Derpalator wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 2:27 amWow, great deal on the property taxes!! Florida? How to swing THAT deal?RetiredAndGrumpy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 1:19 am We used a buy one get one free Canes 4 piece combo meal for lunch. I believe we ate at Canes for around $12.
Seriously though, here is how we save bigger bucks:
1. Have Blue Cross Blue Shield Basic...no deductible to meet. All we have to do is stay in the provider network which is always in our area.
2. No landline. Use cell phones only.
3. No gas heat initiated this winter down along the coast for us...we are buffered so our electric bill was $90 dollars for December. No gas bill. We just use a portable heater when we get cold. First year we have gone this long without gas heat. The gas company charges for winter connect and summer gas disconnect and we hate that even when we don't use the gas...we get charge a basic gas fee. Not this year! LOL
4. We don't have cable...just internet. So we use a fire stick and digital antenna to get all our TV intertainment.
5. Internet...pay only $25 dollars for 105 mbits. Good enough for watching and streaming tv content.
6. Drive one vehicle and retired so no unnecessary long trips to work. Save hundreds.
7. No mortgage payment.
8. Use Food apps from Krogers, Albertsons, and Rouses to get the best deals on food. Also take advantage of clearance items like the Walmart TGI Fridays Jalapeno Poppers 15 oz for $3.84 regular priced at 6.44. Comes with Habanero Sauce YUM (as of 1/21/2023).
9. Shop at thrift stores for household items we might need including clothes.
10. Use the Gas Buddy app to find the lowest prices on gasoline.
11. No property tax...we bought home a long time ago right at the home exemption limit so still zero.
12. Eat Sams Pizza or Hot Dogs with drink for less than 5.55 total for both of us for pizza and even less for hot dogs and drinks. LOL
13. Use Burger King coupons at McDonalds since they match coupons. We get crazy cheap food (try it and you will see some crazy stuff at the register)...I call it the retirement buster meals. For example, eat free meals or meals for no more than 7-12 dollars total!! LOL
14. Take advantage of the free gym membership for living in our city.
15. Visit the library for DVD, Books, Newspaper, and fun activities.
16. Whenever the brisket is on sale for cheap like 1.99 a pound...we buy two...one to cook hole and the other to grind at the store to make some of the best hamburgers you ever tasted (brisket hamburgers). We can store meat in freezer bags to use when we like.
Very little frictional financial drag...about as tight as we can run the ship...so even in retirememt...we are saving more than half our monthly income.
The remainder of your "life hacks" DW and I already mostly do, so KUDOs!
But, if you are retired (and grumpy), why are you saving more than half of your income? IF the income is guaranteed, and you have ample reserves, you should spend it before you are unable. Of course this depends on your personal situation. It is called personal finance for a reason. It is just eye-catching that you are saving such a large amount of your income while retired.
So, the extra money saved is going to expand the returns on our investment. We are investing in I bonds, stocks, and higher bank interest. So the question is answered by this, we are living in an area I love for retirement but we have no family here and as we move deeper into retirement years, we want to be close to family so they can check up on us when needed. Right now we are very early in retirement, so plan to sell home and and have a smaller mortgage that fits our income comfortably. We want to make sure we have good income flow as to not touch the 401K yet as it builds for a few more years. We open up more income flow beginning around 65. We are doing well and should have pretty good cash flow for fun things while we are relatively still young enough to enjoy. I do have a question, I want to offset the tap of 401k which is taxable with mortgage interest deduction. I figured that was a way to reduce 401K taxes. Is that possible? I have read that it is but the financial book I read was a few years dated.
I have experienced quite a bit of elderly care with my mother and father-in-law...it is a very difficult uphill climb to insure they get good care givers and having family close by helps tremendously to make their last remaining year or two comfortably in their own home. We are driven by their care to make changes to ensure care for us when it is our time.
What frugal thing did you do today?
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Thanks!jaqenhghar wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 12:17 pmA couple of places you could try. Last year, a few Asics stores in outlet malls closed, and their going-out-of-business sales meant 70%-90% off everything, so shoes were in the $20-30 range.Parkinglotracer wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:27 amWhere does one get ASICS at $27 dollars? Great deal I paid $90 for my last pair.OpenMinded1 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:12 amI've been buying Aspics for years. They are a great athletic shoe for the price. I first tried them after a college - wrestler friend of mine recommended them.RobLyons wrote: ↑Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:15 pm Last week I purchased 2 pairs of new sneakers for work and the gym. Asics on sale for $27 and Air Jordans for $130. The Asics are stylish and comfortable. Today I tried on the Jordans and realized they are too flashy and expensive, not to mention uncomfortable, so I returned the Jordans for a full refund.
Also, if you have a Dicks Warehouse Sale store close to you, they have seasonal sales where shoes, including Asics, are 50% off. They had a 50% off shoes sale over Christmas (to make room for new inventory). I got a pair of Pumas for $20, and saw similarly-price Asics as well.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Rode my scooter to work (95 MPG), rather than driving my car (34 MPG), despite sub-freezing temperature.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
perhaps you could combine this with the drafting behind a bus mentioned by another poster.PecuniaryPeccary wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:57 pm Rode my scooter to work (95 MPG), rather than driving my car (34 MPG), despite sub-freezing temperature.
Does discomfort from riding in cold temperatures figure into the cost/benefit analysis?
- AnnetteLouisan
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
I’ve been eating dinner leftovers for breakfast sometimes and also wondering whether it is healthier or whether there is an intrinsic merit to breakfast-specific food such as cereal in the morning.
I’ve been eating dinner leftovers for breakfast sometimes and also wondering whether it is healthier or whether there is an intrinsic merit to breakfast-specific food such as cereal in the morning.
- abuss368
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Ask Dave!AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
I’ve been eating dinner leftovers for breakfast sometimes and also wondering whether it is healthier or whether there is an intrinsic merit to breakfast-specific food such as cereal in the morning.
Tony
John C. Bogle: “Simplicity is the master key to financial success."
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
I have always just assumed rinse and repeat was to get people to use more product just like you said. Never did it. Would be interesting to see if anyone has any inside knowledge.
"Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out." ― John Wooden
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
IMO whether one is getting the desired result is the deciding factor. A few pages back on this thread I said I had stopped using shampoo and conditioner entirely and was washing my hair with water only, which to many might seem an extreme choice, but it was the right one for my hair.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
Is hair clean? Does it smell neutral? Is it manageable? Is it growing and no longer falling out? Is it shiny? If curly or wavy, is it curling or waving as it should? Does it look alive rather than hanging limply? Do you (and your SO if applicable) enjoy touching it? Do you feel beautiful/handsome without expending tons of effort or putting tons of product on your head? Then that's the right amount of shampoo or conditioner I think.
As for the instructions on the bottle, I think of the toothpaste commercials, which show a massive photogenic squeeze of toothpaste, when the right amount is really about the size of a pea. Shampoo and conditioner cost a lot of money! Less might be the right amount.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Female here with thin, fine, straight to wavy hair over 4 inches below my shoulders. I wash my hair about 3 times a week. I usually don't use conditioner and when I do it is usually once a week or less. If I had a lot of thick hair I might use conditioner more but alas I don't.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this......
The vast majority of the time I just wash my hair once with shampoo. I don't usually shampoo twice in a row - just shampoo well enough to get the hair and scalp clean the first time. I run my fingers through the shampooed hair with shampoo still on it and make sure I get it all clean the first time.
If a person shampooed twice in a row I don't see any reason to use conditioner in between shampoos. Maybe someone with a lot of thick hair might want to in order to help it comb out easier - but if I would sure give it a try just using conditioner after the final shampoo and seeing what happens. I would also try not using conditioner at all or not every time I shampooed and see what happens.
I use Paul MItchell Extra Body shampoo, 10.14 oz, and a bottle lasts about 6 months or so. Sometimes Paul Mitchell conditioner - but I don't remember what kind because I haven't had any for months. There is cheaper shampoo but I've been happy with this one.
As to whether the manufacturers are telling people to shampoo twice in a row in order to get them to use more shampoo - I don't know but it is clear they sell more shampoo the more people use.
I don't know anything.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
I have never owned a pair of Hokas, but Sierra does regularly carry them. I don't know about online, but I've seen them $40-$70 in store and I know that none of their shoes retail for <$100. Also, you can buy Sierra gift cards on topcashback with 6.75% cashback.midwest_bound wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:39 amstoptothink wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:53 am
Between the 4 of us, there are easily 120+ pairs of shoes in our home, mostly athletic shoes. I don't think we've ever paid more than ~$45 for a pair. Two places we get ridiculous deals are Sierra (clearance section, we have 2 physical stores within ~20 miles of us) and Joe's New Balance Outlet (play their coupon and cashback games). Wife and I recently both picked up Altra Lone Peak 6 (MSRP $140) for $35/each in the Sierra clearance section. We bought 10 pairs of shoes (for the entire family) on Black Friday from JNBO; total was~$200 but topcashback was 16% for the day, so we paid like $165. Nobody in our home needs any shoes for several years.
Man, I feel like a sucker for spending $140 on Hokas recently! I will try your technique, although I'm not sure we have Sierra around here. Hokas rarely go on clearance too, maybe New Balance makes a comparable shoe.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Thick curly hair (although as I age it's gotten a bit thinner....) - I wash and condition once, and only 3ish times per week.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
I’ve been eating dinner leftovers for breakfast sometimes and also wondering whether it is healthier or whether there is an intrinsic merit to breakfast-specific food such as cereal in the morning.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Walked to the dollar store to do a little shopping instead of driving while DW took her nap. When DW awakened, she cut my hair with the cheap $35 clipper we bought in early 2020 when timely commercial haircuts became unavailable for awhile.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Due to a recent storm and staying at home past two days.
I made a goat cheese quiche and a tomato soup from leftovers in my fridge. That's lunch and a few dinners for several days. With a lemon loaf from the Bag of lemons from Costco.
Also, shovelled instead of other exercise.
I made a goat cheese quiche and a tomato soup from leftovers in my fridge. That's lunch and a few dinners for several days. With a lemon loaf from the Bag of lemons from Costco.
Also, shovelled instead of other exercise.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Dyed my hair using a $7 box instead of paying someone 10x that amount. I could be even more frugal and not dye my hair at all, but I'm not about that life.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
This is my wife’s wonderful creative cooking frugality that I was just the souls-chef for. Had pizza for dinner by buying a loaf of bread, cutting it horizontally in half, putting on 3/4 jar of tomato sauce, lunch meat pepperoni, and shredded cheese! Put it in the oven for 8 minutes at 400F then voila!
When sharing this with my mother-in-law (where my wife learned her creative cooking frugality from) she said this same concept can be applied to bagels and others!
Growing up a Southern Baptist music minister’s daughter exposed my wife to these cooking hacks and stretches.
When sharing this with my mother-in-law (where my wife learned her creative cooking frugality from) she said this same concept can be applied to bagels and others!
Growing up a Southern Baptist music minister’s daughter exposed my wife to these cooking hacks and stretches.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
PecuniaryPeccary wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:57 pm Rode my scooter to work (95 MPG), rather than driving my car (34 MPG), despite sub-freezing temperature.
When I had a cheap scooter, the money for maintenance of the scooter (new tires, brake adjustments and such) was more than the savings in gas. My motorcycle friends also said it cost them more.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
We do the same thing using english muffins! It started as a snow day tradition when our kids were little but has now worked its way into the regular dinner rotation.young danny wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:24 am This is my wife’s wonderful creative cooking frugality that I was just the souls-chef for. Had pizza for dinner by buying a loaf of bread, cutting it horizontally in half, putting on 3/4 jar of tomato sauce, lunch meat pepperoni, and shredded cheese! Put it in the oven for 8 minutes at 400F then voila!
When sharing this with my mother-in-law (where my wife learned her creative cooking frugality from) she said this same concept can be applied to bagels and others!
Growing up a Southern Baptist music minister’s daughter exposed my wife to these cooking hacks and stretches.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
I have only ever washed once with shampoo from Costco. Lately I rarely use conditioner; I just apply some aloe vera gel and scrunch it to dry naturally. My hair is naturally a bit wavy, and that keeps it a lot healthier than using the blow dryer.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
I’ve been eating dinner leftovers for breakfast sometimes and also wondering whether it is healthier or whether there is an intrinsic merit to breakfast-specific food such as cereal in the morning.
The water here is very hard, and I have a water filter on my shower head. I notice when the filter needs changing, my hair has less body than normal. (The entire building shares a water boiler, and there is no way to have a water softener in my unit.)
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
A motorcycle, definitely possible, especially if it is a sportbike. A scooter, I have a very difficult time believing that - what kind of scooter was it? You could literally buy an entirely new scooter every few years and it would be cheaper than maintenance on a normal car, without even accounting for savings in gas. Now with e-bikes, especially "moped style", the cost savings could be even more dramatic. A decent hub motor should last 10k miles without any maintenance whatsoever; an annual tune-up, tires and brake pads are maybe ~$250 year if you treat it decently. I have put almost 5k miles on my e-bike since getting it in February of last year, maintenance so far has consisted of spending 5min every few weeks checking everything, regularly lubing the chain, and a single $50 tire. Of course there are other (some major) cons to using this as your primary transportation, but I have no idea how it could be more expensive than a car.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:34 amPecuniaryPeccary wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:57 pm Rode my scooter to work (95 MPG), rather than driving my car (34 MPG), despite sub-freezing temperature.
When I had a cheap scooter, the money for maintenance of the scooter (new tires, brake adjustments and such) was more than the savings in gas. My motorcycle friends also said it cost them more.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Transfered $300 to my Fidelity Bloom save account to get the 10% match. Free dinner tonight
I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds my future.
- AnnetteLouisan
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
I had to look up Fidelity Bloom. It’s interesting. Some aspects, like the RoundUp feature, have much in common with the Acorns app, if that still exists. Other aspects, like the instant reward concepts seem a bit like Robinhood. And “rewarding” and incentivizing spending is like a credit card. So it’s an interesting hybrid.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
For us it's on pita bread and airfryer. Churns out 1 personal pizza every 4 minutes. Yum!Pete12 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:24 amWe do the same thing using english muffins! It started as a snow day tradition when our kids were little but has now worked its way into the regular dinner rotation.young danny wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:24 am This is my wife’s wonderful creative cooking frugality that I was just the souls-chef for. Had pizza for dinner by buying a loaf of bread, cutting it horizontally in half, putting on 3/4 jar of tomato sauce, lunch meat pepperoni, and shredded cheese! Put it in the oven for 8 minutes at 400F then voila!
When sharing this with my mother-in-law (where my wife learned her creative cooking frugality from) she said this same concept can be applied to bagels and others!
Growing up a Southern Baptist music minister’s daughter exposed my wife to these cooking hacks and stretches.
When in doubt, http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79939
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Didn’t say it was more expensive than a car. I said the maintenance erased the gas mileage savings. It was a cheap Chinese scooter that I bought used. The maintenance would have cost less if I could have done it myself. I sold it when I realized how dangerous it was for me because I went to work in the dark and came home in the dark (16 hour shifts). My lights were not very bright. A limb in the road almost got me. The next week it was a deer. Not worth it. I usually combined all my errands, so I needed to take the car for those. Riding in town during the day was even more dangerous.stoptothink wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:22 pmA motorcycle, definitely possible, especially if it is a sportbike. A scooter, I have a very difficult time believing that - what kind of scooter was it? You could literally buy an entirely new scooter every few years and it would be cheaper than maintenance on a normal car, without even accounting for savings in gas. Now with e-bikes, especially "moped style", the cost savings could be even more dramatic. A decent hub motor should last 10k miles without any maintenance whatsoever; an annual tune-up, tires and brake pads are maybe ~$250 year if you treat it decently. I have put almost 5k miles on my e-bike since getting it in February of last year, maintenance so far has consisted of spending 5min every few weeks checking everything, regularly lubing the chain, and a single $50 tire. Of course there are other (some major) cons to using this as your primary transportation, but I have no idea how it could be more expensive than a car.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:34 amPecuniaryPeccary wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:57 pm Rode my scooter to work (95 MPG), rather than driving my car (34 MPG), despite sub-freezing temperature.
When I had a cheap scooter, the money for maintenance of the scooter (new tires, brake adjustments and such) was more than the savings in gas. My motorcycle friends also said it cost them more.
- dratkinson
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DIY adult medicine-bottle cap.
Didn't save any money, just removed a small annoyance.
A childproof bottle cap is in two parts: outer and inner; I wanted to remove the inner part to use as an adult bottle cap.
DIY adult medicine-bottle cap.
--Stand original childproof bottle-cap on edge (tool: a vise helps; could also hold cap flat/bottom up (to see cut depth) over table edge).
--Cut slit into edge of outer cap, up to but not into, inner cap (tool: hacksaw or similar fine-toothed saw).
--Make similar second cut ~90°away to create small detachable edge.
--Break off detachable edge (tool: pliers help).
--Remove inner adult cap (tool: insert screwdriver between outer/inner parts and twist).
A childproof bottle cap is in two parts: outer and inner; I wanted to remove the inner part to use as an adult bottle cap.
DIY adult medicine-bottle cap.
--Stand original childproof bottle-cap on edge (tool: a vise helps; could also hold cap flat/bottom up (to see cut depth) over table edge).
--Cut slit into edge of outer cap, up to but not into, inner cap (tool: hacksaw or similar fine-toothed saw).
--Make similar second cut ~90°away to create small detachable edge.
--Break off detachable edge (tool: pliers help).
--Remove inner adult cap (tool: insert screwdriver between outer/inner parts and twist).
d.r.a., not dr.a. | I'm a novice investor; you are forewarned.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
More than adequate! You are really "washing" your scalp, and I find that unless you have super oily skin/hair (think teenager) once is plenty. And same thing with toothpaste, a small dab is plenty, don't need to cover the brush. I do tend to pull off a bigger piece of floss than I should, I find tying a loop in one end allows me to (try) for a smaller length.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
Frugal thing today - took all my Dad's pre-WWII stamps and stuck a bunch of them on first class envelopes to make up 63 cents. The 20, 18, 10 and 8 cent stamps weren't too bad but I'm really stumped at how to use the 3/4/5 cent ones. Still need room for address!
Salvia Clevelandii "Winifred Gilman" my favorite. YMMV; not a professional advisor.
Re: DIY adult medicine-bottle cap.
Did you know that you can usually just flip the cap upside down to use your pill bottle without the child safety feature? They are often designed to be used both ways.dratkinson wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 6:45 pm Didn't save any money, just removed a small annoyance.
A childproof bottle cap is in two parts: outer and inner; I wanted to remove the inner part to use as an adult bottle cap.
DIY adult medicine-bottle cap.
--Stand original childproof bottle-cap on edge (tool: a vise helps; could also hold cap flat/bottom up (to see cut depth) over table edge).
--Cut slit into edge of outer cap, up to but not into, inner cap (tool: hacksaw or similar fine-toothed saw).
--Make similar second cut ~90°away to create small detachable edge.
--Break off detachable edge (tool: pliers help).
--Remove inner adult cap (tool: insert screwdriver between outer/inner parts and twist).
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
I ran out of shampoo so I poured a little water into the bottle and swished it around to get some of the leftover. I should be able to get another week out of it.
- dratkinson
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Re: DIY adult medicine-bottle cap.
No. Tried it.stella wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:49 pmDid you know that you can usually just flip the cap upside down to use your pill bottle without the child safety feature? They are often designed to be used both ways.dratkinson wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 6:45 pm Didn't save any money, just removed a small annoyance.
A childproof bottle cap is in two parts: outer and inner; I wanted to remove the inner part to use as an adult bottle cap.
DIY adult medicine-bottle cap.
--Stand original childproof bottle-cap on edge (tool: a vise helps; could also hold cap flat/bottom up (to see cut depth) over table edge).
--Cut slit into edge of outer cap, up to but not into, inner cap (tool: hacksaw or similar fine-toothed saw).
--Make similar second cut ~90°away to create small detachable edge.
--Break off detachable edge (tool: pliers help).
--Remove inner adult cap (tool: insert screwdriver between outer/inner parts and twist).
d.r.a., not dr.a. | I'm a novice investor; you are forewarned.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Clipped coupon and saved a bunch.
"Know what you own, and know why you own it." — Peter Lynch
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Still don't see how that is possible, unless you had a total lemon or were getting brutally ripped off by whoever was doing the work on your scooter, but in your situation it certainly makes sense why you gave it up as your primary transportation.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 4:41 pmDidn’t say it was more expensive than a car. I said the maintenance erased the gas mileage savings. It was a cheap Chinese scooter that I bought used. The maintenance would have cost less if I could have done it myself. I sold it when I realized how dangerous it was for me because I went to work in the dark and came home in the dark (16 hour shifts). My lights were not very bright. A limb in the road almost got me. The next week it was a deer. Not worth it. I usually combined all my errands, so I needed to take the car for those. Riding in town during the day was even more dangerous.stoptothink wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:22 pmA motorcycle, definitely possible, especially if it is a sportbike. A scooter, I have a very difficult time believing that - what kind of scooter was it? You could literally buy an entirely new scooter every few years and it would be cheaper than maintenance on a normal car, without even accounting for savings in gas. Now with e-bikes, especially "moped style", the cost savings could be even more dramatic. A decent hub motor should last 10k miles without any maintenance whatsoever; an annual tune-up, tires and brake pads are maybe ~$250 year if you treat it decently. I have put almost 5k miles on my e-bike since getting it in February of last year, maintenance so far has consisted of spending 5min every few weeks checking everything, regularly lubing the chain, and a single $50 tire. Of course there are other (some major) cons to using this as your primary transportation, but I have no idea how it could be more expensive than a car.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:34 amPecuniaryPeccary wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:57 pm Rode my scooter to work (95 MPG), rather than driving my car (34 MPG), despite sub-freezing temperature.
When I had a cheap scooter, the money for maintenance of the scooter (new tires, brake adjustments and such) was more than the savings in gas. My motorcycle friends also said it cost them more.
- AnnetteLouisan
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Trick is to shake the shampoo bottle hard like a cocktail and to do this with new water twice. Shampoo and conditioner, due to the viscosity, also sticks in quantity to the top and sides of the bottle.strummer6969 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:49 pm I ran out of shampoo so I poured a little water into the bottle and swished it around to get some of the leftover. I should be able to get another week out of it.
There actually is a book written during the Great Financial Crisis (somewhat tongue in cheek but also not) by a German descendant of poor nobility, called, Growing Poor in Style (Die Kunst des stilvollen Verarmens), but it isn’t available in English. He says, who better to teach the laid off tech execs or finance professionals his to handle a loss of income than Europe’s nobility, who in some cases lost everything and had to start fresh? He points out different ways of rationalizing things and changing one’s mindset, such as that poorer neighborhoods can be more interesting and have a better sense of community spirit, pasta with butter for dinner is actually quite delicious, especially when hungry, staying home can be more relaxing than a big fancy vacation, etc. While intended to be ironic, his premise though is legitimate that there are many new poor and there are tips to managing that the formerly middle class may not know.
Last edited by AnnetteLouisan on Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:40 am, edited 5 times in total.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
It’s can very much be true. My last motorcycle required valve adjustments every 6K, extensive maintenance, and tires replaced at less that 10K miles. This was a BMW R1100R. I think scooters in 3rd world countries have a much better support echo system that make them more practical (ex. Vietnam, India, etc.)stoptothink wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:59 amStill don't see how that is possible, unless you had a total lemon or were getting brutally ripped off by whoever was doing the work on your scooter, but in your situation it certainly makes sense why you gave it up as your primary transportation.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 4:41 pmDidn’t say it was more expensive than a car. I said the maintenance erased the gas mileage savings. It was a cheap Chinese scooter that I bought used. The maintenance would have cost less if I could have done it myself. I sold it when I realized how dangerous it was for me because I went to work in the dark and came home in the dark (16 hour shifts). My lights were not very bright. A limb in the road almost got me. The next week it was a deer. Not worth it. I usually combined all my errands, so I needed to take the car for those. Riding in town during the day was even more dangerous.stoptothink wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:22 pmA motorcycle, definitely possible, especially if it is a sportbike. A scooter, I have a very difficult time believing that - what kind of scooter was it? You could literally buy an entirely new scooter every few years and it would be cheaper than maintenance on a normal car, without even accounting for savings in gas. Now with e-bikes, especially "moped style", the cost savings could be even more dramatic. A decent hub motor should last 10k miles without any maintenance whatsoever; an annual tune-up, tires and brake pads are maybe ~$250 year if you treat it decently. I have put almost 5k miles on my e-bike since getting it in February of last year, maintenance so far has consisted of spending 5min every few weeks checking everything, regularly lubing the chain, and a single $50 tire. Of course there are other (some major) cons to using this as your primary transportation, but I have no idea how it could be more expensive than a car.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:34 amPecuniaryPeccary wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 9:57 pm Rode my scooter to work (95 MPG), rather than driving my car (34 MPG), despite sub-freezing temperature.
When I had a cheap scooter, the money for maintenance of the scooter (new tires, brake adjustments and such) was more than the savings in gas. My motorcycle friends also said it cost them more.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
"A motorcycle, definitely possible, especially if it is a sportbike" was the first sentence in my initial statement. I put 100k+ miles on motorcycles in my early-mid 20's, I know how much maintenance they require and would never get one assuming I'd save money on commuting. A scooter, that is a totally different story.yatesd wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:25 amIt’s can very much be true. My last motorcycle required valve adjustments every 6K, extensive maintenance, and tires replaced at less that 10K miles. This was a BMW R1100R. I think scooters in 3rd world countries have a much better support echo system that make them more practical (ex. Vietnam, India, etc.)stoptothink wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:59 amStill don't see how that is possible, unless you had a total lemon or were getting brutally ripped off by whoever was doing the work on your scooter, but in your situation it certainly makes sense why you gave it up as your primary transportation.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 4:41 pmDidn’t say it was more expensive than a car. I said the maintenance erased the gas mileage savings. It was a cheap Chinese scooter that I bought used. The maintenance would have cost less if I could have done it myself. I sold it when I realized how dangerous it was for me because I went to work in the dark and came home in the dark (16 hour shifts). My lights were not very bright. A limb in the road almost got me. The next week it was a deer. Not worth it. I usually combined all my errands, so I needed to take the car for those. Riding in town during the day was even more dangerous.stoptothink wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 12:22 pmA motorcycle, definitely possible, especially if it is a sportbike. A scooter, I have a very difficult time believing that - what kind of scooter was it? You could literally buy an entirely new scooter every few years and it would be cheaper than maintenance on a normal car, without even accounting for savings in gas. Now with e-bikes, especially "moped style", the cost savings could be even more dramatic. A decent hub motor should last 10k miles without any maintenance whatsoever; an annual tune-up, tires and brake pads are maybe ~$250 year if you treat it decently. I have put almost 5k miles on my e-bike since getting it in February of last year, maintenance so far has consisted of spending 5min every few weeks checking everything, regularly lubing the chain, and a single $50 tire. Of course there are other (some major) cons to using this as your primary transportation, but I have no idea how it could be more expensive than a car.IWANTTORETIRENOW wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:34 am
When I had a cheap scooter, the money for maintenance of the scooter (new tires, brake adjustments and such) was more than the savings in gas. My motorcycle friends also said it cost them more.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Another good one is to use a pencil to flatten the the tube to get out every last bit of toothpaste. You'd be surprised how much toothpaste is left. I have found that there's a lot of opportunities to minimize wastefulness.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:09 amTrick is to shake the shampoo bottle hard like a cocktail and to do this with new water twice. Shampoo and conditioner, due to the viscosity, also sticks in quantity to the top and sides of the bottle.strummer6969 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:49 pm I ran out of shampoo so I poured a little water into the bottle and swished it around to get some of the leftover. I should be able to get another week out of it.
There actually is a book written (somewhat tongue in cheek but also not) by a German descendant of poor nobility, called, Growing Poor in Style (Die Kunst des stilvollen Verarmens), but it isn’t available in English. He says, who better to teach the maid off tech execs or finance professionals his to handle a loss of income than Europe’s nobility, who in some cases lost everything and had to start fresh? He points out different ways of rationalizing things and changing one’s mindset, such as that poorer neighborhoods can be more interesting and have a better sense of community spirit, pasta with butter for dinner is actually quite delicious, especially when hungry, staying home can be more relaxing than a big fancy vacation, etc. While intended to be ironic, his premise though is legitimate that there are many new poor and there are tips to managing that the formerly middle class may not know.
- AnnetteLouisan
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Dude above put us all to shame by telling us how he simply cuts the tube in two to extract the rest.strummer6969 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 10:30 amAnother good one is to use a pencil to flatten the the tube to get out every last bit of toothpaste. You'd be surprised how much toothpaste is left. I have found that there's a lot of opportunities to minimize wastefulness.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:09 amTrick is to shake the shampoo bottle hard like a cocktail and to do this with new water twice. Shampoo and conditioner, due to the viscosity, also sticks in quantity to the top and sides of the bottle.strummer6969 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:49 pm I ran out of shampoo so I poured a little water into the bottle and swished it around to get some of the leftover. I should be able to get another week out of it.
There actually is a book written (somewhat tongue in cheek but also not) by a German descendant of poor nobility, called, Growing Poor in Style (Die Kunst des stilvollen Verarmens), but it isn’t available in English. He says, who better to teach the maid off tech execs or finance professionals his to handle a loss of income than Europe’s nobility, who in some cases lost everything and had to start fresh? He points out different ways of rationalizing things and changing one’s mindset, such as that poorer neighborhoods can be more interesting and have a better sense of community spirit, pasta with butter for dinner is actually quite delicious, especially when hungry, staying home can be more relaxing than a big fancy vacation, etc. While intended to be ironic, his premise though is legitimate that there are many new poor and there are tips to managing that the formerly middle class may not know.
Tell me you’re a millionaire without telling me, lol. This is one way! Lol.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
I can't even compete with that.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 10:45 amDude above put us all to shame by telling us how he simply cuts the tube in two to extract the rest.strummer6969 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 10:30 amAnother good one is to use a pencil to flatten the the tube to get out every last bit of toothpaste. You'd be surprised how much toothpaste is left. I have found that there's a lot of opportunities to minimize wastefulness.AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 8:09 amTrick is to shake the shampoo bottle hard like a cocktail and to do this with new water twice. Shampoo and conditioner, due to the viscosity, also sticks in quantity to the top and sides of the bottle.strummer6969 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:49 pm I ran out of shampoo so I poured a little water into the bottle and swished it around to get some of the leftover. I should be able to get another week out of it.
There actually is a book written (somewhat tongue in cheek but also not) by a German descendant of poor nobility, called, Growing Poor in Style (Die Kunst des stilvollen Verarmens), but it isn’t available in English. He says, who better to teach the maid off tech execs or finance professionals his to handle a loss of income than Europe’s nobility, who in some cases lost everything and had to start fresh? He points out different ways of rationalizing things and changing one’s mindset, such as that poorer neighborhoods can be more interesting and have a better sense of community spirit, pasta with butter for dinner is actually quite delicious, especially when hungry, staying home can be more relaxing than a big fancy vacation, etc. While intended to be ironic, his premise though is legitimate that there are many new poor and there are tips to managing that the formerly middle class may not know.
Tell me you’re a millionaire without telling me, lol. This is one way! Lol.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Done the water in the shampoo bottle for ages. Never have done the pencil trick for toothpaste. I sometimes scrape the toothpaste tube against the sink countertop edge - that's usually good for a couple of more brushings. Wonder if the water trick will work on toothpaste? After all, it's diluted with water when you're brushing.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Word to the 30-somethings reading this: at least in my case, this is what happens when you’re bond heavy. Lol. Don’t make that mistake.
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Agree about minimizing wastefulness. A LOT can be done by not using more of a product than is really needed. For instance, a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on a toothbrush is all that's needed our household; that makes a tube last a very long time. And several years ago, there were articles about how most people can successfully use significantly less than the recommended amount of detergent in dishwashers and washing machines. Since reading those articles, we use perhaps 2/3 of the recommended detergent levels in these.strummer6969 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 10:30 am Another good one is to use a pencil to flatten the the tube to get out every last bit of toothpaste. You'd be surprised how much toothpaste is left. I have found that there's a lot of opportunities to minimize wastefulness.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Went to war with the animals at Kroger for our weekly grocery shopping as opposed to Publix, where I typically shop.
While groceries were something like 15% less, NEVER AGAIN. I was almost ran into at every turn of the aisle, nearly everyone in the store was rude and flustered - both employees and customers, the shelves were not stocked well, it was ridiculously crowded, had to wait in line to check out for something like 15 minutes, had to battle others at their gas station in an effort to get gas (and lost)...by the time I got home, I was so stressed out, I wish I would have just gone to Publix and not dealt with any of that.
Lesson learned.
While groceries were something like 15% less, NEVER AGAIN. I was almost ran into at every turn of the aisle, nearly everyone in the store was rude and flustered - both employees and customers, the shelves were not stocked well, it was ridiculously crowded, had to wait in line to check out for something like 15 minutes, had to battle others at their gas station in an effort to get gas (and lost)...by the time I got home, I was so stressed out, I wish I would have just gone to Publix and not dealt with any of that.
Lesson learned.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Same experience, but I still use Kroger to save money. Publix (much more expensive, but pleasant and easy) or an Aldi/Trader Joes combination can often work well depending on schedule. Kroger is much easier at off times like early weekday morning or Saturday night.JimmyD wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 7:48 am Went to war with the animals at Kroger for our weekly grocery shopping as opposed to Publix, where I typically shop.
While groceries were something like 15% less, NEVER AGAIN. I was almost ran into at every turn of the aisle, nearly everyone in the store was rude and flustered - both employees and customers, the shelves were not stocked well, it was ridiculously crowded, had to wait in line to check out for something like 15 minutes, had to battle others at their gas station in an effort to get gas (and lost)...by the time I got home, I was so stressed out, I wish I would have just gone to Publix and not dealt with any of that.
Lesson learned.
This has been a very helpful and motivational thread to read through.
A few things I’ve recently done to save in the monthly budget:
-Look over Kroger coupons (mail) and app more closely. Some good deals for things we regularly buy.
Also returned a couple things bought accidentally—Organic version mixed in with regular; got 6 cans of something instead of the 4 needed—that sort of thing. Made me realize I need to watch the register/receipts as well.
-Lowered cell service for the month. I use ATT prepaid. Unlimited is $55/mo before taxes, but I only really use that much data when traveling. Will try their lower data $30 and $40 plan when only around town. May pursue some of the other inexpensive carriers discussed here, but I rely on my phone for work stuff, so porting or service issues would not be worth saving a few dollars per month. FWIW I’ve been using ATT prepaid for years and it has been been good. I traveled extensively through the U.S. last summer and service was solid.
-Replaced broken kitchen sink sprayer and inside stuff in a running toilet….in the last couple years have put in new dishwasher and microwave myself when the old ones finally broke.
-Noticed the (previously mentioned) new dishwasher has a “speed 60” setting, which we use now. Seems to clean the plates a well as the regular 2:10 cycle.
-Canceled unused streaming services
Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Put the computer in standby when I left. It uses about 220 watts. If I standby when I'm out of the house or asleep, it should save me about $16 a month in electricity
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Slammed my hand into a door frame while I was carrying in groceries from the car
DW brought me a ziploc bag with ice which relieved the pain.
When I was finished using it, I dumped the ice in the sink and hung up the bag to dry. It is now back in the box for its next use!
DW brought me a ziploc bag with ice which relieved the pain.
When I was finished using it, I dumped the ice in the sink and hung up the bag to dry. It is now back in the box for its next use!
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Grocery stores vary a lot in the same company, based on location. The Kroger I would go to when I lived in North Carolina was very chill and I have nothing but good memories of it.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Pete12 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:09 am Slammed my hand into a door frame while I was carrying in groceries from the car
DW brought me a ziploc bag with ice which relieved the pain.
When I was finished using it, I dumped the ice in the sink and hung up the bag to dry. It is now back in the box for its next use!
FRUGAL?
You just dumped the remaining ice down the drain!?
Heh.
I hope your hand isn't hurt too badly!
RM
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Probably should have used the ice in a gin & tonic to take my mind off the pain!!ResearchMed wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:40 amPete12 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:09 am Slammed my hand into a door frame while I was carrying in groceries from the car
DW brought me a ziploc bag with ice which relieved the pain.
When I was finished using it, I dumped the ice in the sink and hung up the bag to dry. It is now back in the box for its next use!
FRUGAL?
You just dumped the remaining ice down the drain!?
Heh.
I hope your hand isn't hurt too badly!
RM
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
That’s very very interesting about cooking dinner which includes next day breakfast. Quite common in some parts of the world; a good way to break the cycle of typical American breakfast foods (sugar, carb, highly processed)AnnetteLouisan wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:28 am I tried doing just one shampoo and one conditioner cycle instead of my usual, two of each. Not sure if this is the place to skimp but also wondering whether two are really necessary or just a means of getting consumers to use product faster. Appreciate any insights on this.
I’ve been eating dinner leftovers for breakfast sometimes and also wondering whether it is healthier or whether there is an intrinsic merit to breakfast-specific food such as cereal in the morning.
Last edited by RoadThunder on Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Rebid all property and auto insurances. Not getting good vibes on auto insurance due spike in Florida claims from the past12 months.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
I’m trying this. About to reach out to Geico. I have farmers.RoadThunder wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:25 pm Rebid all property and auto insurances. Not getting good vibes on auto insurance due spike in Florida claims from the past12 months.
Tried Costco, cheaper on the car insurance but more for home
Honestly not sure who else to try, aside from Geico.
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Re: What frugal thing did you do today?
Use an independent insurance broker- they work with many many different companies.Wannaretireearly wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:32 pmI’m trying this. About to reach out to Geico. I have farmers.RoadThunder wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:25 pm Rebid all property and auto insurances. Not getting good vibes on auto insurance due spike in Florida claims from the past12 months.
Tried Costco, cheaper on the car insurance but more for home
Honestly not sure who else to try, aside from Geico.