Tag Archives: money saving tips

Strategies for kicking the paper towel habit

I’ve written about kicking my paper towel addiction before, but it’s one of those things that I never got around to doing. I convinced myself that I still needed paper towels for cleaning up things like raw chicken in the kitchen or wiping down toilet seats when cleaning, and so I continued buying them in bulk. Bad for the environment and bad for my wallet.

Inspired by Tsh Oxenreider’s book, “One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler,*” I decided this was the year I was going to kick the habit for good. Here’s how I did it:

Stock up on cloth alternatives.

In Tsh’s book, Maya Bisineer, contributor for Simple Mom Green, recommends keeping enough dish towels, washcloths, and cloth napkins on hand to avoid the need for paper towels, and making them easy to access in the kitchen. For about the price of a 2-month supply of paper towels, I bought 8 large dish towels, 12 smaller washcloths, and 12 cloth napkins. I cleared a drawer, and stocked it up with our new cloth towels and napkins.

Don’t be afraid to use cloth.

The transition will feel weird at first. It might feel too formal to wipe your mouth with a cloth napkin on taco night. Or it might feel gross to wipe up surfaces that have come into contact with raw meat with a washcloth. Remind yourself that these napkins and towels are meant for daily use, and keep in mind that cloth can be sanitized in hot water and a little bleach, if necessary. When you use cloth to clean particularly nasty messes, just be sure to rinse in very hot water, ring out the rag completely, and hang it up in the laundry room until you can throw it in the washer. Never throw wet rags directly into your laundry basket or they’ll start to stink and mildew. If you can’t bring yourself to use the cloth, keep sponges on hand for wiping up messes, and disinfect them in the microwave or dishwasher after using.

Use sponges for cleaning.

I used to use paper towels for cleaning everything in the bathroom. For the past few months, I’ve gotten used to using a sponge to clean the sink and tub, but I was still using paper towels on the toilet seats. To keep things sanitary, I now have two sponges that I use for cleaning the bathrooms — one is brown, the other is blue. I use the brown sponge for wiping down sinks and tubs. The blue sponge is used on toilets only. When I’m finished cleaning, I let the sponges sit out to dry for a few hours, and then I store them under the sinks. Because I’m only using them to clean the bathrooms once a week or so, they last forever.

Have you kicked the paper towel habit yet? How did you do it?

(*Affiliate links are denoted with an asterisk.)

Kicking the habit of using unnecessary household products

Habit has always been one of my biggest money drains. There are a lot of expensive things that I buy just because I always have, but when I really think about it, I could probably survive without them. I’ve already broken my habit for a few of them, but I’m still working on others. Here are a few of the things I came up with:

Paper towels

I’ve been trying to break my paper towel habit for years. They’re so expensive, and they’re bad for the environment, and yet I can’t seem to kick them. Over the past few months, I’ve tried really hard to decrease my dependence on them. I now use a dish towel to dry my hands, and I use a sponge for most household cleaning. For some messes (like sanitizing the counter after working with raw meat), I still prefer a paper towel that can be thrown away. But I’m saving money by reducing our consumption of this expensive convenience item.

Fabric softener

For years, I spent money on fabric softener sheets without really thinking about it. When we started using cloth diapers, we read that fabric softener residue can coat the washer or dryer and damage diapers, so we kicked the habit cold turkey. I was shocked to discover that I didn’t miss fabric softeners. At all. My towels are just as fluffy without them. My laundry may not have an artificial fragrance now, but I don’t miss that enough to warrant spending the money on them.

Individual cleaning products

There was a time when the cabinet beneath my sink was stocked with 20 different cleaning solutions. Kitchen cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, shower cleaner, mopping solution for the floors, and so on. Then I realized it’s all basically the same thing. I consolidated my cleaning supplies to a bottle of Lysol and a bottle of bleach. I’d like to kick the chemical habit all together and switch to vinegar, baking soda, and good old fashioned soapy water instead, but I’m working through the rest of these two bottles. I may still keep a bottle of bleach in the garage for really messy jobs, though.

Convenience foods

I used to spend a lot of money on snacks and frozen meals and other convenience foods. These items were one of the first things I dropped from our grocery list when we started living frugally, and I never looked back. They’re expensive, unhealthy, and I didn’t miss them one bit. We have fun crafting similar foods from scratch, and our grocery budget is much lower without them.

What household items have you learned to live without to save money?

Photo credit

How much money do I “earn” by living frugally?

Since I’m a stay-at-home mom, I don’t add any steady monetary income to our household (aside from occasional freelance work and sporadic income from this here blog). However, my decision to stay home has afforded me more time for household chores than I would have if I worked. To offset our lower income, I try to devote my extra time to tasks that reduce our expenses, and I consider the money we save as my financial contribution to our household.

I thought it might help motivate me to figure some rough estimates of what I’m “earning.” Hopefully you’ll find it helpful, too.

Cloth diapers

I initially invested about $300 in our cloth diaper stash, which will fit Judah until he’s potty-trained. The time I devote to cloth diapers is an extra 3 loads of laundry per week. I line dry them to fight stains, bacteria, and reduce electricity costs. I probably only spend about an hour washing cloth diapers every week. That four hours of work saves us about $30-$50 per month.

Breastfeeding

I realize that for working moms who need to pump, breastfeeding can be a considerable time investment. Since I’m with Judah 24/7, breastfeeding doesn’t take anymore time than formula feeding (in fact, it probably takes less time since I don’t have any bottles to wash). It saves us $75-$100 per month. Easy money!

Line drying clothes

I line dry about two loads of laundry per week, in addition to diapers. It takes maybe 30 minutes to hang and take down each load of laundry, so I spend about four hours a month line drying laundry. It’s difficult to estimate how much money we’re saving at this point. My dryer isn’t very efficient, so I often had to run loads through two or three dry cycles to get them totally dry. Estimates for dryer costs vary depending on your dryer, how many loads you dry, and how efficient it is. I estimate that we save about $10 per month by line drying. You could argue that $2.50 per hour isn’t worth the time it takes to line dry, but I find hanging our laundry relaxing, I like the way it smells when it line dries, and I like that we’re reducing our carbon footprint, so I’m sticking with it.

Eating at home

This is where I admit that even though I’m a stay-at-home mom, my husband is the cook in our house. Thankfully, since he’s a college professor, a lot of his work load involves grading papers and preparing lesson plans at home, so he’s home a lot more than the average full-time worker. So he cooks dinner for us every night when he gets home. I spend about 30 minutes a week menu planning, and we spend another hour and a half shopping together. Most meals take 30 minutes to an hour to prepare. All together, that adds up to 5 to 9 hours a week. There are too many factors at play to know exactly how much we’re saving, but we can easily spend the equivalent of our entire week’s grocery budget on two restaurant meals, so it adds up.

Coupons

I’ve really cut back on my couponing lately, because we’ve built such a huge stockpile at the drugstores. When I was clipping coupons every week, I spent probably an hour clipping coupons and planning shopping trips, and another 20 or 30 minutes in the drugstores. It’s tough to quantify how much I actually earned, but I could buy enough toiletries to last months in a single shopping trip for pennies per item.

Television

We cut our $50-per-month cable bill, and replaced it with Hulu, Netflix, and the library. Our memberships to Hulu and Netflix cost a total of $20 per month. Watching less TV costs us nothing, and forces us to get out and do other things. Win-win!

I eventually hope to add gardening to this list to cut our food expenses. Next year!

How does frugality enhance your income?

Photo credit: me!

How to avoid money drain

Recreational shopping has always been one of my biggest money drains. I can turn a quick stop at Target for a necessary item into a $40 splurge more easily than I want to admit. It’s a problem that I acknowledge, and I’ve been working to correct it.

We have a lot of things on the “to-do” list for our house – new furniture, a garage door opener, an epic garden, a riding lawnmower, and decorating to name just a few. All of these things are going to cost money. Since our mortgage payment is a bit higher than our rent used to be, our budget is a little tighter these days. Not to mention, I always promised myself that once we bought a house I’d finally buckle down and divert more money toward our student loan debt, so that’s definitely on my mind.

The point is, I certainly can’t afford to walk into Target or sign into Amazon and drop $40-$50 on crap I don’t need. When it comes to money drain, prevention is key. The trick is to avoid your triggers. Here are my main money drains, and how I combat them.

Marketing emails.

Signing up for email updates from your favorite stores and websites can help save money, because it will alert you of sales. It can also be a major money drain. If I receive an email about a big sale, I’m always tempted to buy something because “it’s such a great deal!” – even if I don’t really need anything. If you’re on a tight budget and unnecessary spending is an issue, unsubscribe to all of those emails. If an occasion rises that requires you to buy something, be purposeful about your shopping and seek out sales or coupon codes.

Daily deal alerts.

Daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social are incredibly popular on frugal blogs right now. It’s true that they can save you a ton of money, but again, you’re not saving if you’re spending money on things you don’t need. If you’re struggling with self control, it may be time to unsubscribe and tune out the “daily deals.”

Recreational shopping.

This is a tough one for me, because browsing is one of my favorite frugal ways to get out of the house in extreme hot weather. I take a walk around a store or mall to enjoy being out and around without sweltering in the heat and humidity. Unfortunately, it usually leads to buying things – or seeing things that I want to buy, which just makes me feel deprived when I have the will power to refuse. I’m still looking for an alternative to this activity when the weather is too hot to get outside. Any suggestions?

The drugstore game.

I’ve amassed quite a stockpile of toiletries and hygiene items thanks to the “drugstore game” – matching coupons with weekly deals at CVS and Walgreens. I’m guilty of buying things I don’t need just to get a deal. Even if it’s a great price, any money you spend to buy things you don’t need is a waste, especially if you’re acquiring more items than you can reasonably use. Remind yourself that there will be deals in the future, and you can stock up again when your supply runs low. Use that money to pad your savings or pay off debt instead.

Plan a menu – and skip boring recipes.

If dining out is a big spending trigger for you, it’s time to get organized and get excited about eating at home. The two biggest reasons people spend unnecessary money on dining out is poor planning and lack of excitement about meals at home. If you frequently head to a restaurant or drive thru because there’s nothing else to eat, try creating a menu plan at the beginning of the week and hanging it on the refrigerator to remind you of what’s for dinner each night. If you plan meals, and still find yourself heading out to eat because tonight’s dinner doesn’t sound appealing, it’s time to shake things up. Try new recipes, recreate your favorite restaurant meals, or add new flavors to old foods. My favorite recipe sites are AllRecipes, Real Simple, and Food Network.

Make your favorite treats at home.

I’ve made no secret about my terrible little Starbucks habit. But when I realized my weekly fancy coffee allowance was turning into a two or three times a week habit, I decided to find another way to indulge. I make iced coffee and smoothies at home now for a fraction of the cost. If there’s an expensive treat you indulge in, find a way to satisfy your cravings at home for less money. Alcoholic drinks are usually way overpriced in restaurants and bars. Mix your own cocktails at home or buy a case of beer or bottle of wine and invite friends to your place instead of going out.

Get organized.

One thing I absolutely cannot stand: losing money due to poor organization. Even if it’s just a 25 cent overdue fine at the library, it is such a waste, because I get no value out of the money. I’m paying for a stupid mistake. Overdraft fees (which do still exist in some situations), late charges for bills, overdue library fines, and expensive repair bills for things that could have been avoided with better care and maintenance all fall into this category. Create a system for reminding yourself of due dates and service appointments for the car and home. Keep a close eye on bank accounts and statements to avoid charges. Keep your emergency fund healthy so you can afford to make repairs before small problems become expensive emergencies. Every penny you avoid losing is a penny in your pocket.

What are your biggest money drains? And how do you avoid them?

Photo credit

Are you “financially fragile”? How to fix it.

According to a new study, nearly half of all Americans definitely or probably couldn’t come up with $2,000 in 30 days if they faced a financial emergency. Financial experts recommend keeping an emergency fund with enough cash to cover at least three to six months of expenses. Based on this research, it seems almost half of Americans would struggle to cover even one month in the event of a job loss or other emergency.

Considering the state of the economy over the past several years, this doesn’t surprise me. I have lived paycheck to paycheck in the past, and I know what it’s like when the money seems to leave your savings account more quickly than you can save it.

I truly believe that with some advance planning, though, most of these families wouldn’t be nearly as financially fragile. We were earning less than half of our current income when we finally began saving money. We went from barely squeaking by to saving a small amount of money every month without increasing our income.

By saving or earning an extra $160 a month, you could build a bare bones emergency fund of $2,000 (plus a little extra with interest) in one year. But how? Through a combination of spending less and/or earning more. Here are some ideas.

Spend less

Line-dry your clothing. The clothes dryer is one of the most expensive appliances in your home. By line-drying some or all of your clothing, you could noticeably reduce your electric bill.

Weatherproof your home. Seal drafty doors and windows with weather strips, update window treatments to insulating curtains or blinds, and take other steps to better insulate your home to cut your heating or cooling costs.

Add one or two vegetarian meals to your weekly menu plan. Reducing your meat consumption can make a huge difference in your grocery bill.

Lower monthly payments. If you have a lot of minutes left on your cell phone plan every month, you might be able to save some money by reducing your plan. Call insurance and utility companies to see if you qualify for any discounts.

Use Netflix, Hulu, and Redbox instead of cable for entertainment. Hulu costs anywhere from $0 to $8 per month. Netflix can cost as little as $9 a month. Cable costs $40 and up. You might be surprised how little you miss cable.

Downsize. Move to a smaller, less expensive house or apartment. Trade your fancy car for a reliable used vehicle with a lower (or no) payment. Become a one-car household.

Use cash for weekly expenses. This was the easiest thing I’ve ever done to cut spending fast. Set your weekly budget for daily expenses like gas, groceries, etc. At the beginning of the week, withdraw the amount of cash you’ll need. You’ll be amazed at how little you spend when you’re not unconsciously swiping your debit card several times a day.

Earn more.

Sell your stuff. Do you have shelves and shelves of DVDs and books and you don’t watch or read anymore? What about clothing you haven’t worn in years? Jewelry you don’t wear? Have a rummage sale or start liquidating your unnecessary assets at consignment shops, resale stores, or online.

Think like a teen. Clean houses, mow lawns, babysit. Start thinking of the ways you used to earn money as a teen. They may still be viable sources of income even as an adult.

Sell crafts on Etsy.

Find a part-time job for evenings and weekends.

I realize it’s easier said than done, but even if you can’t get to $160 or more per month, cutting expenses and earning more can help you start saving something, and that’s the first step to building your emergency fund.

What suggestions do you have for people who want to start saving to protect themselves from financial emergencies?

Photo credit

Indulgences that are killing your diet & your budget

If you’re trying to lose weight and cut expenses, it’s no secret that the first place to look is your shopping cart. The idea that healthy eating is expensive is a myth. In fact, those pricey convenience foods driving up your grocery costs are probably sabotaging your diet, too. Next time you’re at the grocery store, check your cart and swap these no-nos for healthier, more frugal alternatives.

Soda

Sodas are not only expensive — they’re also full of sugar, artificial flavors, and empty calories. Studies show that even diet sodas can lead to weight gain. Considering its negative effects on your health, the cost of soda is outrageous. Just one 12-pack per week is likely to add $12-$20 a month to your grocery expenses. Instead of drinking soda, invest in a water filtration system like Brita or Pur. If you miss flavor, drink unsweetened tea with lemon instead.

Alcohol

If wine, beer or liquor are weekly staples on your grocery list, it’s time to take a serious look at how much it’s costing you — not just in dollars but also in calories. Alcohol is one of the least nutritious, most caloric things you can consume. Removing it from your grocery list and your diet is a must.

Fruit Juice

Fruit juice is full of nutrients, and it’s not an inherently unhealthy drink to consume. However, when you’re trying to lose weight, it’s not a good idea to drink your calories. A glass of fruit juice is likely to have as many calories as a small snack, but it will leave you feeling unsatisfied and craving more food. Considering most fruit juices cost around $3 for a half gallon, you’re better off sticking to tea and water. Fresh fruit offers the same health benefits as juice, but an apple is a more satisfying snack than a glass of apple juice.

“Low calorie” or “fat free” snacks foods

These convenience foods not only cost a fortune, but they may not be helping you lose weight. Not only are they full of artificial ingredients and sweeteners, studies show that you’re likely to eat larger portions of “fat free” and “low cal” foods, which may cancel out their benefits. Instead of buying snack foods, opt for fresh produce. Choose fruits and vegetables that are currently in season for the lowest prices. If produce prices are too high, canned fruits and vegetables are the next best thing.

Photo by B Tal

Don’t pay a fortune for moving boxes

Of all the hassles that come with moving — packing, unpacking, loading, unloading, and the chaos in between — one of my least favorite parts is finding boxes. In fact, when we moved here, I so dreaded the search for boxes for our next move that I crammed all of our cardboard boxes into a closet in the guest bedroom where I’ve kept them for three years.

Finding the perfect moving box is an art. It needs to be sturdy, big enough to hold a decent number of items, but not so big that it will be too heavy to carry. Handles on the sides are a plus, and a blank side for labeling helps, too.

If you’re planning a move and you find yourself with no moving boxes, it can be tempting to pay a fortune to a moving company or retail store for an assortment of boxes. Don’t do it! It’s possible to find moving boxes for free, and reusing them is much more environmentally friendly than buying new. Here’s where to start:

Ask friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors.

Some work places have a greater volume of boxes than others (I used to work at a publishing company that had a surplus of excellent moving boxes shipped in every week). Even if you don’t work at a retail store or publishing company, send out an email requesting that your co-workers hang on to good moving boxes for you. Also notify friends, family, and neighbors that you’re moving soon. They may have boxes they’re willing to give up or loan to you.

Ask your local recycling center.

Many recycling centers have a special area for cardboard boxes that can be used for moving. Show up early Sunday morning (or first thing Monday if the recycling center is closed on Sundays). If your recycling center has them, they’re likely free to a good home.

Check Craigslist.

It’s become pretty common for people to list stockpiles of moving boxes on Craigslist for free or cheap once they’ve moved in. Just be cautious when completing Craigslist transactions. If you can’t meet in a public place, bring some friends along to help you load the boxes.

Don’t dumpster dive.

Many retail stores and businesses have special cardboard dumpsters for recycling purposes, but digging through dumpsters without permission is actually considered trespassing. Not only can you get hurt, but you can be fined. Instead of jumping into a dumpster, ask businesses if they’re willing to let you take boxes before they end up in the dumpster. You might have to show up on a certain day and time, but many business owners don’t mind giving away used boxes on a first come, first serve basis.

Photo by ahhyeah

How I saved $5 by reading a label

This week I came down with a cold. The same week I’m getting my wisdom teeth out, of course. I’ve already contacted my oral surgeon, and he says the mild congestion I’m suffering won’t affect my surgery tomorrow. Whew. I didn’t want to put it off another week.

But that’s not the point of the this post. I want to quickly tell you about my trip to CVS last night.

When I’m sick, the most effective medication for me is a blend of ibuprofen and decongestant. I don’t know why, but ibuprofen seems to work better for me than acetaminophen.

I stopped at CVS on my way home from work to pick some up. I’m used to paying high prices for even generic versions of this cold medicine. The cost was $10 for 24 pills.

I started checking alternatives to see if I could find something similar for less money. I looked at a box of generic Sudafed, which cost only $5 for 24 pills. When I compared the ingredients, I realized that the only difference between the generic Sudafed and the generic Advil Cold and Sinus was that the Advil included a dose of ibuprofen. The generic Sudafed had the same exact decongestant in the same amount (30mg of pseudoephedrine).

All this time I’ve been paying double for the generic Advil Cold and Sinus when I could have just picked up generic Sudafed and supplemented it with a dose of ibuprofen, which I always have on hand at home. This morning I took a dose of the decongestant along with a dose of ibuprofen, and it’s just as effective.

The lesson? Next time you’re browsing medications, be sure to compare ingredients and think about what you have on hand at home. Otherwise you could end up paying twice as much to buy something that’s already in your medicine cabinet.

Photo by zingersb

Instant car air freshener for pennies

car freshenerWe’re one of those crazy couples that brings the dog with us everywhere. Consequently, our backseat is covered in dog hair and our car permanently smells like, well, a dog. Every time I have a reason to look in my backseat, I’m horrified by the dog hair, and I vow to vacuum it out soon. Of course, I never actually get around to doing it.

This weekend we picked up some dryer sheets for the first time in months. We left them in the car while we finished our grocery shopping. When we came back, the dog smell was gone and replaced with the fabulous scent of fresh laundry. So I threw a single sheet under the driver’s seat and voila! It’s a car air freshener that costs pennies.

I know, I know. This is one of the oldest tricks in the books. People have been using dryer sheets to freshen musty closets and drawers for decades. It just never occurred to me to throw one in the car. It’s so much cheaper than one of those hideous pine-scented things that hang from the rearview mirror, and in my opinion it smells nicer, too! It works for me! :)

Photo by breehoffman