What do you do to cut expenses down?

[Hinotori]

I've never colored my hair other than frosting and highlights when I was a kid and teen. (Mom's a beautician) Mom insisted on highlighting it again when we moved back from Virginia almost a decade ago. Haven't done anything since.

She noticed that my hair was getting darker the longer we lived at this place.

I told her it was probably for the same reason light color shirts turn tan after a while. Heavy amounts of iron in the water leaving deposits.

She agreed and bought me some shampoo to use once a week to help remove it.

I've been getting a grey here and there for the last decade, but I'm keeping my color longer than the rest of the family.

 

[sumi]

In S.A. we used to get "Sunlight" soap, it's is a bar of all purpose soap used mainly for laundry (hand washing). Someone told me rubbing this soap onto my hair and sitting in the sun afterwards for awhile would bleach it, so I did a few streaks as a test and ended up with some surprisingly nice highlights! Lemon juice also works.

No greys here… yet! lol I remember as a child watching my mom yanking out greys on sight until she realised it's dye or go bald and or make peace with them.

 

[tortoise]

I hinted at this on another post, but I am working on changing my diet so I don't need to by vitamins/supplements. I'm using USDA SuperTracker (free, online). I decide my meals for the next day the previous night and look at the nutrient report. Then in the morning I only take the supplements for things I'm under my target for.

I'm doing this without changing my grocery budget too. I only took 2 supplements today rather than my usual 7. Progress!

 

[tortoise]

Another little tweak to save money: put them in an inconvenient place.

I have a weakness for ziploc bags. We were going through a box a month, approximately. I stored them in the basement. Barely ever use them now. Moving them has retrained my whole family. We rarely even use plastic wrap anymore. We're reaching for pyrex instead. I haven't bought ziploc bags since August/back to school sale. And we haven't even opened those boxes yet!

 

[lcertuche]

I wash my ziplock bags out if they haven't held raw meat. Or "worshed' if you are from Arkansas, lol. I do try to hide things like paper towels because I only use them very sparingly (like 2 rolls/year) but if DH or the Wildbunch gets a hold of them then they would be gone in a few days.

 

[sumi]

Talking about freezers on the canning thread reminded me of something: ice. Specifically ice cubes for drinks etc. We stayed with friends for a few months and they liked to drink, daily, and went through quite a bit of ice in the process. Frugal minded me looked at how much they pay for those bags of ice cubes (converted - US$ 00.50c a bag)… Times that by up to 6 bags per week, over a month, year...

I dug up some ice cube trays and started making them ice at home, it froze quick enough to get two trays of cubes daily, which I emptied into a plastic bag and kept in the freezer and they ended up with plenty ice that cost them nothing, since the freezer was running anyway. Small effort, big saving in the long run.

 

[lcertuche]

Sometimes you do need ice when canning. For instance if you are scalding tomatoes to remove skins and then flash cool in ice water. I freeze a lot of ice. As my freezer empties it helps to have it full of something which can be ice. I use frozen bottles in a cooler of water to cool my chickens before freezing. Of course when canning you can forgo this. And who doesn't like a nice icy cold drink when you kitchen is sweltering from a canning session?

 

[Mini Horses]

Sumi, here the ice is $2.50-3.00 for 7 or 10# bag. I have always kept ice trays in the frig, although I normally do not use many in drinks. My water is cool from the tap. But, I did keep bags of them in the big freezer for when my kids come by.

Icer, yep -- keep jugs frozen. Generally I have qt or 2 liter bottles frozen when making soaps, I use them to keep they lye milk mix cool when dissolving. Also, for cold water in sink to cool blanched veggies, etc. Then I have gallon jugs, which I have just dropped into water tubs when temps are extreme. Switch out & re freeze.

It does help keep freezer colder when Spring--Summer you may find the stock down and meats/veggies not ready to go in and this creates a time to fill it. It's also when I like to clean it out if any ice build up, etc. Pigs & chickens get some things "found"

IT'S MARCH !!! In my neck of the woods, it's time to start plants for April planting, & to seed direct for cooler tolerant ones. I love Spring. My goats have all kidded. My hens will soon begin to set......gardens starting, grass growing so less hay to buy.

Just to make me thankful, 28 this AM after we've had record breaking temps & warmest Feb in 75 yrs.

 

[lcertuche]

I save the most money by not spending. It sounds like a 'Duh' moment but you might be surprised by how much spending is just plain ole habit. I remember when I would always buy a magazine(s) when I did my monthly grocery shopping. I now get them from free from my daughter, the free box at the library or at our 'shop for free' clothes closet at church. Most times I don't even have time to read them anyway. I will keep a magazine or two in the car for killing time during Dr. appointments, oil change, etc. Then I also will leave the magazine because all they ever have is golf or car magazines.

 

[Mini Horses]

When I have an urge to buy I find if I write it down on a list -- wait a few days, I either find something else to use in it's place or decide I really didn't want or need the item, or would not use it enough to justify the price. Wanted a dehydrator -- of course the expensive ones -- but found one, like new, for only $8 in a Habitat shop. Very basic $50 type. That's fine. Not using enough for $300 one.

Not spending does save.