#261094 - 02/04/09 04:34 PM
Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
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Hot Rod
Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 18018
Loc: Rural - Western Pennsylvania
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Here's some ways I save money. For window cleaner, buy vinegar and use old newspaper to make window clean and shiny. Instead of expensive window cleaner. Buy a bag of apples and cook them down for apple sauce . Cheaper. I use the pricey Tide for the badly soiled clothes, Cause it cleans better. And for the dark colors, I use the cheapo types of Laundry detergents. I grow my own flowers from seeds...  When we have get to gethers, everyone brings a different dish, instead of one person footing the bill for all...... Of course I freeze and can all the veggies I can muster.....And fruit. Make jam , jelly , pies and whatever from them. I freeze grape juice , to drink or for jelly. Take it out when needed, and it is like fresh. We pick wild blackberries also. Who else has ideas? Would like to hear how you save. We also freeze left overs and use them when we are too lazy to cook.
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#263485 - 02/16/09 04:38 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: dodge]
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Gardener
Registered: 03/05/08
Posts: 205
Loc: Carroll County, Georgia
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My hubby works for the fire department, which means he eats 3 meals each shift there. I had been buying the prepackaged things that are quick and easy/no cleanup type stuff for him to eat.
I found the small aluminnum casserole pans (about one good size serving) and started fixing "extra" when I made things like baked spaghetti, lasagna, cornbread, chili, etc. in these little pans. Then I stick them in the freezer for him to take and eat at work. He's the envy of the department! LOL
I had the sattelite turned off when I realized that I can watch all my favorite shows online. There's one place called hulu.com that has a good deal of tv programs on it, and all for free.
I had the cell phones turned off. I went 30 years without one, and I don't think the world is that much better a place for them. Instead of a regular landline, I have a magicJack that costs only $20/year. My internet is stand-alone DSL through AT&T for about $35/month. So what would normally be $80/month for a landline and internet only costs my $36.66. And that includes my tv time! LOL No $99 bundle for me!
I collect my laundry water for watering plants. It's on a separate drain from the septic, so that makes it easy. I'm waiting for hubby to get a pump for the water barrel so that I don't have to tote the water! LOL I'd like to put it on a timer with a drip system eventually for the garden.
I hang my clothes out when the weather permits, so that saves on my propane and electric.
There's probably more, but I can't think right now! lol
Annette
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#263489 - 02/16/09 04:43 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: gwhalh]
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Webkinz Queen
Registered: 11/12/05
Posts: 23018
Loc: So. Cal.
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My wash water and bath water are also on a different drain from my toilets and sinks. That is a good use for that gray water.
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~Tina    Drama Free Zone. What every gardener loves the most, Begins and ends in rich compost. (Tina)
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#263558 - 02/17/09 10:59 AM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: Tina]
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Member
Registered: 02/15/09
Posts: 4
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I make alot of Tofu recipes.Tofu is an excellent source of protein and relatively inexpensive. Here in The Big Island at Safeway it is $1.50 a block.
Food and other necessary items tend to me expensive here. We will be starting a garden soon and fencing will be put up to purhase chickens. We use alot of eggs and that runs us over $6.00 week so in the long run this will be a savings and a healthier product to consume.
My son loves salty snacks ,I purhase kernals to popcorn and can change up flavors each time with a little seasoning.
Just a hint: always look to the lower sheves for the lesser priced item at your grocery store as the stores tend to put higher priced same items at your eye level!
Anyone have some ideas that they want to share?
dianer
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#263595 - 02/17/09 03:55 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: gwhalh]
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Hot Rod
Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 18018
Loc: Rural - Western Pennsylvania
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Your doing a good job/ We got used to cooking for 3 when son was single.. Now we cook too much for 2. I save lots in the freeze for a rainy day.......... I used to bake all the time for hubbys crews at work......How they loved home cooking..... I use the alunimun pie tins from graham cracker crust for left overs an for the bottoms of my flower pots......... Cheap. You can make your own popcorn cheaper than bought too. b My hubby works for the fire department, which means he eats 3 meals each shift there. I had been buying the prepackaged things that are quick and easy/no cleanup type stuff for him to eat.
I found the small aluminnum casserole pans (about one good size serving) and started fixing "extra" when I made things like baked spaghetti, lasagna, cornbread, chili, etc. in these little pans. Then I stick them in the freezer for him to take and eat at work. He's the envy of the department! LOL
I had the sattelite turned off when I realized that I can watch all my favorite shows online. There's one place called hulu.com that has a good deal of tv programs on it, and all for free.
I had the cell phones turned off. I went 30 years without one, and I don't think the world is that much better a place for them. Instead of a regular landline, I have a magicJack that costs only $20/year. My internet is stand-alone DSL through AT&T for about $35/month. So what would normally be $80/month for a landline and internet only costs my $36.66. And that includes my tv time! LOL No $99 bundle for me!
I collect my laundry water for watering plants. It's on a separate drain from the septic, so that makes it easy. I'm waiting for hubby to get a pump for the water barrel so that I don't have to tote the water! LOL I'd like to put it on a timer with a drip system eventually for the garden.
I hang my clothes out when the weather permits, so that saves on my propane and electric.
There's probably more, but I can't think right now! lol
Annette
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#263603 - 02/17/09 04:37 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: dodge]
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Member
Registered: 02/15/09
Posts: 4
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Price on bread is high . My husband and I make our own........yummy
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#265245 - 02/27/09 01:48 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: gwhalh]
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Great Gardener
Registered: 01/20/03
Posts: 643
Loc: SC (USA)
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"I collect my laundry water for watering plants. It's on a separate drain from the septic, so that makes it easy."
Good idea.
I like the idea of using the laundry water to water your garden (i guess if the water is "plant friendly").
The next time i build a new house for myself and do the plumbing, i might design the drain line differently so i can divert that water from the wash for irrigation purposes.
Thanks for that tip...
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Bob 
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#265521 - 02/28/09 06:41 AM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: dodge]
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Great Gardener
Registered: 01/20/03
Posts: 643
Loc: SC (USA)
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I'm enjoying all the helpful suggestions on saving money...
I thought of a couple items that might be helpful to some. Maybe they have already been mentioned previously.
1)Save money on electric or gas bill... Take showers, operate dishwasher, do wash around the same time, etc.- your water heater won't have to work so hard at many different times during the day. If it's going to come on anyway take care of all those "chores" at the same time.
2)Add more insulation to your home.
Heat rises;therefore, add more insulation overhead. Just insulate over heated areas. A local building supply store often sells inulation that u can blow in your attic with a machine that they rent out. Do it yourself and save on labor. Just be careful not to fall through the ceiling walking around up there!!
Believe me, this a worth-while invesment. It will save u a "ton" of money in the longterm and also add value to your home.
It was cold here in SC this past January. I'm "all electric" (no gas) here and keep my heat set on 71 all winter. My January electric bill was $138.
I've got R-40 in my attic here. I might add more. Further north might require R-60 or more. The higher, the better.
Also, having adequate insulation overhead saves money on cooling in the summer as well. It keeps the heat in the attic.
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Bob
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#283432 - 05/31/09 12:43 AM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: floweraddict]
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Member
Registered: 03/22/09
Posts: 80
Loc: Tn
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I keep my canner going all year long. When we get meat on sale, it is canned.
Always be ready to can when fruit/veggies go on sale. Any soft fruit becomes jelly/jam, fruit roll ups.
Make double/triple batches of soups and can the extra.
I line dry ALL our clothes.
Only shop once a month, make a list and stick to it!
Get a dehydrator, use it to fix backup foods (potatoes,apples,onions,garlic, etc)
Co-op gardens with friends to get more food for the seeds.
Set a day to do all bread baking.
Grow as many of your herbs as you can,dry them and freeze.
We have sassafrass trees, so we harvest and drink sassafrass tea year round. Also lots of mints.
Cook from scratch, avoid eating out.
Grill as much as you can in the summer to keep from heating the house.
Use vineger, soda, for cleaning the house,hair conditioner, fabric softener. Cheaper and safer for all.
It is late, will be back with more tomorrow.
Turn off the water heater during the time you are not going to be using it.Only takes 20 mins to heat it up.
Edited by atokadawn (05/31/09 12:48 AM)
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#283438 - 05/31/09 06:14 AM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: atokadawn]
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Hot Rod
Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 18018
Loc: Rural - Western Pennsylvania
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How do you use vinegar an soda on your hair? Ps we raise our own Meat on 4 legs ....... However farming is too pricey today......
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#283771 - 06/01/09 03:04 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: dodge]
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Member
Registered: 03/22/09
Posts: 80
Loc: Tn
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In this heat, I use soda to wash my hair. It leaves it wonderfully soft and clean. Then I do a rinse with vinegar to make sure to get all the soda out. It makes my hair shine.
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#284404 - 06/05/09 11:52 AM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: dodge]
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Gardener
Registered: 03/24/04
Posts: 429
Loc: Ohio
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Hello and good afternoon all! I was reading my magazine yesterday and came across some bright ideas? 1. Business card magnets given away at business or restaurants or what ever are idea for displaying photographs.You just cut the pictures to the correct size and glue them over the magnet! Great decorating the fridge or giving to family as small gifts.
2. Slices of lemon and limes frogen in ice cube trays along with some water is great to serve with refreshments.I like those bright ideas and wanted to share them with my gardening buddies hope you will enjoy them too?
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#284426 - 06/05/09 01:15 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: ladystressout]
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Fencer
Registered: 04/03/08
Posts: 3563
Loc: Texas
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olive oil is a wonderful conditioner!...and you don't have to buy the expensive imported kind. a one or two dollar bottle from the dollar store works wonderful. (put it on before you shampoo and leave in 15 min or so)
I grill a LOT during the summer so I'm not heating the house up. we have a lot of oak trees on our property so I rarely have to spend money on charcoal or lighter fluid. (all parts of the oak are safe to cook with, so I use dead oak leaves and small oak twigs to start the fire instead of using lighter fluid)
I don't have a cloths line YET, but sheets and blankets get tossed over the porch rail to dry instead of going in the dryer.
we go to the library often for books and movies. free entertainment!
when my kidos have money to spend instead of taking them to the dollar store or walmart I take them to garage sales and resale shops. they tend to get better quality stuff for themselves instead of just toys and candy. AND it saves US money when they purchase things like electronics, cloths, shoes, purses, bikes.
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Cricket  Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker
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#284545 - 06/06/09 12:51 AM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: dianer]
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Gardener
Registered: 04/11/08
Posts: 332
Loc: Sacramento, CA
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This is also a question for Flower addict and the others that make their bread.. Do yu have a good recipe for whole wheat and does not require a bread maker? All of the ones I have seen are for "white" bread or sour dough, and require a bread maker... Thanks guys. Price on bread is high . My husband and I make our own........yummy
_________________________
 ~Believing in God for a miracle~ The sunshine is calling me, the dirt says come and play, the little seeds yawn for a nap, the weeds yell go away!
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#284596 - 06/06/09 10:16 AM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: dodge]
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Gardener
Registered: 04/11/08
Posts: 332
Loc: Sacramento, CA
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Oh, cool! Thanks Dodge.. The raisin sound yummy! Since they diagnosed with IR I am really not supposed to have any white flour and the 100%whole wheat or Ezekial bread is so $$$$!!!
_________________________
~Believing in God for a miracle~ The sunshine is calling me, the dirt says come and play, the little seeds yawn for a nap, the weeds yell go away!
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#284619 - 06/06/09 02:48 PM
Re: Ideas on how to save money .. give us your input....
[Re: Eva]
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Fencer
Registered: 04/03/08
Posts: 3563
Loc: Texas
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I love to make bread. haven't done it since I went back to work. I love sour dough. I bet we have a reciepe in the food section?
_________________________
Cricket Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker
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