My two favorite ways to save money.

I've never smoked a cigarette -- no loss there.

And I've never spent a penny dying my hair, or perming or straightening it. I do get it cut from time to time, but it is what it is.

How do you painlessly save?

Some people give up everything they have, or would have had, for drugs.

but I do dye my hair. I started when I turned fifty and I am loving it. I get it dyed a different color each time. It is like playing with fingerpaints.

was kind of mean about it. Met my mother-in-law on the street (in their very small town) and pretended not to recognize her -- and her hair had only gone from light blonde to platinum.

Anyway, before she finally went natural, my mother-in-law was on my case for a long time, and even on my husband's case. I think she knew her "disguise" wouldn't work if her son had lots of gray hair and she didn't. But she's finally given up.

I let my sister dye HER hair for me -- that way I know how all the colors look, too! And, watching me, she can keep track of how much gray she'd have, if she ever "let herself go."

One can comparison shop at ease with a flick of the mouse.
I have a friend who cuts my hair.
No cable. It's so full of reruns and mediocre content that I found taking just part of that money and putting it into DVD's gave us an outstanding library of entertainment without the commercials or monthly cost.
Recycle reading material. Every bookworm knows a bookworm. Swap those books and magazines.
We used to require a fast food night because of schedules. With a bit of planning fast food is prepared at home. Better for us and much cheaper.
When possible buy ahead. Take advantage of sales today to have at a later date when the budget is tight.
Buy at least one can of fruit or bag of pasta etc extra each shopping trip to build up that winter larder when heating bills are at their worst and so is your checkbook.
With gas so costly make sure you have a list when you go out and buy everything at one time. Share those one item trips with a friend. When you need just a couple items and you know your friend is going let her/him pick them up for you and in turn you can do the same for them.

my elderly mother recently gave up driving, which of course is always hard to do. But I've been pushing her to take a taxi whenever she needs to go somewhere (my sister lives in that town, but works), though that goes against her frugal nature. My mom finally acknowledged this week that even with taking a taxi whenever she wants, she's still saving a lot of money over car upkeep, gas, insurance, etc. She can remain independent and still save money.

I gave up smoking about 25 years ago. I don't dye my hair, and rarely cut it, so it is now long again with a bit of gray. Eat plain oatmeal, big box less than $2.00......added walnuts, flaxseed and cinnamon to it. Use powdered milk in anything that is to be cooked, including oatmeal. I bought vanilla soy milk for cold cereal, I don't need to add sugar and the shelf life is longer than regular milk.

I make huge pots of veggie soup to freeze. I have a bread maker and bread is so much cheaper if you buy commercial size yeast. The freeze dried yeast is put in a canning jar and then in the fridge where it will last for at least a year. I buy TVP to add to ground beef when I'm making anything with ground beef. I buy rice in larger bags (not the huge ones), I also make more rice than needed to fill the pot, and will freeze left overs. I can add that to soups or to left over Chinese dinners without having to heat up stove and so forth. I make beans in crock pot, wash 1 pound beans, put in 2 1/2 quart crock pot, add water to top, season with garlic pepper, plug in and cook on low over night. In the morning you have great beans that you can then use in anything from chili to soups to just beans. They are still firm enough to take more cooking if needed, but can be eaten at that point. Adding rice to the beans will be more filling, and I've heard will make a complete protein. I also add rice to my split pea soup.

I buy just about everything on sale. When I only have 2 left of a non-perishable product, I start paying attention to sales on that item. The only time I really stock up is if there is a really good paper sale.

I plan all my shopping trips with other errand trips, and plan the route. I pay all my bills on line, and so save all that postage. I use the other side of junk mail to print out draft copies on my printer, or copies of stuff that only I will see. So therefore the credit card offer may have on it's back side a recipe for homemade mayonnaise. I bought my printer because of the printer cartridges that it uses, so I can refill them when needed.

I order egg foo young at the Chinese restaurant and will have 3 meals out of it, instead of one. I actually divide it up when I get take out, into 3 containers so I won't be tempted to eat more than I should. And, I shop at thrift stores, and have joined 3 recycle groups.

There are probably lots more, but this enough for now. Ask me anything, I've been living poor my whole life, and my son never knew.

Oh, and I use the library for books, videos and music. And I don't go to the movies, I wait until they are on TV or at the library. I don't get out much, so DU has also become a form on entertainment.

zalinda

to make easy meals while stretching the food budget. For example, add some hamburger meat to a can of spaghetti, or add "riced" potatoes to vegetable beef soup -- and, as a child, these were some of my favorite foods!

No payments
No parking fees
No gas
Minimal mechanic's bills

Life is good

DUers are resourceful and innovative. I always learn something here. :toast:

Julie

1. Look at the supermarket circulars for products on sale for that week. Sometimes you can combine the sale and a coupon. I've saved almost 50% at times when I've done this on one or two items. And buy stuff on sale when you don't need it and save it for later, e.g., toilet paper, paper towels, foods you can freeze, etc.

2. Refer to #1. Is chicken on sale for $.59/lb.? That's what you're having for dinner. Cook it yourself, don't get the precooked Perdue stuff under plastic in front for five times that amount. And save the bones and carcas for stock later. If you want, cut it up and freeze it for later. Theme and variation with other products from the meat and poultry sections.

1. Never, ever buy or eat fast food or junk food. NEVER!

2. Buy all my clothes, dishes, appliances, videos, etc. second hand.

I save a ton of money!

which also saves a lot.

I can't say that's painless, though. Some of those things that were bad for me tasted awfully good.

can pay the bill entirely w/o paying interest. Interest fees can eat up all the money you save on other items. I realize some people don't really have a choice, but if you can, pay the credit card balance in full each month.

Oh, also get a credit card that will give you points for something. I get points toward clothing (and free shipping) and gas.

It saves on gas, especially since it's running 3.05/gallon now here in Mississippi. I can't imagine how high it is in Los Angeles or Orlando or some other big city.