Ways to save money

[Horndogg]

I'm currently on a Tim Horton's ban for this roll up the rim season. Last year, I spent a ridiculous amount of money and only won 2X, cookies/donuts. So I'm now making my own coffee, avoiding the high fat treats, and saving my pennies.

This has been my best Roll up The Rim ever. No car but something like 15 coffees,and 3 donuts. I even won on the first day.

[Weeeooojr]

Nice thread! Lots of great ways of saving too!

[couponjunkie]

don't buy things you don't need. i work with insanely wealthy people and a lot of them r in debt up to their eyeballs because they buy useless $h1t. If only i had there kind of money.....

[lekate]

I just can't believe the amount of people spend on buying coffee out daily, several times a day. Even if it's only McDonald's, but sheesh if it's Starbucks!

For me, I liked buying magazines. I stopped.

I had to stop buying the weekly tabloids, now it's just perehilton for me! And even now I just skim most of the time....

[ashedfc]

Have you looked at TAX as a way of saving money.
Its a major bill for every person - mostly it gets deducted from pay-cheque so its hard to feel the tax bill.
Any amount of tax saved is free money (which can be used for paying out debt or build assets)

[joseff]

okay, took me close to 45 minutes to read this whole thread again, and aside from hanging clothes to dry and bringing my own coffee to work, I feel like I'm pretty good at being frugal (as opposed to cheap)
I don't hang clothes because I live in an apartment and don't have access and I find it particularly difficult to bring the coffee from home when it's a twenty minute walk...plus it never stays hot enough....now I go to Timmies ONLY if I'm working a day shift and drink free water the rest of the day
I bring my own lunch 95% of the time but I will splurge once in a while on Chinese food at the foodcourt..I don't feel like I'm depriving myself that way
I will make a larger purchase using Optimum points for something I would never have $100 or $150 for...such as camera, stereo, DS
I double sales with coupons and clearance product as often as I can
I have a B-I-L who will ask what I want planted and rarely have to buy potatoes or onions...or pumpkin or tomatoes...awesome!
The one major splurge we have is the 'extra' channels on cable...we don't go out to movies or video store but we do watch a lot of tv
I'll pack a picnic lunch or supper and spend time on the waterfront...it's often a good 10 degrees cooler there in the summer and by the time we come home, we can open windows...no a/c
Another way to save money is a no-brainer if you rent...try to find an apartment that is all inclusive...no surprise bills at the end of the month
Stocking up on usual brands is a great way, haven't HAD to buy soap, toothpaste, shampoo, feminine product in ages...just open the cupboard and there are the deals from last time
Eat what's on sale or in the freezer/cupboard...reinvent last nights leftovers by adding a bit of spice and cheese...awesome way to reheat spagetti!
when you do baking, do huge batches...saves on energy and time
Make a few freezer meals for those days when you know you'll have a very short amount of time to make a meal...lasagne is one of my faves, make the noodles from scratch, an awesome sauce and tons of cheese...freeze about 4 and a great meal for company as well...also try tortillas or pitas instead of noodles, a bit of taco seasoning in the sauce, an excellent 'mexican' style lasagne
only have a few chip crumbs left? don't waste them! add them to soups...chicken noodle is a great one, adds tons of flavour as well if you buy the spicy ones....puree carrots or beans or other veggies and sneak them into a plain spagetti sauce...extra veggies that the kids won't know are in there
Buy ground meat on sale (last time I used a combo of beef and pork) and make meatballs...cook and freeze them, then when you need a quick meal, take some out...MUCH cheaper than buying premade..and tastier too
I very rarely throw out food...I try to reinvent it...a stew is great for veggie and meat odds that you toss in freezer as leftovers...barley is a great addition to soups...any chicken or turkey carcass gets boiled and the broth used for a ton of things
I guess I could go on and on and probably most has already been posted...

[joseff]

oh..and because pumpkin grew so well last summer, I add pureed pumpkin to tomato sauce and soups and stews...doesn't alter the taste at all

[Woofy]

Have you looked at TAX as a way of saving money.
Its a major bill for every person - mostly it gets deducted from pay-cheque so its hard to feel the tax bill.
Any amount of tax saved is free money (which can be used for paying out debt or build assets)

Totally agree with you on that.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again... Taxes are likely the biggest expense of a person's life (at least it is the biggest expense in my household budget), so it is imperative that we be as knowledgeable about it as possible, and learn to manage it.

I also know that I can manage the money not spent on taxes much more efficiently than the government! So, the money is better in my pocket...

That being said, I absolutely believe in paying my fair share of taxes... Especially after my newborn son's 9 day stay at the Sick Kids' Hospital. I do appreciate the fact that some of my taxes have been put to good use in funding one of the top kids' hospital in the world.

[Woofy]

don't buy things you don't need. i work with insanely wealthy people and a lot of them r in debt up to their eyeballs because they buy useless $h1t. If only i had there kind of money.....

How can they be insanely wealthy if they are up to their eyeballs in debt????

[Woofy]

.

[travelgeek]

How can they be insanely wealthy if they are up to their eyeballs in debt????

They just *appear* to be insanely wealthy. I do some financial consulting on the side and many of those who appear wealthy are the ones that are one paycheck away from foreclosure. Meanwhile you'd be surprised at the ones who don't show their wealth.

[Bumper]

I'm working on being more selective about the clothes I buy, by trying not to spend too much on clothes I will hardly ever wear, but still have the right stuff for the right occasion
- Making sure I have the basics
- Pay attention to the types of clothes/colours I enjoy wearing or wear often
- Cross functional - Suitable for work and leisure/multi-season functionality
- Suitable for my lifestyle
- Comfortable
- Watch for sales at stores where I frequently find stuff that meets the above criteria

[bluerose]

We have a brunch in my town about once a month and I help out get a free brunch but they also save the bacon fat for me and I make soap with it that I use to wash my floors,walls,kitchen cabinets with also use it in my wash like for rugs or real greasy things and you can wash your hands also with it it cost be about 2.00 for 24 bars of soap and I have not baught a bottle of Mr. Clean or anything of the sort all Winter.

[joseff]

bluerose:
It seems counter-intuitive to wash something with bacon fat...can you share how you make it?

[bluerose]

Its acttually very good soap, people allways made this kind of soap and quite easy to make I looked up this site for some help and also a lye calculater to help. All you need is fat,lye and water.
www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Bacon-Soap/