frugal Tips
A Cheaper Solution
AOL User LiHelmuth Says:
"Something that works great is adding equal parts bleach and Pine-Sol (about 1/8 cup each )in a spray bottle and fill the rest with water. The mixture works great for cleaning the bathrooms, kitchen, and floors. I have been using this for years. It saves a lot of money and cleans and deodorizes at the same time."
Your Frugal Tips
Why I Love Craigslist.org
AOL User InLuvandDeath921 Says:
"I cannot believe some of the things I have bought through this Web site. If you're just starting out with a new apartment you can find a lot of the basics. I bought a '93 Ford Taurus for $500 (which runs great, by the way). I also bought a mattress, box spring and bedframe all for $40 (practically new) and a TV for $30."
Your Frugal Tips
Time to Unplug
AOL User Virginia Enigma Says:
"... I unplug almost everything around my house when it's not in immediate use. (I unplug the toaster when I'm done with it, the clock radio, the lamps, my cell phone chargers, etc.) My electricity bill was only about $25 this month!"
Your Frugal Tips
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-26-2010 @ 9:04AM
Susan said...
Instead of eating out we try a new recipe, have a glass of wine with dinner, and put on some wonderful music, and dress the table up for dinner.
To make the days I work go smoother, I take a couple of hours on a day off and make ahead the week's meals. We just warm a plate in the microwave and toss a salad and dinner is ready in no time at all.
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7-26-2010 @ 9:05AM
Susan said...
Our local second hand store and community center both have one week every month where you can fill a large bag with clothes and pay $3 for the bag. You never know what people have donated. We've even found designer names in new condition and regularly give a bag to family members with small children.
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7-26-2010 @ 9:18AM
fromthendnrez said...
I live where it rains a lot. Visitors come with some pretty muddy shoes or boots occassionally. I save the bottom of 24 pack water bottles or 24 cans of dog food boxes to use as extra boot or shoe trays for my guests. They have a water proof lining, they are free, and they do not need to be cleaned. When too dirty, you can toss them. I also have inexpensive slip on socks to offer them to wear. All are new and unused some coming from friends, neighbors, and garage sales. They are the kind hospitals give to patients - so they are usually free or in the least 10 cents or 25 cents at yard sales. It beats mopping and or cleaning the carpet..
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7-26-2010 @ 1:04PM
lesleyjacklyn said...
1.Most large companies will send you coupons, just by calling them and straight out asking them. If you have a favourite product that you buy often or if there is a new product on the market that you'de like to try, just call the 800#s and ask. I have coupons, gift certificates and free samples sent to me every week. I save a bundle of cash and get loads of freebies.
2.Another thing I do is that if I try a product and I don't like it, I call the company and let them know. These companies spend a bucketload of money on customer satisfaction and because competition is feirce they will re-compensate you or send you giftcards to try different products. It is your money after all and as a consumer you should always be happy with a purchase. No need for aggressive talk or anger. Be kind and direct with what you want and 99% of the time you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to get free stuff.
3. Download coupons yourself from websites. Almost all big name brands have these on their websites. From fabric softener to pizzas to amusement parks.Print them out and start saving!!!
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7-26-2010 @ 3:50PM
Jeanne said...
Get organized with your grocery shopping and other things too, ie new table umbrella - have these handy and in alpha order. Begin your next shopping list immediately (we all forget at least one thing), I think.
Become an avid coupon collector and use them. As soon as you get the weekly specials papers, spread them out and do separate lists from the original list, for maybe the top three different grocery stores in your area that aren't too far apart.
Always buy their meat specials even if you don't need them right away. When your final lists are done - you're set and are going to save money for sure. Buy meat specials and divide and wrap carefully to freeze and date them with a marker.
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7-26-2010 @ 6:05PM
Tony said...
When going on holidays Instead of booking a hotel and renting a car, we swap homes and cars with other like minded families.
We save thousands of dollars per holiday week.
And because the home has a kitchen we don't need to eat out everyday - resulting in additional savings.
Aside from the financial benefits there are other benefits to a home exchange. We don't need to share a single hotel room with our children as the home has multiple bedrooms. We generally swap with families with children of the same age, so the kids get to play with new toys during the stay. (And there's less demand from the kids to buy them new toys.) Best of all, you get to meet and solicalize with the locals.
A comprehensive set of tips for finding and arranging a home exchange holiday is available here:
http://www.1sthomeexchange.com/holiday-home-exchange-tips.php
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7-27-2010 @ 1:01AM
Anita said...
My frugal tips have to do with bath and hand bar soaps. When I come home from the store I unwrap all of them. Drying out the bars before use makes them last longer.
Any little pieces that are left once they wear down, I tie them in the foot of an old knee high nylon, and when I accumulate enough that would be bar soap size, we use that for washing our hands at the bathroom sink; still tied in the nylon until it's gone.
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